Marina - 4ply baby shoes or slippers

Marina 4ply Baby Shoes or Slippers by Jennifer Lee

What is Being Made

Marina is a pair of knitted baby shoes or slippers designed to fit infants from newborn through 9 months old. The pattern includes four size options to accommodate growing feet, ranging from 7cm to 10cm in length. These are soft, comfortable footwear pieces suitable for babies in their first year, featuring a decorative ribbon tie closure system.

Craft and Techniques

This project uses the knitting craft exclusively. The primary construction technique employed is garter stitch, which is created by knitting every row. Garter stitch produces a textured, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges that provides warmth and elasticity—ideal properties for baby footwear. The pattern incorporates fundamental knitting techniques including casting on, increasing stitches using the make 1 (M1) method, decreasing through pass slipped stitch over (psso), and basic shaping to form the shoe structure. Finishing involves sewing the pieces together using a wool needle to create the final three-dimensional shoe form.

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch – the foundation stitch, created by knitting every row to form the main fabric
• Make 1 (M1) – an increase technique that picks up the loop lying before the next stitch, places it on the left-hand needle, and knits into the back of the loop to add stitches for shaping
• Pass slipped stitch over (psso) – a decrease technique used to reduce stitch count and shape the shoe
• Slip stitch (sl) – used to move stitches without working them
• Yarn forward (yfwd) – creates openings or decorative elements in the fabric

Materials and Specifications

The pattern requires 4ply yarn in a single ball of 50g (approximately 185 metres). The recommended yarn is Lincraft Lullaby 4ply, though the pattern acknowledges that yarn quantities may vary depending on individual knitter tension and yarn type. Knitting needles are 3.25mm (UK size 10, US size 3/4), and a wool needle is needed for sewing seams. The pattern also calls for approximately 94 to 106cm of narrow ribbon (depending on shoe size), cut in half to create two tie closures. The tension specification is 27 stitches and 54 rows to 10cm over garter stitch using 3.25mm needles, which helps ensure the finished shoes fit properly.

Difficulty Level

Marina is rated as Easy according to the pattern, making it accessible to knitters with basic skills. Despite being labeled intermediate in broader classification systems, the straightforward garter stitch construction and simple shaping techniques make this an excellent project for those new to garment knitting or seeking a quick, satisfying make.