Shoe Gallery

Shoes
by Helen Alcantara-Lines

I wanted to knit shoes that would be fun to wear as well as look at, and chose summer colors that, to me, express the color of the ocean and the varied hues of a sunset. As a young girl, I was taught to knit by my mother and did not pick up knitting needles again until the birth of my second child. I never thought that I could do anything like this and truly enjoyed the challenge!

Shabby Chic Shoes
by Linda Amundson

Cascade's Fixation caught my fancy with texture and stretch. This year Feather and Fan seems to be my signature stitch. These two elements plus beading, Birkenstock soles, flowery fabric peeking through over knit innersole and I have a charming pair of shabby chic shoes.

Pine Paper Yarn Shoes
by Heather Broadhurst

Initial experiments with revisiting wire were unsatisfying. Habu Textile's wares made the idea of the other extreme—paper shoes—take hold. Some old Espadrilles were spruced with a bit of gesso, paint and fabric. One shoe consists of two mirrored bookmark-sized Japanese Feather pattern pieces. The toe and heel sections of the other shoe were worked separately in Lotus pattern; clear beads were added to each motif. Both shoes presented an adventure in blocking, but starch, persistence, a shoe upper, a sock, string and a bit of plastic wrap finally produced a good result.

Wire Shoe
by Heather Broadhurst

In 2000, shoes were hot, wire knitting was my obsession, so the copper wire shoe was an obvious project for contribution to the Dance as Ever Knitter's Auction. Although I'd proven the design in cotton and knit an initial prototype in wire, the final shoe was remarkably organic in a way that astounded me. It was one of those rare moments when my hands actually produced something superior to what I'd envisioned.

Wire Shoe
by Heather Broadhurst

The kynar wire shoe is based on the same "recipe" as the original copper wire shoe and shows how different materials create different outcomes.

Beaded Shoes
by Marilyn Chambers

My shoes stem from a challenge my friend and I made to each other to finish a pair of shoes using machine stitching. I enjoy using hand knitting along with the machine to give more depth and interest to my projects. Color was important to this project since I wanted the yarn colors to blend with the shoes, which were purchased at a resale shop. The heels were too cute to hide.

Shoes
by Barbara Davison

I learned how to knit as a child - my aunt taught me. Now, more than 40 years later, I am studying shoe making. Of course, I had to put the two together! Don't we hobbyists love to mix our hobbies?!

Aran Knit Sandals
by Sharon Hirsch

My friend Clarissa told me about the knit shoe project, knowing I enjoy designing my own knit patterns. I always do patterns, either cable or color or both together. Working on such a small project, I used Aran cables in cotton, knitting both [shoes] simultaneously and making it up as I went along. Aran seemed like a fun choice for a summer sandal.

Mitered Squares High Heels
by Amber Krueger

My mitered squares high-heeled shoes were inspired by a knitting retreat put on by the Duluth Y.M.C.A in Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota. We were instructed by Leslie Williamson-White on construction and color of a mitered square. I took it one step further and shaped the edges by either increasing or decreasing to get the shapes I needed to fit the shoe.

Knitted high heels - Bobbliscious
by Cindi Ledger

Originally, pompom fringe from the 60s inspired me to design a tube top for patrons of the Yarn Studio. Calling it "Bobbliscious," I wanted a matching garment but felt a skirt or scarf would be too much. When I saw this contest, an old pair of peach-colored heels I wore in a friend's wedding came to mind. With over 100 bobbles on each shoe, I enjoyed the challenge of "sculpting" the knitted fabric to follow their graceful lines.