Knitworthy 5
The collection features 8 patterns intended to make good gifts for everyone on your knitworthy list (because life’s too short to knit for anyone who doesn’t love what you make).

I love hand-knit slippers, and so many people appreciate receiving them as a gift, but I do not love darning and I definitely do not love having my gift returned to me to fix. When designing these I wanted to make something that would look cute, and be comfortable, but sturdiness was top of my list. I achieved that by holding multiple strands of a tough yarn together and working at a tight gauge. The yarn is a tightly spun, traditional Norwegian stocking / boot sock yarn that’s perfect for slippers.

The soles are worked in the round from the centre out, beginning with the kind of double sided cast on usually used for toe up socks. They use all three colours held together and are worked in garter stitch for a thick, cushioned sole. Both increases and short rows shape the soles into a comfortable, anatomical, shape that’s wider at the toes. Short rows are also worked to extend the soles over the toes. The third colour is then dropped and the upper foot continues with just two colours held together. The third colour is reintroduced (held doubled) as the contrast colour for the colour work cuff. The slippers are completed with ribbing in the contrast colour finished with an I-cord bind off that’s extended to make a hanging loop.

Yarn
DK weight yarn. Tightly spun, hard wearing non-superwash wool. Substituting an Aran weight yarn won’t work.

Shown in Rauma 3tr Strikkegarn (100% Norwegian wool, 118 yds / 108m, 50g) in
C1: 103
C2: 113
C3: 136

C1: 165[190, 200, 210, 235, 250] yds / 150[175, 185, 195, 215, 225] m
C2: 165[190, 200, 210, 235, 250] yds / 150[175, 185, 195, 215, 225] m
C3: 95[105, 115, 115, 130, 140] yds / 95[105, 115, 115, 130, 140] m

Choosing colours: C1 and C2 are held together throughout. They don’t need to be shades of the same colour but should blend well. Look for small variations in hue or value. C3 should contrast well with both C1 and C2.

Needles
US 9 / 5mm needles:

either two 24” / 60cm or longer circulars for 2 circulars method or one 40” / 100cm or longer needle for magic loop. The number of stitches on the sole and part of the foot will fit around a 16” / 40cm circular, but at the beginning there are rather sharp turns at the toe and heel that make this awkward. Switch to a shorter circular when it feels comfortable if you prefer. The gauge on the sole is very tight, I recommend using metal needles.

US 10 / 6mm dpns or preferred needles for working small circumferences in the rnd

Gauge
15 sts and 24 rnds = 4” / 10cm in stocking st in the rnd using smaller needle with 2 strands of yarn held together

Sizing
xs[s, m, l, xl, xxl]
To fit EU shoe sizes: 36-37[38-39, 40-41, 42-43, 44-45, 46-47]
Shown in size small EU 38-39