Melinda - 8ply buttoned baby shoes

Melinda - 8ply Buttoned Baby Shoes

What is Being Made

Melinda is a pair of knitted baby shoes designed by Jennifer Lee. These are soft, wearable shoes featuring a high back construction with two crossed ankle straps that fasten with small buttons. The shoes are sized to fit infants from newborn through 9 months, with foot lengths ranging from 7cm to 10cm (2¾ to 4 inches). This is a beginner-friendly knitting project suitable for crafters new to small garment construction.

Knitting Techniques Used

The primary construction technique for Melinda is garter stitch, which is created by knitting every row. This simple, textured stitch is ideal for baby garments as it produces a soft, stretchy fabric with excellent durability. The garter stitch creates a reversible fabric with horizontal ridges, making it visually interesting while remaining easy to execute. The high back of the shoe and the crossed ankle straps are all worked in this fundamental stitch, making the pattern accessible to beginners while still achieving a polished, finished appearance.

Stitches and Construction Details

The pattern employs basic knitting stitches and techniques appropriate for a beginner project:

• Knit (K) - the foundational stitch used throughout
• Make 1 (M1) - used to increase stitches by picking up the loop before the next stitch, placing it on the left-hand needle, and knitting into the back of the loop
• Slip (sl) - used to move stitches without working them
• Pass slipped stitch over (psso) - used in decreasing
• Yarn forward (yfwd) - creates decorative eyelets, likely for the button attachment points on the ankle straps

The pattern requires casting on 31 to 47 stitches depending on the size, and construction begins with a wrong-side knit row to establish the garter stitch pattern.

Yarn and Materials

Melinda is designed to be knitted with 8ply yarn (also known as DK weight), specifically using Lincraft Superwash 8ply in 100g balls with a yardage of 190 meters per ball. Only 1 ball of yarn is required to complete both shoes, regardless of size, making this an economical project. The superwash treatment means the finished shoes are machine washable, a practical feature for baby garments that require frequent cleaning.

Needles and Notions

The pattern calls for a pair of 3.75mm knitting needles (UK size 9, US size 5), which is the standard needle size for 8ply yarn. A wool needle is required for sewing up and finishing the seams. Additionally, 4 small buttons are needed to fasten the crossed ankle straps, providing both functional closure and decorative detail to the finished shoes.

Tension and Sizing

The pattern specifies a tension of 22.5 stitches and 44 rows to 10cm (4 inches) over garter stitch using 3.75mm needles. Achieving correct tension is important for ensuring the shoes fit properly across the four available sizes. The pattern is rated as Easy, reflecting its beginner-friendly construction and straightforward stitch work.