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Dear Ann,

On Oscar Sunday, there is no shortage of entertainment to knit by. Between slow roll of the red carpet interviews, and the awards themselves, a knitter can crank major yardage. The coverage seems to start earlier every year. I wouldn’t be surprised if we could watch the nominees brush their teeth this time.

For the past 19 years, I have watched the Academy Awards principally to learn about movies I didn’t see. When the kids were little, I got out of the habit of going out to the movies, and it’s a good year if I’ve seen one or two of the Best Picture nominees. I watch pre-Oscar hoopla like a visitor from another planet, trying to figure things out.

For those in a similar boat, we can offer assistance: a printable cheat sheet of the nominees in major categories, downloadable screenplays (including the script for The Big Short, which might help me understand what the heck happened there, even though I saw that one), and an LA Times article to get you current on the #OscarsSoWhite controversy.

For fun, there are honest movie posters (scroll past the junk to the posters).

And finally, an editing tour de force:

Bootie Call

Friends, I need to make a pair of newborn baby booties. Today. To give tomorrow to a friend who is about to undergo the physical and spiritual transfiguration and ascension-to-nirvana known as becoming a grandmother for the first time.

I can’t remember the last time I made a pair of baby booties. I may never have made a pair of baby booties. I don’t make baby booties lightly, but this friend is the kind of person who will get full enjoyment out of tiny footwear.

Help! Please leave me links to quick ‘n’ cutie bootie patterns that I can whip up in an hour or two.

Happy Oscar viewing, all!

Love,

Kay

P.S. Congratulations to Susan J. of Durango, Colorado, who won our drawing for a plush pile of Manos Gloria. Yarn and book are on their way.

66 Comments

  • Fast, and they don’t look it…
    Lion Brand website, L10256.
    Enjoy…

  • http://www.gina-michele.com/2015/01/easiest-baby-booties-ever-knitting.html?m=1

    Easiest Baby Booties Ever by Gina-Michele. In multiple yarn weights. You can knock out 10 in a day.

    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/christines-stay-on-baby-booties

    Christine’s Stay-On Booties if you want to take more time.

  • Yarn Harlot’s Cutest Booties. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cutest-booties Stephanie writes fabulous, clear patterns.

    • I second this one!

  • Saartje’s booties! The pattern is on Ravelry. Very cute .

    • Yes, Saartje’s booties! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saartjes-bootees

      • I chime in with a rousing YES for Saartje’s booties! And, they stay on!! I adjust sizing by going up or down a needle size. They are awesome!

  • Oh Baby! Baby Booties on Ravelry. Adorable use of garter stitch!

  • Comment

  • My favourites are Ann Budd’s Better-Than-Booties Baby Socks.

  • My daughter is two and I will be knitting a few rows in my bed before going to bed early instead of watching any TV 😉 Enjoy while knitting those cute booties!

  • Baby Ugg Booties. Bonus: they stay on.
    http://www.theiknits.com/2013/03/baby-girl-uggs.html

  • Two needle cable knit baby booties by Barbara Brieter on Ravelry. Saves knitting teeny things on four needles. You can easily “fix” the cables so they cross if you want. I used a crochet chain tie.
    I went straight to Ravelry as soon as I put “The Martian” at the top of my Netflix cue.

  • Three choices… For a girl, Saartje’s Booties, a tiny criss-crossed Mary Jane. So sweet! For the less frilly or a little boy, two patterns from Churchmouse come to mind: Wee Socks and the Stay -On Bootie… All are quick to bang out. Happy Oscar knitting!

  • Baby booties are a ridiculous thing, you know. Did you ever bother to put booties on your own babies? But they are so cute. I like the baby Uggs, and there are 100 free patterns for baby Mary Janes. I once made one super cute little baby running shoe out of fingering weight yarn. Yes, only one…

  • I went full strawberry on these for a friend’s baby:
    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pjuskens-strawberry-booties

    Really cool construction, fun to knit.

