LEOPARD PRINT BALLERINAS
By Louise Lamarche Fun animal print slippers knitted flat and in the round. Small enough to slip into your purse.
The i-cord trim is knitted as you go along and becomes an elastic casing - no finishing required. With this technique, these ballerinas stay on the foot. Three sizes and very easy to adjust. The fairisle makes them interesting to knit and adds warmth, cushiness and comfort. Sizes: 5/6 (7/8, 9/10)
Yarn & Notion Requirements
Sock yarn - 35 g of each color - shown in size 9/10. Elann A-Series S01 Superwash wool with nylon (50 g - 150m, 163 yds) 28g of Bleached Oak(04) and 34 g of Charcoal Heather (15) 2.75mm DPNs and 2.75 circular needle Markers Round-end needle for grafting and safety pin for inserting elastic Sewing needle and thread for securing both ends of elastic 60 cm elastic - 6mm wide (1/4 in)
Applied techniques:
Judy's Magic Cast-on - video link https:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=19jVjlay5Lk I-cord flat and along border - step by step instructions Intarsia and fairisle knitting - tips on crossing threads on last page video link intarsia:http:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAi8og9sA_W video link fairisle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtDGR2NM9-Q Kitchener grafting - step by step instructions If you are not familiar with Judy's Magic Cast on please look at the following video but use tWoDPNs: https:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=19jVjlay5 Lk Using the Judy's Magic Cast-on method and two 2.75mm DPNs and the trim color, do a double needle provisional cast-on of 6 stitches on each needle. With a third DPN, knit the 6 stitches of the top needle once. Put the 6 stitches of the bottom needle on a stitch holder or plastic safety pin.
I-cord tab border:
1) Slip the stitches to the opposite end of the needle, the yarn will be attached to the last stitch. 2) Knit the 6 stitches, pulling tight on the first two stitches Repeat steps 1 and 2 for a total of 12 rows.
Picking up stitches and knitting the heel tab
Note: If you flatten the i-cord, it will be easy to see the straight columns of stitches to be picked up. Once you have knitted a row, put the 6 i-cord sts on a stitch holder or safety pin. With the yarn on the live row and another DPN, turn the work and pick up and knit 11 sts from the top-down as follows:
As you progress, the border stitches will be intarsia knitting, so to avoids gaps make sure you follow the tips on crossing your yarns explained on last page. Row 1: K2 CC - knit 7 as per HEEL TAB CHART (both colors are used) - K2 CC Row 2: Purl F/B and P1 in CC - Purl 7 in pattern - slip next 2 stitches to right hand needle. Turn work to start the heel tab i-cord: Pulling tightly, Knit F/B, K1 in CC. Turn work and slip These 3 stitches back to left needle. Turn work. You now have 13 sts. Row 3: Cross colors, pull tight and K3 (icord) - knit 7 in pattern - slip last 3 sts to right needle. Turn work to start the other i-cord. Cross colors, pull tight and Purl 3 sts. Turn work and slip these 3 stitches back to left needle. Turn work. Row 4: Cross colors, pull tight and P3 (icord) - purl 7 in pattern - slip last 3 sts to right needle. Turn work. Cross colors, pull tight and Knit 3 sts. Turn work and slip these 3 stitches back to left needle. Turn work. As you can see, you will be knitting the i-cord twice, once for the end of the row and once for the beginning of the other row. Knit in pattern a total of 24 rows following method explained for rows 3 and 4 above. You will have created and i-cord on each side of the heel tab from which you will be picking up stitches to make the sides of the slipper. Cut both yarns leaving a 5 inch tail.
SLIPPER FOOT
With right side facing, slip the 6 i-cords stitches from holder to a DPN. Do not knit the first 5 stitches. Attaching yarn and keeping in pattern with both colors according to the FOOT CHART starting at ROW1, Knit the 6th i-cord stitch, pick up and knit 22 stitches along the i-cord's middle stitch keeping a nice even row. Knit the first stitch from the bottom of the heel. Total count on the first DPN: 5 i-cord and 24 sts in pattern. With another DPN, and continuing Row 1 of the FOOT CHART, knit the stitches from the bottom of the heel tab - proceed as follows for this row only: K2 tog, K7, K2 tog - Keep last stich for the third DPN. Total count on the second DPN: 9 sts in pattern. With another DPN and continuing Row 1 of the FOOT CHART, knit last stitch of the bottom of heel tab, pick up and knit 22 stitches along heel tab i-cord. Knit the first stitch of the icord. Slip the remaining 5 icords on the DPN - DO NOT KNiT. Turn work. Total count on the third DPN: 5 i-cord and 24 sts in pattern. TOTAL NUMBEROF67STS. Row 2: Cross colors as per intarsia tips, pull tight and P5 (i-cord) - purl in pattern to last 5 sts. Slip to right needle. Turn work. Cross colors, pull tight and K5 (i-cord) - end of row. Slip sts back to other needle. Row 3: Cross colors, pull tight and K5 (icord) - knit in pattern to last 5 sts. Slip to right needle. Turn work. Cross colors, pull tight and P5 (icord) - end of row. Slip sts back to other needle. Continue FOOT CHART repeating the i-cord process as for rows 2 and 3. Change to 2.75mm circular needle as soon as you can and knit back and forth with the magic loop method; after about 24 rows you won't need the magic loop. Repeat the 42 rows until you reach 15.5 (16.5, 17.5) cm ending on a wrong side and taking note of the last row number you have knit. Do not cut border yarn.
