More rags to riches



The sister outlaws have a big box of alpaca blankets off cuts that are already long strips of varying widths and natural colours. I’ve been dyeing the the strips, stitching them end to end, rolling them into balls...

 

 



and knitting them on huge knitting needles (that look like something from a joke shop!) into snood scarves. "Snood" is a silly name really for a loop scarf. I think they should be called...well... loop scarves! Or perhaps “scoops”? “Scloops”? “Sclarfs”????

Recently at a market a girl almost bought this scarf. What held her back? Well – she’d prefer it in grey. Which of course it was. Originally. Before I went to all the trouble of dyeing it green. Hmm. (Note to self. Not everyone likes to be as colourful as me.)

CROCHET RAG SLIPPER PATTERN  

In the pages of my trusty Golden Hands Encyclopedia of CRAFTS I came across this crocheted rag slipper pattern - although not for my munchkins. The crochet mary jane slippers resulted in some spectacular spills on the polished floor boards. Only my children could turn something as innocuous and wholesome as a pair of woollen slippers into a life threatening past time. Perhaps we need sea grass matting? To go with my page boy hair and smocks?

Here's the pattern:

Approx tension guide 10 dc and 10 rows = 10 cm

Cut rags into strips 2-2.5 cm wide

Join with reef knots (or I tend to stitch together)

Using a no 7 hook (US size K)

Make 5 ch and join into a ring with a ss

Work 10 dc into ring but do not join with a ss

Work *2dc into the next dc, 1 dc into the next dc until the work is the right size to go round the end of your foot/toes (approx 20 stitches for woman’s size)

Continue in round of dc (still working spirally without joining rounds) until work reaches to top of instep

about 13 cm for women’s size)

DIVIDE FOR SOLE

Continue to dc on only half the sts and work in rows until sole reaches nearly to heel, then decrease one st at each end of the next 2-3 rows. Break off

SIDES AND BACK HEEL

With right side facing, rejoin rag at side of instep and work dc along side of sole, round the heel and along the other sided, ss to first st at instep, turn.

Work 3-4 more rows on these stitches, decrease one st at each side of heel on alternate rows, then on last row make a lopp of about 6 ch at centre back for pulling on slippers!

I made these using the pattern above, a big crochet hook and some dyed alpaca blanket off cuts. They came out looking like clogs! But soft warm and light weight clogs. And they are for my dear friend who lives in the Tasmanian wilderness and they will be very soft and very warm on a wet snowy day.

Posted by Julianne Sister Outlaw