Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

I think it’s lovely to welcome a little one into the world surrounded by thoughtful handmade gifts, and these itty-bitty boots are just the ticket for such a reception. Brimming over with the “awww” factor, everyone who sees these Felt Baby Shoes wants to pick them up and coo, almost as if they contained a chubby little baby foot already!

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Sometimes when I get on a roll with a fun and easy project like this, it’s hard to stop. In this case, I ended up with a pile of eight pairs of shoes, all from one Purl Soho Wool Felt Bundle! Our gorgeous Autumn Bundle covers a beautiful spectrum of warm earth tones, just right for boys or girls. And a bright red, handembroidered edge finishes the color story with a zing, while adding a sweet handmade, rustic charm.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

I love the idea of sewing up a big bunch of booties to have on hand for baby showers and welcome-to-the-world gifts. A pair would also look so cute peeking out of a baby’s Christmas stocking!

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Molly Schnick. Click here to see even more of Molly’s work!

Materials

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

To make eight pairs of 3 month sized baby shoes:

Pattern

Cutting and Pinning

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Cut the templates from one of the felt pieces. Using the erasable fabric marker mark the felt corresponding to dashes and Xs on the template. You don’t need to make the full X markings, just mark a dot corresponding to the center of each X.

Cut two 1-inch lengths from the elastic.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Pin one sole piece and one upper piece together at their back center marked dashes.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Arrange the sole so it’s laying flat. Wrap the right side of the upper piece across the front so that the front curves of both pieces match up.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Then wrap the left side across the sole and match up its curve with the sole’s front curve. Pin the three layers (the sole, the left right side, and the left side) together at the front of the sole.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

For the opposite shoe wrap the left side first, and then the right and pin them together in the same manner.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Pin the upper section all the way around the perimeter of the sole, keeping the sole flat, on both of the shoes.

Sewing

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Arrange one of the shoes so it’s facing forward. Thread a hand sewing need with a 46-inch length of the pearl cotton. Do not tie a knot in the thread. Pull the needle from the sole section through to the upper section at the back marking dash, 1/4-inch from the edge, leaving a 4-inch tail. Lay the tail over the working thread and arrange the working thread to point towards the right

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Take a stitch, 1/4-inch from the edge and 1/4-inch to the right of the previous stitch, entering from the upper piece. Pull the needle out through the sole keeping the needle on top of the thread coming from the previous stitch, as shown above. This is a buttonhole stitch.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Use this buttonhole stitch to sew around the entire perimeter of the shoe, making sure to sew through all three layers at the toe section.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

When you get all the way around to where you started tie a knot with your tail and working yarn.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Pull the working yarn through the seam for a few inches.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Snip off the thread right at its exit point to make it disappear.

Thread the needle with the tail and repeat the same process to hide it.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Here is the first shoe, all stitched up.

Repeat all of these steps for the second shoe.

Adding the Elastic

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

On the first shoe, sew the left side of one of the elastic pieces to the left hand dot marked on the upper section with a doubled cross stitch.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Tuck the right hand side of the elastic inside the shoe and stitch it to the marked right hand dot with a double cross stitch. You might have to pull the left and right sides apart a bit in order to do this. This will help the shoe to stand up.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

Attach the elastic to the second shoe in the same manner, only this time sew it the the right side first and then to the left side.

Felt Baby Shoes | Purl Soho

You’re all done!