Can you help me understand these crochet instructions for slippers?

Question

I've been crochetting a pair of slippers, but now i'm stuck a little past halfway through.. these are the instructions:

Ankle section (work row 13 or 14 to length -1" if you are changing the size)

9.Ch 2, hdc in next 16 sts. Leave rem sts unworked. Ch 2, turn (17)

10-12. Hdc in next 16 sts, ch 2 turn. (a end of row 11, only ch 1 before turning to row 12)-(17)

13. Sc in same st as last st on row 11, hdc across to last st, sc in last st, ch 2, turn (17)

14-17. Hdc across, ch 2, turn (17)

18. 2 hdc in same st as last st on row 15. Hdc across to last st. 2 hdc in last st. (19)

Finishing

Either sl st down back loops of back seam to sew up or cut yarn and sew up back with 2 strands of yarn. Attatch the following flower is desired to row 5 of foot section.

Answer 1

I have actually never made slippers before, but the way I read the first part of those instructions is that you need to repeat row 13 or 14 as many times as needed to change the size.  I may be wrong though.  You might need to experiment with it and I wouldn't know exactly without trying it out myself or looking at a picture.

9.  Chain 2, make one half double crochet in each of the next 16 stitches.  Do not stitch into the rest of the stitches.  Chain 2 and turn your work around so you will be working the other direction.  (You will have 17 half double crochet if you count the first chain 2 you made at the beginning of the row.)

10-12.  Rows 10 through 12 are all the same (except where noted).  Read it like this:  Row 10:  Half double crochet in each stitch across, chain 2 and turn your work again. (17 half double crochet counting that chain 2 at the beginning)

Row 11:  Half double crochet in each stitch across, chain only 1 and turn your work again. (17 half double crochet counting that chain 2 at the beginning)  [I'm not sure why they tell you to chain only 1 this time.]

Row 12:  Half double crochet in each stitch across, chain 2 and turn your work again. (17 half double crochet counting that chain 2 at the beginning)

13.  Single crochet into the same place completed the last stitch on row 11, but make the rest of the stitches into row 12.  Make one half double crochet in each stitch ending with the second to last stitch on the row.  Make one single crochet in the last stitch, chain 2, then turn your work.  (You will have 17 stitches total on this row": 15 half double crochet and 2 single crochet)

14-17.  Rows 14 through 17 are all the same.  Half double crochet in each stitch across, chain 2 and turn your work (again you should have 17 half double crochet if you count that beginning chain 2).  Repeat that same thing 4 times.

18.  Make 2 half double crochet in the same stitch a the last stitch on row 15.  Half double crochet in each stitch in row 17 to the last stitch.  Make two half double crochet in the last stitch.  (19 half double crochet stitches total)

When making the seam, they want you to just slip stitch in the back loops only of both sides to sew up the seam.  The other option they are presenting is sewing them together with two strands of yarn.  I would suggest that you try the slip stitch first and if you don't like the way that looks, try the sewing.  I would also suggest that when you cut your yarn ends, you leave them long, so you can just use those to sew them up instead of having more yarn to weave into your project.  (Make sure you leave enough that after the seam is sewn, you can weave the ends in a little more to secure them.)  Use that same technique for the flower if you are going to make it--leave the ends on the flower long and just use those to sew the flower onto the slipper.

I hope this works for you!

~Happy Crocheting!~