    Favorite plain old booties:

    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/seamless-stay-on-baby-booties

  • Saartje and the Yarn Harlot’s Cutest Booties are my go to patterns for tiny feet. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saartjes-bootees http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cutest-booties

    Loved that Martian clip. Have you ever seen The Wire: The Musical. I cry laughing every time.

  • These are probably the quickest booties is know. I also knit an icord and weave it in around the ankles so that they don’t slip off:

    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/eco-baby-booties

  • Better-Than -Booties – socks from Interweave are so cute!

  • My go-to, the Falick-Nicholas Stay-on Baby Booties, include an i-cord tie that my receiving moms rave about. I think the twins I first knit them for are teenagers now. If you don’t have the book, I’ve got it memorized and can “talk you through”!

    • My favorite when my own kids were babies, they stay on. And yes, living in a cooler climate, I used booties.

    • Yep, these are my favourite booties too

    • That is my go-to pattern as well. They were designed by Cathy Payson and included in our book Knitting for Baby. And they really do stay on little feet.

  • Lovebug booties are very quick and addictive. I couldn’t help but make a set using my colors every which way! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lovebug-booties

  • Saartje’s booties. Made on ones, but they go quick. Someone above said they are girl shoes, but I made them in Iowa Hawkeye colors (black and gold) and they have been worn by boys.

  • very sweet,very simple booties for baby…

    http://www.ravelry.com/library/patterns/babys-booties-knit

    • Oh dear, the link doesn’t work.

  • What I have learned as a grandmother to 7: Babies are put to bed in sleep sacks, so they don’t need blankets. Babies wear outfits with feet, so they don’t wear booties (which fall off anyways). Babies almost always will wear a cute knitted hat. I would go with a fun little hat! But that is not the question you asked. Thanks for the fun links for Oscar day. Because of grandkids, I did see one of the nominated films, ‘Inside Out.’

  • Hodge by Stella Lange. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hodge

    Extremely clever and sweet pattern. The garter stitch cuff folds down, concealing the ribbing that secures bootie to baby.

    9g one bootie, 18 for two: 63 yds

  • The best and fastest pattern I know of: http://www.carewear.org/content/assets/newsletters/june2000.pdf

    Page 12. 🙂

    Plus a great organization to support!

    Laura

  • These booties are not the very quickest booties to knit, but they are the very cutest and are always well received. The Mary Jane ones are my favorite, but they are all adorable.

    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/baby-triplet-collection—1

  • Baby booties! A lovely welcome into our world. It’s been a while for me in making booties, but one thing for sure weather knitting or crocheting them there is a multitude of patterns out there to help you do the deed. If you use the words “easy knit” when entering your Ravelry search for bootie patterns, that will yield you 6 pages alone of patterns (“A la Sascha” or “Bosnian” booties look interesting).

    Whichever pattern you choose, Kay, my advice is to use a great yarn, something that will make it sound extra special. Hand made booties are special, knit by an MDK lady even more special. So if you are able to add a great yarn, such as cashmere, it’s over the moon! (Hey diddle, diddle…). Hopefully you’very got some leftover lying around.

    Whatever you end up doing, I am sure the result will be lovely. It would be nice to see a picture. Have fun!

    LoveDiane

  • My favorite super quick pattern is Baby Booties by Michelle of Ooo Baby Knits on Ravelry. They are so easy, and stay on!!

  • Hmmm…I thought I left a comment before. Anyway, my go-to booties are Saartje and the Yarn Harlot’s Cutest Baby Booties. Both are charming on the babe and charming to knit.

    Loved the Martian redo. Had me cracking up. Have you ever seen The Wire: The Musical. Very very funny satire.

