Tuesday 16 February 2016

Finished Object: Wanderers

Pattern: Wanderers by Andrea Mowry
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted
Colours: Marine and Apple Green
Needles: 5mm round needles
Start of project: February 12th, 2015
End of project: February 16th, 2016

On Ravelry

These modern Mukluks have been in my queue for a while. On the one hand it's a bit silly to go back to the concept of "Hüttenfinken" which everybody had to knit and wear in the 70s but on the other hand they looked warm and comfortable and though I don't like normal slippers because they have to be put on and taken off again and again (who needs slippers on the sofa and in bed...) these have the advantage that they can stay on wherever I am and I will always have warm feet.

I had finished my Business Casual Socks in the middle of Knitnight at Strickcafé last Friday and I knew they had Malabrigo Worsted in their store so I decided to choose two colours right there. I wasn't quite sure which way to go, for this intense combination of Marine and Apple Green or for something more subtle. In the end these two won, especially because there were no light neutral colours. They came out a bit loud but most of the mukluks will be hidden beneath my jeans anyway, I hardly ever wear leggins. If I were to knit a second pair, I'd probably try a quieter combination but they are quite ok like this as well.


They are super comfortable to wear, a tiny bit slippery to walk around and very cosy while sitting on the sofa (that's how I always sit while knitting ;-)


I learnt a new technique for these mukluks, the afterthought heel. It wasn't difficult at all but I was so impressed both time how easy it was to open them up and add a whole different part. Knitting is so fascinating sometimes.







I was slightly worried that there wouldn't be enough yarn with only two skeins of the Malabrigo Worsted but I needn't have worried. There are about 18gr. of each colour left, so even with slightly longer feet it would still be enough. I used this yarn for the first time and it works very well for this kind of project, the yarn is really fluffy but strong and it looks good in fair isle. The whole pattern was lovely to knit and with the thick yarn the mukluks grew quickly.


8 comments:

  1. Very cute. They look very warm and cozy.

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    1. They are. Right now I am still in bed but as soon as I get up, I'll put them back on ;-)

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  2. I gotta say, I like those loud colors! It would brighten my day to wear such happy slippers. I'm guessing hüttenfinken are the kind of house shoes my grandmother crocheted everyone for Christmas, in bright seventies colors. I have a soft spot in my heart for bright handmade house shoes. Anyway, these are awesome. They're on my knit list too, but I probably wouldn't have thought to pick such vivid colors, had I not seen yours. I'd like mine to be like yours, but the end I'll probably just knit whatever is in my stash.

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    1. I am really starting to like them. I've been wearing them constantly. Hüttenfinken used to be a thing of the 70s in Switzerland. They were meant to be worn on cold floors like on holidays in a wooden chalet but of course you could wear them at home as well. When I learnt to knit I remember we had to knit a pair of them, I guess to learn how to knit socks (because they were basically socks in heavy weight yarn) and then once they were done you had to attack a leather sole. Mine were baby pink and had some garrish pattern on them but they are long gone ;-)

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  3. those socks are so complex looking!I haven't tried the afterthought heel before, but it looks amazing. These socks are so cool!

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    1. The pattern is actually very easy to memorise and it's fun to just go on and on.

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  4. From the moment I saw this WIP on your instagram, I knew it would be gorgeous! Love the colors and stitch pattern!

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    1. Thank you Alina. They were really lovely to knit and they are lovely to wear as well.

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