Felted Knit Clog Style Slippers

So, I wanted to make some felted wool slippers and I struggled to find a pattern for something I liked. I did find a lovely pattern for a pair that was made pretty much like an oversized anklet sock but though they shrank lengthwise they were like 3 or 4” too big around. (The cat loves them and sleeps on them every day.) They have already gone through the felting process twice so I am not sure if they will shrink around much more.

The blue slipper is the size the gray pair started out at before being felted. They felted beautifully but are way too big around.

After making those and having such bad luck I came up with this clog version. Love them! They are quick and easy, worked flat, and make me happy.

Sorry about the photos. This new place has horrible lighting for photo taking and I have no room to set up a studio area. Despite the bad photos, I think you can see how cute and cozy these felted slippers turned out.

This is my pattern:

Clog Style Felted Knit Slippers

Size 11 knitting needles (I used 24” circulars but they should work on straight needles also.)

Worked flat

Gauge = 3 sts per 1” and 3 rows per 1” in stockinette

Patton’s Wool

You can make these with 1 skein each of the two colors for the single stranded version but for the two strand version I recommend having 2 skeins each of the two colors. It makes it so much easier to work with two strands at the same time from two different skeins.

CO 39

R1: Knit 39

R2: K1, KFB, K , KFB, Place Marker, K1, Place Marker, KFB, K , KFB, K1

R3: Knit (knit all odd rounds)

R4: K1, KFB, K to 1 st before M, KFB, K3, KFB, K to 2 st before end, KFB, K1

K6: K1, KFB, K to 2 st before M, KFB, K5, KFB, K to 2 st before end, KFB, K1

R8: K1, KFB, K to 3 st before M, KFB, K7, KFB, K to 2 st before end, KFB, K1

R10: K2, KFB, K to 4 st before M, KFB, K9, KFB, K to 3 st before end, KFB, K2

R12: K2, KFB, K to 5 st before M, KFB, K11, KFB, K to 3 st before end, KFB, K2

Sole should measure about 6” x 12-13” and be 59 st on needles.

If you want these to be bigger you can do another knit round and then repeat round 12 to have 63 sts on needles.

Change color

R13: Knit 59 st

R14: Purl 59 st

R15: Knit to 1 st past second marker, turn, sl 1, P4, turn, sl 1, K3, ssk, K1, turn, sl 1, K5, ssk, K1, turn, sl 1, P6, P2 tog, P1, turn, sl 1, K7, ssk, K1 continue working the short rows until you reach the ends.

Slipping 1 will bring yarn to working position and the decreases will close the gaps caused by turning. Just always knit or purl together the gaps as you encounter them and work one K or P st past the decrease and eventually you will reach the ends.

K16, 17: Knit a row and purl a row then bind off the 31 (35) sts.

Seam the back few rows. Felt!

There are many ways to felt but I find what works the best for me is top loading washer with a few items to be felted and an old pair of jeans washed on hot with a normal load sized amount of laundry soap.

I made a pair with single stranded yarn and also a pair with two strands of yarn. The single strand of yarn felted up nicely and was the right size after one round through the washer but is definitely a thinner fabric. The double stranded pair is nice and thick but one round through the washer was not enough to felt it down to the right size. I can wear them with my thick SmartWool socks but they could be a size smaller. Another round in the machine should do the trick.

I LOVE these slippers. They are so WARM and comfortable. And darling, adorable to look at.

I wear a size 7-8 1/2 depending on the shoe style but you can control (sort of) the sizing with the felting process. For an average size 8 make the sole the 59 sts and for size 9-10 do another row with increases for a total of 63 sts. For smaller sizes, 5-6 stop at 55 sts for the sole. The upper part will be worked the same because it's just short rows worked across what's available.

Single stranded version.

Two strand version.

I am walking on carpet so I have not had any issues with being slippery but if you have wood floors or maybe tile, you can sew some scrap leather on the bottom for traction or those glue dots for grip.

Wool felting shrinks more height-wise than it does width-wise. (Over rows vs over stitches.) A good formula I found:

Felting good dense fabric:

Stitches (desired size) x 1.2 = pre-felted size

Rows (desired size) x 1.42 = pre-felted size

Felting very dense fabric:

Stitches (desired size) x 1.43 = pre-felted size

Rows (desired size) x 1.78 = pre-felted size