Slippers: the fastest useful thing you can crochet
A pair of crocheted slippers takes a fraction of the time of a pair of socks, needs no ribbing and no fine yarn, and gets worn every single day. The styles here cover soft ballet pumps, closed loafers, ankle booties with a folded cuff, moccasin shapes with a stitched vamp, and tiny baby booties. Nearly all are worked in aran or chunky on a 5mm to 6mm hook, and nearly all use less than one 100g ball per pair, which makes them ideal for stash odds and ends.
Getting the size right
Forget shoe sizes and measure the foot from heel to longest toe. Crochet the sole about 1cm shorter than that measurement, because a slipper sole stretches with wear and a loose slipper slides off and trips people on the stairs. If you are making a surprise gift, draw round the recipient's existing slipper. Most patterns give a run of sizes with the sole length stated for each; work to that length, not to the row count, since row tension in crochet varies more between people than stitch tension does.
Choosing a style
- Ballet pump: a sole worked in the round with a short toe cap. The quickest of all, and the easiest to fit.
- Closed loafer: covers the whole foot, warmer, usually with a seam along the top.
- Ankle bootie with cuff: the warmest option, and the cuff can be folded down for a neater look.
- Moccasin: a shaped sole with a gathered vamp, which gives the most shoe-like fit.
- Baby booties: tiny, quick and made in DK or 4 ply, often with a ribbon or button strap.
Yarn choice, and why the sole is different
Wool is warm and comfortable but wears through at the ball of the foot quickly. Acrylic and wool-acrylic blends are harder wearing and machine washable, which matters for something worn on floors. Many crocheters work the sole in a doubled strand or in a firmer stitch than the upper, which adds both durability and cushioning. Whatever you use, work tightly – a loose slipper fabric goes baggy within a fortnight. If the recipient walks outdoors in their slippers, expect to remake them.
Making them non-slip and long-lasting
Crocheted soles are slippery on wooden and tiled floors, which is a genuine hazard for elderly relatives in particular. The usual fixes are dots or lines of textured fabric paint applied to the dry sole and left to cure fully, a pair of shop-bought suede or leather soles stitched on through pre-punched holes, or a layer of thin non-slip matting cut to shape and sewn in. Reinforce the heel and ball of the foot with a few rows of surface slip stitch before wear rather than after a hole appears.
Gifting and care
Slippers are the archetypal Christmas gift because they need no accurate sizing beyond a foot length and take one evening each. Make them in a colour the recipient would actually choose, add a button or pompom only if it will not catch, and include the yarn's washing instructions. Wash on a cool cycle in a mesh bag, reshape while damp and dry flat; a tumble dryer will felt wool slippers into something two sizes smaller.
Crochet slipper questions
How much yarn does a pair of slippers take? Usually less than one 100g ball of aran or chunky for an adult pair.
How do I stop crochet slippers slipping on the floor? Apply non-slip fabric paint to the dry sole, or sew on suede or leather soles.
What size should I crochet? Measure the foot heel to toe and make the sole about 1cm shorter, as it will stretch.
Which hook do I need? Commonly 5mm to 6mm for aran and chunky, worked firmly. Match the pattern's tension.
Are there free crochet slipper patterns? Free and paid instant PDF downloads are both included in this collection.
