Junior Bootees & Peachy Bonnet in Rowan Cotton Wool - JP-Free-ENP - Downloadable PDF

Junior Bootees & Peachy Bonnet in Rowan Cotton Wool by Erika Knight

This free downloadable PDF by designer Erika Knight for Rowan contains two charming baby knitting patterns: the Junior Bootees and the Peachy Bonnet. Both pieces are worked in Rowan Cotton Wool at DK weight, making them soft, breathable, and perfectly suited for newborn and infant skin. The patterns are rated intermediate in difficulty, offering a satisfying project for knitters who are comfortable with shaping techniques and working on double-pointed needles.

Junior Bootees

The Junior Bootees are a classic pair of baby slippers knitted flat and then seamed, featuring a neat eyelet row for threading a decorative i-cord tie. The construction is straightforward yet involves several satisfying shaping steps that give the bootee its three-dimensional form.

Construction & Techniques

• Flat knitting on standard needles, worked back and forth in rows
• Instep shaping using short rows — stitches are turned mid-row to build up the toe section independently before rejoining to the main body
• Picking up stitches along the sides of the instep to create a seamless transition into the foot
• Sole shaping using paired decreases (K2tog and K2tog tbl) worked symmetrically across multiple rows to sculpt a rounded sole
• Back and sole seam joined after knitting is complete
• I-cord worked in reverse stocking stitch on double-pointed needles, threaded through an eyelet row and tied at the front of the bootee

Stitches Used

• Garter stitch (g st) — the entire bootee body is worked in garter stitch, giving a firm, textured fabric with good stretch and recovery
• Eyelet row — created with yfwd, K2tog repeat sequences to form a decorative row of holes for the i-cord drawstring
• K2tog and K2tog tbl — right-leaning and left-leaning decreases used in the sole shaping rows
• Reverse stocking stitch i-cord — an unusual and clever variation on the standard i-cord, worked by purling rather than knitting across the double-pointed needle, producing a neat rounded cord

Materials

• Yarn: Rowan Cotton Wool, DK weight — 1 ball is sufficient for the bootees
• Needles: 4mm and 4.5mm standard knitting needles; 4mm double-pointed needles (dpns) for the i-cord
• Tension: 20 sts and 28 rows to 10cm over stocking stitch using 4.5mm needles

Peachy Bonnet

The Peachy Bonnet is a sweet baby hat designed to fit four sizes, covering ages 0–3, 3–6, 6–9, and 9–12 months. Like the Junior Bootees, it is worked in Rowan Cotton Wool at DK weight, ensuring the bonnet is gentle against a baby's delicate head. The bonnet features i-cord ties worked on double-pointed needles, adding a delicate finishing detail that keeps the hat securely in place.

Construction & Techniques

• Sized across four infant age ranges from newborn to 12 months
• I-cord ties worked in reverse stocking stitch on double-pointed needles — two ties are made, one on each side of the bonnet, each approximately 20–23 cm long depending on the size being knitted
• The i-cord technique involves slipping stitches to the opposite end of the dpn without turning, then purling across while pulling the yarn tightly at the back — this creates a smooth, tubular cord
• Each tie is finished