Remarks:
I am probably the worst pattern-instructions-writer in the web (I just cant find the time to write it down properly), so you better regard these notes as an inspiration rather than an instruction...


Fancy Footies
I love my ballet flats with their wide opening and would prefer to wear them without
any socks at all. But as my children are still small, I spent a lot of time on playgrounds
and the combination of sand, leather and naked skin is driving me mad.

Unfortunately, the shoes opening is so wide that any kind of footy is visible. So, I
wanted footies with an edge worthy to show off – here they are ☺
These footies are basically just a toe, a sole and a heel (which is considerable
shorter than your usual heel). I worked them toe up, with toe and heel in short rows,
but feel free to use any sock-technique you prefer.
Instructions for short row toe and heel can be find on knitty.com:

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/FEATtiptoptoes.html
Notes:

The number of rows and stitches will depend on your foot size, your knitting style and
of course on the cut of shoes you want to wear them in. Start with a good guess and
make notes for the second pair. If you try them on, always put on the shoe as well –
they should follow the shoe line perfectly.

Make them much shorter than your usual sock, as they stretch a lot in length. E.g. my
footies are 24 cm from toe-tip to heel and I wear a size 43 (UK 9.5)! If you try on the
footies before working the edge, you can correct the length without too much pain by
frogging the heel and adding or frogging some rows.

If the footies are too low at the sides, add a couple of short rows of edge pattern
worked only over the side sts, until the edge comes up uniformly all around the foot.
(For your next pair of footies just add some sts on each side of the sole and they will
be a perfect fit.)

To prevent the footies from slipping around and from crouching into your shoes: knit
the sts tight and thread some soft elastic yarn at the lower part of edge.

Here is my pattern for a size L/XL (please make an educated guess for a size S or
M…)
Material:

Circular knitting needles, 2.5 mm

1 skein (50 g) of sock yarn, preferably a summer quality, e.g. Regia Cotton

elastic thread (soft)
Toe:
Cast on 28 sts. Work toe in short row technique with 8 center sts (28 sts). (My footytoes
have 22 rows on each side.)
Foot / Sole:
Work back and forth in st st, increase 1 sts at each bgn of round 5 times (38 sts).
Slip first st of every row, that makes it easier to pick up sts for finishing.


Continue until desired length of sole. (My footie-sole have 50 rows.)
Heel:
Work the heel in short rows, but decrease/increase the short rows by 2 sts each row
(instead of the usual 1 st inc/dec). This way, the heel will be short enough and not
stick out of the shoe too much. The center of the heel should be 10 sts wide. (My
footie-heel has 15 rows on each side). (38 sts)
Do not bind of sts!
Try on:
Thread elastic yarn or circular needle or even waste yarn through the edge and try on
(in shoes!).
- Too short/long: frog heel and add or frog rows until desired lenth, than re-knit
heel.
- Sides too low: Remember to add some short rows of edging just over the
sides until it is even all around.

Finishing:
Blue footies with bow:
Break yarn, but leave heel sts on needle.
(Left footie)
- Cast on 40 sts (for the bow).
- Pick up and knit sts from left side of sole: you can use the bars of every
slipped sts for picking up. Begin at left front corner between toe and side (I
picked up 27 sts from each side, I don’t know where the additional 2 sts came
from…).

- Work the heel sts as follows: *k2tog, k1*, repeat till end of heel.
- Pick up and knit sts from right side of sole as described for left side.
- Pick up and knit sts from cast-on from toe: *pick up 2 sts, omit 1*, repeat until
end of toe-cast-on-sts. Cast on 40 sts (again for the bow).
Knit back and forth in seedstitch for 1-1.5 cm (I knitted 7 rows). Bind off and weave in
all ends. (seedstitch: *k1,p1,* in odd rows, *p1, k1* in even rows).

Make the bow ☺. I was surprised to find out just how difficult it is to make a
goodlooking bow! It looks best, when you work it from the toe side, like binding your
kids shoe (take the footies of or ask someone else to do it for you).
Thread some elastic at bottom of footie-edge if desired.
Work right footie accordingly, starting at right front edge instead of left.

Grey footies with rolled edge
Do not break yarn.

- Work the heel sts as follows: *k2tog, k1* repeat till end of heel.
- Pick up and knit sts from right side of sole, you can use the bars of every
slipped sts for picking up. (I picked up 27 sts from each side, don’t know where
the additional 2 sts came from…)..
- Pick up and knit sts from cast-on from toe: *pick up 2 sts, omit 1* repeat until
end of toe-cast-on-sts.
- Pick up and knit sts from left side of sole as described for right side

Work in rounds. Work 2 rounds of seedstitch. Next round, work in st st and increase
only on heel and toe as follows: *k2, m1* until end of heel/ toe.
Work in st st for about 1.5 cm (I knitted 6 rounds for a small rolled edge). Bind off,
weave in all ends.
Thread some elastic at bottom of footie-edge if desired.

Black footie with flowers
(pictures not yet online)
These footies should only be visible in the front toe and sides, where the flowers are
attached. The edging is therefore shaped through short rows.
Pick up sts from sides and work toe and heel sts as for grey footies with rolled edge.
Work 2 rounds in seedstich. Then work in short rows in seedstitch:
- Row 1+2 do not work heel sts
- Row 3+4 do not work heel sts + 5 sts on each side
- Row 5+6 do not work heel sts + 10 sts on each side
- Bind off all sts, weave in all ends.
Crochet any number off small flowers in matching and contrasting colours, e.g from
pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kreationss-three-simple-flowers-and-
50-ways-to-use-them, and attach them to front of footies whereever you like them.
Thread some elastic at bottom of footie-edge if desired.