Knitted Baby Shoes

Many years ago I came across a book called “50 baby bootees to knit” by Zoe Mellor. I had to have it. I did not have any babies to knit for at the time, but the booties were just so cute and I liked the idea of a project that would not take too long or use very much yarn. I knit one pair for a shower gift, and then the book when on a shelf for about 15 years.

One problem with knitting pattern books is that usually there are only a couple of patterns that I would actually make. In this case, in addition to the many booties in the book I would not make, I realized that I generally don’t like projects that involve more time on assembly than actual knitting. Nowadays I get most of my patterns on Ravelry. Almost all knitting and crochet patterns are available there, it is easy to search for a pattern when you have something in mind, you can see photos of things people made with each pattern, and you can buy the specific pattern you want. Many patterns offered for free.

In the fall of 2022 after I found out that we would be having a grandchild, I dug the book out again and picked out a pattern to work on in Arizona last winter. I had some Rowen 4-ply cotton yarn in my stash. Many of the booties in the book are variations of one basic pattern that is knitted flat, as you can see in the photo below. The two sides of the heel are joined, and then the upper part of the bootie is sewed on to the sole, with some gathering at the toe. It did not take very long, but had too much assembling for my taste.

The next photo shows the sole of the booties after sewing the top on to the bottom.

I don’t remember what size I made, but I believe it was not the smallest or largest size. I had no concept of what size a baby’s feet are. I did not know how old the grandchild would be when they fit her. They are like tiny Mary Jane shoes.

Following are photos of the knitted shoes on our granddaughter Blair’s feet in November, when she was about five months old. They were the right width, but too long.

When I was a baby my mom knitted and sewed clothes for me. I have a few of these items, including a purple dress with a yoke that she smocked herself. When our daughter Britta was an infant, I remember wanting to get a picture of her wearing the purple dress, but I don’t think it happened or in any case I cannot find a photo.

When Britta was a baby, Wayne’s sister and brother-in-law gave us a small wooden rocking chair with her initials, BEH, carved in it. Wayne found the chair this fall and noticed that if he filled in the bottom of the “E”, changing it to an “F”, it would now have Blair’s initials. We brought the chair with us to St. Paul to our son and daughter-in-law’s house for Christmas. Their dog immediately chewed on one of the armrests.

Blair was pretty proud of herself sitting in the little rocking chair.

While we were there at Christmastime I also got a photo of Blair wearing the purple dress and the booties, while sitting in the rocking chair. The wet spot on one side is where she stuffed a wad of dress in her mouth. Usually Blair is wearing something more practical, and everything is so casual these days, I don’t know if she will ever wear the dress again.

I am glad I got some photos, but also a little sad that my mom is no longer with us to see her great granddaughter wearing the dress she made about 65 years ago.