« Will not spill coffee on the keyboard . . . will not spill coffee on the keyboard . . . | Main | What's more adddictive than yarn? Books about yarn . . . »
August 18, 2005
Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road
Mornin', fellas!
There was a yarn-tastrophy at my house the other day. Timby - the 'chiwalla', must have been channeling my mother, because I came downstairs to find my mother-in-law's (less than) half finished sock in various states of unravel in my dining room and Timby in a very 'cat like' tangle of yarn under the table with a look on his face that just screamed guilt. Timby has never gotten into my knitting bag before but yesterday, he got into it twice, unraveling not only the sock, but also an expesive hank of hand-dyed yarn that was given to me by a friend (the kind I have to drive all the way to Atlanta for). So I spent the better part of the morning unwinding yarn from around my dining room chairs and silently composing a "Free To A Good Home" add for the local paper.
(Timby - Where yarn meets its untimely demise)
I decided that I had enough yarn stress for the week and put off frogging the heel and heel flap of the M.I.L sock for another day. I needed something easy and fun and - dare I say it - a little mindless.
So off to Joann's I went (despite Gracie's protests) and this is what I came up with:
These guys are little spin on one of my favorite baby bootie patterns. It was passed down to me by one of the nurses at the hospital where I work, and is a great pattern for charity groups - the pattern is adaptable to a zillion different yarns. The pattern is super simple, and you can work up a pair in the time it takes to watch a trashy movie on Lifetime - they're a perfect 'in between projects' project.
I made this pair in 'Ruby' Glitterspun (how appropriate) on size US 7 needles. I wish my camera would have captured the 'sparkle' a little better - the picture doesn't do the yarn justice. The pattern is as follows:
Fits newborns to about three months old
Supplies:
- One skein Glitterspun worsted weight yarn in 'Ruby'
- Size US 7 needles
- Stitch markers
- Two stitch holders
- Four small buttons or ribbon for ties
- Needle and coordinating thread (if using buttons)
Gauge: (though not life or death)
- In garter stitch - 10 sts and 20 rows = 2 inches
Sole:
Cast on 38 sts using favorite cast on method.
Row 1:(RS) Knit across
Row 2: K 18, place marker, increase twice (knit into front and back), place marker, knit across. 40 stitches
Rows 3-6: Knit across to first marker, increase, knit to within one st of second marker, increase, knit to end of row. 48 sts
Row 7: Knit to first marker and remove marker, increase, knit to within one of second marker, increase and remove marker, knit to end of row. 50 sts
Instep and sides:
Row 1: Knit 14, place marker, slip 1 (as if to knit), knit 1, PSSO, knit 18, K2 tog, place marker, knit to end of row. 48 sts
Rows 2-6: Knit to first marker, slip 1, knit 1, PSSO, knit across to within 2 sts of second marker, K2 tog, knit across to end of row. 38 sts
Row 7: Knit across to first marker and remove marker, slip 1 as if to knit, knit 1, PSSO, knit across to within two sts of second marker, K2 tog, remove marker, and knit across. 36 sts.
Row 8 Knit 10, slip 10 stitches just worked onto one of the holders, bind off next 6 stitches, knit 3, slip 4 stitches just worked on second holder, bind off next 6 stitches, knit across to end of row. 10 sts
First side
Row 1-5: Knit across.
Bind off stitches in knit.
Second Side
Row 1: Slip 10 sts from first holder onto empty needle and knit until end of row. 10 sts
Row 2-5: Knit across
Bind off all stitches in knit
T-Strap
Row 1: Slip 4 stitches from second holder onto empty needle and knit until end of row. 4 sts
Row 2 & 3: Knit
Row 4 & 5: Add on five stitches at beginning of row and knit across to end. 14 sts
Row 6: (button holes) K2 tog, YO, knit 10, YO, K2 tog
Row 7: Knit 5, K2 tog twice, knit 5. 12 sts
Row 8: K2 tog, knit 1, slip 1st stitch on RT needle over second and off the needle, bind off next 7 stitches, K2 tog, slip 1st stitch on RT needle over the last and off the needle.
