Sheep Shots: Feet First

Sunday, October 17, 2004

Feet First

As promised, a relatively quick way to churn out slippers using the Bond USM for the "boring parts."

An old stand-by, and one of the approved slipper patterns for Ship Support can be found at Aunt Alm's Dorm Boots . It's a pretty simple, basic pattern, and takes a couple of hours to execute.

I've been making this pattern for a while, and embellishing and adapting the pattern, first from flat to circular knitting, then adding a bit of a curve at the heel when the squareness started to bug me.

WhenI took that pattern to my Bond, I discovered that I could get through the stockinette part in just about 12 minutes per slipper ! I was home free. The biggest change I needed to make was in where the seam falls (front of foot rather than up the back of the leg). I like the rolled cuff that stockinette makes, though I have made these with ribbed cuffs, too.

The samples were made with Berella Chunky Special Blend (acrylic/wool--long discontinued) and Bernat Softee Chunkee, both from Smiley's.

Here's what I do:

Open cast on 80 stitches, using KP4 and "chunky" yarn.

Knit 1 row.

On every following row, decrease 1 stitch each side until 40 stitches are left.

Knit 15 rows even. Bind off.

Remove the hem, transferring the open stitches to an appropriate size needle. Beginning with the wrong side, if using the same color for the sole as used to cast on or the right side if the sole will be a contrast color, knit (by hand) 10-12 rows. You can use garter stitch (k every row) or some other thick pattern (moss stitch, seed stitch work well). On the last two right side rows, decrease 2 stitches at the center of the row. Bind off loosely.

Seam, weave in ends.

I want to be sure to thank whomever it was on whichever of my e-lists that suggested using a Sharpie marker to number the needles on the Bond. I did, and it has really speeded up my production knitting. Thanks, unknown Bonder!

And here's what's going on with the Baby Bear Poncho:

I'm almost to the spot where the sleeves go their separate way.

Labels: knit recipes

// posted by Ann @ 10/17/2004 12:12:00 PM

Comments:

TWELVE MINUTES? AAaaaAAAAaaHHhhhhhh!!!

OK, I have to get my machine going. Just as soon as one of the 800 bastages who seem to have control over my life call me and tell me where I'm going to be LIVING in six weeks. Not that I'm experiencing angst, or anything.

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