Mary-Jane style, lemon-inspired booties that really are "easy peasy"!
After designing the Easy Peasy Lemon Beanie, I knew there had to be matching booties! It took me a little while to think about how these would work, but eventually came up with this Mary-Jane style that uses the crochet leaf as the button!
At first I wasn't too sure about how these looked with the little leaf, but it's really growing on me! No pun intended :') The leaves on the shoes match the leaf on the Easy Peasy Lemon Beanie, and the best part is that this design is truly baby-proof. By using the leaf as the button, there is zero choking hazard here!
For this design you'll just need some worsted weight yarn in yellow and green, as well as a crochet hook in Size E. This pattern is written for preemies, but you can easily adjust the size of the bootie by using a larger hook size and adjusting your tension.
Have fun with this one! My hope is that through me designing these baby/preemie patterns, you will be inspired and enabled to crochet for a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or nonprofit/charity in your own community. Receiving a beanie or pair of booties positively impacts the experience of a parent with a baby in the NICU, and provides them comfort through a sense of normality in such an abnormal time of their lives.
EASY PEASY LEMON BOOTIES CROCHET PATTERN - SIZE PREEMIE
Materials:
Worsted weight yarn in light yellow and green ( I used Joann's Big Twist in Pale Yellow and Red Heart Super Saver in Frosty Green)
Size E crochet hook
Tapestry Needle
Abbreviations:
Ch = chain
St = stitch
Sl St = slip stitch
Sc = single crochet
Hdc = half double crochet
Dc = double crochet
Hdc2tog = half double crochet two stitches together
Dc2tog = double crochet two stitches together
Blo = back loops only
Note: This project is worked in joined, unturned rounds.
BODY OF SHOE: with yellow yarn; make 2
Round 1: Ch 10. 2 Hdc in the 2nd Ch from hook. 1 Hdc in each of the next 7 Ch. 5 Hdc in the last Ch. On the opposite side of the base Ch: 1 Hdc in each of then next 7 Ch, 2 Hdc in the last Ch. Sl St to the top of the 1st Hdc to join the round.
Round 2: Ch 1. 2 Sc in the first St. 2 Sc in the next St. 1 Sc in the next 4 St. 1 Hdc in each of the next 3 St. 2 Hdc in each of the next 5 St. 1 Hdc in each of the next 3 St. 1 Sc in the next 4 St. 2 Sc in each of the next 2 St. Sl St to the top of the 1st Hdc to join the round.
Round 3: Ch 1. 1 Hdc in the next St, 2 Hdc in the next St, 1 Hdc in the next St, 2 Hdc in the next St. 1 Hdc in each of the next 7 St. 1 Hdc in the next St, 2 Hdc in the next St, 1 Hdc in the next St, 2 Hdc in the next St. 2 Hdc in each of the next 2 St. 1 Hdc in the next St, 2 Hdc in the next St, 1 Hdc in the next St, 2 Hdc in the next St. 1 Hdc in the next 7 St. 1 Hdc in the next St, 2 Hdc in the next St, 1 Hdc in the next St, 2 Hdc in the next St. Sl St to the top of the 1st Hdc to join the round.
Round 4: Ch 1. 1 Hdc in the Blo of each St around. Sl St to the top of the 1st Hdc to join the round.
Round 5: Ch 1. 1 Sc in each St around. Sl St to the top of the 1st Hdc to join the round.
Round 6: Ch 1. 1 Sc in each of the next 11 St. 1 Hdc in the next St. Hdc2tog in the next 2 St, 1 Hdc in the next St, Hdc2tog in the next St, 1 Hdc in the next St.
Dc2tog in the next 2 St, Dc in the next St, Dc2tog in the next 2 St, Dc in the next St, Dc2tog in the next 2 St, Dc in the next St. Dc2tog in the next 2 St.
1 Hdc in the next St, Hdc2tog in the next 2 St, 1 Hdc in the next St, Hdc2tog in the next 2 St. 1 Hdc in the next St, 1 Sc in the next 6 St. Sl St to the top of the 1st Sc in the round.
Round 7: Ch 1. 1 Sc in the next 13 St. 1 Hdc in the next St. Hdc2tog in the next 2 St. Dc2tog 4 times (in the next 8 St), Hdc2tog in the next 2 St. 1 Hdc in the next St. 1 Sc in the next 7 St. Sl St to the top of the 1st Sc in the round to join. Tie off yellow yarn and weave in ends.
STRAP AND LEAF
Left Shoe: Counting clockwise from where you tied off the yellow yarn, Skip 21 St, and attach green yarn with a Sl St to the 22nd St. Sl St in each St around. Sl St to the 1st Sl St in the round. Ch 13, Sl St in the 7th Ch from hook and the next 5 Ch. Sl St into the border of the bootie to anchor the strap to the shoe. Tie off and weave in ends.
Count 8 Sl St back (counterclockwise) from where your strap is anchored. With the wrong side facing you (insert hook from the inside of the shoe), attach green yarn with a Sl St to the border of the shoe in the 9th Sl St back. Ch 9, Sl St in the 2nd Ch from hook, Sc in the next Ch, Hdc in the next 3 Ch, Sc in the next Ch, Sl St in the last 2 Ch. On the opposite side of the Ch: Sl St in the 1st 2 Ch, Sc in the next Ch, Hdc in the next 3 Ch, Sc in the next Ch, Sl St in the last Ch. Tie off and weave in ends.
Right Shoe: Counting clockwise from where you tied off the yellow yarn, Skip 11 St, and attach green yarn with a Sl St to the 12th St. Sl St in each St around to create a green border and Sl St to the 1st Sl St in the round. Ch 13, Sl St in 7th Ch from hook, Sl St in the next 5 Ch, Sl St into border of bootie to anchor the strap. Tie off.
Counting from where you just tied off the green yarn, Skip the next 8 St. With the wrong side facing you (insert hook from the inside of the shoe), attach green yarn with a Sl St in the next St. Ch 9, Sl St in the 2nd Ch from hook, Sc in the next Ch, Hdc in the next 3 Ch, Sc in the next Ch, Sl St in the last 2 Ch. On the opposite side of the Ch: Sl St in the 1st 2 Ch, Sc in the next Ch, Hdc in the next 3 Ch, Sc in the next Ch, Sl St in the last Ch. Tie off and weave in ends.
And that's it! Hope you enjoyed this pattern and that you'll make some for a NICU or charity/nonprofit near you. Please do not sell items made with this pattern, and be sure to tag me in photos of your finished booties on Instagram!