If the slipper fits...

Now all my buttons have arrived I have put the final touches to the crocheted slippers I was making. They are crocheted in Paton's marbled Symphony super chunky yarn so a quick couple of projects. I think it took as long to put all the decoration on as it did to make them! (well, nearly!)

The first pair are in the 'nougat' colourway and quite girly. As these are for a younger girl, I added lilac ribbon detail and a funky flower button to fasten them with. The pattern is my own from a few christmases ago but I did a short row heel instead of a square heel this time - legacy of all those socks!

Some of the buttons are so small!

I was going to use a bow for the front but they do have a habit of working loose and never going back just the way you want them - unless you stitch them in place or use the bought bows already tied. I did consider this but as I had some lovely buttons to choose from, I thought the ribbon would look nicer with the flower button detail instead. I do prefer it and if the slippers are too loose, the ribbon which is threaded all around the slipper top can be pulled in tighter and tied off for a perfect fit.

It was a little harder to get fancy buttons to match the heather colourway. They are for an adult so I needed something striking without being plain or too girly.

The stars work well for this theme but the fastening loop caught on the star edges and it was a little on the small side to hold the strap so I put a slightly larger contrasting circular red button underneath and kept the star on top for decoration. Tada!

I wanted to add some ribbon around the slipper and after wrapping, threading and crocheting the ribbon hundreds of ways that didn't look 'quite right', I decided to go with a crocheted chain stitch along the edge with some bead decoration to the front to add a more adult feel. I'm not 100% sold on the edging and is a little tighter than I would like but I'll live with it for a week before I send them off and think of some alternatives. It's not that it is bad per sae, it's just I think I've not tried the perfect edging yet.

I do like these beads though! They are tied close to the top so they don't swing aroung and thump on the front of your feet. I had a pair of slippers that did that and it really annoyed me after a while.

Any suggestions on binding or edging most welcome!