I can hardly believe it myself

I made myself a pair of felted clogs. Actually I knit a pair of felted clogs.

Using this pattern and this yarn, I knit a pair of clogs that actually look and fit like comfy clog slippers!

I wasn't convinced this could be done, although the directions seemed to say it could.

Using a size 13 circular needle, I began knitting the first clog on January 1. I encountered several knitting directions that I'd never dealt with before, such as "w&t," for "wrap and turn." The sole of the first slipper was almost done when I faced the fact that my yarns colors were a poor choice, so I raveled and started again, this time choosing a dark mixed grey for the sole and a rust for the top. (I've become a real pro and raveling and starting again.)

I've never done so much counting while knitting on any previous project. The thing knits up fast, though, and by the afternoon of January 2, I had the first slipper all knitted.

Still I was skeptical that these could actually be made to look like clogs, given the big, floppy nature of the pre-felted item.

Forging ahead, I finished knitting the second slipper last evening.

I was eager to get up this morning to get at the felting stage, but I was also really nervous. I've done machine-felting of knitted handbags and mittens, but a pair of clogs? I was afraid of making a major mistake and ending up with a pair of teeny-tiny clogs that would fit the brown dog in the photo above. And I knew she'd refuse to wear them, even if I made two more for her other two feet.

I put each clog into a nylon net laundry bag, added a little shampoo to the hot wash water, threw in a couple of tennis balls and other dog toys to give the clogs a good thrashing, and waited for the washing machine to perform its magic.

I checked the progress every five minutes or so. Once the clogs were getting closer and closer to a size 7 1/2, I tried them on. They needed just 3-4 minutes of agitation to be perfect.

I removed them from the wash tub, rinsed them in cold water, put them back into the tub to spin dry, then put them on my feet to shape.

They're now drying and will continue to dry for a couple of days. Then voila! A pair of handknit woolen slippers!

What amazes me is that someone was able to design a pattern that would result in felted clogs.