Hush Bootees in Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino (FR) - RB002-00011-FRP - Downloadable PDF

Hush Bootees by Erika Knight in Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino – Pattern Summary

The Hush Bootees is a knitting pattern designed by Erika Knight and published by Rowan. This charming pattern produces a pair of classic baby bootees worked in the round on double-pointed needles, making it a lovely project for knitters looking to create a soft, snug, and beautifully finished gift for a newborn or young infant. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and is rated as intermediate in difficulty, making it well-suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to work with double-pointed needles and simple shaping methods.

What Is Being Made

The pattern creates a pair of baby bootees — small, cosy foot coverings designed to keep tiny feet warm. The bootees are worked in the round using a set of double-pointed needles, and the foot shaping is achieved through a series of decrease rounds that sculpt the toe and sole neatly. The finished bootees have a clean, rounded silhouette that is both practical and elegant.

Sizes

The pattern includes four sizes to cover the first year of a baby's life:

• 0–3 months
• 3–6 months
• 6–9 months
• 9–12 months

Stitch counts vary across sizes, with the foot-shaping section beginning with 38 [44: 50: 56] stitches and reducing progressively through paired decrease rounds, demonstrating how the pattern carefully grades each size throughout every stage of construction.

Techniques Used

The bootees are worked in the round using a set of double-pointed needles, a technique that eliminates seams and creates a smooth, continuous fabric — ideal for delicate baby items. The foot shaping involves a series of paired decrease rounds worked alternately on knit and purl rows, gradually reducing the stitch count to form the rounded toe and sole. Knitters will need to be comfortable with:

• Casting on and distributing stitches across double-pointed needles
• Working in the round (circular knitting)
• Knit and purl stitches in the round to create stocking stitch fabric
• Paired decreases, including k2tog (knit two together) and k2tog tbl (knit two together through the back loop) on knit rounds
• Paired decreases including p2tog (purl two together) and p2tog tbl (purl two together through the back loop) on purl rounds

The use of both right-leaning and left-leaning decreases on alternate rounds is a hallmark of well-constructed bootee shaping, ensuring the fabric draws in symmetrically and neatly at the toe.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch — the foundation of the stocking stitch fabric
• Purl stitch — used on alternate rounds to build the smooth stocking stitch surface
• K2tog (knit two together) — a right-leaning decrease
• K2tog tbl (knit two together through the back loop) — a left-leaning decrease
• P2tog (purl two together) — a right-leaning decrease worked on purl rounds
• P2tog tbl (purl two together through the back loop) — a left-leaning decrease worked on purl rounds

Yarn

The pattern calls for Rowan Baby Cashsoft Merino, a 4-ply weight yarn sold in 50g balls. Only one ball is required across all four sizes, making this an economical as well as luxurious project. The yarn is photographed in two colourways: Cecily 125 and Nutkin 121, both of which showcase the yarn's soft, refined finish beautifully. Baby Cashsoft Merino