The long awaited slippers

When I first started felting, I promised hubby I'd make him a pair of felted slippers. That was about 3 years ago and he still didn't have his slippers. Other projects just kept taking priority. I tried to make up for it by buying him a pair of sheepskin slippers last year but once in a while, I'd still get reminded of my promise.

With his birthday coming up and my running out of gift ideas, I figured it was time to make him his long awaited slippers. When I made that promise years ago, I'd planned to hand felt the slippers from roving wool. But after discovering the Wash & Filz It yarn earlier this year, I decided to experiment with that instead. 

The trick with machine felting of course is that you have very little control over the felting process and thus very little control over the finished size of your creation. I found a Drops Design knitting pattern on Ravelry and I just had to trust that my wool would shrink just enough to fit hubby's feet. During felting, the wool shrinks by 30 to 40% so the pre-felting knitted slippers looked ridiculously big. Just to give you an idea, here's a couple of pics with the knitted slippers against a sheet of A4.

Once I'd finished knitting and assembling the slippers, I anxiously tossed them in the washing machine. I put them on a regular programme at 40°C. When they came out, I had a slight moment of panic as the slippers I pulled out were tiny, almost my size! But I know that felt can easily be stretched and moulded into shape while it is still wet and luckily for me, I'd bought a pair of polystyrene foot lasts in hubby's size when I made that fateful promise years ago.

After a bit of pulling and stretching, I got the slippers to just fit on the lasts (picture at the top). I left them to dry on the radiator for a day before adding a final touch. Felt on wooden floors is very slippery so it's best to add a bit of grip to the soles. I used different colours so that it would be simple to remember which is right and which is left. In time, the slippers will mould around his feet and it should be easy to tell then but in the beginning, a touch of colour will make it straightforward enough.

I am pleased to say that the slippers were an instant hit with hubby. In fact, they've become almost inseparable! And they were so easy to make, I think more of them will find their way in my Christmas gifts...