How to Crochet Baby Booties for Beginners

How to Make Crochet Baby Shoes: Step-by-Step

Baby booties are probably one of (if not the) easiest projects to crochet. Like hats, they work up very quickly and are great projects for the beginning crocheter.

The following instructions are using a fairly generic pattern, but once you have the basics down, you can jazz these little guys up and create a wide variety of baby shoes.

Supply List

You will need the following supplies for this project:

• Sport weight yarn in the color of your choice
• Crochet hook (size D, G, H, I, or size needed to obtain gauge)
• Stitch marker (optional)
• Craft scissors
• Tapestry needle

To make this particular pair of booties, I used an I hook and Bernat Softee Baby yarn in Rock-a-Bye Baby.

Crochet Abbreviations Used in This Project

Hook Sizes for Ages Newborn to 12 Months

Step 1: Create the Foundation Chain

Let's get started with the foundation chain.

Round One

• Round One: Ch 10, sc in second ch from hook. Sc in next seven chs; five sc in last stitch.

This round sounds tricky, but it’s really quite simple. Create a foundation chain of 10 stitches.

Single crochet in the second chain from the hook and in the next seven stitches. In the last stitch of the row, work a single crochet five times.

With this step, you are essentially turning the work so that you can single crochet the next seven stitches in the bottom loops of the foundation chain.

This is what the piece will look like once you have completed the five stitches that turn the work.

• Sc in each of the next 7 stitches using the bottom loops of the beginning foundation ch, 2 single crochet in last loop. Join with sl st to beginning sc.

Single crochet in the seven stitches in the bottom loops of the beginning foundation chain. You should have one loop left in the row. Single crochet twice in this loop and then join the last stitch you made to the first single crochet of the round with a slip stitch.

Bottom loops of beginning foundation chain.

1 / 5

Step 2: Create the Sole of the Bootie

Next you'll work on the shoe's sole.

Scroll to Continue

Hiking Black Star Falls: Stunning Views, Secret Tips, and What to Know Before You Go

The Hand of Truth

Border Czar Tom Homan and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Vow to Deport Violent Criminals With President Trump

Round Two

• Ch 2, 1 hdc in same sp as beginning ch 2, 1 hdc in each of the next seven stitches, 2 hdc in each of the next 5 stitches
• 1 hdc in each of the next 7 stitches, 2 hdc in each of the last 2 stitches. Join with sl st in the top of the beginning ch 2

I’ve broken this round into two separate rounds to make it somewhat easier to read. After joining round one with a slip stitch, you’ll chain twice and then half double crochet in the same stitch as the beginning chain two. Continue with the half double crochet for the next seven stitches.

In the next five stitches, you’ll be increasing the corner to create the toe and the heel of the shoe. To do this, you’ll place two half double crochet stitches in each of the next five stitches.

Now you should be on the other side of the sole of the shoe. Place one half double crochet stitch in each of the next seven stitches.

After the seventh stitch, you should have two unworked stitches before the beginning chain two of the round. Place two half double crochet in each of the stitches, then joint the round to the top of the beginning chain two just like you did in the last round.

You just completed round two!! Isn’t this easy?

Round Three

In round three, you continue to create the sole of the shoe, and you’ll still be increasing in the toe and the heel. This is how the pattern reads:

• Ch 2, 1 hdc in same sp as beginning ch 2 and in each of the next 11 stitches; 2 hdc in each of the next 3 stitches;
• 1 hdc in each of the next 12 stitches, 2 hdc in each of the last 2 stitches; joint with sl st to top of beginning ch 2

Again, I broke the round into two steps to make it easier to read and see how the pattern compares to the actual stitches. The first part is one side of the shoe’s sole, and the second is the other side.

As before, you'll increase by placing two half double crochet stitches in each stitch, but instead of doing it five times, you'll only be doing it three times.

This is what the piece will look like after round three:

Step 3: Create the Boot of the Bootie

In round four, we start making the actual shoe. This particular round can be tricky. The pictures should help make things a bit clearer.

Round Four

Here’s how the pattern reads:

• Ch 2, 1 hdc in each stitch around only using the back loops of the previous round, join with sl st to top of beginning chain 2.

The top of each stitch looks a lot like a horizontal letter V. AS you are holding the work ready to make your next stitch, you should see this "V" formation. The loop closest to you is the front loop, and the one furthest from you is the back loop.

Round Five

Simply half double crochet in each stitch around using these back loops. This causes the work to start to work up, creating the shoe, instead of out, like when creating the sole.

Round five is pretty straightforward.

• Ch 2, hdc in each stitch around to end, join with sl st in beginning chain 2.

This time you won’t be using the back loops. Simply crochet the round as you normally would.

Step 4: Shape the Toe

Round six begins the task of shaping the toe. This involves decreasing the number of stitches in the area that will become the toe of the shoe.

Round Six

The pattern reads as follows:

• Ch 2, hdc into each of next 11 stitches, dc2tog (6 times), 1 hdc into each of the next 12 stitches, join with sl st to beginning ch 2.

