Thursday, April 26, 2007

Mother's Day Cotton Slippers (Free Pattern)

Here is my Mother's Day idea. These cute slippers are made of Mission falls 1824 cotton, which makes them super soft, and adds a lovely texture. The worsted weight of the cotton, makes this project a really fast knit, so you will be ready on time. I added a decorative stitch, a lattice, to the top of the slippers. The lattice pattern was borrowed form Barbara Walker's Treasury of knitting Patterns. The slipper directions fit US sizes 7 to 9. You may wish to shorten the foot, or lenghten it. You can do so when knitting the center parts of the slipper.

Materials:
Mission Falls 1824 cotton, 1 ball cream, a ball lemon grass. 1 16 inch size US 6 needle.
Gauge: 4 1/2 stitches per inch
Throughout the pattern, lemon grass will be referred to as B, and cream as A.

SOLES: Make 2.

With B, cast on 10.
Knit 1 row, purl 1 row.
Then increase at the beginning and end of each right side row until you have 20 stitches. (You can place the increases 2 stitches away fom the edge.) Continue without increasing in stockinette stitch for 5 inches (not including the increase rows.) (You may adjust the length of the slipper at this point by knitting more than 5 inches or less than 5 inches.)
Decrease 1 stitch by knitting 2 tog at the beginning and end of each right side row until you are back to 10 stitches ( you may place the decreases 2 stitches away from the edge.)
Purl 1 row. BO on knit side.

TOPS:Make 2

With A cast on 10. Knit 1 row. Purl 1 row. Then increase at the beginning and end of each right side row until you have 20 stitches (you may place the increases 2 stitches away from each edge.)
You should be starting a wrong side row. Knit this wrong side row.
Then follow the lattice pattern:
R1: You will be on the right side. With B, K1, sl1 wyib, *K4, sl2 wyib*. Reapeat from * to *, end K4, sl1 wyib, K1.
R2: With B, P1, sl1 wyif, *P4, sl2 wyif, *. Repeat from * to *. End P4, sl1 wyif, P1.
R3: With A, repeat row 1
R4: With A, K1, sl1 wyif, *K4, sl2 wyif*. Repeat from * to *. End K4, sl1 wyif, K1.
R5: With B, K3, *sl2 wyib, K4* Repeat from * to *. End sl2 wyib, K3.
R6: With B, P3, *sl2 wyif, P4* Repeat from * to *. End sl2 wyif, P3.
R7: With A, repeat row 5.
R8: With A, K3, *sl2 wyif, K4*. Repeat from * to *. End Ss2 wyif, K3.

Repeat Rows (1 to 8) 1 more time.
The rest of the slipper is knit with A.
So with A, K6, BO 8, K6.
Knit each side of the top separately in stockinette stitch until each little side strip is five inches not including the front part of the slipper. (If you decided to shorten or lengthen the sole, you need to match the size of the strips. So if you knit a 4 inch center section for the sole, the strips should be 4 inches.)
On knit side rejoin the two strips as follows: K6, CO8, K6.
Pur 1 row. Knit 1 row. P1 row.
Decrease at the beginnning and end of each right side row until you are back to 10 stitches. Purl 1 row. BO on knit side.

Now with B, starting at he center of the heel, pick up and knit 60 stitches along the inside hole of the top part of the slipper(if you altered the lenght of the center sections, you need to adjust the number of stitches picked up. You should pick up 1 stitch for every other hole along the side strips. For example if you shortened the center section by 1 inch, you will pick up and knit a total of 52 stitches). Pay particular attention when picking up the stitches right above the lattice pattern, be sure not to grab the garter stitches. Knit in the round, in garter stitch (knit 1 round, purl 1 round), for a total of 4 rounds. BO loosely.

Seam top of slipper and sole, weave in ends.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Pattern is for private use only, and may not be reproduced nor used for commercial purposes. Copyright, Caroline Dlugy-Hegwer, 2007.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Caroline! I think your slipper pattern is great - and a wonderful idea for Mother's Day. My mom has been having some foot problems this year, so I am definately going for it. In fact, I went out and got the yarn already - no time to waste. I am going to drop my current project for a few moments and jump on this!

Thanks for sharing this fun pattern. I continue to check your blog regularly, and really enjoy hearing what is happening with you!

Happy Spring -

Stephanie (Petaluma)

Anonymous said...

