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Text By Judith Stern Friedman •
Produced and Illustrated by Heather Ross
(a) The delicate silhouette of her grandmother’s ballet shoes inspired Heather Ross
to design these slippers. Felted wool soles and form-fitting uppers make them
extra warm and lasting. Fabrics, FreeSpirit. (b) Rocker, Design Within Reach. Rug,
FLOR. (c) Both sole and upper are lined, giving the
construction added bulk and softness. Wash them in cold water and air dry. (d) Blanket stitch detail.
You Will Need:
1/8 yard or 1 fat quarter quilting cotton or woven fabric for
slipper
1/8 yard or 1 fat quarter contrasting fabric for slipper
lining
1/8 yard or 1 fat quarter for insole
1/8 yard or 1 fat quarter
felted wool for sole
1 yard of rickrack trim, medium size
Hand-sewing
needle
Embroidery thread or pearl cotton to match felt
6-inch length of
1/4-inch elastic, cut into two 3-inch lengths
2 pieces of scrap fabric,
6-inch by 2-inch, for loop at heel
how to make them
1. Print (click here) and enlarge pattern and cut out pattern pieces. Using a
water-soluble pen, label each piece (sole, insole, lining, etc) and transfer
dots from paper pattern to fabric.
2. Begin by making loops. Fold one piece of
loop fabric in half lengthwise, as shown. Press lengthwise to make a crease and
unfold. Using this center line as a guide, fold and press each long edge into
the center. Now fold in half lengthwise again, as shown, along original crease
line. Edge-stitch the folded edges together. Now fold width-wise and sew ends
together to form a loop. Press and set aside. Repeat to make a second loop
(Figure A).
3. Fold right sides together of both slipper then slipper lining,
and sew heel seams using a 3/8” seam allowance (Figure B).
4. Layer slipper
pieces as follows (Figure C): slipper lining (right side up), loop, rickrack
trim, and slipper (wrong side up). Position rickrack trim so it protrudes about
1/8” from the layered pieces. Leave a bit of extra length at each rickrack end
(heel detail), and pull it up and out of the seam before sewing. This excess
will be trimmed and hidden inside the slipper when it is turned and
finished.
5. Using a 1/4” seam allowance measured from the edge of the
protruding rickrack, carefully stitch around the slipper inside, sewing through
the slipper lining, slipper, loop, and rickrack trim (Figure D). Remove pins as
you sew.
6. Beginning 2 1/4” from the heel seam, pin your elastic across the
stitch line you just sewed (Figure E). Stretching as you go, continue pinning
elastic around the heel until it reaches 2 1/4” past the heel seam. Stitch
elastic to slipper, following the previous stitch line as a guide. Remove pins
as you sew. Use pinking shears to carefully trim around the inside seam, cutting
away excess rickrack trim and loop ends at heel. Turn slipper right side out and
press.
7. Now with slipper turned right side out, match bottom edges of
slipper and slipper lining, wrong sides together, and pin (Figure F). Stitch
edges together using a 1/4” seam allowance. Remove pins as you sew.
8. Using a
basting stitch and 3/8” seam allowance, stitch around the slipper front (toe
area) between the dots. Pull the thread ends to create gathers around the
slipper toe (Figure G). Press slipper flat.
9. Starting at the heel and
working toward the dots, pin slipper to insole (Figure H). Adjust gathers around
the slipper front until edges match up evenly, pinning as you work. Carefully
stitch insole to slipper (the right sides of insole and slipper lining should be
facing), using a 1/4” seam allowance. Remove pins as you sew. Trim around seam
with pinking shears.
10. Tuck your hand inside slipper front to shape the toe
area, stretching gathers and shaping. With slipper bottom facing you, use your
iron to press pinked edges towards the insole center (Figure I).
11. With
pinking shears, trim felted wool sole edge. Using a hand sewing needle and
blanket stitch, attach felted wool sole to slipper.
For best results, use “quilting weight” woven cotton fabrics for the slipper,
slipper lining, and insole. Lightweight woven wool fabrics also work well. Use
either 1/8-yard sections cut directly from the bolt, or fat quarters. Use the
same fabric for the slipper, slipper lining, insole, and loop, or mix and match
fun prints.
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