More Fun with Felting... Slippers

Slippers



Look, I made myself some slippers!  Looks like I have a problem with my gauge and sizing, doesn't it?



No worries! This is a pair of slipper which will be felted.

This pattern is called "Mohair Ballet Slippers".  Robbie taught a class covering this pattern last Saturday at my local yarn shop (Yarned and Dangerous in Canon City, Colorado).  It was a fantastic class.  Robbie is an amazing instructor!

The yarn I used in my slippers is called "Lamb's Pride" from Brown Sheep.  I also used some novelty "ladder yarn" called "City Life" from Premier Yarns.  The construction of these slippers is so unlike what you might expect and so very clever. This is the kind of pattern that really makes me wonder about the person who designed the pattern... what made this person think to make the slippers this way?!?

The pattern starts out with 59 stitches (for the largest Adult size); you cast on while holding 2 strands of worsted weight wool yarn together.  You work back and forth on these stitches with regular increases, some wrapping and turning, short rows, etc., and then you wind up with 79 stitches and something that looks like what you see in the photo below. This will eventually become the sole of the slipper.  You cut one strand of the worsted weight yarn and then you resume knitting with one strand of the worsted weight wool yarn and one strand of mohair yarn or some kind of novelty yarn (ladder yarn, fun fur, etc.).

Below you can see a side profile of the slipper which was worked with the wool yarn and the novelty yarn at the same time. To finish off the top of the slipper, you drop the novelty yarn and you knit and purl some rows and then you make a really clever rolled hem.  To make the rolled hem, you pick up stitches inside the slipper with a spare needle and then you complete a three needle bind off for a great finished edge.

After you finish slipper, you actually make a second sole for the slipper (in the same manner you made the first sole at the beginning of the pattern, holding two stands of worsted weight yarn together). In the photo below you can see I've picked up stitches along the edge of the completed slipper and I am working on merging the two soles together with another three needle bind off.



Below is another shot of the three needle bind off in progress to attach the second sole to the bottow of the slipper.



Below... the bottom of the slippers. Looks funny and quite messy.  Perhaps you can see that I need to make a seam down the center of the first sole and then I need to make another seam down the center of the second sole.  It's kind of hard to picture.



Below you can see the first center seam is done and next I need to sew a seam down the center to close up the second sole.



And below you can see both slippers, side by side of course, with the center seams all sewn up.



This weekend we are meeting up at the yarn shop and then travelling to Robbie's home so we can all felt our slippers together.  This is really thoughtful of Robbie.  She understands that not all folks have a suitable washer for felting.  A top loading washer with an agitator is best. Apparently she had a family member who was selling their motorhome and she asked them if she could have the washing machine of the motorhome. It's smaller in size and apparently will be perfect for us to felt our slippers.

Of course, I'll share some AFTER photos when my slippers are complete.