Fibermania

Slipper Directions for Rank Beginners

When I learned how to knit sox, I had an expert to watch. It really helped me understand. I thought I would try and offer pictures to explain some of the tricky parts of sock knitting, and will at the same time include directions for my new slippers, since you asked.

Yarn: For this lesson I would use a dk weight superwash yarn, in wool of course. The new wool yarns are wonderful and not the least bit itchy.

Cast on 48 stitches with main color, onto a larger needle than those you wish to use. This makes the ribbing looser. I am using a US8 for a sock that will be knit with size US4 double pointed needles. I know lots of people are afraid of dpns, but really they are nothing to fear. (Don't write and tell me that using two circular needles are the way to go, we are still in the dark ages here at Fibermania.)

Divide stitches onto dp needles size US4, 16 sts each. The needle to the left is considered the first needle. This will become important later on, as the stitches there will form the heel. All directions warn you not to twist the stitches when joining in the round. It helps to see where the stitches lie on the needles at this point, right before you begin to knit the first round.


Add fuzzy yarn to main color and knit in rib (K1P1) for about 1.5 inches.


Drop (or cut) fuzzy yarn and slip 8 stitches (from needle #2) onto first needle=24 stitches.


These will be the heel stitches. You will only be knitting on these 24 stitches for a while...


Knit 24 rows in garter stitch or knit every row (always slip first stitch each row). With garter stitch, you can more easily count the rows by counting ridges. 12 ridges equals 24 rows. You can also count the slipped edge stitches, seen here.

Count the ridges

After the 24 rows are completed then knit 14sts, K2tog, K1 turn.

Slip first stitch (always) then K5 K2tog, K1 turn

knit across to the place where the stitches gap and knit those two tog, K1 turn

Slip 1 knit to gap k2 tog, K1 turn



The gap occurs when you knit two together and knit one and turn. Learn to recognize this gap and you won't need to count. You will create a gap each time you turn.

When you are doing this it is called turning the heel. Or short rows. All these terms refer to shaping the heel into a cup to fit the heel of your foot.

Continue to knit each row, turning and reducing the number of stitches until you run out of stitches to knit two together. You will end with 14 stitches.

And the heel will look like this. If you look closely you can see the gradual decreases that form the cupped shape.


Now you are ready to pick up and knit the stitches along the edge of the heel.





Those slipped stitches (remember the 12 edge stitches?) are the ones you need to pick up and knit. First pick up those on the left side and then you will come to the 24 stitches on the next two needles.

Slip those 24 stitches onto one needle. Knit those too.

with your free needle pick up and knit the 12 slipped stitches on the other side of the heel. The 14 stitches on the first needle will be divided, seven on the first and seven on the third needle. The first needle now has 19 and then the second needle has 24, and the third needle has 19.



The decreases for the heel begin after one round is knit.



Knit one round.

Round 2: Needle #1, knit until the last three stitches remain. Knit 2 tog, K1. Needle #2 K24. Needle #3, K1, ssk. (SSK means, slip two stitches as if you were knitting them, but then put them back on the left needle so that they are facing the other way and then knit them together. This makes the decrease face the correct way for that side of the heel.)

Round 3, knit all the stitches.

Round 4, repeat round 2. These two rounds are repeated until the stitches on needles #1 and #3 are reduced to 12 stitches each.


This closeup shows the way the heel will look when all the decreases are made. A right angle of stitches. Amazing ain't it? Imagine the inventor of this technique. Genius!

Now continue to knit in rounds until about two inches from the end of your foot. Try on the sock to see when to begin to decrease for the toes. Since we are using washable yarn, we are not worried about knitting a great big sock. It should fit your foot with this yarn.
Decrease for toe: round one:
Starting with the stitches on needle #3(12 sts), knit to the last three stitches and then knit 2 together, knit one.
Needle (24 sts) #1,K1, ssk, knit to end three stitches, K2tog, K1
Needle#2 (12 sts) K1, ssk, knit to end.
Round 2: Knit all stitches.
Repeat these two rows until ten stitches remain on needle #1, five each are on needles #2 and #3. Now you are ready to graft the toe closed using the Kitchener Stitch.
I found a great video to show this technique. Watch it now and then again when you need to finish the toe. Once you do it, it will be imbedded in your brain for all time.

Now about the felted slipper. I used bigger yarn that I knew would felt and larger needles and washed them in hot sudsy water, but what really shrunk them into felt was the long hot dryer. Best wishes!

Oooo. PS I just thought, if you would rather do five needles instead of four or work in green yarns instead of pink, go to this blog for a similar tutorial.