Dear Ann,
How’s that for a clickbait title to break the Internet? Welcome, irate mob of newcomers to our blog! We’re just big fat kidders, me and Ann. Do not kill me with a DPN to the heart. Hear me out.
As a garment, are socks too VISIBLE for you? Do you want to spend your time knitting something exquisitely beautiful, yet entirely private? Are your foot-insulation strategies nobody’s business but your own? Then, my friend, Icelandic shoe inserts are for you. They are a great alternative to the brassy ostentation of handknit socks.
My interest in Icelandic shoe inserts started, as many beautiful journeys down the rabbit hole do, with Lori Ann Graham’s Instagram feed, @loritimesfive. It’s a magnificent chronicle of a life well-knitted. A couple of weeks ago, Lori posted this image:
Then she upped the ante and made a tiny pair:
The pattern is Icelandic Soft Shoes, from Hélène Magnusson’s book, Icelandic Handknits. I cannot explain why this book is not already on the shelf next to my well-worn copy of Knitting With Icelandic Wool by Védis Jónsdóttír, but I have taken measures to rectify that immediately.
The inserts make the knitted shoes even softer and warmer. They work like this:
(Was life in Iceland ever so gentle that people wore knitted shoes? I think not. On the Ravelry pattern page, the designer writes that the slippers “are called ‘soft shoes’ because they mimic in knitting the soft shoes made of sheep and fish in the Old days in Iceland.” I saw a fish-skin coat in a Reykjavik shop when we visited in 2012. Fish leather is still a thing.)
A final glimpse from Lori’s feed:
Talk about propaganda from the Intarsia Lobby. This is not what my intarsia-in-progress looks like. Lori is a witch. She twinkles her nose at those strands, and they get in formation.
I’ve avoided knitted slippers up until now–I fall down frequently enough due to ordinary gravity, without enhancing the slippification of my wood floors– but I think it might be time for me to figure out a solution. Or maybe just create New York’s first Museum of Icelandic Shoe Inserts, by hanging them on the wall. Thanks for all the inspiration, Lori, and godspeed on your upcoming trip to Iceland. You’ll blend right in.
Love,
Kay
They are exquisite, and certainly worthy of putting on a wall as art. Or in winter boots here in the north. As for slippery slippers, one can buy “rubber” dots or strips to stick to the bottom of them. Try your local fabric store.
You could use the shoe inserts in everyday shoes – or make slippers with a non slip sole – see British web site Joe’s Toes for suggestions – or Arne and Carlos slipper book for their advice.
I know you can get silicon dots to use as grip in the UK, I think deramores sell them. They would help your slippers grip.
How does she do it? is there a course? My intarsia is also not like that, I have some dreadful intarsia, it was so tangled – Shetland yarn likes to be friends with other Shetland yarn – I almost (not quite) took the scissors to it.
thank you 🙂 what helps me is to use very short lengths of wool (arms length) and splice more in as needed. also every row needs to be ‘firmed up’, untangling each strand and tugging it gently into place. with icelandic (or shetland wool) you are right, it does love to stick together, so i think the key is to do a little maintenance on each and every row as you go. i hope this helps!
Those look to pretty to walk on and hide in a shoe!
thank you!
Er, I meant to type TOO pretty. I guess my tea hasn’t kicked in yet!
I discovered Lori Ann’s feed thanks to someone on Instagram a while back. And I’ve been loving her Icelandic shoe insert pictures. She’s amazing! I’m trying not to buy books. You are making that difficult.
thank you so much!
Yes! When you posted Lori’s awesome Stopover and dress I followed her. She finished a lopaseya cardigan out of pluti-lopi. Beautiful handiwork and photos!
I love the two-piece sew-on slipper soles we used for the Hearth Slippers I did for Tolt a few years back. They’re a game-changer! These guys: http://www.toltyarnandwool.com/products/fiber-trends-slipper-bottoms-2-piece?variant=952634205
The Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle has a lovely collection of these garter stitch insoles in their Iceland room. Kind of special.
I was I was going to make a similar suggestion, but you can order direct from Fiber Trends. I put these in our felted slipper kits – they work like a champ, and the leather is made in the USA.
Beautiful inspiration as usual!!!!!
thank you!
Just when you think there are no new discoveries waiting in the World of Knitted Footwear! I’m planning to make a new pair of thick felted insole/inserts for my barn boots before next winter, but never thought of making them pretty. Thank goodness there are people with extra imagination to share!
