I designed these friendship slippers to celebrate the opening of Handwork, a yarn shop and makers’ space in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. The theme of these slippers is friendship. The Nordic symbolism in these slippers represent love, courage, kindess, gentleness, understanding that lasts year after year, protection and guidance, a place where heaven and earth meet, faith, hope, humility and joy and how as friends our lives intertwine together as we travel life’s journey together.
I named these slippers after my Grandpa’s cousin, who immigrated from Norway to Salt Lake City seventeen years after my grandpa immigrated. They were great friends. I like to imagine this reunion.
Materials
Women’s size
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Shelter | 50 g. 140 yards/ 128 meters
Main Color: Fossil| 1 skein
Contrasting Color: Cast Iron| 1 skein
OR
Raumagarn 3 tr. Strikkegarn \ 50 g (1.75 oz) 105 meters/114 yards
Main Color: Off white | 1 skein
Contrasting Color: Grey | 1 skein
OR
Yarn: Fleece and Harmony Selkirk Worsted | 80 g and 200 yards
Main Color: Natural | 1 skein
Contrasting Color: Quartz | 1 skein
Note: You will be able to knit 3 slippers from 1 skein of each color (so if you have 2 skeins of each color, with Rauma Strikkegarn or Brooklyn Tweed Shelter you can knit 3 pairs of slippers. You can knit 2 pair of slippers with 1 skein each color of Fleece and Harmony Selkirk).
Needles: Double-point needles 3.5mm/US 4
Gauge and Swatch
Swatch in colorwork. Women’s Slipper 24 stitches/24 rows = 4 inches or 10 cm
If you need a larger size, determine gauge, then move up a needle size for a roomier slipper. If you need a smaller size, go down a needle size (from gauge) or shrink them a bit by extra felting in hot water.
If you have made my slippers before, this fit is a bit more generous.
Sizes
Women’s small US 4.- 6 Go down a needle size from gauge
Women’s medium size US 6-9
Women’s large size US 9.5-11 Bump up one needle size from gauge size needle
Unfelted slipper: 10 x 5½” / Felted slipper: 9 ¾ ” x 4½”
Skills used to make this slipper
Longtail cast on
Knitting in colorwork
Purling in colorwork
Knitting in the round
Joining to knit in the round
Backward loop
Working Flat
Decreasing in colorwork
Increasing in colorwork
Hand sewing with a running backstitch
Catching floats while knitting
Catching floats while purling
DPN/Flexiflips/or Magic Loop skills