TOP OF THE FOOTI-CORDBORDER&CASING
On the right side of work, slip the 5 i-cord stitches on a DPN and knit the i-cord in the same manner as the i-cord heel tab border. Increase the i-cord from 5 to 6 sts as such: K4 - K1 front and back. Knit 15 i-cord rows. Cut yarn and leave a 20 cm tail for grafting. Leave sts on DPN. Cut elastic 25 (27, 29) cm. Thread the elastic on the large round end needle and insert in casing. Sew both ends of elastic together. Slide the other 5 sts i-cord to aDPN. Bring both DPNs facing one another with the yarn tail coming from the back right side. Insert thread in grafting needle.
Grafting:
1. Insert grafting needle purlwise in first stitch of front needle. Leave on needle. 2. Insert grafting needle knitwise in first and second stitch together of back needle. Leave on needle. 3. Insert grafting needle knitwise in first stitch of front needle. Slide off. Inseri grafting needle purlwise in next stitch of front needle. 4. Insert grafting needle purlwise in first two stitches together of back needle. Slide off. Insert grafting needle knitwise in next stitch of back needle. Stitch count is now the same on both DPNs. Repeat steps 3 and 4 one stitch at a time. After removing the last stitch, you will have closed off the casing. Cross your work and stretch the elastic so that the elastic join does not make a bump at the point of grafting.
TOEPORTION OF THEFOOT
To make up the toe portion of the foot, reattach yarns on the right side of the border, pick up and knit 15 stitches along the i-cord as per the CLOSED FOOT CHART - MAKE SURE YOUARESTARTINGONTHENEXTROW WHERE YOU LEFT OFF continue to end of row. YOU WILL NOW KNIT IN THE ROUND. No more i-cords. Total of 72 sts. Insert a marker - THIS WILL BE THE BEGINNING OF THE ROUND. Distribute your stitches evenly on both tips of the circular needle to avoid gaps. On your third row, insert markers as follows: K25, pm (side), K37, pm (side), K10, pm (beginning of round). Start decreases on next row as follows: Knit to 3 stitches before marker, K2tog in pattern color, K1, sm, K1, SSK in pattern color. - Repeat once on other side. Knit one row without decreases. You will repeat these two rows a total of 9 times. 36 stitches left. TIP: To keep track of your knitting pattern once you start decreases, it helps to highlight your decreases in a different shade and block the column upward from the decrease row. (see below).
Eventually your last decrease will include stitches from the next round. Redistribute stitches so that you have 18 sts front and back. You will need to unknit the last 3 stitches. Graft as per above grafting instructions.
LOOP ON TOP OF HEEL TAB
With DPN, pick up and knit 8 stitches in CC along the top i-cord of the heel tab. Knit an 8 st i-cord for 15 rows. Knit 2 tog 4 times. Leaves 4 stitches. Cut 20 cm thread. Fold in half and sew each stitch to the pick-up row.
TIPS ON CROSSING YARNS FOR INTARSIA:
ke a full wrap around the yarn as it will be hard to pull and close gaf On the purl side bring the background thread from under away from you and pass it over the border thread. Continue knitting the icord with the border thread. When you repeat the operation on the second round, both threads will be Crossed and there won't be a gap as you continue knitting the rest of work if you pull tightly on the background thread. On the knit side bring the background thread towards you and pass it over the border thread. Continue knitting the icord with main thread. When you repeat the operation on the second round, both threads will be Crossed and there won't be a gap as you continue knitting the rest of work if you pull tightly on the background thread. Videos are rare on intarsia border. Ihave found this one that is very good. Keep in mind that you are not doing the same type of border but the method of crossing is good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAi8og9sA_w
TIPS ON CROSSING YARNS FOR FAIRISLE
Fairisle is preferably done with a color held in each hand. The contrast yarn (motif) should come from below to stand out more - yarn held in left hand. If you are not familiar with carrying floats, please look at this video to the end. It is excellent; very clear explanation from Lori1551. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtDGR2NM9-Q.
Heel Tab
Foot Chart
Closed Foot Chart
