Knitting magazines, how to make DPNs, and some snuggly slippers

Since the knitting bug bit me I have purchased a few different mags. There is a fantastic Aussie one called Yarn, which has a variety of knitting and crochet patterns and lots of info about where to get supplies in Australia. I gave myself a subscription to it for Christmas. Here's the link to their website, they have some great free patterns .

I also got a subscription to Interweave Knits, but not through their website. I had heard that many people in Australia have had trouble with their subscriptions direct from the US, with copies being damaged or going missing. So I have ordered mine through Colonial Lake Books in South Australia. The Interweave Knits site has some great free patterns too.

One of the projects in the Fall 2008 issue of Interweave Knits is the "Ribby Slipper Socks". As a bit of a break from the elephant I'm knitting for Muppet I thought I'd have a go at these. Only problem was that they require a set of 8mm DPNs, and not having any I rang all the local shops with no luck. My brilliant DH came up with the suggestion of making some for me. A quick trip to the hardware store later and we had a 1.8 metre length of 8mm dowel. Enough for 2 sets of 5 DPNs and for only a couple of dollars! DH cut the dowel into lengths, I sharpened the ends with a pencil sharpener and then we sanded them. I added a coat of beeswax and buffed them and we were done. Ok so with the sanding they were slightly smaller than 8mm but not enough to be too concerned.

Two evenings of leisurely knitting and here's the result. Modelled by DS13 they are slightly stretched, but they turned out pretty good! I used op-shop yarn of indeterminate fibre content, two strands together, so they probably cost me a dollar to make. The reason for my interest in this pattern? My SIL had mentioned that she loved slipper socks when we were visiting her for my BIL's funeral. Now I've made the test pair I'll find some nice yarn to whip her up a set. Tassie gets very cool in the winter months and she'll need all the comfort she can get.