Wooly Felties for Babies

I have been in a conundrum about shoes for Ava. I myself have narrow, sensitive and strange feet and have always had "issues" with shoes-they never are comfortable or fit just right it seems. Alas, my little daughter seems to have inherited another of her mama's characteristics, she doesn't like to keep shoes on, none of them seem to fit and now that she is just walking, we need to address the shoe issue.

The gold loafers? Too big.

The brown T-straps? Almost too small.

I have been dreading this obstacle since I became pregnant. I remember sobbing, 30 or so weeks in to the pregnancy, in a hormone induced panic, "What about SHOES!?! How will we find shoes that fit this baby!?!" My husband pretty much felt that we should cross that bridge when we got to it.

Well, we're at the bridge my dear.

I am starting with indoor shoes, as we have an old house with hard wood, chilly floors. I have had the distinct pleasure of wearing a pair of felted wool slippers, made by a friend of mine, every day for the last few months. I do mean every day. My feet would not have survived without them. So it occurred to me that I could probably knit a similar style shoe for Ava to wear inside so that her feet stay warm. I will put some puff paint dots on the bottom so she won't slip, but my first attempt at felting went pretty well.

We won't discuss that this pair of slippers originally started out as a pair for myself, and as usual, somewhere in the pattern, I went terribly astray and they ended up way too small. Never one to throw in the towel, relentless, my husband says, I decided to try felting this little mistake to see if they could get small enough for a 14 month old.

Voila! They needed some embellishment...

I whipped up a little pink flower and threaded raspberry yarn around the foot opening so that they can be cinched up a bit if they are a bit big at first.

When Ava woke up and was about to eat breakfast, she realized the delight of having new "shoes"- a feeling she may feel again and again over her lifetime. Funny how if you are a shoe girl, you are from very early on. Without provocation I should add. Well, maybe there has been a little...

Now if only I could figure out a way to fashion a warm, water resistant, outdoor winter boot for a baby...Or do I have to say toddler now?!?