Newborn Crawling Bootees

This is the pattern for the bootees I made for P's little sister. They are a perfect fit for an 8-pound baby. The pattern is easily graded up in size, and the smooth toe really matters once the little ones are old enough to creep around -- no blisters on the toes! I used leftover Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock. It's an ideal yarn for these because it is especially soft and cushy. Start by knitting the fold-down cuff, then a fold round, then turn the sock inside/right side out, knit the tongue, pick up around it, knit around down the foot, decreasing at the toe and heel (mostly double decreases with 4 st between, every other round), and grafting the seam on the sole.

US#2: Long-tail cast on 40 st. [40]
US#1: K2p2 ribbing for 14 rounds. [40]
Purl 1 round. [40]
K2p2 ribbing for 13 rounds. [40]
(K2p2) x 3, k2, start new needle, (p2k2) x 3, make 1 below purlwise. [14 + 13 + 14 = 41]
Turn sock inside/right side out. Turn and knit 13 sts, make 1 below. [14 + 14 + 14 = 42]
(Turn, p14. Turn, k14.) x 8, until the tongue is 17 rows long, ending with a RS/knit row.
Pick up 14, k14. Mark as center heel. [56]
K14, pick up 14, k7, mark center toe, k7, k28. [70]
Knit 9 rounds. [70]
This next bit looks nasty written out but is simple to knit. Decrease symmetrically at the toe and heel with four plain stitches between the decreases, every other round. First time, decrease a total of 4 sts, then twice decrease a total of 12 sts, then dec 16, then graft, taking the stitch total down in steps: 70, 66, 54, 42, 26, 0.
K31, ssk, k4, k2t, k27, ssk, k2. [67]
k2, k2t, k to end. [66]
K23, (ssk, k1) x 2, ssk, k4, (k2t, k1) x 2, k2t, k13, (ssk, k1) x 2, ssk, k2. [57]
K2, (k2t, k1) x 2, k2t, k to end. [54]
K17, (ssk, k1) x 2, ssk, k4, (k2t, k1) x 2, k2t, k7, (ssk, k1) x 2, ssk, k2. [45]
K2, (k2t, k1) x 2, k2t, k to end. [42]
K11, (ssk, k1) x 2, ssk, k4, (k2t, k1) x 2, k2t, k1, (ssk, k1) x 2, ssk, k2. [33]
K2t, (k2t, k1) x 2, k2t, k6, ssk, k2t, k11, ssk. [26]
Graft. Weave in ends. [0]