Learn New Stitches for the New Year

Vickie Howell from The Knit Show with Vickie Howell wants to inspire you to learn some new knitting and crochet skills this year, and she’s taking to Instagram to do it.

Each day this month the Knit Show Instagram feed will showcase a different knit or crochet stitch, with the instructions right there in the post, and sometimes an Instagram Story or link to more information on completing the required techniques.

As I write this there have been three days of knitting patterns and one crochet stitch, so there’s a lot of fun learning (and great yarny eye candy, like this post featuring Star Stitch in a fun yarn from Spun Right Round) to be had, and the month’s just getting started!

[Photo: Vickie Howell, via Instagram.]

Next Pattern:

The felted slipper craze that began last year doesn’t seem like it’s fading away. The Sailor Slippers, often striped knit and felted slippers made with super bulky yarn, because the project of the moment late last year (check out more knit slipper options in this post all about sailor slippers) and they’re still consistently popular with knitters.

Which makes sense because they are fun and fast to knit, and seeing them go from this giant thing to something that actually fits a foot feels a little magical.

I have always loved felting (in fact my first book was about felting knitting) and it’s always fun for me to see people rediscover this technique.

If you’ve knit enough plain slippers to fit all the feet you know, maybe it’s time to stitch up some tabi style slippers instead.

Maymade Knits has designed these cute tabi ballerina slippers, made with bulky yarn and felted. They’re worked flat at first and then in rounds, and are available in 10 EU sizes (the Internet tells me add 31 to your American shoe size to get your EU size). The designer says the slippers are meant to have a close fit and you should choose a size a little smaller than your foot for the ideal fit.

The pattern includes a video tutorial along with the written pattern.

You can grab this pattern on Ravelry. The same designer has her own version of the striped felted slipper as well, called Sarah’s Striped Slippers. These are worked in super bulky yarn and have a contrasting foot and a striped body. These are knit flat and seamed and there are 7 size options available. Check that pattern out here if you’re looking for a more traditional slipper shape. They also look roomier so you can wear them with socks if you like.

[Photo: Maymade Knits]

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