Warm Little Tootsies!

When my first daughter Bethany was a baby, a good friend posted some pics on her facebook page of some gorgeous toys she'd made for her kids.  I got chatting with her about this, and she said that she had taught herself to crochet by googling "crochet instructions", and just having a go ... what a great idea.  So I eventually got round to doing the same, and low and behold, this is now one of my favourite crafts.  I started with toys, which are so much fun, but have since graduated to hats, shoes, headbands and other accessories.  They're quick, cheap, easy and best of all they make any outfit look just a little bit more special.  And I love that my girls are excited each time they have a new little something to wear.

Where I live in Sydney, it's now winter and it's FREEZING.  And with a small bub, and what seems like an endless array of sickness around this year, I'm constantly trying to keep my munchkins warm.  So why not have some fun with this!!!  Lately most of my crocheting has been focussed on warm woolies for my munchkins' little piggies.  Here's some of the shoes I've made, and where I got the patterns...

 

           

















This was my first slipper attempt ... they are from this pattern.  Gotta love a free pattern, and these were super-quick ... a 1-evening job for sure!  I have to admit though my guage is often out-of-whack with crocheting patterns, and to compensate I often play around with yarn or hook size to get the right fit.

OK, so Bethany has 2 pairs of slippers this winter.  You see, I sewed her a pair of PJ's (in pink), and got so excited that I had actually successfully sewn something worth wearing, that I just had to make her another pair to practice (this time in purple)... Well, obviously you can't wear pink slippers with purple PJ's now can you!?!  Well that was my excuse to try out these cute bunny slippers from here.  These were even easier than the 1st ones, and the great thing was that when Bethany tried them on the next day, and they were too small (it probably would have been a good idea to measure her foot rather than just guessing), it was super easy to just undo the back seam and add on a couple of inches...gotta love that about crocheting. Oh, and I thought they looked just as cute without the button eyes and nose, so I just left them off!

Now Bethany's slippers were fun and cute, but just how adorable are these baby shoes.  I've already got some soon-to-be-baby-tootsies in mind to make some more of these little darlings.  Imagine...cute shoes, and a matching hat ... together with probably 2 evenings of work to make a beautiful handmade baby gift for a friend ... can't beat it really!  These ones are from here and here. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I made the little tootsies in the shoes too...LOL!

The exciting thing is you know... crochet baby shoes are not just for winter.  I've spotted lots of adorable patterns online for summer sandles and thongs for little bub feet ... just waiting for the weather to warm up now!