I use Grip N Guard, which is spray latex made for tool handles. A little spray of the clear stuff on the bottom of felted slippers and my clumsiness disappears. (Plus no sewing anything on.)
I have been asked by child recipients not to spray the slipper bottoms, ” ’cause I like them slidey.” I just redid my Haflingers this way a few week ago. ‘Cause slidey left me with a giant bruise on my shin from the steps.
A slipper pattern the Harlot uses called for applying puff paint to the bottoms for increased grip! Easy and cheap solution. I bought a kit as a gift, so I don’t know if that works or not. Maybe someone else tried it and can weigh in.
Yes, puff paint does work, but it wears off and has to be reapplied, so if you are giving slippers as a gift, you should probably include the rest of the tube of paint.
I’ve done this, with puff fabric paint. It works pretty well on the French Press Slippers (the felted pattern the Harlot was obsessed with many moons ago).
Wait! FISH leather? What did it look like???
A cross between snakeskin and those “bonito flakes” used in Japanese cooking. Rather….crispy and iridescent.
I bought some alpaca shoe inserts a couple of years ago from an alpaca farmer. They are so cozy & keep my feet warm.
Then my friend made me slippers from felted sweaters – a dream for the feet.
Now I own a pair of Allbird sneakers (orange!) and love, love, love, them!
Finally, I put a pair of felted crocheted slipper bottoms that ended up in the “not so great” bag in my yarn room. They work like the inserts plus keep my feet from sliding around in my shoes when I don’t want to wear socks.
I am all about wearing wool in any way I can find on my feet – so glad I have these other alternatives since I am the worlds slowest sock knitter!
Puff paint works – I applied it to my Duffers when I found they were scarily slidey on wood floors.
Hello Everyone! May I suggest that if any of you really gets sock fever and wants to knit up some extra wool socks, check out http://www.afghansforafghans.org. In general, I have the belief that one should give to charities here at home, but this operation really seems to tug at the heart. They also have some wonderful bulky yarn for sale as a fundraiser. Check it out! 😉
Vote #3 for puffy paint on the bottoms of slippers. I like to write messages on gift slippers in the paint: a person healing from illness got “love” and “joy.” A friend got “tea” and “wine” so she could direct her partner to fetch things accordingly.
Now I’m wondering why I don’t have “tea” and “wine” slippers. What’s wrong with me?
Dear Kay,
Thank you so much for the wishes and for such kind words. I’m so happy you like the Icelandic shoes and inserts, they’ve been interesting to learn about (did you order the 2nd book too?) and a pleasure to knit. And how did you know I wiggled my nose to get those wools in order?! X
Interesting to see the shoe inserts again, haven’t seen them in decades.
Thanks for the sock knit a long! I have now finished the leg of my second sock. Couldn’t a done it without you!
Your walls are your personal museum. Quilts, embroidery — why not sock liners????
We are makers and we make art!
(and one day, they may well be in a museum … I see all sorts of things …)
they are in museums in iceland 🙂
I use watercolor frisket painted on the bottom of knitted slippers. Saves you from slipping and you can get it locally.
I just realized how nice these would be in those rubber boots with no insteps.
I’m with you on the slippers and wood floor issue. There are ways to prevent it but then I feel like it’s pointkess to start.
I *wish* my sock knitting had begun! There’s a reason those almost finished socks are from 2009, not sure M-D has sufficient magic to overcome my I inertia. However, I’ve cast on a great shawl – Wautung for Rain, I’m doing the “hack” version which means 2 colors — one for lace and stripes and one MC. But yoday is the day I pucj up those socks!
One of my sons likes to go barefoot, so I decided to knit him slippers. He wanted more substantial bottoms, so I cut up an old handbag I was throwing out and made leather bottoms for them.
http://www.ravelry.com/projects/melij/malabrigo-loafers
I’m so glad Lori x 5 is still around! I followed her blog religiously until she stopped updating it last year. I guess it’s time to get with the times and get on that Instagram thingy… ;o)
thank you so much nicole, i appreciate the kind words. maybe blogging will happen again, instagram is a lovely community of inspiration and the nicest people, but i miss blogging too 🙂
my first thought for a non-shoe use was “the world’s most glorious hand-knit maxi-pads.”
You made me laugh out loud there. Stopped menstruating about two years ago, could not be happier about it.
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