How to Make Adorable Fox Slippers: A Step-by-Step Knitting Guide

You’ll Need:

Bergere de France Ideal, 40% Wool/30% Acrylic/30% Polyamide, 50g/125m per ball. You will need:

• Two balls in Vitamine (24109) (main orange color - M)
• Two balls in Meije (51253) (contrast cream color)
• Small quantity in Truffle (22002) (black color)

Scrap yarn markers in four colors – A, B, D, E.

Knitting needles 2.5 mm and 3.5 mm.

Tapestry needle.

Size:

To fit an adult woman size 39 (UK 6, US 9).

Stitches Control:

24 sts x 31 rows = 10 x 10 cm.

Instructions

Using the long tail cast on method and 2.5mm needles, cast on 72 sts in M. This will form the first row of knitting. Work all stitches in M until otherwise stated. The first 8 rows of the pattern are worked in a 2 x 2 rib, with the cast on row counting as ‘Row 1’.

Rib Pattern

Row 2: *k2, p2; repeat from * to end.

Rows 3 to 8: Repeat Row 2.

Changing Needles

Change to 3.5mm needles. To form the shape of the slipper, three sts are increased either side of the central part; there are 27 sts either side of the increase sections and 6 sts in the center.

Increasing Rows

Row 9: k27, (kfb, k1) three times, k6, (k1, kfb) three times, k27 [78 sts].

Row 10: (and all even rows unless otherwise stated) p.

Row 11: k27, (kfb, k2) three times, k6, (k2, kfb) three times, k27 [84 sts].

Row 13: k27, (kfb, k3) three times, k6, (k3, kfb) three times, k27 [90 sts].

Row 15: k27, (kfb, k4) three times, k6, (k4, kfb) three times, k27 [96 sts].

Row 17: k27, (kfb, k5) three times, k6, (k5, kfb) three times, k27 [102 sts].

Marking Stitches

Row 18: Purl, adding scrap yarn markers (color A) on the 43rd and 54th stitches and scrap yarn markers (color B) on the 59th and 70th stitches. These are a small amount of yarn tied to the instructed stitches and will be used as a guide later when placing the features.

More Increasing

Row 19: k27, (kfb, k6) three times, k6, (k6, kfb) three times, k27 [108 sts].

Row 21: k27, (kfb, k7) three times, k6, (k7, kfb) three times, k27 [114 sts].

Row 23: k27, (kfb, k8) twice, kfb, k22. Add scrap yarn markers (color D) on the 5th and 8th stitches and scrap yarn markers (color E) on the 15th and 18th stitches, (kfb, k8) twice, kfb, k27 [120 sts].

Changing Color

When changing color, either use the intarsia method or carry the yarn along the back of the piece. We carried the orange across the cream color changes, attaching a second thread of cream yarn on the other section when needed. Be sure to keep the yarn loose or it’ll pull the piece. The contrast color is added where the pattern changes, using M for the main color and C for the contrast. The cream cheeks are knitted in garter stitch (knit on each row); however, when adding the cream on the wrong side, purl it, then change to knit for the already formed cream stitches, as the pattern instructs. This ensures no ‘wrong side’ garter bumps are added on the right side of the piece.

Color Rows

Row 25: k27M, kfb in M, k9M, kfb in M, k4M, k5C, kfb in M, k24M, kfb in M, k5C, k4M, kfb in M, k9M, kfb in M, k27M [126 sts].

Row 26: p44M, k5C, p4C, p20M, p4C, k5C, p44M.

Row 27: k44M, k11C, k16M, k11C, k44M.

Row 28: p44M, k11C, p2C, p12M, p2C, k11C, p44M.

Row 29: k44M, k14C, k10M, k14C, k44M.

Row 30: p45M, k13C, p1C, p8M, p1C, k13C, p45M.

Row 31: k46M, k13C, k8M, k13C, k8M.

Row 32: p47M, k12C, p8M, k12C, p47M.

Row 33: k48M, k11C, k8M, k11C, k48M.

Row 34: p49M, k10C, p8M, k10C, p49M.

Row 35: k50M, k9C, k8M, k9C, k50M.

Row 36: p51M, k8C, p8M, k8C, p51M.

Row 37: k52M, k8C, k6M, k8C, k52M.

Row 38: p53M, k7C, p6M, k7C, p53M.

Row 39: k54M, k7C, k4M, k7C, k54M.

Row 40: p55M, k6C, p4M, k6C, p55M.

