Mini Snow Boots

Cosy, cabled and cute, these socks for little ones are knitted using a snuggly alpaca yarn

Cabled bootees for children

THESE COSY socks will keep tiny toes feeling warm on the chilliest of days! Worked in a cable and rib pattern, they’re sized to fit children aged from birth to five years, and make a great stash-busting gift. The boots are knitted in DROPS Puna, a DK-weight yarn formed from four plies of superfine alpaca; the result is incredibly soft and warm. It is available in a range of pastel shades and warmer dyed colours.

STITCH PATTERNS CABLE PATTERN

(worked in the round) Round 1: P2, C4B, K1, C4F, P2. Rounds 2-4: P2, K9, P2.

CABLE PATTERN

(worked flat) Row 1: P2, C4B, K1, C4F, P2. Rows 2 and 4: K2, P9, K2. Row 3: P2, K9, P2.

SOCKS LEG

Using 2.5mm DPNs, cast on 48 ( 52: 52: 56: 56) sts. Pm and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist sts. Rounds 1-3: (K1tbl, P1) to last st, K1tbl. Round 4: (K1tbl, P1) 9 ( 10: 10: 11: 11) times, work Round 1 of Cable Pattern in the round, (K1tbl, P1) to last st, K1tbl. Round 4 sets pattern placement for Cable Pattern and twisted rib. Cont to work as set through all 4 rows of Cable Pattern until piece meas 5 ( 6: 6: 6: 7) cm. Work 1 round, ending 1 st before end. Slip the last stitch so it sits next to the first stitch and work P3tog at the beg of next round. Work to end of round. 46 ( 50: 50: 54: 54) sts. Work 3 rounds, ending 2 sts before end of round. Slip the first stitch of the next round so it sits next to the last 2 stitches and work P3tog. Work to end of round. 44 ( 48: 48: 52: 52) sts. Cont in pattern as set until piece meas approx. 8 ( 9: 10: 11: 12) cm, ending on a round 2 or 4 of Cable Pattern.

INSTEP

Next round: Work the first 16 ( 18: 18: 20: 20) sts, then slip them onto a holder, pattern to end, slipping the last 15 ( 17: 17: 19: 19) sts worked onto a second holder. Cut yarn and continue back and forth in Cable Pattern (worked flat) over the 13 sts on the needle until instep meas 3½ ( 4: 5: 6½ :7½) cm, ending on a RS row. Next round: Pick up 10 ( 12: 14: 20: 22) sts down left side of instep flap, work across 15 ( 17: 17: 19: 19) sts on second holder, pm for beg of round, work across 16 ( 18: 18: 20: 20) sts on first holder, pick up and knit 10 ( 12: 14: 20: 22) sts up right side of instep flap, patt to end of round. 64 ( 72: 76: 92: 96) sts. Next round: (K1tbl, P1) to end of round. Last round sets twisted rib. Cont to work as set until rib meas 1½ ( 2: 2½: 3: 3½) cm.

SOLE

Cast off the first 26 ( 30: 32: 40: 42) sts, work rib as set over the next 13 sts and cast off the final 25 ( 29: 31: 39: 41) sts. Work in rib back and forth as folls over the rem 13 sts: Next row: (P1tbl, K1) to last st, P1tbl. Next row: (K1tbl, P1) to last st, K1tbl. Rep last 2 rows until rib meas 9 ( 10: 11: 13: 15). Cast off all sts. Sew sole to sock, sewing edge to edge to avoid a chunky seam. Block if required, following any yarn care instructions on the ball band.

THEY ARE A GREAT STASH"BUSTING GIFT, REQUIRING JUST ONE BALL OF YARN