Baby Booties

I saw some women in the knitting store making baby booties for newborns when I was first learning how to make socks. I was very curious up until now since I have so many babies to make baby booties for! It takes about a day to make one bootie. 

I got the pattern below one day from Cathy when I went in for some yarn. I had to come back and ask Cathy some clarification questions when I got halfway through.  Do not turn the baby bootie like you do when making a sock. It is made flat and then you sew up the bottom and up the back of the bootie.  I needed that explained before starting.

BABY BOOTIES

You will need: 190 yards or so for two booties. Any color. Size 4 US circular knitting needles.  I haven’t tried it with straight double pointed needles yet. You will need the pattern or instructions on how to bind off if you don’t know how and a blunt needle to stitch up the sock when you’re done.

Gauge: 4.5 sts = 1 inch in garter stitch, 6 sts = 1” in stockinette stitch.

Cast On: 26 sts

Starting at the sole of the bootie:
NOTE: The number typed at the end of the row is the number of stitches you should have when you are finished with that row. It is a good idea to keep count! 

Row 1: knit

Row 2: k1, m1, k11, (m1, k1) twice, m1, k11, m1, k1                     31

Rows 3, 5, 7, 9: knit

Row 4: k2, k1, m1, k11, m1, k1, m1, k3, m1, k11, m1, k2              36

Row 6: k3, m1, k11, (m1, k4) twice, m1, k11, m1, k3                     41

Row 8: k4, m1, k11, m1, k5, m1, k6, m1, k11, m1, k4                    46

Row 10: k5, m1, k11, (m1, k7) twice, m1, k11, m1, k5                   51

Rows 11, 13, 15, 17: Knit

Rows 12, 14, 16, 18: Purl

Begin Instep Shaping:

Row 1: k29, ssk turn

Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14: sl 1, p7, p2 tog, turn work

Rows 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13: sl 1, k7, ssk, turn work

Row 15: sl 1, k7, ssk, knit to end of row (or knit 13 sts)                 36

Row 16: p21, p2 tog, purl to end of row (or purl 13 sts)                35

Knit 19 rows (do not turn or alternate k and p unless you want a baby sock like I accidently created!)  

To Finish: Bind off. Sew the bootie up from the tow up the back and make sure you have it so the pattern is showing the right way. 

This is the pattern on how to bind off that I found in a book my grandma gave me.  I even made myself a handy flash card so I can always refer back to it.

I also used this video on how to join two pieces of knitting so I could knit up the bootie. This method is also called weaving. 

Above is the way the baby booties are supposed to look.   I messed up the top of the bootie since I did not follow the pattern correctly.  I accidentally alternated rows of k and p so the top came out like a sock instead. 

I thought the sock was cute. It didn’t take long to make, nor did it take very much yarn. I made two of them and gave them a good friends’ baby girl along with a matching set of booties.  It was my first pair of booties and baby socks for their first child. 

Happy Knitting!