Two Pairs of Purple Baby Booties

I've been having real trouble finding a bootie pattern that is quick and easy, I even tried to make up my own pattern! The difference with making slippers for dolls and teddy bears is that I have them to model and make sure they fit. But for the baby booties, my intented recipient is ... currently busy growing inside my tummy! We did get to see the baby's feet, complete with tiny toes, on our ultrasound at 13 weeks though. Isn't it amazing how formed the baby is after only 3 months?

After trying several different types of bootie patterns, I found this one which looked simple enough. I hope I don't get to actually use these premmie booties, that my baby arrives strong and healthy. But these premmie booties were really fun to do and look cute hanging on my pc. This pattern for premature baby booties is by Beverly @ http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/thumb-booties.html

When I was trying to make my own pattern for booties I referred to the sizes chart, also @ Beverly's cottage ( http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/size-chart.html). I didn't think making baby booties would be so troublesome, considering I've made up shoes and slippers for dolls and teddy bears without patterns! I tried several patterns, one I didn't like because it wanted me to keep fastening off and starting over in a different spot, which I believe was unnecessary, a bootie pattern should be simple and in one piece. Another pattern totally miscounted the stitches I'm sure, when I counted and recounted over it just didn't add up so I gave up on that one, too!

Eventually I watched some videos on how to make baby booties on youtube and found one I liked by Theshyrainbow. I couldn't find a website where the pattern was written down, so I've written it down for my own reference so I can make them again without having to watch the video. My pattern is not very clear, it's just for my own notes, so I recommend watching the video. Although it has some little spelling errors, it's quite straight forward and useful.

A baby bootie pattern based on Shyrainbow's youtube vid - be sure to watch her youtube video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7TCpHbNPCs
1. ch 15, 2 tr (US dc) in 4th ch from hook, tr in next 10, 6 tr in last ch, tr in bottom of next 10 st, 3 tr in last ch, sl st (32 tr counting 1st 4 ch)
2. ch 3, tr in same, 2 tr in next, tr 13, 4 tr in next, 3 tr in next, 14 tr, 2 tr in last, sl st (40 tr counting 1st ch 3)
3. ch 2, htr (US hdc) in same, 2 htr in next, htr 16, 2 htr in next 4 st, htr 16, 2 htr in last 2 st, sl st (48 tr counting 1st ch 2)
4. ch 3, tr in same, tr 46, sl st (48 tr counting 1st ch 3)
5. repeat row 4
6. ch 3, tr in same, tr 14, (tr decrease every 2) 3x, tr 4, (tr decrease every 2) 3x, tr 16, sl st
7. for top of toe I use a contrast colour, join in 12 st from main colour (9th st from centre of toe), ch 1, htr 16, turn
8. ch 2, sk 1, treble don't pull through leave loop on hook * , sk 1, trebel *, sk 1, treble *, etc to end, you should have 9 loops on hook, pull through and fasten off
9. back to main colour which is still at the heel, ch 1, dc (US sc) in same, dc 9, decrease dc over 3 in the corner, 2 dc in next sp, 1 dc in sp just right of centre, 1 dc in sp just left of centre, 2 dc in next sp, decrease dc over 3 in corner, dc 12, sl st

I added my own ankle cuffs (not in the video) ...
10. for ankle cuffs, ch 3, tr in same, tr in ea st around, sl st
11. and 12. repeat row 10.
13, 14 and 15. in contrast colour, repeat rows 10-12,
16. I added a hook at the end in case they ever get hung up somewhere because they look so cute, ch 10, sl st in 1st ch, fasten off.