making :: cloth baby booties

When I learned that my colleague at work, who I work closely with on our international studies, was expecting her first baby I started dreaming up a gift to sew for her new little one.  I had big ideas of a modern looking quilt with a play on sailboats, since she and her husband are into sailing.  I tried to track down some Ugandan or Kenyan fabric to use as the sails, but when I didn't have any luck the idea faded to the background and I forgot about it.

Fast forward... she delivers a week or so before our big abstract deadline!  And thoughts of baby were brought right back to the surface.  The whole family would be at the conference and I NEEDED to bring a little something from the little guy.  With limited time, I turned to my go-to baby present - these cloth baby booties.  Even with all the pairs I've made, I'm still working through the first bit of that fleece-y swede fabric I use for the soles.  Tracking down that fabric way back in 2009 is was first brought me to Harts Fabric - where I learned just how awesome fabric stores can be.

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to use for the main fabric but I knew I wanted it to be bright and not girly.  I was going through the fabrics in my stash when I suddenly remembered that another colleague, this one from Uganda, had brought me back some fabric.  Luckily I found it!  Luckily it was this awesome print!  Luckily there was just enough to do these booties and even do a bit of pattern matching to make a set!

The parents were thrilled with the little shoes.  The dad even requested a pair in his size.  I'll call that a win!

---

Pattern :: cloth baby shoes - free Michael Miller Pattern

Fabric 

:: outer - kitenge fabric from Uganda

:: inner - Botanics by Carolyn Friedlander

---