Felted slippers are a staple in our family and I've lost track of how many pairs I've made over the years. #2 son and daughter-in-love recently put in a special request for new ones, so there they are...
The pattern is found HERE. I have always used Paton's Classic Wool yarn which felts perfectly. Well, there IS now a word of warning about this yarn as I found to my detriment. When I purchased it I did check the label for the fibre content for one pair, just to make sure I was buying the correct yarn. I did not, however, verify the content for the other pair and discovered, once I started knitting, that it didn't feel right. Checked the label and was horrified to discover that they have snuck some acrylic into the content which means it won't felt properly. I suspect it might felt somewhat but not to the degree that it should. I emailed the company to complain but haven't heard anything from them. Now I'm stuck with four balls of enough-feltable-to-make-it-useless yarn! So if you're making anything that's meant to be felted, be sure to check the label carefully!!
UPDATED TO ADD: The question arose as to what I put on the soles of my slippers. I use a thick coat of 'Shoe Goo' (see HERE for a link) although I find it at the local hardware store. It stinks to high heaven when it's curing so I put the slippers outside to dry. It seems to last on the soles and makes them non-slip.
UPDATED TO ADD: The question arose as to what I put on the soles of my slippers. I use a thick coat of 'Shoe Goo' (see HERE for a link) although I find it at the local hardware store. It stinks to high heaven when it's curing so I put the slippers outside to dry. It seems to last on the soles and makes them non-slip.
Your quote for today..."Go inside and listen to your body, because your body will never lie to you. Your mind will play tricks, but the way you feel in your heart, in your guts, is the truth"
I love the clogs!!! I want to give them a try. Do you use the suede bottoms or the harder looking bottoms in the pattern picture? That looks hard to put together. thanks for sharing these. hugs, lj
ReplyDeleteI don't use the suede bottoms but instead I coat them (thickly) with a product called 'Shoe Goo' that I get at the hardware store. It stinks to high heaven when it's curing, but it works really well on the bottom of slippers.
DeleteThank you for all the lovely links. That BOM challenge is so cute.
ReplyDeleteDRAT! Why do things always have to change?!! Love the slippers that look so warm and cuddly. Excellent quote once again dear...<3
ReplyDelete'She' felts as well.....of course 'she' does. My mum always knitted with Patons Bluebell and Totem. I have a jumper I knitted 40 years ago in Totem and it is still beautiful after much wearing and many washes. Unfortunately the wool these days doesn't seem to be as good. It seems to pill quicker. Yes....another 'things were better in the old days' story. =)
ReplyDeleteGreat caution alert about reading the label. Also it pays to be sure you're not using a Superwash treated yarn, designed not to felt. Very annoying to find, as a friend of mine did, that her felting project would never work, after hours of effort.
ReplyDeleteThese yarn mfrs are a sneaky bunch!
These look beautiful Mary Anne! I hope the wools felt as they are supposed too! Loved learning about 'shoe goo'..... I'd never heard of that!! Christine xx
ReplyDeleteYour slippers are so cool!! I can see why they are in such big demand. I bet it can be done with a crochet pattern as well.
ReplyDeletexx, Carol
I need a new pair of slippers and I might just try your pattern!
ReplyDeleteSeems like constantly the best things are either stopped or changed not for the good. I'm guessing the yarn folks thought they could make a bit more money?
ReplyDeleteYou probably know I used the graph paper site recently to help teach my Quilt class? Love that site.
Love those slippers, but how disappointing about the yarn you've recently bought. I tried felting something recently that had some Paton's Classic Wool in it, and it didn't felt as well as I had hoped. I didn't think to look at the label. Will check on that the next time I'm digging through my yarn stash. That's extremely disappointing (to me) if they're adding acrylic to this wool, but thank you for the heads up, Mary Anne.
ReplyDeleteI've used Paton's Classic Wool for years and never had a problem with the content. I was in the store today and I looked at numerous different balls of the Classic Wool and only two that I looked at had acrylic....all the rest were 100% wool. They should be labeling those with acrylic differently so people can clearly see it's not right. I emailed Paton's with a complaint but they never responded.
DeleteThat is a great BOM, and the moose is cute! Shoe goo sounds a great name - haven't heard of that. I am fortunate that I have a great pair of indoor boots with sheepskin inside for my winter slippers given to me by my Aussie friends, and only this year ( they are about 5/6 years old ) is there a tiny slit where it looks like my toe has poked through. I will have to darn it somehow on the leather outsides! Darn!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the links! I do like that moose in the BOM.
ReplyDeleteReally surprised to hear that about Paton's Classic wool....not so classic if it's got acrylic added now!
ReplyDeleteLovely clogs! what a thoughtful gift. You are a sweetheart!
I share your disappointment of when they change the formula, ingredients, or recipe of something that you've come to know and depend on. Sometimes trying to make things better doesn't. Or trying to cut corners cuts sales. We want to depend on something we know, but we have to be so careful anymore. Thanks for the links. I got some good ideas, now I just need some time!
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