Munchkin Slippers Free Pattern



A few days ago, I mentioned a new project for yarn walnuts. Here it is. It is perfect for really small walnuts, as you play with 2 colors. There are no seams, and the slippers are knit in the round from the bottom up. It takes one evening for a pair. Once you've knit the first slipper, the second one will be a breeze. The result is just darling. I really like their whimsical spirit!Perfect for a newborn!( The pattern is sized for newborn.)
You can do what I do. For every pair of socks knit a pair of baby slippers for donation!


Munchkin Slippers


Materials: 2 walnuts of left over sock yarn. I am using left over
SockPixie Merino Sock yarn.
Needles: 2 16" US 1
Gauge: 7 1/2 sts/inch in garter stitch.


Cast on 5 stitches with one color. Knit a 2 inch i-cord.
Keep stitches on needle, turn work, and knit front and back of every stitch. You will have 10 stitches.
Split the stitches, 5 on each circular needle. Join round by transfering the 1rst stitch on right needle to left needle and the now second stitch on left needle over to right needle. Needle 1 holds the top of the foot. Needle 2 holds the bottom.
Knit 1 round, purl 1 round.

Increase the size of the foot by following the next 2 rows:
Increase round: K1f&b knit to last 2 stitches on needle, k1f&b, K1. Repeat on needle 2.
Next round:Purl
Repeat these 2 rounds until there are 13 stitches on each needle. Continue increasing on needle 1 only until you have 17 stitches, but do not increase any more on needle 2 (13 stitches), just knit even in garter.

Once increases are done, continue even in garter stitch until the foot measures 1 1/2" from the beginning of the foot (not counting i-cord.)
Finish with a knit row. Insert a piece of contrasting yarn through the stitches on needle 1.
Purl one round.

Work edge in st st for top of foot as follows:
Petal 1: K6, turn/ P6, turn/ K1,2TOG, SSK, K1, turn/Purl, turn/ K1, K2TOG, K1, turn/ purl,turn/ K3TOG, break yarn and stop section.
Petal 2: Reattach yarn, K5, turn/ K1, SL1, K2,Pass the slipped stitch over the 2 knit stitches, K1, turn/Purl, turn/ K1, K2TOG, K1, turn/Purl, turn/K3TOG, break yarn and stop section.
Petal 3: Proceed as for petal one.

With needle, pick up the 17 stitches held on the waste yarn, and with contrast yarn start knitting around in garter, starting with a knit round.
Knit a total of 10 rounds in garter stitch, Purl 2 tog at center of stitches on needle 2 during last purl row.

Shape heel as follows: Work on back stitches only.
R1: Knit to the last 2 stitches, wyif slip next stitch, bring yarn to back, turn
R2: Sl stitch, Bring yarn to the back, knit to the last 2 stitches, wyif slip next stitch, Bring yarn back, turn.

R3: Sl 1rst stitch, bring yarn to back, Knit to 1 stitch before the last wrapped stitch, wrap the stitch as above, turn.

R4
: Sl 1rst stitch, bring yarn to back, knit to 1 stitch before last wrapped stitch, wrap stitch as above, turn.

Repeat R3 and R4 until 4 stitches remain unwrapped at the center of your heel.

Continue shaping the heel as follows:

R1: Sl 1rst stitch, bring yarn back, knit to the wrapped stitch, knit the wrap together with the stich, and wrap the next stitch by wyif slipping the next stitch, bringing the yarn to the back turn.

R2
: Sl 1rst stitch, bring yarn back, knit to the wrapped stitch, knit stich an wrap together , wrap the next stitch by wyif slipping the next stitch, bringing the yarn to the back turn.

R3:Sl1 1rst stitch, bring yarn back, knit to the wrapped stitch, slip wrapped stitch to right needle, with left needle pick up the 2 wraps, and place the on the right needle. Slip the 2 wraps and the stitch back to the left needle, and knit the 3 together. Wrap next stitch as above, and turn.

R4: Sl1 1rst stitch, bring yarn back, knit to the wrapped stitch, slip wrapped stitch to right needle, with left needle pick up the 2 wraps, and place the on the right needle. Slip the 2 wraps and the stitch back to the left needle, and knit the 3 together. Wrap next stitch as above, and turn.

Repeat R3 and R4 until all stitches are consumed. The first and the last stitch on the needle will each have 1 wrap, which you will knit together on the first round of the rest of the slipper. Knit the rest of the round with B picking up the remaining wraps. You are now ready to continue the slipper.


Start knitting in the round again in garter stitch.

Knit in garter for 1 1/2". Knit in st st for 1/2". BO loosely.

Sew I-cord into a roll and attach it high up on body of slippers. Using the threads at the end of the petals attach them to the body of the slipper right above ridge number 3.
Weave in all ends. Make a second identical slipper.



This pattern is for personal use only, and may not be used for commercial purposes. Copyright 2008, Caroline Dlugy-Hegwer.

