Proudfeet Hobbit Foot Baby Booties

Proudfeet
Hobbit Foot Baby Booties

As shown: Caron Simply Soft in Seashell, Red Heart Foxy in Pecan

These furry-foot booties are an adaptation of Carole Barenys' Two Needle Baby Booties Knitting Pattern Cute, quick, and super-easy, they make a great baby gift for any expectant Lord of the Rings fan.

Needles: Size 2 or 3 (US) straights or circulars. These booties are knit flat and seamed. They are knit from the cuff down.

Yarn: Sport or Worsted in appropriate flesh tone, fun fur or eyelash yarn in desired ?hair? color. One skein of each will be quite sufficient and will probably make several pairs.

The Pattern

Cast on 34 stitches with flesh-color yarn

Cuff:
Rows 1-10: Work in K1P1 ribbing
Row 11: K11 and place these 11 stitches on a holder. K12. Put last 11 stitches on a holder without working. You will be working the middle 12 stitches for the instep.

Instep:
Work this with both the flesh and ?hair? yarn stranded together.
Rows 1-17: Work in stockinette (K one row, P the next), starting with a P row and ending with a P row.
Row 18: K2tog, K10
Row 19: P2tog, P9
Row 20: K2tog, K8
Row 21: P2tog, P7
(8 stitches remain)

Welt:
Drop the ?hair? yarn and use only flesh yarn for the rest of the bootie.
Row 1: K8. Use free needle to pick up 11 stitches by inserting it in the bumps along the edge of the instep, starting at the cuff and working towards the occupied needle. Knit these 11 stitches. Now use the free needle to pick up the 11 stitches from the adjacent holder. Knit these 11 stitches.
Row 2: K30. Use free needle to pick up 11 stitches along the other edge of the instep. Knit these 11 stitches. Now use the free needle to pick up the 11 stitches from the remaining holder. Knit these 11 stitches.
Rows 3-10: K52

Sole:
Row 1: K26, place marker, K26
Row 2: P52
Row 3: K2tog, K to within two stitches of marker, K2tog, pass marker, K2tog, K to within two stitches of end, K2tog.
Row 4: P48
Row 5: K2tog, K to within two stitches of marker, K2tog, pass marker, K2tog, K to within two stitches of end, K2tog.
Row 6: P44
Row 7: K2tog, K to within two stitches of marker, K2tog, pass marker, K2tog, K to within two stitches of end, K2tog.
Row 8: P20 and stop. (Half the stitches will be on each needle)

Cut yarn, leaving long tail. Use the tail to seam the sole together kitchener-style, then seam up the back of the cuff. (Alternately, P40 on row 8, bind off, and seam shut ? not as pretty, but some may find it easier.)

Repeat for second bootie.