Hi Stephanie,

Nice to hear from you. I hope you like knitting the slippers, and that your mother loves them. They are really pretty, and super comfy. My mom has had foot surgery recently, and I know she will appreciate their comfort. Feel free to post a comment if you have a question about the pattern.

Caroline, the SockPixie

drmimi said...

Newbie questions:

wyib= with yarn in back?

I knit left handed-- should I do with yarn in front instead or is everything reversed when I knit left handed?

Just came back from a day of watching short human play soccer. Thankfully knitting came with me:)

Anonymous said...

Hi Mimi,

Ok, I hope what I say will help.
wyif, or wyib refers to the position of the yarn when you are slipping the stitches. Throughout this pattern, no matter what you do, you do not want the carried thread to make a bar on the right side of you work, i.e. when you look at your slipper you will not see any "bars". The bars should all be on the back of the work.
I am not sure how you knit exactly as I have seen left handed knitters who knit continental, and left handed knitters, who knit with the left needle being inserted first, so just think rather that you want the carried yarn to be hidden in the back of your work. The only place where it will feel odd is in row 4, but just remember that you do not want to see the yarn on top of your slipper, and you should be fine.
Well, your question has convinced me that I need to add video tutorials to the blog!

Hugs,

Caroline, the SockPixie

Anonymous said...

Caroline - You are right - this is a very quick project! I already have one complete slipper, and another sole, in very little time. It's not that I didn't believe you - it's just that I know you could knit circles around me! It really looks great - I love the lattice pattern. I ended up with similar colors to yours - cream and a more "aqua-ish" green. Couldn't find colors I liked in the Mission Falls, so ended up with Manos de Uruquay, Cotton Stria.

Thanks again! (Now Aeryn wants a pair, too.)

Stephanie

Anonymous said...

That sounds great. I actually considered the Manos cotton as well, but ended up picking the Mission Falls because I found colors I liked. I think Blue Sky may also have a compatible cotton.
What color is Aeryn going to pick?

Caroline, the SockPixie

drmimi said...

Caroline,

I knit continental left handed. Yes the video instructions would be marvelous, but I would have to look at them via a mirror to get the "left sided" view.

I learned how to knit from my "Tante Marianne" by sitting directly in front of her so I could see things "left handed."

Anonymous said...

Hi Mimi,

I once helped a lady at the store who knit I think the same way you do. If I understand you correctly then your left needle is the one you insert in the stitch to knit. I am going to try it today and I think I'll be able to tell you more about the position of the yarn in front, and back.

Caroline, the SockPixie

drmimi said...

No actually my right needle is the one I insert in the stich to knit.
Now I am totally confused!

Mimi, the Snapdiva

Anonymous said...

Dear Mimi,

I am sorry you feel confused. If the right needle is the one you insert, you pretty much knit the way I do, except you carry the yarn in your left hand, which basically is Continental.
My left handed daughter knits the way you do.
Remember when I talked about the yarn "bar", just make sure it is never sitting on the right side of you work as opposed to wrong side. So you will either bring the yarn to the front or to the back, slip the 2 stitches, but just check that the bar is in the back or wrong side. To knit the next stitches, bring the yarn beck to its correct position. Just try it with a little scrap yarn and it will probably make sense.

I hope this helps.

Caroline, the SockPixie

TK said...

This pattern was lovely, and so quick to knit. I could have finished both slippers in one night if I'd started just an hour earlier. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Anonymous said...

You are very welcome.
Happy knitting!

Caroline, the SockPixie

Anonymous said...

I'm in love with the way the pieces of my slippers look but I'm a little concerned that I did something wrong... I knit the slippper sole such that it's got a the decreases on one side and the increases on the other and 5 inches length in the middle. When I knit the top, I knit the strips so that they were 5 inches, plus the decreases, the increases, AND the lattice pattern... so the top is now longer than the sole - how do I seam this together? Or was the 5 inches on top supposed to include the lattice? Thanks! -Emily

Anonymous said...

Dear Emily,


Your increases should be at the front of the slippers and your decreases at the heel. That said, the top piece is a little longer that the sole, to accommodate the thickness of the foot, but if it looks dramatically longer, you might want to go back and trim the center section for the top a little.

I hope this helps,

Caroline

Susan Lea Howley said...

Hi Caroline,
I've just ordered the wool for this and very excited as I love how they look but I'm a novice knitter and also in the UK so just wanted to clarify a couple things before I start.

