Wildewood Animal Slippers

Product Description

I’m fairly sure these are the most adorable slippers ever to walk the earth. What kid wouldn’t love to see their favorite furry creature adorn their feet? This pattern is written such that it can be customized to whatever mammal is your kid’s favorite! There are a variety of ears and noses and tails to be able to realize whatever creation your kid demands! (Is my kid the only one who demands hand knit items with oddly specific details?)

These slippers are worked from the toe up. Work is begun in the round, increasing on each side of the toe until the requisite width is met. When the toe is the desired length, several stitches are placed on hold on the top of the slipper while the sole is worked in turned rows. When the slipper measures the desired total foot length (remember, you will be felting so they will shrink up to fit! I promise!), the number of stitches held at the toe will be cast on at the end of a right-side row. Then those stitches are joined to the beginning of the row so work resumes in the round. The heel is decreased until it is the desired length. The heel is grafted. After the base is completed, work begins in around the top of the slipper to make a functional ribbing to keep the slipper snug on little wiggly feet. The slippers are then felted in the wash (or by hand if you’re a glutton for punishment!) so they are strong, warm, and full of body. You can optionally stitch on soling for the bottoms (which I highly recommend so your little sprinter is not slipping all over the place!). This really will take these slippers from “squee! Cute!” to “so functional!”. If you are in the states, a great national leather supplier is Tandy Leather Factory. They have scrap bins that you can purchase the leather by the pound, which is really cost effective if you only need a small amount, such as what we’ll use here! I really recommend using them.

Sizing: Small (Medium, Large) are to fit feet for Toddler (Small child, Large child) approximately. However, if your child’s foot is very narrow or wide for their size, cast on the stitches that best reflect the foot circumference measured around the arch. If they’re right in between sizes, you can go either way. Don’t worry about the child’s foot length; it will be worked to their custom size so it fits perfectly!
Size: Foot Circumference in Inches (Foot Circumference in Centimeters)
Small: 5” (12.5 cm)
Medium: 6” (15 cm)
Large: 7” (18 cm)

Yarn: 1 ½ – 2 oz worsted weight yarn (90 – 120 yards/ 80 – 110 meters), depending on size of the feet. Fiber must have at least 50% wool or alpaca content so it felts! I would recommend something with 100% animal fiber. Note: if you want a contrasting knitted section, you will need to account for that!

Techniques: Knitting in the round on a circular needle, Judy’s Magic Cast On, Kitchener stitch, and Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off (abbreviated as JSSBO).

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