My first try at knitting baby shoes - from #LRCrafts - DIY Passion: if you can think it, you can make it by Rici86.
My granny was the one who introduced me to knitting. She worked at home for a knitwear factory, refinishing their products by hand, while I was sitting next to her with my knitting needles, trying to knit blankets for my plushes.
I never went far from that. I’m sorry I never learned how to knit socks (another thing she made yearly for all the male family members who worked out in the cold), nor sweathers, nor anything else. Just squares, in different lenghts and widths. So far, my best project has been a scarf I made as a teenager, that I still have and proudly wear.
Well, when I got pregnant my mother, who’s an accomplished crocheter, started making all sort of things: decorated sweathers, light dresses, amigurumi and all sorts of stuffed animals, toys, a giant doll with all her clothes, the welcome garland for our door… I wanted to try and make something myself, so I thought about dusting off my knitting needles.
I went to Pinterest to look for beginner friendly patterns and I found one I could make: easy baby shoes, each one just out of two squares.
Fiber arts
Click for the finished project detailed photos
Well, the original instructions I followed directed to knit each shoe in one go. Since I was not able to change the number of stitches as I knit, I decided to make a little adjustment and just knit two different squares to be joined together.
The pattern consists of a bigger square for the main body and sole of the bootie and another smaller one for the front. Sewing the part together produces a seam on the sole that would not be very comfortable to step on, but you know, babies don’t step on their feet yet.
That was an occasion to experiment a couple of stitches and get my hands remember the feeling of knitting needls. One of my favourites is the seed stitch, that I used for the main body of my booties. For the toes, I chose a basic ribbing stitch for extra elasticity. Well, other than those I know garter stitch and stockinette stitch, that’s all!
Knitting my squares was relaxing and more funny than I remembered from my last project. I got them even enough to be satisfied first try!
Before the final assembly, I gathered the top of my smaller square.
To assemble my slippers, I had to sew the short sides of the bigger square with the long sides of the smaller square, to obtain a circle. To do this, I assured that the two squares made an even long side: that was meant to become the bottom of the slipper.
I sewed one side, then the other, finally I closed the sole on the bottom. I then added a decorative button where I gathered my knitted square and folded the edge outward.
Coming back to a childhood craft was funny! My baby enjoyed her tiny slippers… for a little while, before growing too much to wear them! Now they rest in my box of baby memories, to remind me how tiny her feet were during those first months.
Did I go on with knitting? Well, no. Not for now. The following project for my baby was a handsewn dress, finished just before getting my very first sewing machine for my birthday. Maybe I’ll come back to knitting one day, who knows? For now I am busy with my lucet!
