Get ready to knit a pair of slippers that are as cozy as they are charming! This knitting pattern brings together the best of warmth and whimsy, featuring a delightful owl motif perched right on top of the foot. These adult-sized slippers have been crafted with both style and function in mind, thanks to a fitted cuff that hugs your ankle for extra warmth and coziness. Perfect for chilly mornings or relaxed evenings, these slippers will be a go-to pair for any owl lover.
This pattern is designed for knitters with a bit of experience—if you’re comfortable with basic stitches, you’ll be able to follow along with ease. And don’t worry, you won’t be left to navigate the trickier parts alone! I’ve included detailed, how-to videos to help guide you through each step, ensuring that even challenging sections feel doable. Before you know it, you’ll have a cozy, owl-adorned pair of slippers that are sure to turn heads and keep feet warm.
if you are a lover of owls, then you are in LUCK! I have a number of patterns with owls including fingerless gloves, owl beanie, owl bucket hat, and an owl scarf. All are knit flat on 2 needles and are FREE to read on this website. Click any of the links and a new window will open a new page with the entire pattern there for you to enjoy.
You can download it from a number of places. In particular, my site here – Owl Slippers with a Cuff – Knitting Pattern. You can also get it at a number of other online book retailers such as Ravelry, LoveCrafts, CreativeFabrica and Etsy. It is also available as paperback and as a Kindle book on Amazon. I think that’s enough options to make nearly everyone happy 🥰.
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Happy Knitting!
Things You Need
1 ball of worsted weight yarn (average 260 yard, 5 oz or 141 gram ball will be more than enough).
You can use a second colour for the cuff.
2 sets of size 4 mm (US size 6) single point knitting needles.
Stitch holder
Cable Needle
Tapestry needle to sew in ends. You can also use this handy video tutorial to show you how to work in the ends while knitting these slippers. The embedded video is in the Abbreviations section
Gauge
With size 4 mm (US size 6) needles or whatever size you need to obtain the correct number of stitches and rows. Be sure to check your gauge otherwise the sizing won’t be correct.
In garter stitch
2” = 9 sts
2” = 18 rows
Sizes (are written as such)
Women’s 6-7 (8-9, 10-11, 12-13)
Men’s 5-6 (7-8, 9-10, 11-12)
Cuff
With CUFF colour
Cast on 36 (38, 40, 42) loosely
Row 1: K across
Row 2: With the RIGHT side facing you, (K1 P2) across. Maintain this pattern with any remaining sts at the end of the row.
Repeat from to 10 (12, 14, 16) times more for a total of 12 (14, 16, 18) rows
Next Row: With the RIGHT side facing, P across.
Next Row: K across. If cuff colour differs from the MAIN colour, break yarn now. Start the new colour when done knitting this row.
Next Row: K across for 13 (15, 17, 19) rows. Break yarn.
Toe Flap
Next Row: With the MAIN colour and the WRONG side of the ribbing facing you, transfer the first 11 (12, 13, 14) stitches to a stitch holder. Reattach the yarn and knit the next 14 stitches (the start of the toe flap with the owl motif). Leave the remaining 11 (12, 13, 14) stitches on the needle unworked.
The following rows are worked back and forth on the 14 toe flap stitches only!
Knit across for 7 (9, 9, 11) rows.
Next Row (with the RIGHT side of the ribbing facing you): K3 P2 K4 P2 K3
Next Row (with the WRONG side of the ribbing facing you): K2 P1 K8 P1 K2
Next Row: K3 P8 K3
♦ Next Row: K2 P1 C4F C4B P1 K2
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Next Row: K3 P8 K3
♥ Next Row: K2 P1 K8 P1 K2
Next Row: K3 P8 K3 ♥ Repeat from ♥ to ♥ 2 more times
Next Row: Repeat row marked with ♦
Next Row: K3 P2 K4 P2 K3
♪ Next Row: K2 P1 K2 P4 K2 P1 K2
Next Row: K3 P2 K4 P2 K3 ♪ Repeat from ♪ to ♪ 3 more times
Next Row: Repeat row marked with ♦
Next Row: K across for 5 (7, 7, 9) rows.
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Sides of Foot
This is where you’re going to need the extra set of knitting needles. You’ll be knitting back and forth in rows but the turn around the toe is too tight to use circular needles. For this, you’ll put the 14 toe flap stitches on one of your extra needles. It’s a little unconventional, but it works.
Next Row: With the RIGHT side facing, transfer the 11 (12, 13, 14) stitches from the stitch holder onto one of your needles. Attach your yarn and knit the 11 (12, 13, 14) stitches. Pick up 21 (22, 23, 24) stitches evenly along the edge of the toe flap. (All of these stitches are on ONE needle. (32, 34, 36, 38) stitches on this needle)
With another needle, knit the 14 stitches of the toe flap. (14 stitches on this needle)
With another needle, pick up 21 (22, 23, 24) stitches evenly along the side of the toe flap. Knit the remaining 11 (12, 13,14) stitches on the next needle. (32, 34, 36, 38) stitches on this needle)
You should now have 3 needles holding stitches with all the points pointing as shown below when laid flat. You also have one spare needle to knit with. You are now going to knit in rows, back and forth with these three needles. Once you finish knitting all the stitches on one needle, move on to the next needle (the point of the needle is right there) until you complete the row.
for the toe only because it was handy. A regular needle works!
