Delicately detailed in dreamy daybreak colors, the House Shoes designed by Sanae Ishida for No. 11 / DAWN are as pleasing to make as they are to wear. What's great about the size and construction of this pattern is that no single step takes too long to complete, and there are plenty of in-between moments of quiet to take a breather between the hum of the sewing machine. These slippers are made to relax in, so I sought to make the process (and materials) equally pleasing to work with.

 
Choosing a Size

The House Slippers pattern ranges from Extra Small (approx. 3 1/2" wide x 8 1/4" long) to Extra Large (approx. 4 3/4" wide x 10 5/8" long). These measurements are just an approximation as the interfacing and suede used on the soles add a bit of bulk. For my pair of House Slippers, I relaxed the seams with a bit of massaging between fingers from the right side of the slipper.

To begin, choose a measurement that most closely matches the length of the bottom of your foot from heel to toe, and the width across the widest point of your foot. After reading through the pattern notes, I decided to sew a Medium as the finished dimensions were closest to my true size with about 3/4" to 1" of wiggle room, resulting in a perfectly snug fit.



 
Fabric

Recommended fabrics include linen, cotton or silk dupioni for the Exterior and linen or cotton for the Lining. I chose Purl Soho's Watercolor Linen in a lovely lavender with bright notes of yellow popping through for the exterior and Liberty of London Tana Lawn for the interior lining.

While you have some choice with the fabrics to use for the upper part of the slippers, an anti-slip fabric such as suede or faux suede is necessary for the sole. With such small pattern pieces, this is another go-to pattern to sew for quick gifts using up those favorite fabric scraps. 




 
Interfacing

Aside from the Sole fabric, I needed to pick up some Fusible Fleece and lightweight fusible interfacing, so I took a trip to my local specialty sewing shop. To help speed up your time deciding on which type of interfacing to use, you will want to choose Fusible Fleece and Lightweight Interfacing  that are only fusible on a single side. 

Beginner Tips

The pattern gives tips for cutting methods and alternatives, both of which I found helpful when cutting linen vs cotton. As a tip, If you are cutting a looser weave linen, I recommend tracing the pattern on one side and flipping it over to trace the mirrored half for a more accurate cut. If using cotton, it may be easier to cut the pattern on the fold. 



 
Once it's time to sew, the House Shoes come together quite quickly. I opted to sew the pair at the same time as my technical brain loves to batch sewing projects and spend time understanding each step through repetition. Choose a pace that works for you, and you're off to piecing! 

 
Wonder Clips will be your best friend during this construction as pins will leave holes in suede and faux-suede. One trick I learned through trial and error of pinning the Exterior Upper to the Sole in Step 7 is that it also helps to use clips to hold together the opening of the shoe. This holds the fabric taut as you clip the pieces together around the outer curve of the shoe. 


 
A perfect pairing for relaxation designed by Sanae Ishida––you can find the House Shoes pattern on pages 43-50 of No. 11 / DAWN. To create your own matching set with a Lentil Bean Bag that doubles as a heat pad, you can find the free pattern here when you sign in to your Making account!