December 2015 This post has been edited because the company that I bought the yarn from has gone out of business.
My final post for Zero Waste Week just has to be craft related…. well, I can’t go a week without writing a post about knitting or crochet can I?
In order to reduce waste, it’s a great idea to buy good quality items that won’t wear out quickly. Yesterday, fellow blogger westywrites posted about her attempt to avoid buying new clothes for a year and the fact that her socks are wearing very thin- a particular problem because she doesn’t wear slippers round the house. She has been inspired by yours truly to attempt to knit her own socks for added durability (they do last well if you use genuine sock wool and are easier to mend, in my experience, than bought ones). However, round our house we do wear slippers because I make those too… and they certainly protect your socks.
New slippers in Black and yellow Axminster rug yarn (with hand-knitted socks underneath)
I have been experimenting with different chunky yarns for slipper-making and my latest creations are true carpet slippers because they are made of Axminster rug yarn (80% wool, 20% nylon)! I reckon that if this yarn is sufficiently hard-wearing to make carpets from, it should be good for the slippers that walk on them. The pair I’ve just finished is for Mr Snail – now he has a different home during the week, he needed a second pair of slippers to save him remembering to take one pair back and forth each week. I asked him to choose a colour and he responded that he wanted black and yellow to match the cover of his novel (I know not why). In fact the yellow that I ordered was rather more orange than it looked in the picture on the Texere website (sadly this company has now gone out of business), but it was the only yellow they had and he still seemed pleased with the end result. I made them to match part 2 of the Kindle edition of the novel, because the paperback edition is mainly yellow and white and that would have shown the dirt!
Lovely natural shades of Berber wool
I was also delighted to discover that Texere [used to] sell Berber yarn (another one used for carpet-making, but pure wool this time), so I’ve bought some of that too to have a go with. If you want to make some slippers like the ones shown, the pattern can be found here and it’s free to download. It’s a bit hard on the hands if you use a really robust yarn like I did, but the resulting slippers are very warm and comfy… and they will not only save your socks, but may also help to reduce your fuel bills!
So that’s the end of my posts for Zero Waste Week – I hope you have been inspired somewhere along the line.
The Snail of Happiness 
Ann Owen
/ September 7, 2014If you want to make them anti-slip, you’re welcome to use some of my liquid rubber!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 7, 2014I’ve got some, thanks Ann… that’s a job for tomorrow morning 🙂
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narf77
/ September 7, 2014Hee-hee! Mr Snail’s feet look like bumblebees! 😉 I would use a few strands of wool knitted together for making slippers that were nice and chunky. Great idea to use carpet wool as then you can take your carpet with you wherever your slippered feet go :). Cheers for the pattern share. Steve goes through a pair of socks a week. I think he has acid feet (like Alien!)
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katythenightowl
/ September 7, 2014Since I discovered crocheted slippers, there’s not one member of my family who hasn’t had at least one pair from me – and I think most of my daughter’s friends, too! Lol
There’s something very satisfying in making something that will keep a loved one’s tootsies warm and snug, isn’t there?
I envy you being able to use such lovely wool, though! 🙂
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thecontentedcrafter
/ September 7, 2014I have enjoyed your zero waste posts very much – and the socks are great! I have tried to knit socks on several occasions and generally get myself in a muddle at the heel turning bit. Never finished a pair yet 🙂 Sometimes you just have to admit ‘that’s not my ability’ and move on 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 7, 2014I love turning a heel – but there’s only one method that I find is really reliable. The slippers, fortunately, aren’t shaped like that and are very straightforward… it’s just tough to work with the really robust yarn so I don’t make too many pairs!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ September 8, 2014I have just received and opened your parcel – I am still speechless – it is so lovely and so special and so – just perfect for this ‘international dangler of happiness’ I’ll be in touch later when I’ve got my head around it all!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 8, 2014Glad it arrived safely.. I can’t believe that it’s now all the way round the world!
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katechiconi
/ September 7, 2014Like giant bumblebees! I think you should knit a pair of tiny lacy black wings for each foot…
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writinghouse
/ September 8, 2014Please don’t give her ideas!! She’ll be expecting them to produce honey next!
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narf77
/ September 9, 2014Look at these! I just had to share this as they are SO delicious!
Click to access slipper-boots.pdf
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