Supplies:
Double Knitting Wool (used two strands at once) - or any
thick yarn that will give the required gauge. However, if you use
a thick yarn make sure it can be split to work the I-cord or have a thinner
yarn for the I-cord. The amount used varies, I usually get a pair
out of two 50g balls of wool - it depends on how light the wool is for
its thickness.
Double pointed needles to give required gauge (I use 4.5mm
for the slippers and 3.25mm for the I-cord border). For knitting
around I have the stitches on three needles and knit with the fourth.
Once I get to the toe decreases I have the stitches on four needles and
knit with a fifth (not actually necessary, just less awkward).
Crochet hook (about 5mm) if you want to do a crocheted
border.
Hat elastic
Contrasting waste yarn
Wool needle (for grafting or seaming and threading in
elastic)
Method (both slippers are made alike):
Gauge: about 4 stitches to the inch (8 stitches
to 5 cm) over garter stitch.
Using contrasting waste yarn and the DOUBLE thickness
of the slipper yarn cast on 22 stitches. Use an invisible method
if you want to graft the back-of-heel seam later. If you want to
simply seam it just cast on the 22 stitches. For both methods leave
a tail long enough to do the seam.
Garter Stitch Section: Worked back on forth
on two needles (I use a pair of the double pointed needles but you can
use a pair of knitting pins for this bit if you like). Slip the first
stitch purl-wise to make a chain edge if you want to add an I-cord (or
crocheted) border. If not slip it knit-wise and you will get a nice
garter stitch edge.
Row 1: |
K 11, M1, K11 |
Row 2: |
K10, P1, K1, P1, K10 |
Row 3: |
K11, M1, K1, M1, K11 |
Row 4: |
K10, P1, K3, P1, K10 |
Row 5: |
K11, M1, K1, M1, K1, M1,
K1, M1, K11 |
Row 6: |
K10, P1, K7, P1, K10 |
Row 7: |
K11, M1, K2, M1, K3, M1,
K2, M1, K11 (you now have 33 stitches) |
Continue in garter stitch (maintaining the purl stitch
at the 11th and 23rd stitches on alternate rows to keep the lines of stocking
stitch going up each side of the sole) until you have a total of 20 ridges
below your needle on the right side and the right side is facing you.
Rib Section: Change to rib. At the
end of this row make it into a round and join it by knitting the last stitch
of this row together with the first by using SSK - treat this stitch as
the first stitch of the round. You now have 32 stitches. Rib for
11 rounds.
Shape Toe: (arrange the stitches on the needles
as you go so they are comfortable for you - I arrange mine so that the
needles change between the K2T and the SSK).
Row 1: |
Rib 7, K2T, Rib 15, SSK, Rib
6 |
Rows 2, 4, 6: |
Rib, keeping stitches in pattern to allow for the decreased
stitches. |
Row 3: |
Rib 6, K2T, SSK, Rib 11, K2T,
SSK, Rib 5 |
Row 5: |
Rib 5, K2T, SSK, Rib 9, K2T,
SSK, Rib 4 |
Row 7: |
Rib 4, K2T, SSK, Rib 7, K2T,
SSK, Rib 3 |
Row 8: |
Rib 3, K2T, SSK, Rib 5, K2T,
SSK, Rib 2 |
Row 9: |
Rib 2, K2T, SSK, Rib 3, K2T,
SSK, Rib 1 |
Assembling: Graft the back of heel seam (you effectively
fold your cast-on edge in half). I pick up the stitches with a smaller
needle, take out the contrasting waste yarn and use it to work a mock row
with the larger needle. I put half the stitches on another needle,
fold the knitting so the two needles are parallel and use the contrasting
yarn as my guide for grafting. Graft the 10 toe stitches (work a mock round
with the contrasting yarn), the upper's 5 to the sole's 5 (I 'fudge' this
bit because the yarn doesn't end up at the most convenient spot for grafting
- just carry it the short distance - I promise it'll be FINE). Tidy
away all ends. If you don't like grafting just do a tidy seam.
I-cord Border: You will be picking up the chain
stitches around the foot opening in this order: From centre back
of heel to toe down the left side. From centre back of heel to toe
down the right side. Graft together at toe.
With contrasting waste yarn cast on I-cord as directed
above and work two rows with the contrasting yarn. Now measure off
about 3.5 metres of the slipper yarn (single thickness only) and work one
row with the yarn attached to the ball - leave the long length of yarn
waiting, do not break it off. You are going to use it later to work
I-cord down the other side of the foot opening. At the end of this
row insert the end of the needle through the chain stitch of the slipper's
foot opening (both loops of the chain are on your needle - treat them as
if they are one stitch) so they are now positioned as a 5th stitch on the
needle.
Row 1: |
Knit 3 stitches of the I-cord and K2T the last I-cord
stitch with the picked-up chain stitch. |
Row 2: |
I-cord one row, put the next chain stitch on the end
of the needle. |
Repeat these two rows until you get to the centre front.
Hold the stitches in waiting to be grafted.
Use the contrasting yarn at the start of the I-cord to
figure out where to pick up the four stitches of the I-cord slipper yarn.
Using the long length of yarn you measured off at the start (sometimes
I need to pull this length through one of the stitches to free it properly
for knitting - because of the way I do my 'invisible' cast-on) work I-cord
down the other side of the foot opening as follows:
Row 1: |
Pick up the chain stitch from the slipper's foot opening
and put it on the needle as the 1st stitch (as opposed to the 5th stitch
when you were doing the other side). Now SSK and knit the remaining
three I-cord stitches. |
Row 2: |
I-cord one row. |
NOTE: As you I-cord down both sides of the foot
opening you are always joining from the outside of the slipper
Work I-cord border as above until you get to the centre
front. Graft the two ends of I-cord together (or seam them, or whatever
takes your fancy and looks tidy!). Remember to remove waste yarn
once it has served its purpose. Why don't I just work I-cord all
the way around in one direction? Because no matter what I've tried
one side ends up looking different to the other and it annoys me.
If it doesn't annoy you just do it that way...
Now run hat elastic right through the I-cord border and
tie off for a snug fit. Tidy away loose ends and enjoy (I put a little
bullion rose made out of wool at the centre front of the I-cord border
when I make these for a woman - they are ideal for a bit of embellishment
with wool embroidery).
Crocheted Border: Join in yarn (double thickness)
at back of heel. Work one dc into each chain stitch, when you get
to the two centre front chains work one dc but don't pull the thread through
for the second time, work one dc into the next chain and this time pull
the thread through all three loops on the hook (a standard decrease).
Continue working one dc into each chain until you reach the back of heel.
Neatly fasten off and tidy away ends. Run hat elastic through the
base of the dc's and tie off for a snug fit.
If you chose not to do a border and just had the garter-stitch
edge then run the hat elastic around the opening on the inside, set back
one stitch.
I have found that it is easy to vary the size of these
slippers. You can change the gauge (worked on smaller needles with
a single strand it makes a small child's slipper) or you can change the
number of stitches and rows quite easily. After you have knitted
them once you will see what I mean.
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Last modified: 3 November 2002