the blue blog archives: and the boot goes on

The knitting became much easier once I got past the shoe. It was still a little like knitting in slow motion with big movements (although I can totally see how knitting continental here would minimize this), but it went relatively quickly once the decreases were well underway. For those of you following along in the pattern, I did make one tiny change: I didn't cut the yarn when the little instep gusset was being knit, because I didn't feel like dealing with another end to weave in later. I just knit around to that spot and turned to start the gusset. Otherwise, I did everything as instructed. A few rounds of ribbing and voila, a knit boot!

It came out just like the ones on the show - what a relief! By the way, for those of you knitting along, judging from my leftovers, I think one ball of Blizzard (66 yds.) might be enough to knit both boots. The BurlySpun yarn the pattern calls for may have a lot of yardage, but I can't imagine you'd need it all to make the boots, so keep that in mind if you're substituting yarn.

But now, what they didn't (wouldn't?) show you on television, the try-on! Drumroll, please....

Hey, it's okay! Really, it isn't bad at all. Of course, the shoe isn't the most comfortable, but I imagine that with wear (yes, I do plan to wear these sometime), the leather will soften up. As for the knitted part, it's comfy: not too snug, not too hot. The Blizzard split a bit here and there and doesn't look like it'll hold up to too much wear and tear, but as long as the shoe holds out, I can always rip out the Blizzard and reknit the boot from the same holes. As for the style, I really like the look of the ankle boot, but when wearing it, I think I might prefer either a short knitted shoe like in the pictures from yesterday or a higher boot. Sock height would probably feel the most natural. I may try it out by making the leg longer on the second shoe.

Still I consider this shoe to be a huge success. Such a success, in fact, that I've already bought another pair of shoes to make! I've got plans to put a pattern on them - maybe a cool cable, possibly even that Hermione cable I love so much. For now, on to shoe number two!

posted by alison at 9:52 am | in these boots were made for knitting

Comments

Very, very impressive !!
good job !

Can't wait to see the pair ;o)

Posted by: karen in Toronto at January 21, 2006 10:06 AM

HOW CUTE! Another place to wear knits! I love it! They look way better in blue than in orange - I had to say it. I like the cable idea, too.

Posted by: Darcy at January 21, 2006 10:09 AM

Those are too cute! What a great idea!

Posted by: Roxanne at January 21, 2006 10:14 AM

Verrrry neat looking shoe! :)

Posted by: ~Jo~ at January 21, 2006 10:27 AM

I love it! It turned out beautifully.

Posted by: Chris at January 21, 2006 10:27 AM

I love them! Great job.

Posted by: Jenn at January 21, 2006 10:34 AM

i love it! at first i was skeptical but it looks great!

Posted by: allena at January 21, 2006 10:37 AM

Oh, it looks great! Thanks for finishing the first one so fast I couldn't wait to see it. They would look cool with a pair of straightleg jeans cuffed so you could see the whole thing. And your strippy socks peaking out slightly.
Great job!!!

Posted by: Trinamac at January 21, 2006 10:38 AM

Looks great, and looks fun! My shoes are in the mail now--hopefully next weekend I'll be breaking out the drill.

Posted by: katie at January 21, 2006 10:57 AM

As a dancer I have worn Capezio shoes. They do get more comfortable with wear.

Posted by: Mallory Smith at January 21, 2006 12:12 PM

Those came out great! I love all the progress photos, too - seeing the shoe with all the needles around it. Did those start out as dance shoes? If so, I'd highly recommend that you take them to a shoemaker and have rubber heels put on. It will both improve their longevity on sidewalks, and keep them from being slippery. I think they're the comfiest heels around!

Posted by: Dana at January 21, 2006 12:13 PM

Very cool...I wonder how they would work out if you used something more durable like Berroco Suede?

Posted by: Nancy at January 21, 2006 12:13 PM

They are AWESOME! You should go post to Vickie and show her!

Posted by: Scout at January 21, 2006 12:18 PM

They are very cool. I am impressed with how they look on. I may have to do my own pair after all. Thank you for showing your progress pics.

Posted by: Rhonda at January 21, 2006 12:22 PM

All dance shoes are supposed to feel to tight and constricting at first, but the leather really will open up and feel more natural over time.

Posted by: Nadia at January 21, 2006 1:00 PM

i like it! it looks great on too!

Posted by: debbie at January 21, 2006 1:05 PM

Wow! Looks great. I think you've started a fashion trend (or at least recognized one). I saw some knitted boots at Nordstrom that were knee high. Very cute!

Posted by: kellyt at January 21, 2006 1:09 PM

looks great-
having worn those shoes for many years dancing, they DO soften up. best way to do that is (before you knit them) is to bend the toe upward and break the instep in. BUT, looks a lot better than the pics on the pattern!

Posted by: Laura at January 21, 2006 1:42 PM

Very cute!!

Posted by: Norah at January 21, 2006 2:07 PM

Those look great!

Posted by: MommyknitsJen at January 21, 2006 2:16 PM

It looks great! Congrats.
:)

Posted by: Micky at January 21, 2006 3:13 PM

That looks GREAT!