Row 41: Cast off in M and weave in the loose ends.

Ears, Front Panels

Make 2.

Using the long tail cast on method and 3.5mm needles, cast on 12 sts in M, forming the first row.

Row 2: p.

Row 3: k3M, k6C, k3M.

Row 4: p3M, p6C, p3M. Repeat the last two rows three more times.

Row 11: k1M, skp in M, k1M, k4C, k1M, k2tog in M, k1M [10 sts].

Row 12: p3M, p4C, p3M.

Row 13: k1M, skp in M, k1M, k2C, k1M, k2tog in M, k1M [8 sts].

Row 14: p3M, p2C, p3M.

Row 15: Work all sts in M from here on. k1, skp, k2, k2tog, k1 [6 sts].

Row 16: p.

Row 17: k1, skp, k2tog, k1 [4 sts].

Row 18: p.

Row 19: Cast off and weave in the loose ends.

Ears, Back Panels

Make 2.

Using the long tail cast on method and 3.5mm needles, cast on 12 sts in M, forming the first row.

Row 2: p.

Rows 3 to 10: Work in stockinette stitch (k one row, p one row).

Row 11: k1, skp, k6, k2tog, k1 [10 sts].

Row 12: p.

Row 13: k1, skp, k4, k2tog, k1 [8 sts].

Row 14: p.

Row 15: k1, skp, k2, k2tog, k1 [6 sts].

Row 16: p.

Row 17: k1, skp, k2tog, k1 [4 sts].

Row 18: p.

Row 19: Cast off and weave in ends.

Tail

Using the long tail cast on method and 3.5mm needles, cast on 12 sts in M, forming the first row.

Row 2 and all even rows: p.

Row 3: *kfb, k2; repeat from * to end [16 sts].

Row 5: *kfb, k3; repeat from * to end [20 sts].

Row 7: *kfb, k4; repeat from * to end [24 sts].

Row 9: k.

Row 11: k.

Row 13: k.

Row 15: Work all stitches in C from here on, *k4, k2tog; repeat from * to end [20 sts].

Row 17: *k3, k2tog; repeat from * to end [16 sts].

Row 19: *k2, k2tog; repeat from * to end [12 sts].

Row 21: *k1, k2tog; repeat from * to end [8 sts].

Row 23: *k2tog; repeat from * to end [4 sts].

Row 24: Cast off purlwise and weave in the loose ends.

Nose

To make your fox slippers' little noses, use the long tail cast on method and 3.5mm needles to cast on 12 sts in black, this will form the first row.

Row 2: p.

Row 3: *k2tog; repeat from * to end [6 sts].

Row 4: p.

Row 5: *k2tog; repeat from * to end [3 sts].

Row 6: Cast off purlwise and weave in the loose ends.

Assembly

Lay the slipper flat and place the two sides together, forming an oval. Sew up the back seam, from the cast-off edge to the cast on edge, using a mattress stitch in M.

Take a front ear piece and back ear piece, place wrong sides (WS) together. Pin and sew up in a mattress stitch in M, leaving the cast-on edges open. Repeat for the second ear.

Take the tail and match the two edge seams WS together. Pin and sew from the cast on edge to cast off edge using a mattress stitch in M.

Use the scrap yarn markers as a guide for placing the fox’s features. Take the first sewn up ear and place it between the set of Color A scrap markers. Pin and sew into place using M. Repeat for the second ear, placing it between the Color B scrap markers and sewing into place. Remove the markers.

Embroider each eye onto the face between the scrap yarn Color D and E markers. Do this by loosely sewing a straight line in the black yarn from marker to marker, then looping it downwards to form the eye. Add a small stitch at the bottom of the loop to secure it in place and weave in the loose ends. Remove the markers.

Place the nose at the center of the snout, leaving a little space at the end for your fox slippers to be sewn up. Sew into place using black yarn, then weave in the loose ends.

Lay the fox slippers so the cast off edge is facing up. Pin it together. When sewing up this seam, sew from the outer stitch of the cast off edge to the other outer cast off edge in M. Pull it tightly after a few stitches, but be careful not to pull it too tightly as the soles of your fox slippers need to stay flat and comfortable. Weave in all the loose ends.

Place the tail a third of the way down from the cast on edge on the back of the seam of the slipper. Sew into place using M and weave in the loose ends. Viola! One pair of cozy fox slippers for adults – you could make matching pairs for your cubs, too.