This is easier than it sounds. Chain two and then half double crochet in each of the next 11 stitches. In the 12^th stitch begin a double crochet:

Yarn over, insert hook into half double crochet in previous round, and pull up a loop. Yarn over and draw through two loops on the hook.

You should have two loops on your hook. Yarn over, insert hook into the next half double crochet of the previous round, yarn over and pull up a loop. Yarn over and draw through two loops on the hook.

You should now have three loops on your hook. Yarn over again, and draw through all three loops.

Begin the double crochet.

1 / 8

Round Seven

You will repeat this decrease six times and then continue with half double crochet for the next 12 stitches. Join the round with a slip stitch to the beginning chain two and round six is complete!

Round seven continues shaping the toe and the pattern reads:

• Ch 2, 1 hdc in each of the next 10 stitches, dc2tog (4 times); 1 hdc in each of the next 11 stitches, joint with sl st to top of beginning ch 2.

The decrease is done the same way as the previous round, but instead of making six decreases, you’re only going to make four.

Once you complete round seven, you’re ready to add the strap!

Step 5: Create the Strap

Round eight is the last round, and it's also the easiest.

Round Eight

The pattern is:

• Ch 2, hdc in each of the next 8 stitches, ch 6, skip the next 9 stitches, hdc in each of the next 8 stitches, join with sl st to beginning ch 2. Fasten off, weave in ends.

Half double crochet eight times and then chain six times.

Chain six to create the strap.

1 / 3

Count nine stitches, half double crochet in the tenth stitch, and continue until the end of the round. Join with a slip stitch to the beginning chain two.

Fasten off, and weave in the end of your yarn.

One Shoe Is Done!

Congratulations! You’ve completed your first bootie! Repeat the pattern for the second bootie. You can embellish the bootie with just about anything like a flower in the title image, or crochet a bow or other embellishment and attach it to the toe of the bootie.

Baby booties are a great project for beginning crocheters and they come together quickly, providing tangible results. Watching a project come to life is very rewarding!

© 2013 Mel Flagg COA, CPT, CHC, CNC

Comments

Ann Abazia on June 14, 2020:

Great job. Very cute shoes.

CL on May 23, 2017:

Hi Melissa, it's my 1st time crocheting. And without practising on any kind of stitches, I have made 1 bootie, successfully. Thanks to your wonderful instructions and pictures. The bootie is in wonderful shape. Thank you. Would you have the flower pattern though?

Dee on December 29, 2016:

Thank you! I'm a visual learner and you went beyond others. With your instructions ave the pictures. Its appreciated!

Marcy B on August 27, 2016:

THANK YOU!!! I've been wanting to try a project for a little bit now, but none of the "beginner" projects I had found, actually broke anything down. They just dive headfirst into crochet speak and lost me immediately. I needed the translation you provided and the pictures were definitely an added bonus. It wasn't the most perfect looking thing in the world but it was most definitely a recognizable bootie when I finished, and literally the first crochet I've done. Outside of like the practice swatches of the stitches I learned lol. I just looked at one of the other patterns I had saved to try, and it's no longer as foreign of a language as it was even yesterday. Thank so much!

Kristen Howe from Northeast Ohio on August 08, 2015:

Nicely done, Melissa! Voted up for useful!

poetryman6969 on May 04, 2015:

A lot of detailed information. Voted up!

Janet Vale from San Diego, California on August 23, 2013:

This is a great and easy DIY. I will have to make some of these for my daughter. Thanks for the amazing ideas and help!

Zulma Burgos-Dudgeon from United Kingdom on April 08, 2013:

Now that Spring is finally springing here, I'll be planning more photo shoots. For example, the Spalding Flower Parade is next month so I should get some amazing shots. Can't wait!

Have a lovely Monday.

Mel Flagg COA, CPT, CHC, CNC (author) from Rural Central Florida on April 07, 2013:

I got the Nikon D5100. Actually the first one I got (I received it during mercury retrograde...) the autofocus on it broke. Since I had bought it through amazon, I simply returned it and exchanged it for the same model. The new one works beautifully and the pictures are actually better than the fist one I got. So I think I just got stuck with a bad camera at first, or Mercury was mad at me lol

My phone has a 5 mp camera on it that takes amazing shots for a phone. So I always have that on me. My hubby now carries our older point and shoot when he wants to take pics... :D

Zulma Burgos-Dudgeon from United Kingdom on April 02, 2013:

Your photos are fab. What model did you get? I've got a Canon EOS 1100D. I bring that out when I have some serious shooting in mind. I keep my little Sony point and shoot on me at all times. You just never no when a good photo op will present itself.

Mel Flagg COA, CPT, CHC, CNC (author) from Rural Central Florida on April 01, 2013:

Thanks Phoenix! I've been slacking a bit, and working more on the blog. This was a fun hub to write though because I got to use my new nikon camera... lol While putting this hub together, I was reminded of how much I actually enjoyed writing on HP!!

Zulma Burgos-Dudgeon from United Kingdom on April 01, 2013:

I love this! I can't wait to give it a try. Definitely bookmarking this.

Nice to have you back, btw.