Any knitters out there!? Making your own winter running gear...

[khyricat]

sounds good..  and good

sounds good.. and good luck.. though I might lean more towards a linen blend than true cotton- if cotton gets wet (sweat even) it STRETCHES.. which might not be good for shoes.. linen should help prevent that.. or silk in with the cotton...

I'd love to see the finished product.

I need to work on some more running related items- I have another cowl/wimple to make in general, but I think I'm going to make this one longer but more fitted for running, it will be alpaca.. I like them better than hats/scarves as I can pull them up or tuck them down and they bunch up into almost nothing to go in a pocket if not needed.. and new mitts.. I like the ones described here... but nothing will be done JUST for running in MI winter until I get shoes.. and those will be another few weeks at least- debating the merrell's or the softstar runamocs.. wish I could try on the former.. but the store that got them in didn't get anything close to my size in.

 

[pabiabi]

Hi everyone I am new here-

Hi everyone



I am new here- first post. Just started running in September.



This post caught my eye as I have made almost all of my winter running clothes. I don't knit- but I do sew from upcycled wool. I have made: multiple jackets from merino, hats, mittens, earbands and buffs. But the two things that have been my favorite are merino wool tights and something I am calling "shoesweaters".

We have had the coldest and snowiest winter here in CT- my feet are always cold and wearing thin shoes has been difficult. So I invented these to go OVER shoes.

Look forward to chatting with everyone.



pms in ct

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Very snazzy.  What are the

Very snazzy. What are the bottoms made of?

 

[Norm Deplume]

I'm a knitter, too, although

I'm a knitter, too, although I haven't been running at all for a couple of months now.

I am too cheap for bamboo. I do love my wool panta headband, though, for when its not quite cold enough for a hat. Also, I made a ribbed neck gaiter for myself. I love that thing. Some day I'll splurge on the bamboo for myself.

 

[Norm Deplume]

pabiabi wrote:This post

This post caught my eye as I have made almost all of my winter running clothes. I don't knit- but I do sew from upcycled wool. I have made: multiple jackets from merino, hats, mittens, earbands and buffs. But the two things that have been my favorite are merino wool tights and something I am calling "shoesweaters".

Welcome!

I sewed my very favorite house slippers out of felted thrift store sweater. Unfortunately, I wore through the soles recently. I'm considering re-soling them with leather and trying them for running, but I'm worried about stretching (it was a fine-gauge sweater to start with, so the felt isn't super stiff/thick).

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Hey, Mrs. Deplume, a.k.a.

Hey, Mrs. Deplume, a.k.a. Norm! Since you're back, I need to bounce something off you.

I can remove the old, difficult smileys, since we now have some new ones that are intuitive to the user, but if I do, there goes Mr. Davie Deplume. I have been holding off on doing this until I got your approval first. ;-) I mean, what would we do without Mr. Deplume?

 

[Norm Deplume]

It's alright. I'll make Mr

It's alright. I'll make Mr Deplume come up with a new persona.

 

[pabiabi]

Hey there. The tops are

Hey there.



The tops are felted wool. The trim on the bottom is leather. (I have tried a few materials, so far leather is the only one holding up to the friction.)



The "bottoms" are your actual shoes. You can see the pink soles of my Kinvaras poking out underneath.



They are held in place with velcro sewn in to the ShoeSweater and attached to the toe of my shoes.



Thanks for asking..



paula

 

[pabiabi]

Norm I make house slippers

Norm



I make house slippers too. I love them. I have thought that perhaps come spring I may attach leather to the bottom and try them outdoors.



I find that with wool sweaters you felt, you really don't konw what you are going to get until you have washed it two or three times. It is sometimes frustrating when I find a great sweater and then it felts up TOO much or not enough to do what I envisioned for it. But that's when I just start over.



For slippers or a potential outdoor slipper you would need a VERY heavy, thick wool that felts up VERY tight. I have some that felted so tight that are stiff as cardboard. This would be perfect for outdoor shoes (with leather on the bottom.)



paula

 

[Norm Deplume]

Quote: find that with wool

find that with wool sweaters you felt, you really don't konw what you are going to get until you have washed it two or three times. It is sometimes frustrating when I find a great sweater and then it felts up TOO much or not enough to do what I envisioned for it. But that's when I just start over.

I've found the same thing over the years. Its a crapshoot. I love the process of washing then checking, then washing again, then hoping involved in felting old sweaters.

 

[khyricat]

as a longtime felter- you can

as a longtime felter- you can swatch and felt to see results then knit accordingly.. also.. you can felt multiple layers together.. for slippers I do this by default when I am knitting them to be felted, but you can also do this with store bought wool garments that you are now felting.. or add a piece to an existing felted item. put something inside to hold the layers apart and keep the shape of the upper part of the slippers the same and then using wool yarn sew on a new "sole" and expose it to sudden temp changes plus agitation or needle felt it together.. I can't imagine slippers that don't have thicker soles than uppers...

 

[Norm Deplume]

khyricat wrote: I can't

I can't imagine slippers that don't have thicker soles than uppers...

they wore amazingly well.

 

[khyricat]

I guess is makes sense, I

I guess is makes sense, I just wear handknit socks around the house, so I don't think of slippers.. to me a slipper is a sole more than a top.. kinda like a keep my crocs by the door (would like to replace with some sort of minimalist shoe) for when I have to run out in the mud or snow for a few seconds and don't want wet feet...

 

[Jennn]

I love knitting!  I never

I love knitting! I never really thought to knit my own running gear outside of maybe a hat though. I'm currently working on a blanket, and after that I'm planning on socks, slippers and maybe a sweater. Those skirts that were posted look super cute though, so I might try one of those too.

 

[khyricat]

go for it.. has anyone knit a

go for it.. has anyone knit a skirt for running? I saw the links, but I'd wonder at how they'd stay up.. and the lack of pockets would bother me.. I plan on sewing a running kilt/skirt, trying to decide what fabric to use at the moment.

It's been a bit insane around here.. and budget is tight and I haven't gotten to those things, besides, I have 2 pairs of workout pants I can run in for now.... and DH doesn't think I need to put $$ into running, and for now, until budget is less tight, he's right.. but I have material and can sew for when the weather is warmer.. I won't sew running tights- ether use the pants or will knit a pair.. debating knitting a pair of funky tights ANYWAY...