Sports Shoes in Schachenmayr Baby Wool - S8643A

Pattern Summary: Sports Shoes in Schachenmayr Baby Smiles Merino Wool – Design S8643A

This free downloadable knitting pattern from Schachenmayr guides knitters through the construction of a pair of charming miniature sports-style baby shoes, sized to fit feet of approximately 9 cm and 10 cm in length. Worked in a two-colour design using Schachenmayr Baby Smiles Merino Wool, these little shoes combine a structured upper, a shaped toe, a heel section, and a separately worked sole into a finished piece that closely resembles a tiny sneaker or sports shoe. The pattern is written in German and provides instructions for both sizes, with figures listed consecutively and separated by hyphens throughout.

Design Overview

The sports shoes are knitted flat in rows for the upper sections and then worked in the round for certain stages, making use of both straight needles and a double-pointed needle set. The construction begins at the shaft (Schaft) and progresses through the upper panels, toe cap, heel, and sole in a logical sequence. A two-colour scheme of Pink (colour 01036) and Natural/Natur (colour 01002) gives the shoes their sporty aesthetic, with colour placement carefully managed through intarsia technique to keep the toe cap in a contrasting natural shade while the main body remains pink.

Construction Method and Techniques

The construction of these baby shoes follows a methodical, section-by-section approach that is well suited to knitters with some experience of shaping and stitch management. Key construction techniques include:

• Flat knitting in rows – The shaft and upper panels are worked back and forth in rows, beginning with the shaft and then dividing for the right and left upper sections separately.
• Stitch holding (Stilllegen) – Stitches for the heel area and side panels are placed on hold while individual sections of the upper are worked, a technique common in shoe and slipper construction that allows precise shaping of the toe box and upper.
• Intarsia technique (Intarsientechnik) – Used to introduce the Natural colour at the toe cap while continuing the Pink across the main body of the shoe. Intarsia involves working separate yarn bobbins or lengths for each colour block, twisting yarns at colour joins to avoid holes, making it ideal for isolated colour motifs such as this contrasting toe.
• Picking up stitches from selvedge edges – After the upper sections are completed, stitches are picked up along the side edges of both upper panels to join the shoe into a unified structure before working the foot section.
• Working in the round – Once the upper, toe, and heel stitches are combined, rounds are worked over all stitches using the double-pointed needle set, transitioning the shoe from flat construction into a three-dimensional form.
• Sole shaping in rows with decreases – The sole is worked back and forth over the marked toe stitches, with the remaining stitches held to either side. At the end of each right-side row, the last sole stitch is knitted together with the adjacent held stitch, gradually joining the sole to the sides of the shoe. This technique, similar to that used in traditional sock toe construction, creates a neat and sturdy join without seaming.
• Garter stitch (Kraus rechts) – Every row is knitted on the right side to produce garter stitch texture, used in specific sections of the shoe for structure and texture contrast.
• Slip stitch selvedge – On return rows, the first stitch is slipped purlwise with the yarn held in front, creating a neat, even edge that aids in picking up stitches cleanly.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch / Stockinette (Glatt rechts) – The primary stitch pattern used throughout the upper, toe cap, and foot sections, worked flat by alternating knit and purl rows, or in the round by knitting every round.
• Garter stitch (Kraus rechts) – Achieved by knitting every row; used in designated sections to add texture and body.
• Knit two together (Rechts zusammenstricken) – A basic right-leaning decrease used during sole construction to join the sole stitches to the held side stitches row by row.
• Slip stitch (Abheben)