Moccasins For My Niece

Yesterday, my daughter and I were browsing the vendor booths at the pow-wow, looking at earrings. I had a few dollars and was hoping to find ideal beads for eyes on my knitting.

My niece ran to me and threw her arms around me. She was in the regalia my sister wore when she was a kid, her moccasins are small and too tight, they hurt her toes a bit but it's all she has.

Can you buy me a feather? It's only $3. Pointing.

Internal eye-roll. Let's look.

We turned to the next vendor over and browsed a bit. My daughter chose a feather to best match my niece's fancy regalia. They both were smiling about it, I paid for it and watched it woven into hair to stand up centered behind. More hugs.

My other niece acknowledged me by asking if I'd buy her moccasins, they're only $80, *head tilt and dimples set to full power.

Only $80? - you go get $80 then.

Awhile later as I was browsing, I found nicely beaded moccasins, obviously used. The vendor is a local lady and distant relative. I asked the price.

Uh, ... $45.

My niece is out here barefoot. I don't have money. Would you be interested in a trade? I can knit you something of equal value.

Hesitation, uncertainty. Then I show her a few pictures in my Android of some of my work as well as my project page on Ravelry.

How about she tries them on first, and if they fit we'll go from there.

Sure.

I take the moccasins, hoping they fit. They didn't. Not even close. They are more than a little big; but, she's ecstatic about them, and I go back to negotiate my knitting project.

How about just a blanket with two horses on it. One horse is all black and the other one is brown with a black tail and mane, I don't care about the colour of the blanket, any colour will do.

I agree to the blanket project and set my mind to how I might begin. I'm glad for this trade agreement, but I also know that a blanket is a lot of work. The blanket I made for myself took nearly a year; the one I am working on for my nephew has been on the go since before he was born.

I've been searching for a knitted horse applique without any luck; intarsia still intimidates me - but it looks like I may have to master it now. Less intimidating is crochet, there are a few appliques made that way, although they are a bit cartoony.

In the end my nieces traded moccasins and are very happy and the fit is better for both.

I ought to get back to searching ideas for a blanket; mostly I'm finding plushies. I guess it doesn't help that I am limited to free patterns.