Felted Slipper Sock Pattern

Needles:

1 set of 4 size 7 douple pointed

1 set of 4 size 6 double pointed

Yarn: Two 100 gram skeins of Patons Classic Wool in coordinating colors

You will actually be able to make two pairs out of these two skeins, of opposing colors (i.e., you can make one pair with one color as the main color and the other as the toes and cuff, then flip flop it and use the color you had as the toes and cuff as the main color and the main color be the toes and cuff on the second pair).

I am writing this for medium – to increase the size, increase the number cast on by multiples of 4. The largest ones I have made started with 52 cast on, the smallest 44. Of course they also may shrink more or less depending on how vigorously your washer agitates. If you have a top-loading washer you have more control of the felting. I have a front-loading washer and with one of those you pretty much just have to toss them in and hope for the best, since you can't stop the cycle until its done.

Make two (duh)

Using size 7 needles and the toe and cuff color, cast on 48 sticthes. Arrange them on three needles and join in a circle, being careful not to twist. Begin knit 2, purl 2, ribbing around, and continue for twelve rows.

Switch to size 6 needles and the main color, and knit plain for 8 rounds. Split stitches evenly, placing 24 on one needle for the instep and 24 on another needle for the heel. If your stitches are loose or you are using short needles, put needle protectors on the instep needle to keep them from slipping off.

For the heel flap, knit stockinette stitch (alternate knit and purl rows), slipping the first stitch on each row. Knit until you have an approximate square, about 18 rows, ending with a purl row. To turn the heel, knit across fourteen stitches, knit two together, knit one, turn (leaving the last seven stitches), slip the first stitch, purl seven stitches, purl two together, purl one, turn (leaving the last seven stictches). Slip the first stitch, knit to the gap (the space between the previous row's knit two together, knit one) Knit the two stitches over the gap together, knit one, turn. Repeat this until you run out of stitches on each side. I believe at this point you will have 14 or 16 stitches on your needle. Knit across the heel stitches.

For the instep, pick up and knit 11 or 12 stitches – since you slipped the first stitch on each row of th eheel flap, these stitches should be very loose and easy to pick up. Knit across the instep, and pick up the same number of stitches on the other side, and with that same needle, knit half of the heel stitches. Now arrange your stitches so that you have equal numbers on the two side needles. You should have around 17 or 18 on each of the side needles, and 24 on the instep needle. On your first round, knit to the last three stitches of your first needle, knit two together, knit one. On the instep needle ON THIS ROUND ONLY knit one, slip one, pass slipped stitch over, knit across to the last three stitches, knit two together, knit one. On the third needle, knit one, slip one, pass slipped stitch over, knit to end. Second round, knit plain around. Continue decreases as described above on first and third needles only, alternating a decrease row with a plan row, until there are 11 stitches on each of the needles one and three. Needle two, the instep needle, should have 22 stitches on it.

Knit the foot to a length that is long enough to reach the end of the sock recipient's toe, when held up the their foot. It needs to be this long to allow for the shrinkage that will occur with felting. When the sock is the desired length, switch to the cuff and toe yarn color, and begin the toe decrease. On your first round, knit to the last three stitches of your first needle, knit two together, knit one. On the instep needle knit one, slip one, pass slipped stitch over, knit across to the last three stitches, knit two together, knit one. On the third needle, knit one, slip one, pass slipped stitch over, knit to end. Second round, knit plain around. Continue decreases as described above, alternating a decrease row with a plan row, until there are four stitches on each of the first and third needles and eight on the instep needle.

Graft toe stitches.

For felting, I put mine in my front-loading washer on the shorter wash cycle on cold water since I was not going to be able to check on them. They shrunk approximately 10 to 15 percent in length and about 5 percent in width. If you have a top-loading washer, you should check them every 5 or 10 minutes and take them out and rinse them gently when they are the desired size. As noted, they do seem to shrink more in length than in width.