Little slippers, with pattern

So I'd seen lots of people talking about the new Cat Bordhi book, and about how she says you can put the gusset shaping anywhere and it will work out okay. I knit up these little slipper socks for Miss T. while I was waiting for my copy of Cat's book to arrive. Yes, there is a gusset to go with that heel flap, but the decreases are tucked into the purl ribs; you go from 2/3 rib to 2/2 rib very gently. I ran the ribbing down to the end of the toe, too.

While the gusset shaping ends up being similar to one of Cat's architectures (Cedar, in particular), the rest of the sock is actually based on Charlene Schurch's toe-up-with-gusset design from More Sensational Knitted Socks.

Mostly I wrote up a pattern because I wanted to try writing up a pattern. They are cute little slippers, very quick to knit, very satisfying in the hand, very pleasing to the recipient (who spent a morning wearing just the first one; she wouldn't take it off, even though the mate didn't exist yet) but in the end the fit and finish on a 40-stitch sock are going to be less than ideal, especially on such tiny feet.

(If you made them at 8 st/in, they might be great newborn booties, though!)

I am sort of happy that the pattern is self-contained---I'm going to knit up something from Cat's book (just as soon as I finish the 80-stitch Gentleman's Fancy Socks that drove me to sport weight toddler slippers in the first place) but when I do I'm going to keep track of just how many different pages I need to turn to in order to finish one simple pair of socks.

Please send me any comments or corrections you have on the pattern!

Download Streamline Toddler Slipper Socks

UPDATE, NOVEMBER 2007: See sarakate's comment in Punk Rock Knitters (at Livejournal) for a rewrite of the first few toe rows. I expect that everything she says is true (especially given her discourse on increases), and I'll go through the details and update the pattern when I have a chance.

Comments

[Cat Bordhi]

Dear Emma-

Someone sent me your blog today and I had to write and tell you how delighted I am. All you needed was the suggestion that the increases/ decreases could be put anywhere, and you figured out a great place to camouflage them. Don't open my book too fast when you get it - you might want to explore the inside of your own wonderful head a bit more first.

I love that you leaped so happily into the unknown with a mere suggestion. Although I can see that the fit isn't perfect, it is pretty darn good. Perhaps if the heel cup were a little deeper, it would allow the extra bulk on the instep curve to flatten out.

But you hardly need me or anyone else giving you ideas - you have your own and are a great example of an intelligent, thinking, in charge knitter.

Wishing you years and years of happy experiments and discoveries,

Cat

[remote control helicopter]

Swich to wordpress, make your blogger nicer. -My 2 cents