I am not a slippers person, but I recently got up in the middle of the night, and the floor was so cold I dug around in my sock drawer for my (handmade) warmest socks to brave walking about. I haven’t had need for a pair of slippers since I was a kid (I’ve made do with a pair of sandals when needed), but I want a pair now. I’m not going to buy one, though!

This is a project that I’m not using a pre-made pattern for. I made it up as I went, using the crocheted slipper padding as a guide for the size and shape of the whole slipper. It was pretty fun to hunt through my scrap pile for just the right piece of fabric- the right size with the grain in the right direction.

It’s satisfying to see so many useful projects come together for no additional money cost. I’m spending my time, sure, but I enjoy making things and I enjoy using the things I make. I don’t have to wait in line and spend my hard-earned money on things that will wear out soon and get thrown away too quickly.

The inner padding is a thick yarn from my slipper socks. It is double crocheted in the shape of a footprint. (Knowing what I know now, I would recommend half-double as it can make the yarn go further while still feeling plush.) I also made an extra heel padding circle from the very last scraps of that yarn. The padding pieces were stitched together by hand. I used whatever thread the needle was already threaded with, as it doesn’t actually matter; the padding will be covered in the completed slipper.

The bottom of the slipper is made from an old towel that was so old I was cutting it into cleaning rags. I think I’d prefer a towel texture for the bottom rather than a tightly woven fabric. It may be somewhat slippery no matter what, but I think the texture of a towel will provide slightly more grip on the floor.

Do you recognize the fabric of the sole and top of my slipper? I love this calico! It’s a sweet purple with those little white flowers. I never got around to wearing the dress I made and it’s up on my etsy now because I think someone else can give it a better home, but I’m enjoying working with the scraps from the process of making that dress!

I have used these slippers daily since making them and they’re holding up well. It’s satisfying to be able to make something out of what I already have available!