East European Slippers

These slippers are enjoyable to work. You can work these flat on two needles.

The fan stitch down the instep, traditional in East European slipper-booties, is similar to the Estonian nupp 7-stitch method and makes the necessary increases. You can choose to make an inserted sole or a seamed sole. I include directions for both as well as for rounding the toe and heel.

The color design is created using the mosaic technique. All slipped stitches are slipped purlwise. To slip stitches, on a wrong side (WS) row when alternating a knit stitch and a slip stitch for the mosaic pattern, slip the stitch with YF (yarn on front, facing you, to keep the floats on the back side of work), then YB (yarn to back) to take yarn to position to knit. This keeps the floats on the WS. Also, the first slipped stitch in a row is slipped purlwise, taking the yarn to the back between needles to knit the next stitch. Thus, all slipped stitches are slipped purlwise.

Sizes – Sm, Med, Lg, XL

Yarn: One 100 g skein of worsted weight (MC)
1/2 skein of contrast color (CC), worsted weight. Less than 1 oz needed.

Needles: US No. 6 Circulars or straights.
A crochet hook about size F or G (for grafting the seamed sole)

2 stitch markers
Tapestry needle to weave in the ends

Gauge -- 6 stitches per 1” Gauge is important, so make a small swatch.