Sew up back and sole.
For closures, you can add buttons to either side or you can use the button hole to thread some coordinating ribbon to use as a tie - just use a small crochet hook. I've noticed that with some of the lighter weight yarns, ties work better. For these guys, I really wanted some 'sparkly' red buttons, but was unable to find any. But what do we do when we can't find something, ladies? WE IMPROVISE!! So I painted the buttons with Revlon nail polish in 'Firecracker' and I had my sparkly buttons. Stop laughing - I can hear you, you know . . .
Later taters!
-Mandy
Posted by Mandy Jean at August 18, 2005 12:22 PM
Comments
I can relate to the chiwalla story. I awoke Wednesday morning to find my year-old miniature doxie trailing a full skein of sapphire blue fun fur that was destined to be a chemo cap for my sister-in-law. Like you it took me all day to unravel all those "eyelashes". I'm sure the cap will be much cosier for her with all the dog hair and love knitted into it. I've been knitting for 40 years and I STILL hate sewing side seams! Eileen
Posted by: Eiyiyi at August 19, 2005 03:36 PM
You go girl. It's great to hear the enthusiasm in your posting. I think yours will be the second blog I've ever kept up with...Kloseknit being the first!
Posted by: Sharon at August 19, 2005 05:27 PM
What if I wanted to knit a pair for my sized 9.5 feet? How would I change this pattern
Posted by: Alyg at August 19, 2005 06:03 PM
It must be something with "chillwa" doggies. We have a little guy that will unravel any yarn he can get near. I've finally figured out that he's the little stinker doing the ugly deed. My Westies never touch the yarn. But, Mr. Mac is so cute who could get mad at him? Enjoy the blog. Happy knitting (when you get the yarn unraveled.) K
Posted by: Kay at August 19, 2005 06:44 PM
How can I get a copy of the pattern for the little red knit booties and can they be crocheted (It goes faster for me). I tried printing from the first page of Lion Brands and got 12 pages of blank paper. Thanks for your help. Barb
Posted by: Barb at August 19, 2005 07:25 PM
I love that you're self taught, I am, too. You are quicker than I am, though, I just learned the kitchener stitch last year (from the Stitch 'N B***h book)after learning to knit in high school.
I have a 9 year old son. He calls chihuahuas "enchihuahuas". My older daughter daughter tells him he's wrong, it's "enchiladas" which just makes it funnier. Chiwalla is pretty cute, too.
My knitting dogtastrophy doesn't involve too much yarn left in interesting configurations. It involves my toy poodle and eating my bamboo sock knitting needles, he likes to chew on them. Now I just buy two or three sets at a time. This dog must have some magician blood in him. I can't put my knitting anywhere, including on top of the tall computer hutch, that he can't find a way to get to.
You've got a great blog! I'll keep looking in. Thanks :)
Posted by: 2BusyMom at August 19, 2005 07:52 PM
I would like this pattern in crochet, I do not know how to knit, my lose.
Posted by: Barbara at August 19, 2005 10:16 PM
These shoes are too cute! To get a copy of the pattern, I highlighted and copied the pattern from the web page. I next opened MS Word and pasted the pattern right in there. Worked like a charm. I hope this helps Barb.
Posted by: knit1 at August 19, 2005 10:25 PM
I wanted a copy of the little red booties too. So, I just copied and pasted the pattern to an email and emailed it to myself
Posted by: carolknitssweaters at August 19, 2005 11:19 PM
I just love these booties! They are absolutely adorable!
I'm thinking that free patterns posted on the internet are in the "public domain". (I'll check on that!) In the meantime, I wanted to link to your pattern. I think most vistiors to our site would have seen these in the very widely circulated Lion Brand newsletters, but on the chance some of our knitting friends didn't, I'd like to show your beautiful work. I'll give credit to "Mandy". Let me know if you would like me to say more. And thank you for this adorable pattern!
