A Pair of Berlin Wool Work Slippers

I think a little change is in order for the blog.  Since isolation has given me some extra time, I have been trying my hand at doing Youtube videos with my sewing projects and have quite enjoyed it!  I think I shall continue that and use the blog as a research dumping ground per say to document the Youtube work.  Therefore, I think posts will go up on Mondays with the videos instead of Wednesdays as they have been.

Link to this week's video showing the assembly of the slippers.

Ah, needlepoint.  This particular style is called Berlin wool work.  It is found in all sorts of fun little historic do-dads from seat cushions to shoes.  And shoes are what we're talking about today.

V&A Museum

Augusta Auctions

Etsy.com

LACMA

National Trust

Although I never actually put up the post, about 3 years ago I made a pair of Berlin work slippers.  I spent months slaving away at the needlepoint, only to make them up and have them not fit!!!!  I have super wide feet and although I altered the pattern to fit my foot length wise, my foot would not go into the shoe.  It was very frustrating and I believe I ended up throwing the slippers away.  I put the notion aside a while, but decided to come back to it as I finished the Greek Key wrapper.

I wanted a pair of slippers to match the wrapper, although I have no evidence that slippers were matched to the wrapper.  The Greek key design seemed like a fun one to do have on a pair of shoes and I can wear them with more than just that particular wrapper.

The first step was to make a mock up-or two.  About this time last year, I made up a pair of silk slippers and a leather pair.  You can read up on that here.  I then used that upper pattern to make a needlepoint pattern that I knew would fit me.  Here are some originals from the period.

Peterson's Magazine, April 1865

Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine

Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine

Arthur's Home Magazine, 1862

Godey's Lady's Book, July 1855

Then it was off to needlepoint.  I used 18 mesh Penelope canvas for the ground and Appleton's crewel wool for the yarn.  Lovely stuff to work with!  I spent a year off and on working on them in my casual time, determined to get them done for Welbourne in October (that fell through-the slippers first then the event itself) then for Welbourne in April (the event fell through, but I managed to get the slippers done a week before the event was planned!).  Finally, the embroidery was done.  I failed to get photos of the finished embroidery, but here are some originals where they embroidery is done but the slippers never got made up!

McCord Museum

Etsy.com

picclick.co.uk

The next step was to put the slippers together.  The only part I really struggled with was lining material.  I ended up using a light silk in a color that matched the pattern but I now think that what I thought was silk may actually be polished cotton.  Well, lesson learned.  I'll try that next time (and yes, there will be a next time.  Already working on them).

Vintage Textile

Old Sacramento Living History Program

McCord Museum

I finished my slippers with some black silk ribbon that matched the ground of the embroidery.  I'm quite happy with the result!

For my next pair, I have extended the toe part to make the slippers longer and hopefully more elegant while still fitting well.  I am working on an 1840s pair and then have an 1830s pair lined up.

Enjoy!