Leather-bottomed booties
This pattern is based on Courtney Lee's Basic Baby Socks, but modified to fit a child approximately 3 to 4 years old. The leather pads were added to lend some traction to the bottoms of the booties.
Notions:
Approximately 100 metres of DK or worsted weight yarn 4 x 3.5 mm dpn needles 1/8 yard soft leather or suede
Stitches:
K: knit P: purl K2tog: knit two together P2tog: purl two together SSK: slip, slip, knit (slip two stitches knitwise to right needle, insert left needle into front and knit two stitches together)
Pattern:
Loosely cast on 36 stitches and divide among three needles. Join end of round, being careful not to twist knitting. Rib 2 x 2 for 12 rounds. To make the heel Hap, knit 18 stitches onto one needle, moving the remaining 18 onto another. The heel is not knit in the round. Knit the 18 heel-stitches in stockinette for 17 more rows, ending with the completion of a purl row and right side facing. Begin the gusset on the 18 heel-stitches: 1. S1, K10, SSK, K1, turn. 2. S1, P5, P2tog, P1, turn. 3. S1, K6, SSK, K1, turn. 4. S1, P7, P2tog, P1, turn. 5. S1, K8, SSK, K1, turn. 6. S1, P9, P2tog, P1, turn. 12 stitches remain. To shape the heel, knit one row across the 12 stitches but do not turn, so that the right side is still facing. Divide the 12 heel stitches between two needles, with 6 stitches per needle.The centre of the heel marks the beginning of the new round. With right side facing, pick up 9 stitches evenly along the edge of the heel fap, moving from the gusset towards the ribbing. Knit the 18 stitches that have been held on the separate needle. Evenly pick up another 9 stitches along the other edge of the heel fap and knit the remaining 6 stitches that mark the end of the round. There should now be 48 stitches in total, with 15 on needles #1 and #3, and 18 on needle #2. To begin the gusset,\*knit all for 1 round, ending with centre of heel. Knit all to last 3 stitches of needle #1. K2tog, K1. Knit all stitches on needle #2. On needle #3, K1, SSK, knit to end of round.\* Continue from \* to \* until 36 stitches remain, with 18 on needle #2 and 9 on needles #1 and #3. Knit all for 14 rounds. To shape the toe, \*knit all to last 3 stitches of needle #1. K2tog, K1. On needle # 2, K1, SSK, knit all to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1. On needle # 3, K1, SSK, knit to end of round of needle. Knit all for 1 round.\* Continue from \* to \* until 12 stitches remain, with 6 stitches on needle #2 and 3 stitches each on needles #1 and #3. Knit all stitches from needle #1 onto needle #3 so that only two needles remain, with 6 stitches on each. Use the Kitchener stitch to seamlessly bind remaining stitches. To finish with toe pads, cut out 2 each of the upper and lower pads (see last page of pattern) using a soft leather and, with suede side facing away from the sock, stitch the edges of the pads to bottom of socks. Weave in all ends to finish.