Posted by: Ann Wisniewski at August 20, 2005 07:59 AM
I just love the "Yellow Brick Road" booties and was wondering if I could get the pattern in CROCHET instead of KNIT. I have never learned to knit but I love to crochet and always have two or three projects going at once. I just found your BLOG this morning and am impressed so keep up the enthusiasm, and I will be looking in often. Thanks you, Elaine
Posted by: Elaine Stanley at August 20, 2005 08:08 AM
Those Ruby Slippers are adorable. I just made a similar pattern from Crochet! magazine in white last night...but I just love yours...great work. I'm sorry about the yarntastophy...oh my!
Posted by: eurolyons at August 20, 2005 08:47 AM
in the pattern , i could not find a ROW 7 in the
second section.
help!!!
thank you,
teresa
Posted by: teresa at August 20, 2005 08:53 AM
I have two 2-legged and one 4-legged unravelers... the four-legged is a feline who likes to chew through the yarn *while I'm knitting* so that I end up with a tie/knot somewhere in the middle of my project. Bad kitty!
Love the bootees... I'm definitely gonna pick up some yarn and try those out, I love knitting bootees and those are positively adorable! ~Michelle
Posted by: busybusymomma at August 20, 2005 10:01 AM
The yarn-tastrophy seems universal. My pitbull managed to open a new, plastic bag of 12 balls of expensive stuff and transform it into a huge pile--getting it over the ceiling fan in the process--in less than 10 minutes. She's also demolished a Pound of Love (my requisite shout out to lion brand). It's possible that encorporating some sort of minty smell would deter the feeding frenzy, but I've been too lazy to investigate. Just the other day, my husband discovered a stitch marker which had been chewed into a flat disk, 2 inches wide. I take comfort in humiliating the dog with her hideous sweater.
Posted by: Hattie at August 20, 2005 10:49 AM
Thanks for the T-strap bootie pattern. Under "Instep & Sides" is Row 7 missing or am I not reading the pattern correctly. Also next row: Row 8, K 10 sts and put on holder, after binding off next 6 sts., K3, BUT slip 4 sts.-?- onto second holder, etc.
Please set me straight on this....I'm anxious to try them.
Janet
Posted by: Janet at August 20, 2005 12:31 PM
Years ago when my Zappa was a 2pound puppy, I was staying the night at Mom's house. She was in the middle of a crocheting project and while no-one was watching the puppy, she proceeded to have a heydey with the yarn all over and under the furniture and table legs. I'm sure you can see the picture. All we heard was --"Isn't she cute?"-- and I'm pretty sure that a 2 legged grandchild may have met with certain death. The yarn was just cut and the project continued as if nothing had happened.
Posted by: Wendie at August 20, 2005 01:28 PM
Those red knit slippers are sooooo cute. I would love to make them for a friend who will be having a girl in November, but I don't knit! And, I don't really think I could learn at my age (58) by the time the baby comes. Can you possibly put the directions in "crochet" language??????
Posted by: Fran at August 20, 2005 01:55 PM
To print the red slippers pattern, highlight the pattern from "Goodbye Yelloe Brick Road Booties" to the end of the pattern; then click File, Print, and print selection that you highlighted. It prints in 2 pages! Cute slippers!
Posted by: Wiseowl at August 20, 2005 02:23 PM
I love the booties. You are very talented. I would like to know how to use the Ruby Booties' pattern to make adult slippers. Can you please tell me how to do this?
Thanks,
Teresa
tpknott@netscape.com
Posted by: Teresa at August 20, 2005 03:58 PM
Love the booties - they are really special. I hae the yarn problem too. Start one thing and find a neater piece of yarn so off I go. I learned to knit many years ago in Home Ec class making a vest as so many of us did. Back then the yarn was so boring. Now I get ideas every time I walk in the store. I too have a doggie problem but I solved it by always putting my kitting in a bag I got in Hawaii for about $3.00. Best thing made. It is plastic so it protects from the rain when I take my projects to soccer or baseball games (yup - I am one of those Moms) and then at night when I am shutting down, I just zip everything inside and all is well.
