Felt Baby Slippers
These Felt Baby Slippers are my latest go-to handmade baby shower gift. I like them because they are a quick-but-personal touch that I can easily add onto a more utilitarian registry gift. Sure, they are more cute than practical, but they are so cute!
Faced with lots of new babies coming into my life and armed with some beautiful new felt, I designed these Slippers to be even quicker to sew up than my original Felt Baby Shoes. Three simple pieces come together in a snap with a pretty zigzag machine stitch. Make a pair or two, or three, or four! -Molly
Materials
To make the four-pair set pictured you will need…
- 2 pieces of De Witte Engel’s FrescoFelt in Marble
- 1 piece of De Witte Engel’s FrescoFelt in Vintage
- 1 piece of Wollfilz’s 1mm Wool Felt in Salmon
- 1 piece of Wollfilz’s 1mm Wool Felt in Coral
- A 110-yard spool of Gutermann’s Cotton Thread in color 1040
- A Felt Baby Slippers template printed and cut out
You will have enough felt to make a few more pairs using the brightly colored felt as the toe and sole pieces, if you like. If you would just like to make one pair of slippers, you will need two pieces of felt (in two different colors). Or, if you want to make a pair in just one color, you will only need one piece of felt.
Size
4 inches long by 2 ¼ inches wide to fit a baby 0-3 months
Pattern
Cut
Pick out two pieces of felt, one for the Toe and Sole (this will be Felt 1) and one for the Heel (this will be Felt 2).
From Felt 1 cut:
- 2 Toes
- 2 Soles
From Felt 2 cut:
- 2 Heels
Transfer marks A and B onto the wrong side of the felt pieces with a pencil or an erasable fabric marker.
Pin
Take one of the Heel pieces and line up its Mark A with Mark A on one of the Sole pieces. Pin the two pieces together at this point.’
Pin the bottom edge of the Heel piece around the bottom edge of the Sole, as shown above. Use lots of pins!
Take one of the Toe pieces and line up its Mark B with Mark B on the Sole piece. Pin the pieces together at this point.
Pin the top edge of the Toe piece around the top edge of the Sole, as shown above. Remember to use lots of pins so the Toe piece lies flat against the Sole.
The Toe piece will overlap the Heel piece, as shown above.
Sew
Zigzag stitch around the pinned perimeter of the shoe, making sure to catch the edge of the Sole as you go. Backstitch at the beginning and end of the seam.
Repeat all of the steps for the second shoe and you’re done!
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very cute, will definitely make a pair for a gift.
I will be great grandma in May so have plenty time to make these baby shoes they are so cute
Is it difficult to do the zigzag stitch without a machine?
Any tips for someone who doesn’t sew (yet)?
Thanks!
Hi Francesca-
I wouldn’t use a zig sag stitch if you were sewing them by hand. Instead I’d use a blanket stitch, which you can see in my previous Felt Baby Shoe story here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2011/12/06/mollys-sketchbook-felt-baby-shoes/
Thanks for getting in touch and good luck with the project!
Molly
I always do blanket stitch by hand on all my baby shoes, it works and looks neat..
good luck jo x
Hi Jo-
My previous Felt Baby Shoe pattern uses blanket stitch! For the uninitiated, the how-tos are here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2011/12/06/mollys-sketchbook-felt-baby-shoes/
Thanks for getting in touch about this!
Molly
I made these using a regular blanket stitch. They turned out beautifully.
Sometimes I prefer to sew by hand vs my sewing machine. I would suggest you look up some boards on Pinterest about stitches. The boards will show you all kinds of hand stitches. You can practice them & save the stitches for future reference. I am sure that your slippers will turn out to be adorable. Also they will have that extra Love put into them with your own stitching.
Adorable!,but do they stay on little feet?
Hi Maria-
Please see my response to Khadija if you want to make them extra secure!
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
am going to reduce this down and make several pairs for my baby sasha doll — very fun!
These are so gorgeous! I have an upcoming baby shower and would love to make a pair – but I don’t know much about babies. Are they functional at all? They look like they would slip off quite easily – are they meant to be warm, or just cute? Thanks so much!
