Yay I won!!! : : Aqua Love : : Slipper Pattern Review

This is certainly not the first time I have entered a giveaway, but it is the first time I've WON! Check out this awesome elephant pillow from Eva at Uniquety. As part of the giveaway entry, we could pick something we wanted her to make for us (isn't that a great idea? and gutsy!). I picked an elephant pillow, thinking I would put it in Elliot's crib. But as you can see, it hasn't ended up there yet...

How cute are the little peanuts? And look at how it matches my favorite bedding!!! Don't worry, I'll put it in E's crib soon...after I finish admiring it.

Thanks so much Eva!!!

Turns out this aqua/turquoise is pretty much my favorite color ever. I seem drawn to it. As evidence, I present the following lovely things in exhibit form for your viewing pleasure.

: : Exhibit A : :
Beautiful Heather Ross fabric from SIL Sara Beth for my birthday. What a great present for a fabric-lover, eh? (We had a combined celebration yesterday for her birthday and mine with my husband's family and I got some wonderful early birthday prezzies)

She gave me a couple of the blush pink colorway too, which I also LOVE LOVE LOVE:

: : Exhibit B : :
Cute baby hat for Elliot made by my momma. The fishies! Mom was smart enough to provide a strap for the hat so it stays on.

: : Exhibit C : :
New dessert plates from IKEA! (365+)
: : Exhibit D : :
Bathroom wall paint (Martha Stewart at Kmart)

OK, so maybe that was actually just an excuse to show you the slippers I just finished. These are the Heather Ross slippers that I alluded to in an earlier post. I didn't have matching ric-rac (sad!) to go with this fabric, so I skipped it, but I did want them to be toasty so I made them with chenille lining. Some observations:

: : I found, as others had mentioned, that the pattern was sized really small. I added about an inch or so to the pattern pieces. I have size 10 feet so there was no chance a small 9-10 was going to fit.

: : I just about tossed the whole project when I read that the sole was to be made out of felted wool. Who has that kind of thing just sitting around, I ask you? Crazy people. Not me.

Fortunately I found that I could just use regular fabric for the sole. Here's how: Don't sew the insole all the way around the slipper (leave a 3" hole along one side of the slipper). Then sew the sole on (right sides together) by sewing just inside the previous insole seam all the way around the slipper, being careful not to sew your 3" hole shut. Then turn the whole thing right-side out by pulling the slipper through the hole and handstitch the hole closed.

: : If you decide to use chenille like I did, I'd recommend using about 2x as much elastic at the heel, since the thicker fabric won't gather as much.

Happy Sewing!