How to Make a Baby Bootie Out of Felted Wool

A handmade pair of booties makes a great gift.

Felted wool is warm, insulating and perfect for keeping a baby's foot warm. Fortunately, they are also easy to cut and sew into booties for just that purpose. Baby booties should slip on easily but still be snug around the foot, so you will need the proper measurements to get it right. Once you have these measurements, you will be able to quickly and easily craft a bootie with the right fit.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Large sheet of graph paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Felted wool
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Measure the sole of your baby's foot from front to back with a measuring tape.

2. Draw outlines similar to ones provided the Gleason's Fine Woolies Ranch website (see References) on a large sheet of graph paper with a pencil, altering the dimensions to fit your baby's sole length.

3. Cut out the graph paper outlines.

4. Lay the graph paper outlines on the felted wool and use them to cut out four bootie tops and two bootie soles from the fabric.

5. Place the rear edges of the two bootie tops together with both sides facing up and use a sewing machine to stitch a simple straight stitch to unite the two. Do this for the other two bootie tops. Use a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

6. Bring the front ends of the tops together to form the toe and stitch up the bootie about halfway to the top.

7. Stitch the bootie soles to the bottom of the booties to complete the footwear.

8. Trim the seams after stitching.

9. Fold the top cuffs of the booties down as a finishing touch.

10. Decorate the booties at will. You can stitch flowers or other appliques on them to add a personalized touch.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice a few times with inexpensive commercial felt until you get it right so you don't waste any wool felt.

References

• Hello My Name is Heather: Bitty Booties
• MarthaStewart.com: Felt Baby Shoes
• Gleason's Fine Woolies Ranch: How to Make Booties From a Flat Piece of Wool Felt