Hi Khadija-
Great question! They can definitely be worn and should stay on if they are under socks. (Although socks are notorious for falling off of babies!) However, if you want to make them extra secure you can add some 1/4-inch elastic on the inside of the top of the Heel piece:
Before pinning and sewing the pieces together cut a 4-inch length of elastic and zig zag over it’s raw ends so it won’t unravel. Then pin it, stretching it slightly, along the curved top edge of the Heel pice, 1/4-inch from the top edge stopping 1/4-inch from either end. Sew the stretched elastic down with a stretch stitch on your machine using thread to match the Heel piece. Then just pin and sew the Heel piece on as directed in the pattern. This should make the shoes extra secure!
Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Best-
Molly
Wait, underneath socks? Then what is the point?
Hi T-
No, these are supposed to go over socks, not underneath! I see the typo you are referring to and I will fix it as soon as I can. Sorry for the confusion! Thank you for getting in touch!
Molly
These are darling, I love them. Thank you for sharing.
Will make these for friend about to meet her first granddaughter!! thanks for coming ‘just in time’- these are perfect!!
I have a suggestion about making them secure. How about adding narrow fold-over elastic to match the felt?
Hi Sandra-
I’m not familiar with fold-over elastic but it sounds like a great idea! We’d love to see your version if you end up doing this.
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
It may work to use a piece of ribbon where the two pieces of fabric overlap on the sides. Then you could tie on top of foot. A wide piece of ribbon would make to bow a little more ‘poufy” – would look really cute! I will try this with the ribbon to see how it works.
Hi Patti-
That sounds intriguing! Please send us a pic if end up doing this.
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
I wonder if you have any recommendations for swapping out the bottom piece for something with traction. Maybe a leather or suede type material?
Hi Janelle-
Suede would be beautiful! We’d love to see your version if you end up doing it!
Thank you!
Molly
Dots, stripes, or squiggles made on the soles with fabric puffy paint would add traction easily. It is easy to find, inexpensive, and comes in a variety of colors. It could be used to write cute messages or make event or holiday themed designs too.
Thank you so much for this wonderful pattern. We are expecting our first granddaughter in April and I have been looking for a pair of slipper for her.
Thank you so much
Genevieve
Is it possible to adjust the pattern for a bigger kid? These are adorable and thought they might be good for my 2 going on 3 year old.
Hi Ebony-
You can certainly experiment with blowing up the pattern on a copy machine to get it to the right size, although I’m afraid they might be a little wide if just blow them up without also making them thinner. We only offer them in this small size because they are made of fairly thin felt and don’t have non-stick grips on the bottom sole. But it’s certainly worth experimenting with if you feel up to it. We’d love to see what you come up with!
Thanks!
Molly
Can you tell me how to enlarge these for my 1 year old grandson? The are really cute.
Thank you
Hi Patricia-
We don’t recommend these for bigger babies, especially babies who are close to walking because they are really slippery. But you are certainly welcome measure your grandson’s foot and blow up the pattern on a copy machine until it’s the size you’d like, the pattern should still work!
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
Is there a pattern for adult sizes? I want some for myself.
Hi Pamela-
There isn’t. I think this felt would be too thin to stand up to adult wear. But it would be a fun thing to experiment with. If you come up with something you like please send us a pic!
Thanks!
Molly
This is a simple, lovely pattern. Thank you so much for it. As Grammy to two little ones, so far, I can’t wait to make a few pair. This is just the sort of gift that will be welcomed by so many and the babes will be warm, cost and look adorable in them.
Thank you for providing us with the perfect gift idea, once again!
Marcia Kerstetter
Do you just free hand the pattern or is there a specific cutting pattern that I am missing? TKs..they r adorable.
Hi Paulette-
The cutting template is linked under the “Materials” section. It’s the last item listed. Click on the blue text that says “Felt Baby Slippers template” and it will open.
Thank you for getting in touch!
Molly
just cut a pair out they look so simple.. A friend I know has two boys and she is pregnant again, so making her a pair in pink in faith, as they would like a girl.
So lucky shoes..
jo xx
I don’t know where is te original pattern of Felt Baby Slippers.
Can you help me?
Thanks
Mónica from Argentina
Hi Monica-
Do you mean this pattern? https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2011/12/06/mollys-sketchbook-felt-baby-shoes/
Please let us know if this isn’t what you’re looking for.
Thanks for getting in touch!
Molly
I can not find the free pattern of the Felt Baby Slippers , Molly’s Sketchbook: Felt Baby Shoes–> already did and came out perfect
Hi Monica-
The previous Felt Baby Shoes are linked above and can also be found by going here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2011/12/06/mollys-sketchbook-felt-baby-shoes/
Thank you so much for getting in touch!
