Friday 2 December 2011

Rosie's Slippers Pattern

At the end of last year I posted pictures of some slippers I made but I never got around to posting the pattern although it has been available as a free pattern from me. Anyway for those of you who may be interested here is the pattern.



Size Foot Length
Child 16.5cm

Small 18cm
Medium 20.5cm
Large 23cm

Materials
1x100gm skein Colinette Skye and 1x 100gm skein Colinette Graffiti (large size may need a 2nd skein)
Or approx 100gms each of a combination of 2 Chunky Yarns or an Aran and a Super Chunky (at least 90 meters per 100gms per yarn)
8mm needles

Tension
11sts and 11 ridges to 10 cm in garter stitch using 8mm needles
(1 ridge = 2 knit rows)

Knitting Notes
The slippers are knitted in a garter slip stitch pattern; the slip stitch is used to define the edges of the slipper sole.

Chain selvedge A chain selvedge is used throughout as follows;
Beginning of every row: k1 through back of loop (k1tbl)
End of every row: knit to last stitch, yarn forward, slip stitch purlwise.

Knit pick-up Put the tip of the right needle through the knitting just below the outside loop of the chain selvedge stitch and make a loop around the needle as if to knit. Pull the loop through to make a new stitch.

Cast off very loosely. If you have a problem casting off loosely use a needle 2 sizes larger to knit the cast off row.

Abbreviations
k2tog - knit 2 together; s1 k1 psso - slip 1 knit 1 pass slip stitch over; s1 - slip 1 purlwise; k1tbl - knit 1 through back of loop; yfwd - yarn forward to the front of the knitting; yb – yarn back

Slipper
Using one strand of each yarn and 8mm needles cast on 15[19, 21, 23]sts
Increase for heel: k1tbl, k6[8, 9, 10], -
Child & Small k1, p1, k1, p1 into next stitch
Medium k1, p1, k1, p1, k1 into next stitch
Large k1, yo, p1, k1,yo, k1 into next stitch
- K6[8, 9, 10], yfwd, s1 - 18[22, 25, 28]sts.

Row 1: (WS) k1tbl, k4[6, 7, 8], yfwd, s1, yb, k6[6, 7, 8], yfwd, s1, yb, k4[6, 7, 8], yfwd, s1.
Row 2: (RS) k1tbl, k to last stitch, yfwd, s1.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until 16[18, 20, 23] ridges are complete finishing after a WS row.

Shape Toe
Row 1: k1tbl, k2[4, 5, 6], k2tog, k1, k6[6, 7, 8], k1, k2tog, k2[4, 5, 6], yfwd, s1. – 16[20, 23 26]sts.

Row 2: k1tbl, k1[3, 4, 5], k2tog, yfwd, s1, yb, s1 k1 psso, k2[2, 3, 4], k2tog, yfwd, s1, yb, s1 k1 psso, k1[3, 4, 5], yfwd, s1. – 12[16, 19, 22]sts.

Row 3: Child k1tbl, k2tog, k1, s1 k1 psso, k2tog, k1, s1 k1 psso, k1, pull yarn end through these last 8sts, pull up toe and fasten off tightly.
Small, Medium & Large: k1tbl, k[3, 3, 4], k2tog, k1, k[4, 5, 6], k1, s1 k1 psso, k[2, 3, 4], yfwd, s1. – [14, 17, 20]sts.
Row 4: k1tbl, k[1, 2, 3], k2tog, yfdw, s1, yb, s1 k1 psso, k[0, 1, 2], k2tog, yfwd, s1, yb, s1 k1 psso, k[1, 2, 3], yfwd, s1. – [10, 13, 16]sts.
Small pull yarn end through these last 10sts, pull up toe and fasten off tightly.
Row 5: Medium k1tbl, k1, k2tog, k1, k3, k1, s1 k1 psso, k2, pull yarn end through these last 11sts, pull up toe and fasten off tightly.
Large k1tbl, k2, k2tog, k1, s1 k1 psso, k2tog, k1, s1 k1 psso, k3, pull yarn end through these last 12sts, pull up toe and fasten off tightly.
To join the centre seam
With RS together and starting at the toe, sew the centre seam by over sewing the selvedge edge half chains together (the other half of the selvedge chain should be left as a raised detail on the RS). Sew the centre seam for approx. half the length of the slipper.
Trim
Using main yarn (or 3 strands of fur yarn e.g. Silky Chic) and 8mm needles, knit pick up 1 stitch for every selvedge chain, knitting through the outside half of the chain only, and pick up 1 stitch at the centre seam. Knit 2 rows. Cast off very loosely.

Alternative trim – using main yarn (or 3 strands fur yarn) and large size crochet hook (size 7mm or 8mm) work a double crochet for every selvedge chain. Work 1 more row of double crochet or a row of crab stitch if you prefer.
To sew up heel
With RS together, over sew the cast on edge from heel increase to the top of the slipper.

Thursday 1 December 2011

Knitted Christmas Decorations

A couple of weeks ago I taught a workshop on making knitted Christmas decorations using up left over yarns. One of the items was a 'gift bag' which could be used as a way of 'wrapping' a small gift or it could be used as a purse/bag although it would need a fabric lining.


The original pattern was designed to be knitted in the round. During the day a couple of ladies decided to knit the bag but found it quite challenging working in the round from the centre of the base outwards so I decided to re-design the bag so it could be knitted flat. I had a ball of King Cole Galaxy with me so started to knit the new bag shown in the photo above. The pattern worked quite well and the yarn gives a Chrismassy feel.

I previously designed and knitted some Christmas baubles using up left over sock yarn.




The baubles are knitted flat and sewn around a foam ball or ping pong ball (depending on the size). You could also use polyester stuffing but the bauble doesn't keep its shape as well if it is just stuffed. As I still had quite a bit of the Galaxy yarn left I also knitted a Christmas bauble. As I knitted it I made sure the sequins were pushed to the knit side of the fabric. As Galaxy is a DK yarn rather than 4ply as used for the other baubles I did have to adjust the pattern.



The Galaxy yarn does work very well and you could probably get several baubles out of one ball.

Previously I also knitted a little angel again using up left over yarn. The angel is based on a simple finger puppet pattern so it could be used as a finger puppet or as a decoration for the Christmas tree



The angel in the picture was knitted using 4ply yarns. If knitted in DK yarns it will come out bigger but still works well as a decoration. It was fun to design these items for the workshop. I now need to knit some to add to my Christmas tree when we put it up. We don't usually put our decorations up until about a week before Christmas so I've still got time..!!