Karen Slipper by Kristin Drysdale

Karen Slipper

Knitting
February 2018
DK (11 wpi) ?
24 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches
in colorwork in pattern
US 3 - 3.25 mm
3.25 mm (D)
160 - 180 yards (146 - 165 m)
women's small-medium
English
This pattern is available for $6.00 USD buy it now

These quick-knit, lightly-felted slippers are a perfect crash course in colorwork. I love this heart-shape rosette that is the symbol of love and courage. The bottom of the slipper has an XOXO pattern that takes the love over the top. I have also included a cinnamon roll recipe that we like to shape into hearts. We are all about love around here!

The heel is worked flat, so you can work on knitting and purling in colorwork. I realize that purling is, um, avoided by many knitters, but it is an important skill and there are only 20 short rows of it in this pattern to help you break the ice. Trust me, it’s a really important skill and these slippers will help you master it in a rewarding way. The second half of the slipper is knit in the round, just like a mitten.

Sized for women’s small-medium fits a U.S 6-8 shoe size. If you need a larger size, move up a needle size from the gauge-size needle. Please be careful with your gauge. If you knit on too small of a needle, the slippers will be too small. You must hit 6 stitches per inch for a women’s small-medium. Please swatch in colorwork and measure carefully.

Finished measurement (unfelted): 9.33” x 5.16”. Felted measurement: 9.2” x 4.42”.

Yarn
Raumagarn 3 tr. Strikkegarn, 50 g Grey 113 (or 105 meters of equivalent DK-weight yarn). 50 g Off-White 101 (or 105 meters of equivalent DK-weight yarn)

Needles and Hooks
US 3 (3. 25 mm) double-point needles, a 3mm crochet hook, and a darning needle to sew the heel.

Gauge
24 stitches = 4 inches or 10 cm, and lightly felted 28 stitches = 4 inches or 10 cm
Please pay attention to the gauge and use whatever size knitting needle you need to in order to obtain the gauge. In teaching a class on these slippers, I have seen knitters use as small as a US 2 needle and as large as a US 5. It is all about the gauge.

Skills used in a nutshell
Long-tail cast on
Knitting in stranded colorwork
Purling in stranded colorwork
K2tog
Ssk
Backward loop
Chart reading
Catching Floats
Knitting with DPNs in the round (I like FlexiFlips)
Hand sewing
Crochet single crochet US (double crochet UK)