Tuesday 21 January 2014

Little bow slippers

For Christmas some of the girls from knit group and I got involved in a secret Santa and a meal out.  For a while I had been saying how I wanted a copy of Cute Little Knits by Jemma Weston.  I was fortunate enough to unwrap a copy at the table and with Jemma sat opposite me I even got it signed there and then.  How lucky am I!


I knew straight away that I wanted to knit the little bow slippers so I set off in search of the yarn.  I had a bit if a drama getting the boucle I needed.  Firstly I ordered two balls from a shop online with some felted tweed to go with it, only one ball of the boucle arrived.  Then I ordered some more with some felted tweed but ordered the wrong weight boucle so had to cancel the whole order!  I finally decided to get up of my sofa and go to John Lewis, I did however order some boucle to be click and collected.

I chose the dark brown boucle purely because slippers getting dirty and the darker the yarn the less it will show.  When I got to John Lewis though they had a whole sack of a grey/beige shade boucle in the sale, I got two of them as well.

As for the colour choice for the top of my slippers I honestly went for the final ball of felted tweed DK in the sale, it just so happens that it matches my dressing gown, winner!

As soon as I got home I cast on, I was just so excited.


I knitted the tops and soles pretty quickly because the boucle is very chunky and the needles were 8mm.  The pattern for the sole and the linings was really good fun, I needed a nice quick project to rekindle my love of selfish knitting.

The pattern calls for the soles to be felted, I have never felted before so put them in on a wool wash.  I later learnt this does not felt the fool, hence why it is a wool wash. I tried again and they came out beautifully felted and solid.

Next I had to start on the top of the slipper, these were so much fun, almost every row was different and this kept my attention.  Plus the thought of essentially making my own shoes was just amazing!  When I had finished the top it was time to sew up...

Sewing up, not my strong point because I am not very good at figuring out how things go together.  I started by sewing the top and lining face to face to turn the right way around, I did this wrong and could not turn it the right way around...oops!  After many attempts and sleepless nights, i did some on my lunch break and by jingo I got it right.


I still didn't enjoy it but just had to get them done because I needed to get them on my feet.  Once I had stitched them up I made a start on the bow, I actually made three bows because for some reason i made a really small one first.

Finally I finished, I think if I had perhaps paid a bit more attention and not been so excited I would have finished them sooner.  I think in hindsight I should have knitted the smaller size because they are a bit lose but not so lose I can't wear them.

I would highly recommend these slippers to anyone, they are so warm and comfortable I just can't bear to take them off once they are on.  I love them.





No comments:

Post a Comment