Knit the next 8 (10, 12, 14) rows
There are 4 (5, 6, 7) ridges on the tip of the toe.
The following photo shows the 5 ridges for the women’s size 8-9 or the men’s 7-8.
Next Row: With WRONG side facing. Cast off all the stitches from the first needle loosely. You’ll need to pass the last stitch from the first needle over the first stitch of the toe flap stitches (second needle).
Using the same needle that now has one stitch, knit the remaining 12 stitches of the toe flap. Cast off all the stitches from the third needle loosely. Break yarn.
Making the Sole
If you need more help than the photos provide, you can watch the how-to video. The link starts the video in the correct section. No need to find the spot. I already have it cued up for you.
Next Row: With the RIGHT side facing, attach yarn and knit the first stitch of the cast off stitches by the toe flap (cast off stitch on the right by the point of the needle).
K2tog. Knit to the last 2 stitches K2tog. Pick up the cast off stitch by the point of your needle. (14 stitches).
Quick tip – wrap the yarn counterclockwise around your needle and turn it down to pull the yarn through the cast off stitch on the right. If you have a hard time doing this, you can also use a crochet hook to pull the loop through and place that loop on your working needle.
You now are working back and forth along the bottom of the foot picking up one cast off stitch on each side as you go.
Next Row: Knit across.
ʤ Next Row: Pick up the next stitch of the cast off stitches. K2tog. Knit to the last 2 stitches K2tog. Pick up the cast off stitch on the other side of the slipper by the point of your needle. (13 stitches).
Next Row: Knit across ʤ
Repeat from ʤ to ʤ down the entire length of the foot. There are equal number of cast off stitches along each side. How many rows varies depending on the size of slipper you’re making. Be sure to end with a completed knit across row.
Making the Heel
If you need more help than the photos provide, you can watch the how-to video. The video starts in the correct section. No need to find the spot. I already have it cued up for you.
You’re now going to make a small triangle to fit in the back of the heel. You’re going to fill this space in the slipper.
Ҩ Next Row: With the RIGHT side facing, pick up a stitch in the row closest to the sole of the slipper. Count how many ridges it is for the size you are making. K2tog twice. Knit to the last 4 stitches. K2tog twice. Count down the same number of ridges on the other side and pick up a stitch in the space beneath it. (12 stitches).
Next Row: Knit across.
Next Row: Count down one ridge less than the previous row and pick up a stitch in the space beneath it. K2tog. Knit until the last 2 stitches. K2tog. Count down the same number of ridges and pick up a stitch in the space beneath it on the other side.
Next Row: Knit across. Ҩ Repeat from Ҩ to Ҩ until 6 stitches remain.
Next Row: Pick up a stitch beneath the next ridge. K2tog 3 times. Pick up a stitch in the space beneath the next ridge on the other side.
Next Row: Knit across.
Next Row: K2tog, K1, K2tog. Pass the middle stitch on your working needle over the stitch on the left. Pass the stitch on the right over the stitch on the left. (Or you can turn your work and K3tog).
Break yarn leaving a length of yarn long enough (8ish inches) to sew up the remaining seam.
Make another slipper.
Yes, they do look a little boxy when they’re done and not on a foot. The stretch of the garter stitch allows these slippers to stretch around the contours of any foot easily.
Hints and Tips
If you want a longer cuff at the top, work more rows than stated at the beginning when you cast on. Make sure to increase the same amount of garter stitch rows and ribbed rows equally. If increasing 10 rows, do so on both.
When picking up stitches from the cast off row, be sure you’re really moving on to the next cast off stitch! It’s an easy mistake to pick up a stitch in a stitch you already picked up. If in doubt, give the needle holding the stitches a bit of a tug. You’ll see the yarn move slightly at the very back, closest to the needle. Pick up a stitch at the NEXT cast off stitch.
If you don’t have the same number of stitches on both sides when you are forming the sole, you may have picked up a stitch twice in one stitch or missed one. Don’t worry! This is fixable. You can skip one cast off stitch if you need to make it even, or pick up a cast off stitch twice on the other side. There’s enough stretch in the slipper that any puckering this causes won’t be overly visible if you’re off by a stitch or two.
To speed up finishing the slippers and not have so many ends to sew in, hold the yarn ends to the back of your work as you knit. You can watch the how to video here – how to work in the ends while knitting these slippers.
Abbreviations
K – knit
P – purl
K2tog – knit 2 together
K3tog – knit 3 together
st – stitch
sts – stitches
Side note: I use both versions of the terminology when it comes to cable stitches. I’ve been corrected that I’m using the wrong one for both occasions so it’s a no win for me. What I mean is that C4F is the same technique as C2F. Just like how C2B is the same as C4B. Do you think of it as the just the stitches you’re pulling or the number of stitches you’re using in total when you do it? It’s a personal choice, I guess.
C4F – Pick up the next 2 stitches with your cable needle. Pull the stitches to the FRONT of your work. Knit the next 2 stitches on your non-working needle. Knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle. Watch this video to see how. How to C4F or Cable 4 Forward.
C4B – Pick up the next 2 stitches with your cable needle. Pull the stitches to the BACK of your work. Knit the next 2 stitches on your non-working needle. Knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle. Watch this video to see how. How to C4B or Cable 4 Back
Like all of my patterns you have my permission to sell and/or give away the slippers that you make using this pattern. You are NOT permitted to reprint this pattern in any form unless you have obtained my written permission to do so.
If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment or send me your questions at [email protected].
