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.