This yarn calls for 4.5mm needles and you've suggested 4mm. Is this because they're slippers to make sure they're nice and tight? I ask because I'm quite a tight knitter anyway so might be better off sticking with 4.5mm?

Also, is BO the same as cast off?

I think I understand the rest of the instructions except maybe Ss2 in Row 8 of the tops?

I may ask for help again when I come to put them together but thank you so much I can't wait to make something for myself after making so many baby things!

Thanks again,
Susan

Anonymous said...

Hello! This is my first slipper ever and I'm having a little trouble understanding your directions. When you say "increase at the beginning and end of each right side row until you have 20 stitches," does that mean you're increasing twice in each row? Beginning and end? Because when you say "right side row" i'm not quite sure what you mean.

Thank you for your help! I'm excited to finish these...going to give them to my future mother-in-law! :o)

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous,

Thanks for your question. Basically it means you will be increasing twice in every other row. The increases will be done when you are on the knit side of your work.

I hope this helps.

Caroline

Anonymous said...

Dear SockPixie,

i decided to knit these for my mom since i'm away at college. i'm really excited about the way they are turning out and i know she'll love them! i'm a little confused about knitting both sides of the top separately after the lattice patern. how do you do that without the yarn crossing over the binded stitches each time?

thank you for your help and the slipper pattern!

BrooklynGirl said...

Hi! Just found your blog. I am thinking about making these for my mom (though I'm not sure if she's through with her "I'm always hot" phases ...).

Anyway my question is whether you used 2 entire balls for this project. I have 4 nearly-full (but not quite full) balls of Mission Falls cotton, in 4 different colors, left over from other projects. I'm wondering if I can use 2 of what I have.

Thanks!
www.pullingamiranda.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

It took me forever to post, but I made these for my mom and my MIL for Mother's Day. They were a big hit.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Caroline I love your slipper pattern but am in need of help with the heel section. When I sewed the top to the sole the heel sticks out at the back and doesn't fit around the heel smoothly. Can you help me?
Thanks, Janet

Mx2K+AW said...

I LOVE THIS PATTERN! I have been looking for a slipper pattern online that is beautiful as well as knit-able and this is the first I have found. However, when following the instructions, the top doesn't fit with the bottom. Is there some method of stitching you are using to make the stitches turn out evenly? I read that the top is to be slightly larger than the bottom to accommodate the foot, but then how do you attach them together evenly?
Thanks you, Karen

sloparker said...

I am so anxious to make these darling slippers. One question - the Mission Falls 1824 colors do not include "cream". Did you use Frost or Ivory, or is Cream no longer available? Thanks Jackie

sloparker said...

I am looking the same yarn and colors you used (lovely combo!), but cream is not one of their colors - they have frost and ivory - can you advise? Jackie

SockPixie said...

Dear Jackie,

I bet Ivory would be the best match.

Happy knitting!

Anonymous said...

I made these and I think next time I'd make the top piece a bit shorter. They seem to fit looser than I'd like and my feet are a size 9. Also, it made seaming the top and bottom together pretty difficult. Otherwise, this is a great slipper. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Greetings from the UK. I am setting up a knitting circle to knit (hopefully) beautiful things to raise some funds for our local retired greyhound rescue home. I would love to try knitting these exquisite slippers but have just a few questions as some of your terminology is obviously a bit different to that in the UK. Firstly, you say 1 us 6 needle. Is this a circular needle and can they be knitted on double pointed needles ? Secondly, we don't have the same brands of yarn here. Do you know the weight of the cotton or yardage of say 50gm. We have here a fairly regular size cotton which knits as what we call double knitting or we have a much finer size called 4ply. I appreciate that you might not be able to answer this and that I may just have to mess around until I get the right tension but any help you can give would be much appreciated. Thanks again for the pattern and I can't wait to give it a try.
With very best wishes
Julie

Anonymous said...

This is a beautiful pattern, and I can't wait until its done! Unfortunately, I am having a little trouble with the strips for the sides. I am a relatively new knitter, and I just can't figure this out! How do I knit each strip separately? After I knit the first one, how do I get the yarn back to the other strip? This may be a silly question, I just don't know the answer!!
Thanks,

Unknown said...

I noticed you had made the slippers
of Caroline and I am having a proble with deceding if the yarn is to be cut after the first side is complete and start with the stitches on the stich holder for the orther side? Thank you
DeEtta
California

Unknown said...

Please excuse all the typos above, I was in too big of a hurry!
DeEtta
California
dmaybery@citlink.net