Fun and Easy Slippers for Mommy

One of the lady’s at knitting pulled two objects from her bag.  One looked like a warm, thick and cozy tube sock with cable detailing up the front.  The other looked like a flat rectangle.  Yet they clearly belonged together, knit from the same soft grey yarn.  Sock with matching coaster?  Mitten with matching single-shoe rug?  Baguette holder with matching hotpad?  Slippers!  Very neat and very fun slippers.

The lady at knitting at found them in some stash somewhere, and curious about them, had deconstructed one.  It turned out that what appeared to be cable detailing was actually a crocheted chain lacing up the slipper.  That flat rectangle was the slipper body.  The long edges each had eyelets knit into them, knit one, yarn over, knit two together, repeat.  Lace up the rectangle, and it becomes a slipper.

“Why, how perfect,” I thought.  Mommy had sent her Christmas list only a few days before, and on that list, she had asked for slippers.  Plus, I was just finishing the shawl for Mr. Trizzle’s mom. 

As soon as I could, I ran to JoAnn’s and scoured the yarn aisles for the perfect yarn.  Mommy’s favorite color is red and there was one red yarn that particularly stood out to me, a nice chunky yarn.  The slippers the lady at knitting had were knit with one strand of yarn, but I wanted to give Mommy’s slippers extra thickness and firmness to keep out the cold from the floor.  So I picked out a matching white to go with the red.  Both chunky, both tweed, with little speckles of colored yarn mixed in.  As I knit, the resulting fabric reminded me of a rag rug Mommy used to have in the kitchen at the old house.  Maybe that’s why I picked the yarn…

The slippers are long, so they cover her ankles and form a cute little cuff at the top, like elf shoes.  The toes of the slippers are sewn together by threading a piece of yarn through the end of each row and pulling it tight.  I used two strands for strength and used the yarn to add a cute little bow detail.  Of course, the best part is, Mommy loved them.   And I hear that if she gets a good running start, she can turn the kitchen floor into her own playground.

 

Mommy trying on her new slippers.

 

 

Yarn: Serenity Chunky Tweeds, Premier Yarns Deborah Norville Collection in Claret and Aran, 2 skeins each

Pattern: Using two strands of yarn, cast on a row about as long as you want your slipper, from the tops of the toes, around the heel and up the ankle.  

Next row, knit one, yarn over, knit two together, repeat until you reach the end of your row.  If you don’t have exactly enough stitches to end the row, knit the last few stitches; this will be the top of your slipper. 

Next rows, knit.  Keep knitting until you have a rectangle of desired width.  When placed under your foot, with the rows running parallel to your foot, the rectangle should be able to wrap around your foot to cover just under a third of the top of your foot on each side.  The rectangle will stretch when you lace it up so pull a bit as you try the size out.

Do another row of knit one, yarn over, knit two together, making sure the yarn overs line up with the other side of the slipper. 

Bind off.

Using a crochet hook and one strand of yarn, knit a crochet chain long enough to lace up your slipper and tie at the top.  I suggest threading the chain through the slipper as you go to make sure it’s long enough.

Lace up your slipper.

Thread two strands of yarn through each end stitch at the slipper’s toe.  Pull tight and tie in a knot.  Hide the ends in your stitches or tie into a decorative bow.

Enjoy your slippers.