Bootees for Babes, Dolls and Rabbits

I’ve always preferred knitting novelties, items for fun as well as practicality, and items of clothes that are no more time-consuming than a scarf, a head band or some hand warmers.  And when the opportunity to knit something for baby came along, bootees were the obvious choice.

Strictly speaking, I did once make a coat for a 4” doll from a pattern for a Christmas jumper tree decoration, a pair of Mary Jane shoes and a cardigan for an 18″ doll; a jumper for a boy doll and a gorgeous pair of bootees for a rabbit…

 

 

But this new project was for real and needed to be comfortable as well as looking good.  Even so, I thought “Bootees? I won’t make just one pair, I’ll make three pairs to suit three stages of growth”.

I found what was hailed as the easiest bootie pattern ever, in three sizes.  Perfect.  You knit a T shape, fold in the ends of the cross bar across the foot bed and secure at the top of the foot bed and there you have it.  Follow this link for pattern and photos www.gina-michele.com

It was true, the pattern was very easy so, two pairs down, I upped the ante and went for a different style with a pattern that promised no complicated stitches (garter stitch all the way) , no shaping and no bother.  This pattern was found in First Knits Simple projects for knitters by Luise Roberts & Kate Haxell and again, I made a pair for a 6-month-old with relative ease, but it took AGES.

I posted them 6 months to the day of her birth.   Phew, I’d forgotten how quickly babies grow and how long even the simplest pattern can take if it’s for a real-life infant.

My next project is to knit an egg cosy styled as a trophy, much more relaxing.