WIP: Prototype Ballet Slipper

Like I usually do on weekends, I surf Ravelry and other sites for free patterns within my skill level that appeal to me. Now that I basically have top-down basic socks well in hand, I wanted to try other shapes, like Pocketbook Slippers by Lisa Vienneau and Allison Barrett. The pattern is also available here. My feet are small and narrow, and while I haven't actually started that particular pattern, I also wanted to learn knitting toe-up basic socks.

The toe-up pattern here is a mishmash of things I've learned, which I wrote to fit my own foot. While I haven't done things scientifically (as in specifically write steps down row by row as I knit them, counting and all -- I only have a shorthand index card) I can at this point give you a basic outline if you want to modify something for your own foot.

Pattern Outline:

1) Magic cast-on from Knitty, using an 80cm circular needle.

2) Toe increases.

3) About an inch of stockinette rounds from toe increases. Or your preferred shoe entry depth.

4) Divide instep stitches into 3. Knit first third with first dpn, bind off middle third, knit last third with next dpn, place heel stitches on last dpn. Dpn 4 is the working needle.

5) For instep stitches, your selvedge will always begin with a slip 1, whether knitting or purling. Knit or purl heel as usual.

6) As you work try on the slipper. Slipper body should reach up to an inch before your heel ends. Leave stitches on instep dpns unworked.

7) Round heel shaping as usual.

8) Heel flap either plain or reinforced depending on your preference (not a very deep one for my foot).

9) When it's time to join the instep stitches to the heel flap, you will notice a gap that forms between the heel flap and the instep stitches. To address that, knit together (or skp) the last stitch on the heel flap and the first stitch on the instep needles nearest. Knit 1. Turn. Knit across and do the same thing on the other side (instead of skp, p2tog). Purl 1. Turn. And so on. Just keep doing this until you knit the last of the instep stitches and are working with only 2 needles instead of 4.

10) Bind off back of slipper. Instead of cutting the yarn, do a single crochet beginning from the last bind off loop. The single crochet will go around the selvedge of the slipper.

11) Use bright contrasting yarn, add details. Present crochet chain is 18". If you want it to go around the ankles, I suggest you crochet 30".

This slipper is made up of exactly one small ball of choco brown Red Heart worsted weight acrylic yarn, plus some contrast color for decor. It took me just under 4 hours. I had to knit AND unravel AND write shorthand, and do finishing carefully. Maybe less if I memorized it already.

Notes: For my foot cast on should be about 10+10 stitches on a circular. This one is 12+12, which makes for a wide square toe. Body stitches follow a 20 instep +20 heel total.

Rewriting as I blog before the lunch break. Will do the other slipper tonight after dinner. With the 30" chain to go around the ankle. Joy wants to wear it at the Little Gym when she plays with Lilo. Just to feel like Gymnast Mommy. As for Lilo, I still have to trace her foot. Hers will be a princessy pink.

I want to try the same thing with mercerized cotton, possibly 3 strands together. So excited!

Joy's Multicolored Ankle Socks

Now these are my first adult worsted weight acrylic basic ankle socks, requested by Joy. I'd long been thinking acrylic would be too thick or hot for the local climate, but later realized they make perfect cushioned sport socks! Joy was intending to wear them to the Little Gym, whenever she accompanies Lilo to her weekly class.

Needles: Addi Turbo US size 4 (3.5mm) 80cm long circulars

Material: Red Heart worsted weight acrylic yarn, shade # 08327 (the 255m big ball) by Coats Manila Bay, PhP 70/ball (Carolina's Megamall). One big ball can probably make a pair and a half with a bit left over. Or almost two pairs, if you add one small 18g ball of the same shade.

Pattern: Tita Ting's basic socks pattern similar to this one. The pattern I followed was based on Ines' foot size, which is around a women's 6.

It knit up pretty quickly, being an ankle sock, about 4 hours in front of the tv after dinner? And I wasn't even in a hurry. That time even included unravelling mistakes. Great thing is, same size fits Nanay and me too. Joy got other unlikely colorways for me to make unique looking socks for her. Pictures of future socks as they finish!

Christmas in July: Circular Needles

Several months ago when the dollar was weaker and I was ridiculously besotted with getting knitting supplies via eBay and other sites, I ordered circular knitting needles. And other stuff. Tita Lulu was coming home from the US with a balikbayan box.

Finally, these arrived last Wednesday the 16th:


Addi Turbo Premiums (2.0mm, 2.5mm, 3.0mm, 3.5mm, 4.0mm, 4.5mm -- all in 100cm except for the 3.0mm which were 80cm). [I actually ordered those first, but ended up buying 80cm sizes in local yarn shop Dreams because I was too impatient (2.0mm, 2.5mm, 3.0mm, 3.25mm, 3.75mm, 4.0mm, 4.5mm, 5.0mm, 6.0mm & 6.5mm). Fortunately their prices were roughly the same, about USD 7.50 each on the average.] I actually have several projects on the needles and am glad I have extras because I tend to use sizes 2.0mm-4.0mm a lot. These Addis I got on eBay from a UK seller in a six-pack so the price was irresistible. My first eBay experience, and a positive one, thank goodness.


Knitpicks fixed circular knitting needles (2.0mm, 2.25mm, 2.5mm, 3.0mm, 3.25mm, 3.5mm -- in 80cm) from Knitpicks.com. I got these because I couldn't afford the Knitpicks Options interchangeable needles and cables set. I heard about them from Knitters' Review. Something about being pointier than Addis. Someone said something like, "Addis are this shade of lethal. Knitpicks are lethal!" Check out the ff. picture (Addi on the top left, Knitpicks on the bottom right):


I think the Knitpicks would work really well for lace, but for other yarns people like Addis because they don't end up splitting the ply too much. But I think they'd knit pretty fast! And on the whole, are cheaper on a retail basis in the US. Addis fetch up to USD 18 for retail in some places.

And because these were so affordable (well, except for the 2.5mm which I got from Dreams), I got two Milwards 3.0mm, 40cm long from Carolina's Megamall.


These Milwards are roughly only 16" long. They're a British brand, Henry Milward & Sons (Studley, Warwickshire, England). Unfortunately with these needles stitches can bunch up where the cables meet the metal. Also please note that they are similar to Boye needles that have that angle at the base. An advantage of this is that stitches don't slide out. I plan to use these to practice the Cat Bordhi two-circular needle knitting method for socks.

And from my cousin Rosie Fe, a kindergarten teacher in Edmonton:


I know... it looks like overkill. I nearly ordered Inoxes from Paradise Fibers. And Susan Bates Quicksilvers or Silverados, just to compare. But I think I have most everything I need right here. I haven't even mentioned the inexpensive straight needles I got from different people or shops! I use the straights now mostly as stitch holders or, in the future, to lay lacework flat.

Yes, knitting is crack.