Rainbow Slipper Socks Tutorial

Materials

• At least 6 balls of rainbow colors worsted weight yarn. I used 8 balls: red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, turquoise, purple and pink. You’ll have plenty left for other projects.
• 5mm crochet hook
• Blunt needle
• Scissors

Abbreviations

• ch – chain
• st – stitch
• sc – single crochet
• sc2tog – single crochet 2 together: bring up a loop twice, yo, pull through both loops to decrease one stitch.
   

Notes

• This pattern is worked in the round, do not turn or join unless instructed.
• Colors are changed in the bottom/back of the sock, so they are less visible.
• When changing colors – simply crochet over the left over tails of yarn, it will leave almost no need for weaving in loose ends.
• I use a thicker yarn then you would normally use for socks. The rainbow socks are made with worsted weight yarn, and the other socks in this post are made with super bulky and novelty furry yarn. I also make the toe a bit more round than you would for a fitted sock, I think it looks nicer for slippers, and since they aren’t meant to fit inside anything – the little bit of extra ease around the toes is nice.
• The instructions in this post were written and tested on the rainbow slipper socks, woman European size 39-41, us size 9-10, but rule of thumb instructions are given to adjust for other yarn weights, different fits and other sizes.

Instructions

Shape Toe & Foot

Base chain and round 1: With first color – ch 11. sc in second ch from hook, sc across the base chain (9 sc), turn and sc across the bottom of the base ch. (20 sc at the end of this round)

Place marker in first st to mark the beginning of the round and a different color marker in the 11th st (opposite edge). You will be increasing before and after each marker (4 increases per increase round) to shape the toe. Move the markers up as you go along.

Round 2: [sc (in marked st), 2 sc in next st, sc 7, 2 sc in next st] twice (24)

Round 3: [sc (in marked st), 2 sc in next st, sc 9, 2 sc in next st] twice (28)

Round 4: sc 21, switch color, sc 7 (28)

Round 5: [sc (in marked st), 2 sc in next st, sc 11, 2 sc in next st] twice (32)

Round 6: sc around (32)

Round 7: [sc (in marked st), 2 sc in next st, sc 13, 2 sc in next st] twice (36)

Round 8: sc 27, switch color, sc 9 (36)

Round 9-11: sc around (36)

Round 12: sc 27, switch color, sc 9 (36)

Round 13-32: Repeat rounds 9-12 5 times (36)

Round 33-34: sc around (36)

Round 35: (partial) sc 18

Short Row Heel

Row 1: ch 1, turn, sc 18

Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc 17

Row 3: ch 1, turn, sc 16

Row 4: ch 1, turn, sc 15

Row 5: ch 1, turn, sc 14

Row 6: ch 1, turn, sc 13

Row 7: ch 1, turn, sc 12

Row 8: ch 1, turn, sc 11

Row 9: ch 1, turn, sc 10

You will now have a series of “steps” to shape the heel. Each row, we will “close” those steps to shape the heel. I hope the chart helps clear up what exactly we’re doing here – same colors represent stitches which will be worked together.

Row 10: ch 1, turn, sc 10, sc in the side of the first step, sc in unworked sc, sl st in side of next step, turn (no ch 1).

Row 11: skip sl st, sc 12, sc in the side of the next step, sc in unworked sc, sl st in side of next step, turn (no ch 1 – same as row 11).

Row 12: skip sl st, sc 14, sc2tog on side and unworked sc: bring a loop up through the side of the next step, bring loop up through next unworked sc, yo and pull through both loops. sl st in side of next step, turn.

Row 13: skip sl st, sc 15, sc2tog on side and unworked sc (same as row 12), sl st in side of next step, turn.

Row 14: skip sl st, sc 16, sc2tog on side and unworked sc, sl st in side of next step, turn.

Row 15: skip sl st, sc 17, sc2tog on side and unworked sc, sl st in side of next step, turn.

Row 16: skip sl st, sc 18, sc2tog on side and unworked sc, sl st in side of next step, turn.

Row 17: skip sl st, sc 19, sc2tog on side and unworked sc, sl st in side of next step, turn.

Row 18: skip sl st, sc 20, sc2tog on side and unworked sc, sl st in side of next step, turn.

Round 19: sc around (38)

Round 20: sc2tog, sc 17, sc2tog, sc 8, change color, sc 9 (36)

Finish Up

Round 21: sc around (36)

Round 22: sc 27, switch color, sc 9 (36)

Round 23-33: repeat rows 21-22

Round 34: sc 27, sl st, bind off

Weave in loose ends.

Adjustments for other sizes and fits

• To make different sizes:
  Start by making a chain from your big toe to your 4th toe. That will be your base chain.
  Increase for the first two rounds, then alternate – sc around, increase round until you have covered your toes up to the widest part of your foot.
  Continue sc rounds until you reach your heel, then start the short rows. Decrease until you reach the number of stitches in your base chain – then shape the heel.
  When you are done shaping the heel, you will be left with more sc then necessary, so you may want to decrease a few.
  Continue sc around until you reach the desired height, then bind off and weave in as usual.
  

• To make a tighter fitting sock (shown above), make your base chain from your big toe to your 3rd toe, and decrease to 2-4 more st than your base chain.
• To make the same size using super bulky yarn (shown below), start with ch 6, and increase to 20 st. Then, to shape the heel – decrease to 6 st again.

Enjoy!