Posted by: Lesley at August 20, 2005 04:50 PM
The slippers are so adorable. I'm trying to get started on it, can anyone tell me what does PSSO mean in the pattern?
Posted by: katy at August 20, 2005 06:30 PM
I love these booties and the way you write. Could you possibly give us a crochet pattern ?
Sandy
Posted by: Sandy Hanes at August 20, 2005 08:30 PM
My favorite comment is "Just let me finish the row" when I am knitting. my husband said that this is what he is going to put on my tombstone! He thinks he's cute!
Posted by: Mimi Weitz at August 21, 2005 10:01 AM
About the one sock syndrom. . .I took lessons to learn to knit socks after a disasterous try at doing it on my own and I have a pair on needles all the time. The secret is to knit both socks at one time, work on one for a while and then on the mate. I usually plan mine so I am turning the heels at the same time. It works well for me. I am anxious to try the cute booties, they should work well for my month old grandaughter. Peggy
Posted by: Peggy at August 21, 2005 01:27 PM
I love these slippers, too! But...I am another who needs it in crochet...could you add crochet directions for those of us who don't knit? My grandma used to sew & quilt, knit and crochet until she had a series of strokes and ended up getting gangrene in her right hand/lower arm from a blockage before they transferred her to Miami Heart and gave her bypass surgery; long story short, she lost the use of her hand and lost parts of 2 fingers and her thumb~ crochet is what she ended up doing after that and she lived for 21 more years after that (to 94!!)...some people just can't knit for different reasons, or just prefer to crochet... LOVE your improvisation theory!!! hugs :)
~kudos to busybusymomma for getting back at the dog! HA! ROFLOL
Posted by: sgwtcp at August 21, 2005 02:13 PM
Hi... my teenage daughters saw these slippers while I was nosing around your site. They love them. Please can you give us an adult pattern.
They are knitting beginners and would love to make them for their friends for the holidays. Thankyou. Debbie
Posted by: Debbie at August 21, 2005 07:22 PM
Wow! What fun to read about other people with the same funny habits as me! I love to knit and crochet both. I am a self-taught needler and wish I could read and understand patterns as easily as some of you do. I plan on getting the Stitch "N Bitch book to check that one out. My local knitting shops in the area are great and have lots of yarn but are not really great to help when you get stuck on a pattern, even if I have boughten my yarn there! That is very frustrating to me, don't they realize that if we are helped a little more, we will buy more yarn to feed our always hungry stash. I have knit & crocheted 450 hats for babies at our local hospital and love doing that. My husband asks me how I can sleep at night without needles in my hands as I always have them flying a mile a minute otherwise. I think he is just jealous that he can build a house but can't knit! Oh, well, keep up the good work on this blog, I enjoy reading it every morning with my cup of coffee that I keep far away from the keyboard.
Posted by: Shirley at August 22, 2005 09:25 AM
Could someone help me please ?? I would like to make these "slippers" for my 3 yr old niece. I wouldn't know where to begin to alter the pattern to her size.
Thanks,
Judi
Posted by: Judi at August 22, 2005 10:17 AM
I love the black and white photos. Give an warm and fuzzy feeling to your blog. Somewhat retro which reminds me of home
Posted by: Judith at August 22, 2005 11:50 AM
Finished the first slipper.
Love the pattern & your entries.
Thank you !
Posted by: k at August 24, 2005 09:44 PM
I saw the pink slippers crochet pattern. Do you have the cute dress and panties pattern? I wold really like it. Thanks!
Posted by: Elizabeth at August 25, 2005 09:44 PM
I love your blog...and the ruby slippers! I would love to make them a little larger, like for a 6-12 month old. Could you put out the directions in the "the next size?" Thanks so much!