Posted by: Elemmaciltur at January 21, 2006 4:02 PM

I might try this with that Dale of Norway Teflon yarn :) Finally, a use for teflon'd yarn.

Cute already but I think I'd go with a cable, too. Teehee, cables on your shoes!

Posted by: freecia at January 21, 2006 4:12 PM

You are going to be one stylin' mama.

On another note... Remember those little slippers you bought in Germany? I came across another blogger who has a pattern for sale that looks like them. It's called "Sweet Mary Janes". I haven't tried it out, but it does look like those slippers!

http://dorkybestfriend.blogspot.com/ It's on the left hand side of the blog.

Posted by: K. Anne at January 21, 2006 4:35 PM

character shoes do take a fair amount of coercing to break in... me personally, i would've worn them for a while first before knitting them up. but once those babies soften up, BOY they're like butter. beautiful work :)

Posted by: alice at January 21, 2006 5:23 PM

You rock! I love the color you chose. Can't wait to see the finished pair being modeled. And then the new one you'll do with a cable -- how cool is that?!

Posted by: Mary at January 21, 2006 5:40 PM

I love the boots in the blue way better than orange. Now I need some too! Ah, too many things on the brain to even be on the needles. Just so many things at a time for this knitter...

Posted by: Faith Fiberflash at January 21, 2006 5:57 PM

They look great with the jeans! I love it, and I think the cabled ones will look great too!

Posted by: Carla at January 21, 2006 6:06 PM

That's a lot of work. I can't imagine that I would ever bother unless I got funky with it. Like longer up the leg, maybe with cables or fair isle. Or lace up calves.

But your work is very neat.

Posted by: LaurieM at January 21, 2006 7:18 PM

They are awesome! You did a great job! I'm inspired :)

Posted by: Cathy at January 21, 2006 8:38 PM

The shoe looks great! Seeing them on actually makes me think they may become a possibility in my future.
Good work!

Posted by: Ann at January 21, 2006 9:57 PM

These look really cute! I still haven't actually looked at the website for the pattern, but they surprised me. I'll be interested to see how they turn out with longer legs on them, too.
Great job!

Posted by: Jaime at January 21, 2006 11:15 PM

Your boots are FABULOUS! I like them even better on. Had I only seen the photo at DYI, I would have thought, pretty cool. But seeing them on your feet makes them, WOW! I just might have to make a pair in the near future. Great job!

Posted by: Lynnell at January 22, 2006 12:10 AM

You truly are an extreme knitter Alison!
Well done!

Posted by: Debi at January 22, 2006 5:08 AM

This is one of the most insane knittin projects I have ever seen. Just to mention the drilling machine... And at the same time I am stunned by how marvellous these shoes turn out. Easy to understand why you are already thinking about another pair. So cool, incredibly great job!

Posted by: carola at January 22, 2006 7:59 AM

I had to comment again because I just thought of a really fun (kooky) idea for this pattern. What if someone were to knit them up so that they sorta looked something like this: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5813/1829/1600/DSC01032.jpg (photo taken by this blogger: http://froginknots.blogspot.com/)? I realize that the picture is not of knitted shoes, but you get the idea -- use a shiny red novely yarn for the actual shoe part, and then a black-and-white striped stocking on top of that -- a salute to the Wizard of Oz! ;-)

Posted by: Mary (again) at January 22, 2006 12:00 PM

Wow, you did a fantastic job!! I imagine, too, that the leather will fit better with wear. :)

Happy knitting!!

Posted by: Samantha at January 23, 2006 9:58 AM

Totally fun! I've really enjoyed watching you make these!

Posted by: Julia at January 23, 2006 1:23 PM

THat's the craziest project I've seen in a long time! Can't yet decide if it's good crazy or weird crazy;-)

Posted by: Julia at January 23, 2006 1:45 PM

They're coming along very nicely. One technical question though, did you cut the strap/buckle off the shoe, or somehow leave it inside and will use it? In your opinion, do you think it's possible to drill the holes a little bit lower in the front so the black doesn't show as much? I was just wondering if you went as low as you could or not?

Thanks for your thoughts! Dana

Posted by: Dana at January 23, 2006 2:47 PM

I have enjoyed watching you make these so much. thanks for sharing. I must say, I was sceptical at first and thought that they were cool, but highly NOT wearable. You've totally proved me wrong! They go well with jeans and look really funky!

Awesome.

Posted by: Krista at January 23, 2006 6:51 PM

very nice...and if you have so much yarn left over you could make yours longer.

Posted by: Orli at January 24, 2006 7:33 AM

ohhh nice! i'm a big fat chicken and was waiting to see your progress and hear how it was working out before starting :P okay... now.. to pick up all those dpns eeeek

Posted by: rebecca at January 24, 2006 2:32 PM

I gotta tell ya - I wasn't really impressed with them on the show. But yours?? Now that's a hot boot!

Posted by: Christiane at January 25, 2006 9:53 PM