We caught up with Ira Rott author of Crochet Animal Slippers for a behind-the-scenes look at making the book and all things crochet!
Read more below for fun crochet hints and tips to make the best crochet slippers your feet will ever feel!
Tell us a bit about you, who are you, what do you do and what is your latest book published by David and Charles?
Hello, my fellow crafters and crocheters! This is Ira Rott of Ira Rott Designs and in this photo, I’m holding The Woolly Sheep Slippers, one of 20 fun animal designs from my NEW book Crochet Animal Slippers published by David & Charles.
Let me introduce myself. I’m a 41-year-old Canadian fiber artist and pattern designer with a passion for wildlife and nature. Over the past 15 years, I have been fortunate to publish over 300 of my original designs, including Crochet Animal Rugs (my previous book with David & Charles). I enjoy sharing my love for fiber art through my quilting, knitting, and crochet patterns. My happy place is where fabric and yarn meet fun!
Tell us some fun facts about your latest book?
1. My new book of Crochet Animal Slippers includes 20 adorable animals that you can apply onto 3 different styles of slippers – Shoes (slippers with covered heels), Boots (slippers with ankle cuffs), and Slides (backless slippers). So, you can make at least 60 different slippers from this book. I said at least 60, because you can make even more…check out my next tip to see some ideas.
2. If you like to improvise and have fun, you can mix & match patterns from Crochet Animal Slippers to create your own animals. For example, this Owl is created from the Penguin and Dinosaur patterns…and the Uni-cat is a mix of Unicorn and Cat. The possibilities are endless and I can’t wait to see where your imagination takes you!
3. Crochet Animal Slippers come in a variety of sizes, ranging from Small Kids (aged 4+) to Large Adults…so you can make them for your little ones, friends, family and of course, for yourself. There is also a handy measuring chart inside the front cover, just unfold the cover page and step on the flap to determine what size you need to make. You can view the Size Chart by clicking the link here: Size Chart Crochet Animal Slippers
4. To protect the soles of your Crochet Animal Slippers and to prevent slips on an uncarpeted floor, I have included instructions for non-slip patches that you can make from a regular gripped shelf liner. There is a traceable cutting template in the book, along with the step-by-step images.
5. For a different look, you can position some animal faces upside down…making them look towards you or towards your toes, just like these penguins;
What are 3 essential tools every crochet-enthusiast needs for making slippers?
To make Crochet Animal Slippers you will need a set of hooks, sized between 3.5mm (E) and 5.5mm (I), medium weight yarn (4) / Aran…and a few additional things like stitch markers, pins, tapestry needle, eye buttons, polyester stuffing, shelf liner with grip, scissors, etc. First choose your slipper type, then choose your size, and finally choose an animal design you want to make…the rest is just a fun crochet adventure!
When I am working on my new designs, you will find my studio space like this…full of finished and partially finished projects, tools, and materials that I prepared for photographing. Taking pictures of my craft is one of my favourite things to do, as it feels so fulfilling and satisfying.
If you’d like to create a selection of Crochet Animal Slippers from Ira’s designs you can buy the book via the following links:
Support independent booksellers and order through Bookshop.org
Or for outside of the UK & US visit: Book Depository
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