Cabled Circular Seamless Baby Bootees from the Top Down
©Megan Mills, 20th February 2004 megan@kiwi.gen.nz http://megan.cc/SeamlessBootee
This sample was worked with size 2.75mm needles in 5-ply yarn that wrapped around my ruler 19 times to the inch (just shy of 2.5cm). The gauge was 7 stitches to the inch (2.5cm) measured over stocking stitch and the foot of the bootee measures 10cm (4 inches) long. If you just want to practice the method then do not worry about gauge for once - whatever needles and yarn you choose will still produce the correct shape even if the size is different.
Abbreviations:
K
Knit
P
Purl
st
stitch
g st
garter stitch
O
Over (or yarn forward)
K2T
knit two together
SSK
slip one K-wise, slip one P-wise, insert the left-needle through the 2 just-slipped stitches from left to right and knit them together.
RT
right twist - K2T but do not let the sts drop, K the 1st st again, let both sts drop.
rnd
round
Instructions:
Cast on 36 sts and join into a rnd being careful not to twist. Work 4 rows of g st (remember to alternate rows of K and P).
Pattern for Cuff:
Rnds 1, 2 & 4:
P1, *K2, P2. Repeat from * to last 3 sts, K2, P1.
Rnd 3:
P1, *RT, P2. Repeat from * to last 3 sts, RT, P1.
Repeat the pattern sequence four times and repeat rnd 4. Work one rnd K.
Eyelet rnd:
(K1, O, K2T) twelve times. K one rnd.
Instep:K12, P1, (K2, P2) twice, K3 turn. S1 P-wise, (P2, K2) twice, P3, turn. Work the instep rows in the following pattern - repeat the pattern three times:
Row 1:
S1 K-wise, (RT, P2) twice, RT, K1.
Rows 2 & 4:
S1 P-wise, (P2, K2) twice, P3.
Row 3:
S1 K-wise, (K2, P2) twice, K3.
Loosely lay the working thread along the right side of the instep. Wrap it around the 12th st of this round. Pick up 12 sts along the side of the instep (2 for each chain on the edge) and while you are doing this, on alternate sts, duck the needle under the thread that was laid along the side of the instep. This will 'weave it in' so it is tidy and cannot hook tiny toes. K along the 12 sts at the top of the instep. Pick up 12 sts down the left side of the instep and K12 to the end of the rnd. You now have 60 sts.
Starting with a K rnd, do 10 rnds g st. On the first K rnd when you meet the 12th st that has the wrap work the wrap and the st together. This eliminates any hole. If you get a hole on the other side of the instep then work the st together with a st picked up from a rnd below (but this is not usually necessary).
Sole Shaping:
Rnd 1:
SSK, K22, K2T, K8, SSK, K22, K2T.
Rnd 2:
SSK, K22, K2T, K4, SSK, K22, K2T.
Rnd 4:
Rnd 5:
SSK, K22, K2T, SSK, K22, K2T.
Rnd 6:
P24.
Leave a long tail and use it to graft (Kitchener Stitch) the sides of the sole together in g st. To make grafting easier you can use a contrasting, smooth piece of waste yarn and work across all the sts again. Half will be purled and half will be knitted to maintain the g st pattern. At the halfway point leave a loose loop of yarn so that it will be easy to manipulate later. Now when you graft the two sides together the contrast yarn provides a guide on how to go in and out of the sts correctly. Pull the waste yarn out. Tidy away the ends.
You can use a ribbon for the tie or you can make a twisted, crocheted or knitted cord. I used a 2-st I-cord (made on double pointed needles by casting on 2. Then every row is K2, do not turn. Instead push the sts to the other end of the needle - or transfer them back to the left needle - pull the yarn firmly across the back and K2 again.) When I had made the cord the length I like I threaded the yarn ends on a needle and wove them up through the centre of the cord for a short distance before cutting them off.
wenus99