Russian Boot Slipper Tutorial

When I shared the pattern for these age old slippers (yesterday's post) with Jessica, she made a face like I had opened a package of Limburger cheese--"They are made flat and need to be seamed up to finish? Who has the time or inclination to seam up their knitting?!", says she.

So , Jessica, this is a remake of the old pattern just for you and all the blog friends who wish to make them in the round with NO seaming!

SUPPLIES:

1 skein of Chunky weight yarn (hand spun works great, too!) 3 - 4 oz

#8 US circular needles

tapestry needle for finishing off yarn tails

Gauge-3.75 stitches and 4 rows per inch

Sized for child 9" (youth 10", adult 11")

DIRECTIONS:

Cast on loosely 32 (35,38) stitches using the knitted cast on method and the magic loop method on the circular needle (A loop will separate the stitches at the end of the first 32 sts and the needles will leave a loop at the other end, too.)

Pull needle through stitches and pick up 32 (35, 38) sts on the bottom of the cast on row-you now have 32 (35.sts on each side of the cast on row (64 , 70, 76 sts total)

Purl one round. (When you knit in the round you have to alternate a knit and purl round for garter stitch and for stockinette you will knit every round-just the opposite of flat knitting!)

Knit the next round and continue alternating rows until you have 14 garter stitch bumps between the needles. (14 rounds total ending with a purl round.)

Decrease row for the toe shaping: needle 1-Knit 29 (32, 35)sts, k2tog, p1

needle 2-p1, k2tog tbl, k29 (32, 35). (tbl means through the back loop)

next round decreases one stitch on each needle -

-as in k28 (31, 34), k2 tog, p1 needle 2-p1, k2tog tbl, k28 (31, 34)

Continue each round with one less stitch until there is a completed round of k13 (16, 19), k2tog, p1, p1, k2tog tbl, k13 (16, 19)--then begin the top band. (You can also stop the decreases sooner so that the slipper will be lower and not boot high--the greatest part about knitting is to be your own designer-go ahead and experiment!)

Purl one round, knit one round for 7 rounds total-3 garter ridges ending with a purl round. Bind off the next knit row LOOSELY as this is the opening for the foot and you want it to stretch!

Bury the ending yarn tail and the beginning yarn tail and you are completely finished! Enjoy making a bunch of these!

( I made each slipper in just under 2 hours -see how you do, the second one went faster, 'cuz I didn't have to take any pictures!)