Pom-pom slippers

Level Advanced beginner

For the final week, we share Kat’s pattern for these pom-pom slippers, which were inspired by a pair of sewn booties given to her son Ellis as a baby – now the go-to gift for new babies in her life.

Materials

Main colour (MC): 1 x 50g ball of Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport (100% wool), charcoal

Contrast colour (CC): 1 x 50g ball of Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport (100 % wool), Flamingo (or Turquoise Wonder)

4mm hook

Sew-on snaps

Stitch marker

Safety pins

Yarn review: This high-twist 100% wool yarn is hard-wearing, perfect for busy feet. It also comes in an astounding array of colours, so you will be able to choose your palette.

Yarn alternative: Rowan Felted Tweed, four-ply.

Tension: Work 22 sts and 24 rows in double crochet to measure 10cm square using 3.75mm hook, or size needed to achieve tension.

Pattern note: Do not count turning chains as a stitch.

Instructions

Soles (make two)

With MC, 17 (18, 21, 22, 22)ch.

1 Round 1: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, 2dc in ch, 4 (4, 5, 5, 5)dc, 6 (7, 8, 8, 8)htr, 4 (4, 5, 6, 6)tr, 4tr in last ch, turning work to work down unworked side of beg ch, 4 (4, 5, 6, 6) tr, 6 (7, 8, 8, 8)htr, 4 (4, 5, 5, 5)dc, 2dc in last ch (this already has 2dc worked into it). Join. 36 (38, 44, 46, 46) sts.

2 Round 2: 1ch, [2dc in dc] twice, 14 (15, 18, 19, 19)dc, [2dc in tr] four times, 14 (15, 18, 19, 19)dc, [2dc in dc] twice. Join. 44 (46, 52, 54, 54) sts.

3 Round 3: 1ch, 1dc, pm, 2dc in next, 18 (19, 22, 23, 23)dc, 2dc in next, pm, 2dc, 2dc in next, 18 (19, 22, 23, 23)dc, 2dc in next, pm, 1dc. Join. 48 (50, 56, 58, 58) sts.

For sizes one to three years, three to five, five to seven and seven to 13 ONLY.

1 Round 4: 1dc, 2dc in next, work to 1st from marker, 2dc in next, 2dc, 2dc in next, work to 2 sts from end of round, 2dc in next, 1dc. Join.

Work round 4 a total of – (1, 2, 4, 5) times. Break yarn – (54, 64, 74, 78) sts.

Left upper

With CC, 37 (42, 45, 48, 51)ch.

1 Row 1 (RS): Starting in 2nd ch from hook, 36 (41, 44, 47, 50)dc. Turn.

2 Switch to MC, work 5 (7, 11, 15, 17) rows as follows: 1ch, 36 (41, 44, 47, 50)dc. Turn.

3 Work 24 (29, 38, 47, 51) rows as follows: 1ch, 15 (18, 20, 21, 23)dc. Turn. 15 (18, 20, 21, 23) sts.

4 Next row: 1ch, 1dc2tog, 11 (14, 16, 17, 19) dc, 1dc2tog. Turn. 13 (16, 18, 19, 21) sts.

5 Next row: 1ch, 1dc2tog, 9 (12, 14, 15, 17) dc, 1dc2tog. Turn. Break yarn. 11 (14, 16, 17, 19) sts.

Right upper

With CC, 37 (42, 45, 48, 51)ch.

1 Row 1 (RS): Starting in 2nd ch from hook, 36 (41, 44, 47, 50)dc. Turn.

Switch to MC, work 5 (7, 11, 15, 17) rows as follows: 1ch, 36 (41, 44, 47, 50)dc. Turn. Break yarn.

2 Next row: Miss 21 (23, 24, 26, 27)dc, rejoin MC, 1ch, 15 (18, 20, 21, 23)dc. Turn. 15 (18, 20, 21, 23) sts. Work 23 (28, 37, 46, 50) rows as follows: 1ch, 15 (18, 20, 21, 23)dc.

3 Next row: 1ch, 1dc2tog, 11 (14, 16, 17, 19) dc, 1dc2tog. Turn. 13 (16, 18, 19, 21) sts.

4 Next row: 1ch, 1dc2tog, 9 (12, 14, 15, 17) dc, 1dc2tog. Turn. Break yarn. 11 (14, 16, 17, 19) sts.

Sewing up

1 Line up the toe of the upper to the toe of the sole. Secure with a pin or a piece of string. Using CC, sew the two pieces together using a whipstitch. Sew around the bottom as shown, bringing the long end of the upper around inside the bootie.

2 Separate the snap and sew one side to the inside of the outer flap that wraps around the ankle and the other side onto the outside of the inner ankle flap. Make two small pom-poms* and sew on using the photos for placement.

3 Add a bit of puff paint to the soles to make the slippers non-skid for walkers and crawlers.

Making a pom-pom

1 Cut a 30cm length of contrast yarn and set it aside.

2 Using the yarn still attached to the ball, secure the cut end of yarn between two fingers of your non-dominant hand and wrap it around them until it is at least 2cm thick (use more fingers for a big pom-pom and two for a small one).

3 Carefully remove the yarn from around your fingers.

4 Pick up the set-aside yarn and wrap it widthwise around the loops of yarn. Tie it off tightly.

5 Cut the loops, being careful not to cut the securing tie. Fluff up the yarn and trim into a pom-pom shape. CL