Molly
Too cute!
Very, very cute!
Please tell me how I can just print the pattern and not all the comments or the instructions. Thanks so much
Hi Lucille-
If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the date and tags. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern, after the comment box.
If the images aren’t showing up in the print screen, close out of the print screen, scroll to the bottom of the post so that all the images populate and then click the print button once again. At this point all of the images should be there!
Follow the easy on-screen instructions for customizing what parts of the pattern you want to delete for printing (for example, certain images or the list of materials).
Thanks for your question!
Molly
So cute……going to make some.
I just made these adorable slippers! I think the felt I used wasn’t quite thick enough so I had to wet them and use paper towels to properly shape them. So cute! Thanks for the pattern!
Meredith
Cute can’t wait ti try them out. Like u I had a wave of babies come into my I
Life.
Thank u
I love these adorable booties! I just finished a pair, and I wondered, is there is a place (like an instagram pool) where people can share pictures of projects made with your patterns? I’d love to show them off! (-:
Hi Loren-
I’m so glad you have enjoyed this pattern! You can share your photos by either posting them to our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Purlsohocom/58035888021
Or tagging us on instagram and using the hashtag #purlbee
Thank you so much for getting in touch!
Molly
Super cute and look so comfy!
Hi – I just found your site and am loving all your ideas. These little baby shoes are so cute – I will be making them right away.
I was inspired by a comment on the other baby shoes that said they used an old sweater washed in hot water to make them.
I am wondering if I could make my own “felt” by using your idea for felted hot pads, then cutting the pieces for the shoes from the felted hot pad? Would the edges of the cut pieces unravel? Or is the felting sturdy enough done this way, to hold up like regular felt? I like the blanket stitch around the soles, but maybe machine zig-zag would keep them from unraveling?
Thank you so much for these beautiful ideas!
Peggy
Hi Peggy-
Yes, you could knit some fabric, wash it felt it, and then use it. Just make sure it’s densely felted before you begin. Thank you for getting in touch and please let us know if you have any more questions!
Best-
Molly
bonjour, je viens de découvrir votre site il est super tout ce que je veux, mais malheureusement je ne comprend pas l’anglais !! , comment faire pour avoir une traduction en français , car franchement votre site est super génial et cela me ferait tellement plaisirs que je puisse le voir en français
merci beaucoup , j’attend votre réponse avec impatience
à bientôt
Hi Claudie93-
Unfortunately none of us speak French so I’m afraid we can’t help. Sorry!
Molly
My JoAnne’s store sells a non-skid material that you can glue on to the bottom of the slipper/shoe, it works great if your little one is just learning to walk or already walks. Find a way to sew it on and you could even wash them. I don’t think glue would make it through the wash.
Hello, Linda!
Thank you for writing in! The non-skid material is a great addition to this pattern! You are correct, it does work great for new walkers and I agree, you should definatly sew it in for longer wear. Thanks again for your wonderful suggestion.
Best wishes,
Kumeko
Can i buy these from somewhere online.
Hi Shivi-
No, these are not available for sale as finished slippers but they are super easy to make!
Thanks for getting in touch!
Best-
Molly
These are so, so cute – has anyone done them by hand?
Hi T,
You can certainly sew these by hand! Instead of the zig-zag stitch, I’d use a blanket stitch, which you can see in our previous Felt Baby Shoe story here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2011/12/06/mollys-sketchbook-felt-baby-shoes/
Best of luck on the project!
-Cassy
These baby slippers are so cute. I just have to make some for my great nieces baby shower. Baby is due right after Christmas 2016.
Due in march, made these tonight with grey and white felt and love them! Thanks so much for the pattern hope i can make these in a bigger size for my baby when he gets older <3
Thank you!
How can you resize for a toddler?
Hi Daniela,
Thanks for writing in! We don’t recommend these for bigger babies, especially babies who are close to walking because they are really slippery. But you are certainly welcome to measure your grandson’s foot and blow up the pattern on a copy machine until it’s the size you’d like, the pattern should still work!
Best,
Julianna
Will the felt bundles you have for sale on your website work for these? When I click the links above the items aren’t available. Thank you!
Hello CMorrison,
Thank you for reaching out! Yes! Our felt bundles will work great for these slippers.
Happy sewing!
-Marilla