Posted by: Cathy at August 26, 2005 09:27 AM
I love these.Could you make in larger size and a pattern that is not so long. Please send pattern for bigger size. I don't have a dog but my cat gets into my yarn and makes a mess.Thank you
Posted by: Patsy at August 27, 2005 08:27 PM
Even better - how about for a child's size 10?!
My daughter would love these!
Posted by: Jen at August 27, 2005 10:31 PM
OOPS, I found the directions for the ruby slippers!! Thank you so much.
Posted by: Kat at August 28, 2005 10:19 AM
Ditto with the directions for larger size slippers & also in crochet for a friend. I'm a knitter. Would like to make them for my two granddaughters--3 months & 3 years of age. Thanks!
Posted by: Lorraine at August 29, 2005 08:10 PM
Please find us a copy of the Ruby Slippers crochet pattern - they are soooo cute !! I would love it if you find it and could email it to me. Thanks - M
Posted by: Marguerite Laudano at August 30, 2005 03:22 PM
How will we know if the ruby slippers are being made into larger size patterns?
Posted by: Lois at September 3, 2005 08:30 PM
How will we know if the ruby slippers are being made into larger size patterns?
Posted by: Lois at September 3, 2005 08:36 PM
OOops, found the pattern for the Ruby Slippers. They are adorable!! Ditto, am also interested in obtaining pattern size for 6 mos - adult. Love your Blog!
Posted by: Penny at September 5, 2005 04:53 PM
I would like to know how to make the little yellow brick road slippers in a children size.
Posted by: Geneta Vinson at September 20, 2005 06:01 PM
I also want this pattern for adults. Thank you so much for the interesting read. I'll be checking back in!
Posted by: Rhonda at September 26, 2005 08:29 AM
Hi ya........
LOVE those Ruby Slippers!!!
I am going to make them for baby my Daughter is adopting from China... She will be about 9 months old.. Do you think these will fit?
Thanks for the Pattern
Pen
Posted by: Penny at September 29, 2005 03:31 PM
Just found out that our soon to be born granddaughter will be "Ruby Ann" and thought the Ruby Slipper would be perfect for her! I wanted to check to see if there is a correction to the Row 7 issue I have been reading about or has the pattern been updateded since the questions came up. I am not an experienced knitter, so need all the help I get.
Posted by: Midge at October 3, 2005 10:37 AM
I knitted the Ruby Red slippers this past weekend. Did not have the corrected version. Had a little problem with the first slipper, but was able to take out row 8 and decrease as row 2-6 for row 7 so the count came out correctly.
I just have to sew them up and add the buttons.
They will be for Mary. Mom is a big Wizard of Oz Fan.
I now have the corrected copy.
Thanks,
J. Langevin
Posted by: Joyce Langevin at October 7, 2005 01:58 PM
Did anyone find ruby slippers in a Crochet Pattern? I want to make them for my 1 year old granddaughter. Thanks Dee
Posted by: Dee at October 17, 2005 06:33 PM
how do i get a corrected version of ruby slippers pattern. My daughter is expecting and I want to make a pair.
Posted by: adele at October 23, 2005 05:08 PM
Is the above pattern corrected for Row 7 and Row 8? Or is there an update that I should get. Thank you.
Posted by: Penny at November 4, 2005 11:07 AM
Was there ever a crochet pattern for this posted?
Posted by: Amanda at November 19, 2005 07:26 PM
I also am interested in a crochet pattern for the Ruby Slippers/W socks
I want to use for an 18" doll. I also love little doll patterns, critters, Raggedy Ann & Andy. email me to swap patterns.
do you have other web page w crochet patterns..?
sincerely Ann entreat2@yahoo.com
Posted by: Ann Jana at March 13, 2006 01:04 PM
Was there ever a crochet pattern for the ruby slippers?
Posted by: Amanda at April 21, 2006 10:50 PM