Saartje's Booties

One of the patterns I’ve seen floating around in several online spots lately is the Saartje’s Booties pattern, written by Saartje, who blogs from her home in the Netherlands. She has made the pattern available for free on her blog (side bar, in both English and Dutch).

I have be honest and admit up front that I am not a big fan of baby booties in general. I have never seen a pattern for a pair that I have felt compelled to make (before these). Babies don’t need shoes until they are walking, and when they do have booties or socks on, they are constantly falling off!

But when I first came across this pattern, I decided I had to make them. What a great little design with the crossed straps — these should stay put on a baby’s foot!

I made this little pair in an afternoon, using about 12 grams (for the small size) of leftover sock yarn and some little shell buttons I found in a drawer at home. The only thing I changed was how the button loops were created. Instead of making them from yarn ends (I’m always looking for ways to sew in fewer ends), I took the last stitch of the last knit strap row, slid it onto a crochet hook, chained 6, then slid the last chain loop back onto the needle to start the bind-off row.

These little booties are a great one-day project, would make a great gift for a new baby, and a wonderful way to use up some of those yarn scraps you are reluctant to get rid of, but don’t know what to do with.