A few years back when rather a lot of my friends were having little ones I had a bit of a crochet phase.

Quite a lot of those babies spent their first weeks of life snug in a tiny hat lovingly crocheted by me.

And even though I’ve not actually got round to crocheting one for Sonny Jim yet (sorry babe, but you were a spring baby) I’m still a sucker for sweet knits for babies.

So I’m totally loving these crochet baby basketball shoes (from Baby Shoes to Crochet, by Lucia Förthmann, £7.99, published by Search Press)  – even if it is totally unlikely that my little guy will actually get these made for him by his mummy!

What to give it a go? Here’s the pattern…

Basketball shoes
Always stay cool! This classic shoe belongs in every wardrobe because it goes with any outfit.
Materials: Crochet hook US B (2.5mm)
Schachenmayr Catania (50g/137yd/125m) in blue iris (Col 384) and white
(Col 106), 50g each, length of yarn in black to sew on to the star

How to do it:
For one shoe
Work one sole in desired size in white yarn. Work in rows. Follow the instructions closely (sl st and turn).
Sole
The basic instructions and the individual crochet instructions for the booties
are given in three sizes:
Size 1: 0–3 months (length of shoe sole approx. 4in (10cm))
Size 2: 3–6 months (length of shoe sole approx. 4¼in (11cm))
Size 3: 6–9 months (length of shoe sole approx. 4¾in (12cm))
The information for babies aged 0–3 months is given first, for babies from 3
months it is between the forward slashes, and the figures for babies from 6 months
of age are last: 0–3 months/3–6 months/6–9 months. If only one figure is given,
it applies to all the sizes.
The soles are all worked in rounds. Work 1 ch at the beginning of the round, and
finish the round with 1 sl st into the first st of the round. Do not turn.
Rd 1: Work 13/15/16 ch in your chosen colour. Work 1 sc (dc)/1 hdc (htr)/1
hdc (htr) into the 2nd ch from the hook, then 1 sc (dc)/1 hdc (htr)/1 hdc (htr)
into the next 10/12/13 ch, 3 sc (dc)/3 hdc (htr)/3 hdc (htr) into the last ch. Do
not turn work, but continue crocheting on the other side of the length of chains:
10 sc (dc)/12 hdc (htr)/13 hdc (htr), 2 sc (dc)/2 hdc (htr)/2 hdc (htr) into the
last st (the st you worked the first st into at the beginning) (26/30/32 sts).
Rd 2: Inc 1 st, 10/12/13 sc (dc), inc 1 st 3 times, 10/12/13 sc (dc), inc 1 st
twice (32/36/38 sts).
Rd 3: 6/8/8 sc (dc), 3/3/4 hdc (htr), 3 dc (tr), 2 dc (tr) into 1 st 6 times, 3 dc
(tr), 3/3/4 hdc (htr), 6/8/8 sc (dc), inc 1 st twice (40/44/46 sts).
Rd 4: Inc 1 st, 5/7/7 sc (dc), 3/3/4 hdc (htr), 6 dc (tr), 2 dc (tr) into 1 st 6
times, 6 dc (tr), 3/3/4 hdc (htr), 6/8/8 sc (dc) inc 1 st 4 times (51/55/57 sts).
Rd 5: 1 st into each st of the previous rd (51/55/57 sts).
Either secure the yarn or continue working in the required colour, according to
the pattern.
Base
Row 1: 1 back post st (bp st) in each st of the previous rd, 1 sl st into the 1st st of the rd, turn (51/55/57 sts).
Row 2: 1 sc (dc) in each st of the previous rd, 1 sl st into the 1st st of the rd, turn (51/55/57 sts).
Row 3: 1 sc (dc) in each st of the previous rd, 1 sl st into the 1st st of the rd (51/55/57 sts). Secure the yarn and cut. Do not turn the work. Miss 21/23/24 sts of the previous rd, and join the white yarn.
Row 4: Work into the front loop of the stitch only. 3 sc (dc), 1 sl st, 1 ch and turn work (4 sts).
Row 5: 4 sc (dc), 1 sc (dc) into the back loop of the next st of Row 3, 1 sl st into the back loop of the next st, 1 ch and turn
(6 sts).
Row 6: 6 sc (dc), 1 sc (dc) into the front loop of the st of Row 3, 1 sl st into the front loop of the next st, 1 ch and turn
(8 sts).
Row 7: 8 sc (dc), 1 sc (dc) into the back
loop of the next st of Row 3, 1 sl st into the back loop of the next st, 1 ch and turn (10 sts).
Row 8: 10 sc (dc), 1 sc (dc) into the front loop of the st of Row 3, 1 sl st into the
front loop of the next st, 1 ch and turn (12 sts).
Row 9: 12 sc (dc), 1 sc (dc) into the back loop of the next st of Row 3, 1 sl st into the back loop of the next st, 1 ch and turn (14 sts).
Row 10: 14 sc (dc), 1 sc (dc) into the front loop of the st of Row 3, 1 sl st into the front loop of the next st (16 sts). Secure the yarn and cut.
For the flap, miss the first 18/20/21 sts of Row 3. Join the Capri yarn at the 19th/21st/22nd st. Work in rows. Work 1 ch at the end of the row and turn work).
Rows 1–13: 10 sc (dc) (10 sts).
Row 14: Dec 1 st, 6 sc (dc), dec 1 st
(8 sts).
Row 15: Dec 1 st, 4 sc (dc), dec 1 st
(6 sts).
Row 16: Dec 1 st 3 times (3 sts).
Fasten off. Join the Capri yarn to the next st to the left of the flap and continue working in rows as follows:
Row 1: Work into the back loop of the stitch only. 1 sc (dc) into each free st of Row 3 of the base (41/45/47 sts).
Rows 2 and 3: 1 sc (dc) into each st of the previous row (41/45/47 sts).
Row 4: Dec 1 st, 37/41/43 sc (dc), dec 1 st (39/43/45 sts).
Row 5: Dec 1 st, 35/39/41 sc (dc), dec 1 st (37/41/43 sts).
Row 6: Dec 1 st, 33/37/39 sc (dc), dec 1
st (35/39/41 sts).
Row 7: Dec 1 st, 31/35/37 sc (dc), dec 1 st (33/37/39 sts).
Row 8: Dec 1 st, 29/33/35 sc (dc), dec 1 st (31/35/37 sts).
Rows 9 and 10: 1 sc (dc) into each st of the previous row (31/35/37 sts).
Fasten off.
Circle
Work in rounds. Start each round with 1 ch, and finish each round with 1 sl st into the 1st st. Do not turn the work.
Rd 1: Crochet 6 sc (dc) in a magic ring in white yarn (6 sts). Secure the yarn and cut. Use White yarn to sew the circle onto the side of the shoe using running stitch and embroider a star onto the middle of the circle using black yarn.
shoelaces
Work 120 ch in white yarn
Finishing off
Carefully thread the laces through either side of the shoe front and tie a bow at the top. Repeat for the second shoe.

For your copy of Baby Shoes to Crochet, by Lucia Förthmann go to www.searchpress.com