On the fifth day of Christmas, Tin Can Knits gave to me…
booties warm and wee,
hip slouchy hat,
honey flavoured mitts,
sea inspired socks,
and cabled mittens for under the tree!
the fight against cold feet
I designed these cuddly booties when I was in a COLD place! I was living in a traditional flat in Edinburgh, with lovely tall ceilings, beautiful (single-glazed) windows, and woefully insufficient insulation and heating. Every day, to prepare for work at my desk near the window, I would layer 2 pairs of socks, a couple of sweaters, and then a housecoat (dressing gown) on top of it all. Some days, a toque was required.
Growing up in Canada, where we overheat our homes in response to the chill outside, I was unprepared for the cold in the UK. I had never understood what you might use a hot water bottle for, but embraced my hot water bottle nightly in my new British home! After wishing for mittens in June when I arrived in Edinburgh, I came to fully understand the practical purpose of wearing wool.
So to wrap my feet in a generously layer of this miracle fibre, I designed Dogwood Slippers! They’re sized from little all the way to big dude, so you can enjoy them yourself, or make an adorable matching set for the munchkins in your life.
Dogwood Slipper Project Details:
Pattern: Dogwood Slippers
Sizing: baby (toddler, child S,M,L, adult S, M, L)
Foot Length: 4.75 (5.5, 6, 6.5, 7.5, 8, 10, 12)” (foot length is adjustable, and size can be adjusted after-the-fact by slightly fulling the finished bootie)
Yarn: baby size: 60 yds DK weight yarn in both MC and CC; child sizes: 90 yds worsted / aran weight yarn in both MC and CC; adult sizes: 160 yds super bulky weight yarn in both MC and CC (samples shown in Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran and Rowan Big Wool)
Needles: baby size: US #3 / 3.25 or 3.0 mm
child sizes: US#5 / 3.75 mm
adult sizes: US #10 / 6.0 mm
DPNs or circular needles using magic loop technique
Gauge: baby size: 24 sts / 4” in stockinette stitch
child sizes: 22 sts / 4” in stockinette
adult sizes: 14 sts / 4” in stockinette
Dogwood slipper construction
The construction of these booties is simple, but interesting. You knit the foot portion from heel to toe, leaving an opening for the ankle. Then you pick up and knit stitches around the edge of the ankle opening. The fair-isle cuffs are knit in the round from ankle up to cuff.
You’ll find that the baby and toddler sizes are quite TALL on your baby – they’re designed to come up above the knee for maximum cosiness! You can add further padding to the booties by knitting and sewing on a separate sole liner.
Worried about colourwork? We’ve got tutorials how to knit fair-isle, and how to select a colour palette, and also 2 free fair-isle hat patterns to get you started… so give it a go today!
There are some lovely colour combinations by Ravelry knitters… Check them all out here.
by yarnkittyy
by Danskknit
by mightcouldknits
by craftycavy
Have a friend with famously cold feet? Click the links below and share this post!
More Fair-Isle from TCK:
December 19, 2015 @ 12:44 pm
These are amazing! I have so been looking forward to seeing the new patterns each day! These are so cute and I’m looking forward to the introduction to fair isle knitting! Thank you!
December 18, 2015 @ 7:34 pm
Thank you so much! I found it! So nice of you! My feet have been freezing, even double socking and wearing Ugg slippers! This looks like just the thing I’ve been needing! And big yarn to whip them up fast before winter is gone! This was very very nice of you! I used to live in Japan where there is no central air or heat so I totally understand how you felt being so cold in England! (Thank you for including a size big large size for men!!!)
December 18, 2015 @ 1:33 pm
Thank you!
December 18, 2015 @ 10:02 am
Thank you for all the patterns! It is fun to get daily gifts as an adult. 😊
December 18, 2015 @ 9:59 am
The twelve days of Christmas free patterns is so sweet of you to do! I am waking up each day, eager to see what my gift will be. Thank you for being so generous. At my slow, easily distracted, knitting pace, I will likely have at least 12 months of patterns to explore!
A friend of mine has her children create their Christmas wish list in November and then they send it to the Santa elves. As a thank you for the list the elves bring a small gift (a sparkly pencil) for each of the 12 days of Christmas. I have adopted this tradition and it is quite fun!
Merry Christmas to all of you!
Lynn or moonandbackmama
Sent from my iPad
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December 18, 2015 @ 9:13 am
I already own Pacific Knits, but I don’t think I have a PDF of the patterns, so thank you!!
December 18, 2015 @ 8:46 am
Thank you so much. A young man is going to be VERY happy to receive a pair of these. I made him socks from your pattern last winter but these are exactly what he really wanted.
December 18, 2015 @ 8:07 am
Thank you! These are the cutest things! And I even have the perefect wool in my stash to cast on a pair for my little girl! :)
December 18, 2015 @ 6:38 am
I adore these booties! Thanks so much for sharing the pattern today!
December 18, 2015 @ 5:23 am
Thank you for the Christmas gifts! Love your patterns.
December 18, 2015 @ 5:17 am
Thank you!
December 18, 2015 @ 5:00 am
Thank you for the free pattern series.
December 18, 2015 @ 3:40 am
OMG! Very excited to try these, Thanks tons 😙
December 18, 2015 @ 2:54 am
These are lovely, they’re definitely on my knitting queue after my Christmas knitting is done (only one sock and half a hat left…) Also living in England I have a hot water bottle at night between September and May!