Knitting and Felting the Swatch

• 1). Make a gauge swatch first for your slipper project. Cast on 10 stitches using a double strand of the worsted-weight yarn. Knit back and forth in garter stitch (knit every row) for 14 rows. Cast off. Your swatch should measure about 4 inches square.
  
  
• 2). Wash in hot water in the washing machine for at least 12 minutes. When the cycle is finished, dry the swatch on low for 20 minutes in the dryer. Measure the swatch. It should have shrunk to about 3 1/2-inches wide and 2 1/2-inches long.
  
  
• 3). Wash and dry some more if your swatch is too big; or knit the swatch again using smaller needles. If the swatch has shrunk too much, knit another small swatch and decrease the amount of washing and drying that causes the felting.
  
  

Knitting and Felting the Slippers

• 1). Cast on 35 stitches with a circular needle and two strands of the worsted-weight wool. Mark the middle stitch with a safety pin. Now you will knit the sole using short rows. Knit one row. Knit one, then make one by putting a backward loop onto the needle. Knit 16 stitches, and make another backward loop. Now you are at the center toe. Knit that stitch and make one. Knit 12 stitches and turn the knitting. Knit 27 stitches, turn. Knit 11, make one, knit two and make one. Now you are back at the center again. Knit that center stitch and make one. Knit two and make one. Knit 15 and make one. Knit one. You have 43 stitches on your needles now, having done the short rows in garter stitch.
  
  
• 2). Continue in this manner, making one stitch at the beginning of the row, making two stitches right before and after the center stitch, and making one stitch at the end of the row, until you have 49 stitches. Knit one row plain. Knit another row and do not turn. Place a marker for the heel, and join the knitting into round knitting. Knit two rounds.
  
  
• 3). Shape the toe of the slipper: Knit to within two stitches of the center-marked toe stitch. Knit two together. Knit the center toe stitch, and slip two stitches, then knit them together. Knit four stitches, turn and purl back 11 stitches. Turn. Knit to within two stitches of the center-marked stitch. Knit two together. Slip, slip and knit the next two stitches together. Knit two stitches, and make another slip, slip, knit decrease. Knit to the end of the round. Now you have 44 stitches.
  
  
• 4). Continue to shape the toe by decreasing by two stitches on either side of the center-marked toe stitch until 35 stitches remain. Start to knit the cuff. The cuff is knitted with a single strand of wool. Knit one round. Then purl three rounds. Cast off.
  
  
• 5). Make another slipper in the same manner. Wash the slippers together in hot water in the washing machine as you did for the swatch, and then dry them in the dryer. This completes the knitting and felting part.
  
  

Embroidering the Duffy Face

• 1). Use the original knitted swatches to make ears for the Duffy slippers. Duffy has very round ears, almost like Mickey's. Cut out two circles. Fold the bottom of the circle up to shape it into Duffy's ear. Stitch along the fold to attach the ear to the side of the toe of the slipper. Do the same with the other ear.
  
  
• 2). Embroider two very round, wide areas on the toe of the slipper for Duffy's eyes, using the light brown yarn and satin stitch. This is the area around Duffy's eyes. Then embroider two small black eyes at the bottom center of these circles.
  
  
• 3). Embroider another light brown area at the tip of the toe of the slipper. This is the light area around Duffy's nose and mouth. Use satin stitch to create this light brown area. In the middle, between the two eyes, embroider a black circle for his nose, a vertical line for the line under his nose, and a horizontal upward curve for his mouth.