It’s winter, and the house is cold, especially at night — and nothing is colder than my feet. What I long for, on these cold evenings, is the perfect pair of socks. I want the lovely woolly ones that are soft and dreamy. Sadly, fuzzy socks threaten to kill me with every step I take.
What we all need, those of us with cold feet or just with feet that need coddling, are light, warm, foot covers that will let us stand or move safely.
I love the look of these Mocksocks from Silvert’s, but they are no longer available. Similar fleece socks are easy to find (Acorn makes very nice ones), but they’re slippery enough to skate across almost any floor. Not good for me, probably not good for you, and certainly not good for anyone whose mobility is at all challenged.
The search is on . . . but in the meantime, creative types might consider this slipper pattern from Green Pepper. Make the sole of fleece, as directed, but add an outer layer of Jiffy Grip (available at the Fabric Depot) to make ambulation a secure proposition. Jiffy Grip is fabric coated with sticky dots like the ones on the feet of old-fashioned toddler sleepers — nice and grippy, whatever your age.
The pattern should work up very quickly, and if you love someone who is hospitalized unexpectedly, you probably could whip up a pair in an evening. For very sensitive feet, be sure to put the seam allowance on the outside, not the inside, of the slipper — fleece looks just fine sewn either way. (Kids’ to adults’ sizes are included in the one pattern.)
Making them yourself has several potential advantages — you may be able to trace the actual feet, ensuring a closer (and hence safer) fit, and you can personalize them, either with the fabric choice itself, or with added designs.
Jo-Ann fabric stores often carry Green Pepper patterns. Jiffy Grip is quite a bit harder to find at brick-and-mortar stores, but with a little snooping you might discover some in a local fabric store or an old-style five-and-dime or variety store with a good sewing notions section.