Handknit Week: Aran Isle Slippers

Aran Isle Slippers

I’ve always wanted to knit a pair of slippers. Originally I had bought yarn to make the felted ballet slippers from Fiber Trends, but once I saw this pattern in the IK Holiday 2008 issue, I changed directions. I so wanted to love these slippers, but they just aren’t a big hit. They’re a bit too flimsy and too slippery for our wood floors and I just don’t like my finished project as much as the magazine samples.

Before I realized that you read flat knitting charts right to left, left to right, depending on the RS or WS, I was completely confused with the aran pattern. I tried making the top 3 times before resulting to ravelry for any clues to my problem. Thank goodness someone else was having the same problem and figured it out too.

I do love the yarn that I used, Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool, made by a Michigan yarn company. The yarn is similar in price to Cascade 220 but it is a bit softer and so much woollier/thicker feeling than the 220. I definitely will use this yarn for more projects!

Pattern: Aran Isle Slippers IK Holiday 2008
Yarn: Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool
Needle: 7
Size: Women’s large
Ravelry Link: craftr's Aran Isle Slippers

Comments

[jessica]

Oh those look so toasty and warm! Grammie used to make knitting slippers every year for Christmas-they were the best!

[Cami]

They look so nice! Have you tried putting like the puff paint on the bottom to make them not so slippery on the wood floors? It doesn't take much and that way you can still wear them all the time. That yarn looks amazing! Another great project!

[abcgirl]

are they backless? maybe you could try sewing some soft upholstery-type vinyl to the bottoms to reduce the slipperiness and floppiness. that's what i ended up doing with martha stewart's pattern for slippers sewn from felted wool. I found a vinyl that was sort of soft and "sticky" on smooth surfaces (i was in the fabric store, testing fabrics to see which ones gripped smooth surfaces--a little strange, but it worked) and cut it in the same pattern as the sole and used it as the bottom layer.

the color is great and i love the cable on the top!

[Tracy]

Oh, but they are pretty! Since the tops are separate pieces from the bottoms, how about you knit and felt new bottoms? They'd feel sturdier then.

And the puff paint is definitely helpful; one bottle is (nearly) a lifetime supply for a pair of slippers!

[Oiyi]

They are so pretty and the color is great. Maybe you can sew leather soles on them. A lot of felted slippers or knitted slippers uses them so they don't wear down the soles too fast.

[linda]

i think they are really pretty! you could always do something like this to make them less slippy: http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/no-sew-slipper-socks?xsc=eml_msl_2009_01_15

personally, i'd sew the suede on rather than risk an iron on handknits, but it might be a good solution. nice work!

[amandajean]

they look so cute!

[gardenymph]

I know nothing of knitting slippers, but these are so cute! I'm sorry that they didn't turn out to be what you hoped for.

[amy]

look at you, cable master!