Sunday's Preview



It is time for the SockPixie Sunday colorway preview . I am really happy with the way the colorways turned out. I had fun designing them. They are so different from last week's colorways, yet they are equally refreshing, just slightly more passionate maybe. I actually could not help calling one of them Lady Chatterley!
These colorways gave me a great opportunity to pull out all my chintz dishes, and look at them, and touch them, and think maybe I should get more plates!

Above is a picture of a colorway I called Staffordshire after the famous English company who designed this pattern.
Isn't that blue background breathtaking?
I am off to finish my updates for the website, and will be posting the Chintz colorways up by 6 p.m. tonight.
I hope you enjoy this Sunday's colorways, and Happy Knitting to all!

Inspiration and Adventures

I did not have a minute to post to the blog this week!

There were many wonderful things, like reading all your lovely comments about the Magic Slippers. Thank you so much for your appreciation. I am very touched.

There were nice things like packing all your yarns, picking the ribbons to close the little clear bags the skeins are shipped in, and walking to the post office to send them to you.

There was sitting in bed thinking of this Sunday's colorways. That was fun, but I will come back to that.

There was designing a new project for yarn walnuts, but that will be the subject of another post.

Then there was that storm. Oh, that storm! It rained torrents. The wind was the maddest I have ever heard. I would have had a great night nonetheless, if it hadn't been for being woken up at 1 am to the music of dripping drops falling through my bedroom ceiling! That crazy wind had teamed up with the torrent to find the smallest gap in the roof. We did not loose our cool. We pulled pots out, set them down in a very strategic fashion considering the hour, and went back to bed. My husband went right back to sleep. I however sat there, counting the drops. "one, two, three..." "Stop it Caroline!" "...225, 226..."
I did not sleep a wink!



The good thing is that I can count and think of colorways at the same time!
I have two passions, knitting, and chintz China. I have over time collected many plates, tea cups, and saucers. The floral patterns delight me, and I am particularly fond of the ones set against colored backgrounds, in particular the ones set against black backgrounds.
I find the contrast dramatic, the colors so vibrant. This is what I have been playing with this week, for my new colorways. I will be posting a preview of this week's colorways tomorrow...

For the time being, Happy Knitting to all!
I just bought myself some fun head and hand mannequins to display knitted items. I'll show them off tomorrow if DH remembers to bring home batteries for the camera.

For those who are in the Albuquerque area, we're having another of our popular Adoptathons this weekend. On February 9, 2008 come check out our affectionate, litter-trained, spayed and neutered house rabbits available for adoption or just stop by to talk to some knowledgeable bunny people. This is the place to get all your house rabbit questions answered! The Adoptathon celebrates Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month and will be held at the Petco on 10700 Lomas NE between 11 am and 2 pm.

Several breeds and sizes are available this time - there is an angora, a super soft Rex, and many baby bunnies. Personally I think Amy (seen below) seems to have the right bunny attitude.


I have an unprecedented three pairs of socks on the needles right now. One pair is done using intarsia and I hope to get lots of technique photos and info for the blog.

Lately DH and I have been fantasizing about moving to remote Jemez Springs. It is about as far away from his job as our house now in the other direction and he'd get to avoid driving in the big city altogether. Jemez Springs is about halfway between Rio Rancho and Los Alamos and is notorious for a now closed treatment center for priests.

I think it is the 2nd most beautiful place in NM I've seen (My #1 choice is Taos Ski Valley) and certainly the most colorful. The red rocks are the reddest I've ever seen. Here's the view across from the Walatowa Visitor Center on the Jemez Pueblo. I was really rushing to get photos but next time I'll get some photos of the Pueblo itself and all the hornos (outdoor clay ovens) in the yards for baking bread. The Jemez Pueblo is also famous for some very colorful pottery.



Here is the Jemez Springs bath house. The town also boasts 3 or 4 funky restaurants, a Zen Buddhist center, and some art galleries. Although there is a nearby winery and even an alpaca ranch the nearest grocery store is 30 miles away.



Here is main street. The town has around 375 residents with an alternative vibe and reminds me a bit of either Madrid, New Mexico or Dolores, Colorado. It even has a little river running through it.



Recreational opportunities abound and DH would be in heaven hiking and cross-country skiing. There's even a nearby alpine lake (a rarity in NM). This photo is the Valles Caldera National Preserve north of Jemez Springs - it is a massive collapsed volcanic crater.

A Little Preview



The fairy colorways for tomorrow's 6 p.m. SockPixie update are almot ready. I had so much fun designing them. I find them incredibly refreshing, and cheerful. They are like a ray of sunshine in the midst of my New England winter. There is nothing like fairy dust to bring magic to life!
The picture above is one of this week's colorways and is called Narcissus Fairy. It was inspired by the fairy of the same name.
I hope you enjoy this Sunday's colors as much as I enjoyed creating them!

After the Magic Slippers, some Magic Colors


This week I wanted magic. Magic was all I could think about. I knit the Magic Slippers. They made me so happy. They put me in the mood for more magic, and so I chose to have a week of Flower Fairy Colorways. All my colorways this week will be inspired by the vintage illustrations of Cecily Mary Barker, and will updated on the SockPixie site on Sunday at 6 p.m Eastern Time.
What could be more appropriate for me, the SockPixie!