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Hand-Crochet Alpaca Wool Beanies & Fingerless Mittens: Custom Colours & Made to Size [Self Promotion] (slrpnk.net)

submitted 1 week ago by stubbytoe@slrpnk.net to c/buyitforlife@slrpnk.net

24 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I make buy-for-life, plastic-free, and customisable accessories with free delivery and repairs. I try to keep versatility in mind; nothing has a tag, a seam, or a pre-fold so you can wear them as you like!

I opened this shop this month and it's still a work in progress, because it's a one-person slow fashion operation. The idea is that you only have to think about colours and measurements once, then you never have to worry about buying another beanie/mittens again. I offer free repairs for reasonable wear and tear damage, you just cover the shipping.

Stripy Ribbed Beanie

Great for everyday wear and ideal for hiking and camping. Made from 100% alpaca wool.

Fingerless (Mismatched) Mittens

Perfect if you do a lot of things with your hand(s) but still need to keep them warm. You can also buy just a single mitten if that's all you need. Made from 100% alpaca wool.

This is why I chose alpaca wool:

Natural, breathable, water-repellent, and flame-resistant
Extra warm: the hollow cores of alpaca wool trap air in miniature thermal pockets, and the fabric remains a thermal insulator even while wet
Featherweight: lightweight and thin without bulk
Long-lasting: strong and sturdy fibres less prone to pilling than sheep wool or many plastic fabrics
Hypoallergenic: contains less lanolin, making it safe for sensitive skin
Anti-bacterial: prevents unpleasant odours and goes a long time without needing washed
Sustainable: this is a durable and regenerative material. Alpacas also have padded feet which are easier on the soil and use less water than sheep

You can find MossyFibres on Etsy, eBay, and Pixelfed. Feel free to email me at mossyfibres@posteo.com if you have any questions, requests, or ideas :)

I am an anarchist at heart and have previously worked in a non-hierarchical worker's cooperative, so pure profit is not my goal. I wish to supply people with warm, beautiful clothing that should last them a lifetime - but like everyone, I have bills to pay and a belly to feed. Everything takes time to make by hand, so the prices are a bit higher than the high street, but for that price you get customisability, 100% alpaca wool, and free repairs.

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[-] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago

When it gets warm enough to turn on the heater each year I start getting a craving for knitting. Scarf, hat, gloves, rarely socks.

The results are definitely buy it for life. The materials cost for good fiber is insane though. These days it's all salvage or gifted fiber because I'm not paying for it anymore.

[-] JustEnoughDucks@slrpnk.net 3 points 6 days ago

Which is funny because wool producers very often barely get paid enough to cover the cost of transporting their wool to sell it to suppliers. Their profit margins must be insane.

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 week ago

I get that cozy craving too! It's nice to snuggle with a blanket and some tea next to you while you work on a project.

I made my first sock this winter (with circular needles) and nobody prepared me for the fact that I need to make a second sock to go with it 😄

It's one of those hobbies where you're left with something at the end. If you're intentional about your materials, you end up with an item that serves you for life, especially if you take care of it. I still wear a woolly jumper from my mother that is almost 30 years old!

You're right that good fibre is costly. It's a treat for yourself once in a while, but also quite rewarding at the end. I appreciate that you salvage the material or savour it as a gift instead of opting for the cheap plastic stuff!

[-] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

Second sock syndrome is real. Sometimes it helps to knit both at the same time.

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 week ago

I didn't think of that and I will be giving it a try. Still need to finish sock number 2 🫣

[-] otter@lemmy.ca 12 points 1 week ago

You could also post this to !imadethis@lemmy.zip

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 6 points 1 week ago

Thanks a lot, I'll have a nosey!

[-] Big_Boss_77@fedinsfw.app 8 points 1 week ago

Any chance you ship to the USA?

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 week ago

Yeah!

[-] Big_Boss_77@fedinsfw.app 6 points 1 week ago

Nice, I'll have to look into it.

[-] BassTurd@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

I picked up knitting about 5 years ago when I was couch bound after having surgery on both my legs. I pretty much only do hats, but I have one hat that I wear almost daily about 7 months a year. It has a simple yet complicated looking pattern that frequently gets compliments and it looks almost like it did the day I finished it. I went with a Merino wool and love it so much. It was going to be all black, but I ran out of yarn and finished the top with white, so it looks like aagic 8 ball.

It's also a great hobby for long plane flights and grabs some positive attention from the flight attendants.

I love the look of your work.

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 4 points 1 week ago

That is awesome, I would definitely compliment an 8 ball hat 🎱

It's a good way to entertain yourself when you wait and sometimes you get fun conversations with strangers.

Thank you 🥲

[-] nocturne@slrpnk.net 6 points 1 week ago

Love those colors.

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 week ago

Thanks, they're my favourite heh

[-] Maiq@piefed.social 4 points 1 week ago

This is awesome!

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 week ago

Thank you!

[-] meco03211@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Where do you get your patterns?

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 week ago

From my head 😁 I experimented with different wool, yarn thickness, hook size, and also changed something about the pattern each time. I unravelled my beanie and mittens so many times that I remember the patterns exactly now! It was a bit frustrating but also consuming until I reached what I intended.

[-] Mac@mander.xyz 3 points 1 week ago

What colors are chosen in the example pictures?

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 week ago

I just remembered I have this picture to show the colour combinations

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 week ago

I had a particular colour in my mind but never found yarn that fit, so I ended up working with two thin strands to mix the shades that I wanted. The charcoal colour is a mixture of black and dark grey, and the green is a mixture of a grassy green and a dark blue-ish green.

[-] Mac@mander.xyz 2 points 1 week ago

Yeah, that's what I thought. It looks really good. Is that an option you're offering?

[-] stubbytoe@slrpnk.net 3 points 1 week ago

Yeah, definitely. If you have a colour or a few colours in mind, you can send some pictures and I'll try to match as closely as I can. I'll then send you swatches and you can decide if you like the shade(s).

[-] Mac@mander.xyz 2 points 1 week ago

PMd

this post was submitted on 25 Mar 2026

180 points (94.6% liked)

Buy it for Life

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A place to share practical, durable and quality made products that are made to last, with an emphasis on upcycled and sustainable products!

Guidelines:

Things that are well-made and durable (even if they won't last a lifetime) are A-Okay!

Unlike that other BIFL place, Home-made and DIY items are encouraged here, as long as some form of instruction is included in the body of the post.

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A limited amount of self-promotion is accepted, IF the item you are selling aligns with this criteria:

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