Sock and Slipper

[cymrullewes]

What's is the difference between a sock and a slipper?

Is it the thickness of the fabric? Construction? Or something else?

I'm experimenting with Wanderer. The construction is different from a heel flap so I'm hoping my husband has less issues pulling it on his foot. He wants the sole to be double thickness which is one of the ways I'm playing.

Comments

[reapermum]

I don't know about knitting differences, but to me a sock is worn within another foot covering and a slipper is an outer covering in its own right.

[basketcaselady]

I'm in California. For me it is indeed the fabric thickness in knitted socks / slippers that is the main difference. I've written a couple of Slipper Socks patterns using worsted weight yarn you might be interested in. If you want to see what I mean, you can view them on my website.

[lady529]

Where I'm from, a sock goes up your leg past your ankle, and a slipper covers only your foot. Wanderer would be classed as a sock here, whereas the triangle slipper sock pattern you link to would be slippers. Slippers can be thicker than socks, but this isn't always the case, sometimes it depends on whether the slippers are meant to have socks inside them or not.

If your main goal is to have the sole be double thickness, I'm sure there's more than one way of going about it. Last time I did it, I did a swatch with single and double yarn and calculated the gauge, and then made the sole on its own with double yarn, picked up stitches along it and made the rest of the slipper with single yarn.

I hope at least some of this was useful : )

The Lady 529

[cymrullewes]

Actually, the main goal is to get a sock that goes on his foot easily as opposed to the other ones that he's had issues with (Skew didn't work at all, You're Putting Me On (TiaJudy) is a bit of a tug-o-war but will go over the heel.) The "gravy" is to get the padded sole.

[lady529]

Ah, I see. K2p2 ribbing all the way from the top to where the heel starts, and on the top of the foot out to where the toe decrease starts (or the other way round if you start with the toes) doesn't work either? I'm thinking something like this: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_joC0g8D-bis/TBp6YmdbzOI/AAAAAAAAGXM/daneC0zK_EY/s1600/005.JPG

The Lady 529

[cymrullewes]

Did a similar pair in Lion Brand Thick 'n' Quick chenille on US 10.5. They came out as boot socks and a bit too large (once on his feet) and he still had some trouble getting them on.