  • I love this seamless version of a standard baby bootie pattern. This is one is top-down and there’s another toe-up version. Both are free.
    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/seamless-baby-booties-top-down

  • You can probably do these in time: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/christines-stay-on-baby-booties

    • These really do stay on, too! Plus sweet story;)

  • I’ve made a few pairs of Ruth’s Perfect Baby Booties (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ruths-perfect-baby-booties) and they were pretty quick. Plus, you can use some leftover ribbon!

  • Not booties, but adorable – baby monkey socks by Sheri Berger.

  • Love these moccasins and you can use gender appropriate embroidery colors
    http://www.purlsoho.com/create/2008/11/14/whits-knits-baby-mocs/

  • Saartje’s Booties: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saartjes-bootees

  • My bootie trick is… knit three. It doesn’t take that long to do an extra, & then parents don’t freak out if they lose one. You do have to explain you’re not expecting them to have a mutant child (or in this case grandchild), but it’s worth it.

    • Genius!

  • these are a little different, kind of like little kimonos for feet! I’m planning on trying them very soon.

    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easiest-baby-booties-ever

  • My new favorites are these: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/epipa-baby-booties
    So cute, and minimal finishing!
    I’ve knitted Saartje’s booties, and there are 8,000,000 ends to weave in (and buttons to sew on)–never again!

  • Rye by tincanknits. Worsted-weight baby socks that I’m told stay on quite well–what’s not to love?

  • Now I want to start some baby booties. Great ideas everyone. A friend of mine just became a grandma, so this is perfect. And I totally agree about how early The Oscars start. Teeth brushing video footage indeed. Enjoy your knitting time.

  • So blown over about winning the Manos, thank you so much again! Happy Red Carpet Knitting! Will be watching the baby bootie ideas, I have some to make too.

    • Congratulations! You will have some great knitting when the San Juans are snowed in this winter!

    • Congratulations Susan!

  • Well, that sent me down the Ravelry rabbit hole, and I don’t even have any babies or grandbabies to knit for! They all look cute, and I know yours will too!

  • Jane’s Baby Booties on Ravelry, posted by Ann Krekel on the old KnitList in 1995. I’ve knit hundreds; thank you, Ann Krekel!

  • Baby Socks…Designed by Kate Atherly. Plain and simple socks that emphasize the yarn. These eliminates those little stringy ties many booties have.

  • Omg I’m so sad I didn’t win the manos giveaway …I just knew I was going to win…

  • In “Last Minute Knitted Gifts” by Joelle Hoverson there are these darling little bootie socks, if you have any angora ( and I’m sure you do!) and little Rowan denim wouldn’t be bad either!They are tiny and perfect for a newborn! I love them, they are just perfect. You’ll be done before they finish the opening song/dance/jokes!

  • How about these?

    http://catbordhi.com/patterns/baby-life-ring-socks-free-pattern/

  • In homage to yesterday’s post about procrastination, I’m finally getting around to saying, ‘yes, you’re so right!’
    In the meantime, I’ve started two projects and finished a third.
    You two rule! You have your fingers on our knitterly pulses!
    Back to my Oscar knitting…..

  • Check out my “stay-on” booties – a free Craftsy pattern and if you can bear it, a video on you-tube showing the whole process (I wrap-and-turn instead of purling).

    Therese Inverso

    • I enjoyed your instructional video for the booties, Therese. Learned some new knitting techniques! Thanks.

      • Just seeing this Judy, more than 5 years later. I’m pretty sure you’re the person who writes a great blog and I thank you for that!

  • These are the only ones I ever make. I’ve made 100’s of them, the mom cries every time.
    http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Pshorten/christines-stay-on-baby-booties

  • I love the take on the Martian Comedy/Musical trailer. Makes me laugh and I saw the movie.

  • Kay, Kelly and I watched Spotlight last night, Bridge of Spies the night before and The Martian, the day before that. Every one of them was superb!

    This post caught my attention — booties will become my warm-up knitting (spring training) for bigger projects to come! Thank you! Have a great day. I’ll be out finishing my spring garden planting today before the rains come. xoxo

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