christmas knitting

Five pair done and one more to go. Sister Suzy wanted something to give to her friends for Christmas. She told me about a conversation she had with one of her friends. They were standing in the cold talking after school. She mentioned to her friend she need a Snuggie to stay warm with. We looked for some, the cost was too much and the some of the reviews were not favorable.


So I suggested making slippers and maybe buying some fleece and making afghans.



The pair with a white body is because I go bored looking at the same thing. I wanted to change it up a little. I also added some short rows to the fronts because they pull down a little in the front. Adding the short rows in two places worked out well and I learned something new.



I added several variation of ribbing to the cuffs; 2x2, 3x1, and 3x2. I think the 3x2 and 2x2 ribbing worked the best



This pair was done with two inches of garter stitch at the top. The pattern is written with one inch of garter for the cuff.

The pattern is called the Two Needle Slippers and can be found at The Irish Ewe or Ravelry. I have heavily modified the pattern to a top-down slipper:

Cast on 40 (for a size 5 or a tight 7) using the twisted German cast-on and size 8 needles. Switch needles to size 6. Join, do not twist, using double needles, circulars, or magic loop. Mark beginning and middle.

Gauge: 4 stitches to the inch and 23 rows equal 3 and 1/2 inches. I cast on 44 for a size 7 increasing to 76 stitches. The same cast on (44) for size 9 increasing to 78 stitches.

Cuff
Knit a two inch band using whatever you like for a cuff.

Body of Slipper
row 1: no increases; knit to within 1 stitch of center purl 2 stitches knit to end of round. (At this point, I add a second marker before and aft of the purl stitches so I don't mess up the center line.)
row 2: knit until 2 stitches before marker, make 1( I use knitting in the front and back of the same stitch because I don't get a hole.) knit 2, slide marker, purl 2, slide marker, knit 1, make 1, knit to end of round. (42 stitches)
NOTE: Knitting 2 stitches before the marker and 1 after the marker gives me a column of 2 knit stitches on each side of the purl column. Your mileage may vary!
row 3: repeat row 1
row 4: repeat row2 (44 stitches)
row 5: repeat row 1
row 6: repeat row 2 (46 stitches)
row 7: repeat row 1
row 8, 9, 10: repeat row 2 (48, 50, 52 stitches)
row 11: repeat row 1 (This is where I added a short row using 10 stitches either side of center.)
row 12, 13, 14: repeat row 2 (54, 56, 58 stitches)
row 15: repeat row 1
row 16, 17, 18: repeat row 2 (60, 62, 64 stitches)
row 19: repeat row 1 (This is where I added another short row using 10 stitches either side of center.)
Row 20, 21, 22: repeat row 2 (66, 68, 70 stitches)
Row 23: repeat row 1

Sole

The pattern calls for garter stitch for the sole. To make garter stitch in the round you knit one row and purl the next. (I also go back to just marking center front.) So:

Knit rows 24, 26, 28, 30
Purl rows 25, 27, 29, 31
Row 32: knit 1, SSK, knit to within 3 of center front, SSK, knit 1, slip marker, knit 1, knit 2 together, knit to within 3 of end of round, knit 2 together, knit 1 (66 stitches)
row 33: purl
row 34: repeat row 32 (62 stitches)
row 35: purl
row 36: repeat row 32 (58 stitches)
row 37: purl

Close using the Kitchener stitch or whatever method you prefer.

The pattern doesn't call out the decreases in the sole. I have added them because we don't like the pointy toes and heels (elf look) of the original pattern. The best direction (videos) for the Kitchener stitch and short row I have found were on Knittinghelp.com.

Have a good day!

Judy