Slippers

and how to make them have been much on my mind for the last few days.

There is the annual "100gm challenge" coming up in a group I belong to. The idea is that everyone should knit or crochet something with 100gms or less of yarn.  In the past I have made hats, a Celtic knot neck piece, a shawl and a scarf. 

You can put in as many entries as you like. I need, for reasons of diplomacy, to put in at least one. For that purpose I have knitted a shopping bag - one of the "string" sort that expands as you fill it.  It isn't very exciting or different in my view but it will serve the purpose if I don't get anything else made. 

And then there are the slippers. I have been thinking about these for quite a while now, even more so in the past few days. It may be that they will not be exactly slippers - more like espadrilles perhaps? I have searched the internet. Yes, there are patterns there. It seems quite a lot of people make that sort of thing. You can even buy the soles for espadrilles. They look sturdy. There are instructions for making your own soles and instructions for using "flip-flops" (or "jandals" or "thongs" - depending on where you come from) as the soles.

I am not too bothered about the soles as I will use flip-flops as the base. I bought a very cheap pair in the local "cheap" shop - one of those untidy places which sell all manner of odd things. It's the amount of yarn you use which counts so it is the upper portion I am concerned with.

I don't own any "slippers" as such. I have an ancient pair of Ugg boots which once belonged to my youngest nephew. When he grew out of them I inherited them. I don't need slippers but can I make something like that? Someone else could use them.

Most of the patterns I have seen are for a crocheted version. I can crochet but I don't use other people's patterns. Part of the challenge for me is always to do my own designing. There are not many patterns for knitted versions. Some of those are felted. I don't want to play around with felting because, for me, these things should be for summer wear. Others are constructed in ways I don't like. It seems to me they need a bit more substance if they are going on a flip-flop base.

The flip-flop bases needs to be covered so that I can attach the tops without having to dig into the rubbery sole. I prowled off to the local fabric shop - the one which sells patchwork, dance and theatre costume fabrics. The woman in there has been helpful before and she was helpful again. I was in and out in five minutes with a small piece of what I needed. It cost very little. 

Now all I need to do - "all"? - is, glue the fabric to the base, knit the tops and glue them to the fabric on the base. I know it will be one of those times when I wish I could sew but the glue I plan to use will (hopefully) glue anything to anything. 

Maybe I can do it - but I think I will stick with the old Ugg boots. They are very comfortable.