Bring a little ray of sunshine to tiny feet with these charming handmade baby booties! Featuring a delightful horizontal ribbed texture that’s both cozy and stylish, and accented with a cute polka-dotted bow, these booties are surprisingly simple to make. The pattern is designed to be worked flat and then seamed, making it a fantastic project for crocheters of all skill levels, even adventurous beginners!
Yarn:
- DK (Double Knit) or Light Worsted Weight yarn in yellow (Main Color), as pictured. Choose a soft, machine-washable baby-friendly yarn like acrylic or a cotton blend for comfort and easy care.
- Small amount of yarn or ribbon for the bow (blue with white polka dots, as pictured).
Hook:
- 3.5 mm (US E/4) crochet hook (adjust hook size if necessary to achieve desired fabric and tension).
Notions:
- Tapestry needle for seaming and weaving in ends
- Scissors
- 2 small ready-made ribbon bows (blue with white polka dots), or material to make your own bows
Gauge (Important for Sizing!):
- 18 SC and 20 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in single crochet. (The textured stitch will slightly alter this, but this is a good starting point for size).
- Always make a small swatch to check your gauge, as it’s crucial for the finished size of the booties!
Size:
- Newborn to 3 months (approximately 3.75 – 4 inches / 9.5-10 cm sole length when finished).
- To adjust for larger sizes, you will need to increase the starting chain for the sole and add more rows for both the sole and the upper sections. Ensure your total stitch count for the body remains an even number for the textured pattern.
Abbreviations (US Crochet Terms):
- Ch: Chain
- Sl St: Slip Stitch
- SC: Single Crochet
- HDC: Half Double Crochet
- St(s): Stitch(es)
- FO: Fasten Off
- BLO: Back Loop Only (insert hook only into the back loop of the stitch)
Pattern Instructions:
These booties are worked flat in one piece, then folded and seamed.
Part 1: The Sole & Body Base (Main Color – Yellow)
- Ch 27.
- Row 1 (RS): SC in 2nd Ch from hook. SC in next 24 Ch. 3 SC in last Ch. (Work around the end of the chain). Now working along the other side of the starting chain: SC in next 24 Ch. 2 SC in the very last Ch (this is the same ch as your very first SC). Sl St to first SC to join. (54 SC)
- You’ve now created an oval shape for the sole.
- Row 2: Ch 1 (does not count as a stitch). SC in each SC around. Sl St to first SC. (54 SC)
- Row 3: Ch 1. SC in BLO in each SC around. Sl St to first SC. (54 SC)
- Working in the BLO creates a distinct ridge, separating the sole from the body of the slipper, similar to the ridge seen on the sole of the blue bootie in maxresdefault (14).jpg.
Part 2: The Textured Upper (Main Color – Yellow)
Now we’ll work back and forth in rows to shape the top of the slipper and create the lovely horizontal ridges.
- Row 4 (RS): Ch 1 (does not count as a stitch). SC in first 36 stitches. Turn. (36 SC)
- You are now working only on the front section of the slipper. The remaining 18 stitches will form the back/heel opening.
- Row 5 (WS – Ridge Row): Ch 1. SC in BLO in each of the 36 stitches. Turn. (36 SC)
- Row 6 (RS): Ch 1. SC in each of the 36 stitches. Turn. (36 SC)
- Repeat Rows 5 and 6 three more times. You will have 4 visible horizontal ridges on the body of the slipper.
Part 3: Shaping the Toe (Main Color – Yellow)
Now we will begin decreasing stitches to form the toe of the bootie.
- Row 13 (WS – Ridge Row): Ch 1. SC in BLO in first 14 stitches. Sk 2 SC. SC in BLO in next 14 stitches. Turn. (28 SC)
- Row 14 (RS): Ch 1. SC in first 12 stitches. Sk 2 SC. SC in next 12 stitches. Turn. (24 SC)
- Row 15 (WS – Ridge Row): Ch 1. SC in BLO in first 10 stitches. Sk 2 SC. SC in BLO in next 10 stitches. Turn. (20 SC)
- Row 16 (RS): Ch 1. SC in first 8 stitches. Sk 2 SC. SC in next 8 stitches. Turn. (16 SC)
- Row 17 (WS – Ridge Row): Ch 1. SC in BLO in first 6 stitches. Sk 2 SC. SC in BLO in next 6 stitches. Turn. (12 SC)
- This completes the toe shaping. You should now have 12 stitches on your hook, forming the front tip of the slipper.
Part 4: The Ankle/Cuff (Main Color – Yellow)
This section forms the top edge of the bootie.
- Row 18 (RS): Ch 1. SC in each of the 12 stitches. Turn. (12 SC)
- Row 19 (WS – Ridge Row): Ch 1. SC in BLO in each of the 12 stitches. Turn. (12 SC)
- Row 20 (RS): Ch 1. SC in each of the 12 stitches. Turn. (12 SC)
- This creates the straight upper edge of the bootie. FO, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Video tutorial
Finishing Your Slipper:
- Weave in all initial loose ends from your starting chain and yarn changes.
- Seaming:
- Lay your crocheted piece flat with the RS facing you. The side with the decreases is the toe. The long straight section (Rounds 1-3) is the sole.
- Fold: Fold the piece in half lengthwise, bringing the two long side edges together.
- Toe Seam: Using your tapestry needle and the long tail from Row 20, sew the top edge of the shaped section (the 12 stitches from Row 17 and onwards) together. This forms the front tip of the bootie.
- Heel Seam: Now, bring the two raw edges of the “ankle/cuff” section together (the 12 stitches from Row 18-20). Seam these two edges closed to form the back heel seam.
- Sole Seam: Finally, you’ll have a seam running along the bottom of the foot where the original starting chain meets the side of the worked fabric. Carefully seam this section closed from the toe to the heel.
- Attach Bow: Securely stitch your small decorative ribbon bow onto the front top of the slipper, just above the toe.
- Make a Second Slipper: Repeat all steps to create a matching pair!
And there you have it! Adorable, cozy, and handmade baby booties with a beautiful textured finish. They’re quick to whip up and make fantastic gifts for baby showers or for your own little one.
Happy crocheting!
