Slippers are the project to reach for when you want something finished by the end of the weekend. They are small, they use very little yarn, and a pair worked in worsted weight can genuinely be done in an evening or two.
Sizing
These are written for 8, 9 and 10 inch soles, which covers most older children through to average adult feet. Measure the foot from heel to longest toe rather than guessing from shoe size – shoe sizing varies between makers, but a sole measurement does not.
Crocheted slippers relax with wear. Aim for a sole that matches the foot measurement exactly rather than adding ease; if anything, work slightly snug. A slipper that fits perfectly on day one will be loose within a month.
Yarn
Sport and worsted weight both work. Worsted gives you a thicker, warmer slipper and finishes faster. Sport weight produces a neater fabric that holds its shape longer and suits a slipper you want to look tidy rather than cosy.
Wool is warmer and springier; acrylic survives the washing machine, which matters more than people expect for something worn on bare feet. Many crocheters compromise with a wool-acrylic blend.
Making them last
The sole is what wears out. Working the sole in a double strand, or holding a strand of matching sock yarn alongside your main yarn, roughly doubles the life of the pair for very little extra effort.
If the finished slippers slide on hard floors, a few lines of puff fabric paint across the sole will grip well and survive washing.
