Baby Booties Tutorial

So I cant take credit entirely for this tutorial. The original plus pattern are here, and there are many others like it online for free. I simply improvised it a bit since Im a perfectionist and all! I also wanted a clean finished looking product, and I also figured out that depending on how you sew the pieces together you can make the sole and bootie contrast each other. So heres what I came up with:

(I will add more photos in a few days)

For EACH shoe:

Cut 2 of each pattern piece.

One main fabric (outer) and one lining

Cut lightwieght fusible for the top and sole pieces

Cut medium wieght fusible for the sole

1. Iron the interfacing to the pieces. For the top piece fuse the facing to the lining top.

For the sole fuse the facing to the main (outer bottom) piece

2. Sew the top pieces right sides together along the straight side. Open out flat and iron.

3. Now using a buttonhole stitch make a small button hole on each of the marks for the top lining piece. I did this instead of just slashing holes there with a seam ripper because again I want a clean finish and because the elastic will be put through here I wanted to avoid tearing with stretching the shoe on and off. Use a seam ripper to open the buttonholes.

4. Now fold the piece in hald on seam line and iron flat

5. Sew the heel pieces right sides together along the straight side, then iron the heel pieces out flat :

6. Now serge the short ends of the heel, or use a zig zag stitch if you dont have a serger. I do this to make the booties polished and professional looking (even though you dont see this. But I think it will help with fraying as well.

7. Now fold the heel section at seam line and iron flat

8. Place an 8 inch piece of elastic in the crease of heel:

9. On the outter fabric sew a casing close to elastic being careful not to catch it in the seam.

10. Place both heel pieces wrong side together. You can baste stitch if you like but I just wing it.

Here is where you will finalize the booty assembly. Decide if you want the sole of the booty to be contrasting to the top and heel back, or if you want the entire booty to be one fabric. Like these examples:

11. For the first option where the sole is contrasting the top you will pin the top with the outside facing the sole "wrong sides together" Start by lining up the center point and pin easing the edges around. If you want the booties to be all one fabric on the outside like the skelanimals one above then you will pin all the pieces "right sides" together.

12. Remebering the above step now pin the heel portion on to the sole in the same way. Again starting from the center point and easing around

13. Now place the elastic through the buttonholes and pull tight. Pin in place and stitch about an inch and 1/4 from end. Cut excess and rotate elastic into heel piece concealing the cut end.

14. Trim close to the edges, use pinking shears if you have them. Turn right side out.

Embellish them with bows, buttons or lace. Have fun!