Knitted Baby Booties with Button Straps

5 min read

Knitted baby booties are a classic first gift for a newborn. They knit up quickly, use little yarn, and look adorable with a button strap. A pair of booties fits in one hand, yet it teaches the main skills of knitting: casting on, knit and purl stitches, shaping, and seaming. If you can knit a scarf, you can knit these booties.

This guide makes booties for a newborn up to three months old. The finished foot measures about 9 cm long. You can adjust the size by using thicker yarn and larger needles for a bigger foot, or by adding a few extra rows to the sole. Soft yarn matters most, because baby skin is sensitive and a scratchy fiber will never get worn.

Yarn, Needles, and Buttons

Choose a soft baby weight yarn in a light color so you can see your stitches. A blend with merino wool and a little nylon feels soft and holds its shape. You need about 30 grams for a pair. Use straight needles one size smaller than the yarn label suggests, because a firm fabric keeps the bootie from stretching out of shape.

Pick two small flat buttons about 1 cm wide for the straps. Flat buttons sit smoothly against a baby ankle and snag less than domed buttons. Sew the buttons on firmly with matching thread, and tug each button hard before you finish. A button must never come loose on baby clothing, so double stitch every button and bury the thread ends inside the seam.

Knitting the Sole

Cast on 28 stitches for the sole. Knit every row in garter stitch for 12 rows to form a flat strip. Garter stitch lies flat and gives a thick sole that cushions tiny feet. Keep your tension even; a sole that pulls tight on one side will twist the bootie. Count your stitches at the end of every fourth row to catch a dropped stitch early.

On the next row, increase at both ends and at the center to widen the sole for the toe. Knit two stitches together at the start of the shaping row if the pattern calls for a decrease, and follow the counts row by row. The sole should look like a rounded rectangle with a slightly wider toe end. Mark the toe end with a scrap of yarn so you orient the upper correctly later.

Shaping the Upper and Cuff

Pick up stitches around the sole edge to form the upper. Knit in stockinette stitch for six rows to build the sides. Then shape the toe by knitting two together across the front section on every other row. This draws the front of the bootie up and over the toes. The back and sides stay straight, which leaves a neat opening for the foot.

For the cuff, switch to ribbing: knit one, purl one for eight rows. Ribbing stretches to fit over the heel and then hugs the ankle. Bind off loosely so the cuff is not tight. A tight bind off makes the bootie hard to put on, so use a needle one size larger for the bind off row if your bind off tends to pull in.

Adding the Strap and Finishing

Knit a short strap separately: cast on 10 stitches, work four rows in garter stitch, and bind off. Sew one end of the strap to the inside of the bootie at the ankle. Sew a button to the other end of the strap and make a buttonhole by leaving a small gap in the strap stitching, or simply loop the strap over the button and stitch it closed. The strap should hold the bootie on without squeezing the ankle.

Seam the sole and the back of the bootie with mattress stitch for a flat join. Weave in all yarn ends with a tapestry needle, trimming them close after two passes. Wash the finished booties gently by hand in cool water with a mild soap, then dry them flat. A clean, soft pair of booties is ready for its first outing.

Sizing Booties for Growing Feet

Baby feet grow fast, so check the bootie size against the baby foot before you finish the pair. A newborn bootie fits a foot of about 9 cm, a three month bootie fits about 10 cm, and a six month bootie fits about 11 cm. Measure the foot from heel to longest toe while the baby stands or lies with the foot flat. Add 1 cm of ease so the bootie slips on without squeezing.

To enlarge the pattern, add two stitches to the cast on for each extra centimeter of foot length, and work two extra rows on the sole. To shrink it, remove two stitches and two rows. Write your adjusted numbers on the pattern before you start knitting so you do not lose track mid-project. A bootie that fits well stays on, while a loose one falls off and a tight one hurts.

Knit the cuff a little longer than you think you need, because a longer cuff folds down and still fits. A cuff that is too short slides off the ankle. If the booties are for a gift and you cannot measure the baby, knit the three month size: it fits most babies for the longest stretch of time.

Ready for the next step? Start with How to Knit a Chunky Blanket with Arm Knitting, then browse the related guides underneath.

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