Hoofin' It

Last night was the Christmas Show put on at our children's school.  I think there were more crochet sightings there this year than last year!  (LOL)  First, let me say, that the show ROCKed!  The kids were just awesome!  

Second, I was approached by the coordinator/choreagrapher who advised me that they were going to reuse the "hooves" I crocheted like a madwoman last year.  Don't know that story?  Well, grab a cup of eggnog and read on.  

Last year in late November/early December (I don't recall the date exactly) I was approached by the coordinator/choreagrapher of the Christmas Show.  She knew I was a crocheter and requested that I crochet eight sets of reindeer mitts, hooves  really, for the children to use in the upcoming show.  I agreed to this thinking there was plenty of time. 

I went home and checked my stock, checked it twice actually, in reference to which fiber was naughty (scratchy) and which was nice (smooth & fun to pet).  I picked a roll of chenille in the most delightful brown and worked up a single "hoof" and sent it in to school for critique/approval. 

  Time went by.  Actually, a LOT of time went by, and a few days prior to the show, I bumped into her in the parking lot.  She said she loved the sample, but could I make it smaller? 

It was three days before the show.  Could I?  I said I'd give it my best.  So, I grabbed an "F" crochet hook and set to work. 

Night and day I worked on them ... each done with single crochets and slip stitches.  Stitch, stitch, stitch.  Anywhere I went, I took them with me.  Stitch, stitch, stitch.  Dinner?  Yeah, right.  It was take-out with paper plates.  Stitch, stitch, stitch. 

It was down to just a mere half-hour before the show was to go on that I was near finishing the last hoof.  Twenty minutes.  Stitch, stitch, stitch.  Fifteen minutes. Stitch, stitch, stitch.  Ah!  Done!  I handed them over to her and apologized for not tucking and securing my ends in.  There simply was no more time.   

I went out into the audience and took my seat.  The show went on, but no where were the hooves to be seen!  In the segment where the reindeer came out to do their number, they had no hooves on!  "Oh, no!" I thought.  "Could there have been a mishap with one of the hooves?!"  

Well, apparently the coordinator/choreographer caught on that they were forgotten.  So at the end of the show she sent the reindeer back on stage to do an "encore" presentation -- this time with the hooves on, and a special mention of the hard work it took for me to create these hooves especially for the show.  I was relieved that it wasn't a "mishap" in my work; the kids simply forgot to put them on.  The parents cheered for the children as they did such a great job, and for the next six weeks I wore a brace on my wrist to give it well needed rest.  (Later I was advised that she had miscounted -- she really needed NINE sets.  Check out the picture, you can barely see them on the kids hands.  She forgot about poor Rudolph!  Goodness!  Pass some of that eggnog on to me, OK?  It's spiked, right?)  

Flashing forward to this year, the reindeer act was axed, and instead the children were dressed as farm animals (you know, the Manger theme?) ... and on their hands were the hooves ... complete with ends sticking out.  I'm going to have to figure a way to rescue them and finish the job!  (lol)