Tuck Stitch Baby Bootie

Inspired by Anne Bayes Book,

“A New Concept in Baby Booties”

This is my original baby bootie, and it utilizes a DAK file for the shaping. It is worked on a 965I but should be quite usable on similar machine. I did a tuck stitch pattern that looks like seed stitch.

Links to DAK files: Tuck DAK File

Yarn: Use a thin yarn, about 8 stitches per inch

Tension 4

Cast on with waste yarn over 60 needles (30, each side of zero)

Knit a few rows with waste yarn

On the last row of waste yarn, leave a loop to cut later and pick out the waste yarn when grafting the foot. With carriage on the left, pull down about six inches of waste yarn, knit across, and change to red (main color) yarn. RC 000

Sole

The first part that is knitted is the sole, which is short-rowed. Set carriage to select needles (KCII, setting that does not automatically select end needles) and knit a row. The first pass selected every needle into D position. Press both part buttons, so the needles selected will be the only ones knitted. Continue knitting, and the machine will automatically shape the foot using the part buttons.

Foot

At RC 16, release the part buttons and press both tuck buttons. Knit to RC 36. Release the tuck buttons and depress the part buttons. Knit to RC 46. This shapes some extra depth to the back of the heel. Continue knitting with the part buttons in, and the machine begins to shape the front of the toe. Knit to RC 54.

Press the memo button. Turn the KC knob to N-L. Take off the stitches to the left of the center 10 needles, which are selected, and put them on waste knitting. Then take the needles out of work. Take off the stitches to the right of the center 10 needles, and put them on waste knitting. Take those needles out of work.

Bring the carriage outside the turn mark. Press the “memo” key again. Turn the dial to KCII again. Now the machine will select needles again.

Top of Foot:

Change RC to 000. Carriage on right.

**On the side opposite the carriage, that is, the left side, pick up the stitch on the waste yarn that is closest to the knitting and hang it on the adjacent needle in work. Knit from right to left. Now with the carriage on the left, pick up the stitch from the waste yarn closest to the right and hang it on the rightmost needle. Knit to the right. Repeat from ** until RC is at 18.

At RC 18, carriage on right, pick up the stitches which remain on waste yarn on the left side of the knitting onto new needles. Knit across. RC 19, pick up the stitches on waste yarn at the right onto new needles, and knit across. RC 20.

­Ankle & Cuff:

Knit 2 rows. RC 22. Every 4^th needles will be selected for eyelet holes to go around the ankle. Hand-transfer each selected stitch to the adjacent needle for the eyelets, being sure to leave the empty needles in work. K 2 rows, RC 24.

Press in both tuck buttons, knit to RC 39, and release tuck buttons.

Loosen tension to 6. Depress part buttons and knit to RC 45. Pick up the slip stitch loops onto the needle directly above – this is for the shell edging at the top of the cuff. Knit 1 row at tension 10 with the part buttons de-selected and latch the bootie off.

Finishing: Kitchener stitch the sole of the foot; mattress stitch the back of the leg, and make a cord or use a thin ribbon for the drawstring at the ankle.