A pair of handmade booties is one of the sweetest baby shower gifts you can make, and one of the quickest. The trouble with many patterns is that the booties slip off after a few seconds of happy kicking. This design fixes that with an oval sole that matches the shape of a small foot, gentle toe shaping, and a row of eyelets at the ankle for a tie.
The pattern is written in UK crochet terms and worked in joined rounds from the sole upwards, so there is no sewing up. One pair takes about an hour and a half.
Size
- Fits: newborn to 3 months.
- Sole length: about 9.5cm.
- For 3 to 6 months, use a 4mm hook with the same yarn. The sole will grow to about 10.5cm.
Materials
- Yarn: about 60m of DK cotton or cotton blend, such as Rico Baby Cotton Soft DK. Cotton is breathable and washes well, which is ideal for baby items.
- Hook: 3.5mm (UK 9 / US E-4).
- Tapestry needle, scissors and a stitch marker.
- Two 45cm lengths of narrow ribbon, or make two chain ties in yarn.
Tension: 18 htr and 13 rounds of htr measure 10cm square with a 3.5mm hook. Check your tension if you want the booties to fit a particular age.
Abbreviations (UK terms)
- ch: chain
- ss: slip stitch
- dc: double crochet (US single crochet)
- dc2tog: double crochet two stitches together (US sc2tog)
- htr: half treble crochet (US half double crochet)
- tr: treble crochet (US double crochet)
- BLO: back loop only
Pattern notes
- Work in joined rounds with the right side facing. Do not turn.
- The turning chain at the start of each round does not count as a stitch.
- Place a marker in the first stitch of each round so the joins stay in line at the back of the heel.
Sole
Make 12 ch.
Round 1: 3 htr in 3rd ch from hook, 1 htr in each of next 8 ch, 6 htr in last ch. Rotate and work along the other side of the chain: 1 htr in each of next 8 ch, 3 htr in the same ch as the first 3 htr. Join with a ss to the first htr. (28 sts)
Round 2: 2 ch, 2 htr in each of next 3 sts, 1 htr in each of next 8 sts, 2 htr in each of next 6 sts, 1 htr in each of next 8 sts, 2 htr in each of last 3 sts. Join with a ss. (40 sts)
Round 3: 2 ch, [1 htr in next st, 2 htr in next st] 3 times, 1 htr in each of next 8 sts, [1 htr in next st, 2 htr in next st] 6 times, 1 htr in each of next 8 sts, [1 htr in next st, 2 htr in next st] 3 times. Join with a ss. (52 sts)
The sole is now complete. The rounded end made by the 6 htr in Round 1 is the toe; the join sits at the heel.
Sides
Round 4: 1 ch, 1 dc in the back loop of each st around. Join with a ss. (52 sts) Working into the back loops makes a neat ridge where the sole turns up into the sides.
Rounds 5 and 6: 1 ch, 1 dc in each st around. Join with a ss. (52 sts)
Toe shaping
Round 7: 1 ch, 1 dc in each of next 17 sts, [dc2tog] 9 times, 1 dc in each of next 17 sts. Join with a ss. (43 sts)
Round 8: 1 ch, 1 dc in each of next 14 sts, [dc2tog] 7 times, 1 dc in each of next 15 sts. Join with a ss. (36 sts)
Round 9: 1 ch, 1 dc in each of next 12 sts, [dc2tog] 6 times, 1 dc in each of next 12 sts. Join with a ss. (30 sts)
Try the bootie against the sole of your hand: the toe should now be gently domed, with the opening narrowing over the instep.
Ankle eyelets
Round 10: 4 ch (counts as 1 tr and 1 ch), skip next st, *1 tr in next st, 1 ch, skip next st*; repeat from * around. Join with a ss to the 3rd of the 4 ch. (15 tr and 15 ch-sps)
Ribbed cuff
Round 11: 2 ch, 1 htr in each tr and each ch-sp around. Join with a ss. (30 sts)
Rounds 12 to 14: 2 ch, 1 htr in the back loop of each st around. Join with a ss. (30 sts) Back loop half trebles give the cuff a soft ribbed look and a little stretch.
Round 15: 1 ch, ss loosely in each st around. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Make a second bootie the same way.
Ties and finishing
Thread a ribbon in and out of the eyelets in Round 10, starting and finishing at the front, and tie a bow. For a yarn tie, make a 45cm chain and work 1 ss in the back bump of each chain.
Lay the booties flat, mist lightly with water and shape the toe with your fingers. Leave to dry.
Safety first: trim ribbon ends so they are no longer than needed for a bow, and knot or seal them so they cannot fray. Booties are for supervised wear, and should be taken off when baby is put down to sleep. Avoid buttons, beads or pompoms on anything for very young babies.
Gift ideas and variations
- Two-tone: work the sole and Round 4 in a contrast colour, then change to the main colour for the rest of the bootie.
- Matching set: pair the booties with a simple newborn hat in the same yarn for a baby shower gift.
- Softer cuff: for a slouchier cuff, add two more rounds of back loop half trebles before the slip stitch edge.
Caring for cotton booties
Machine wash cotton booties at 30 to 40 degrees in a laundry bag, then reshape and dry flat. Avoid tumble drying, as it can shrink cotton and make the booties too small.
