Bootie v. Bootie v. Bootie

At the age of 26, I'm squarely in the middle of the 'marriage phase' of life--every summer sees another few of my friends tying the knot--so it is only a matter of time before the 'baby phase' arrives. My good friend J got to herald it in when she announced her pregnancy to me a few weeks ago. All I could think was, 'let the baby knitting begin'!


As my friend does not know the gender of the child yet, I thought I would whip up a few different pair of booties to get a head start on the inevitable onslaught. I picked the three most popular baby bootie patterns on Ravelry, and am comparing and contrasting them here for your benefit.


SAARTJE'S BOOTEES
Constructed from the sole up using fingering-weight yarn on US size 2 needles. Sized for a newbown.

Special Techniques
kfb, k2tog, ssk, m1, long tail cast on.

Pros:
Free pattern.
Pattern looks great for all types of yarn, including variegated.
Worked flat, so there is no purling.

Cons:
Finishing requires lots of sewing, including sewing up the bottom and back.
Button holes not knitted, but created from a loop of yarn sewn to the fabric.
Buttons need to be sewn on.


MAGIC SLIPPERS
Constructed from the sole up using fingering-weight yarn on US size 1 needles. Sized for a newborn.

Special Techniques
kfb, k2tog, ssk, pick up and knit.

Pros:
Free pattern.
Pattern looks great for all types of yarn, including variegated.
Seemless construction, so no sewing things together at the end.
No blocking necessary.

Cons:
I found a size 1 needle to be too small to knit with comfortably.


TINY SHOES
Constructed from the top down using fingering-weight yarn on US size 2.5 needles (I used US size 2 without a problem). Three sizes available.

Special Techniques
I-cord, pick up and knit/purl, yo, k2tog, cast on at the end of a row, kitchner stitch.

Pros:
Available in multiple sizes.
Seemless construction, so no sewing things together at the end.

Cons:
Pattern costs £2.
Buttons need to be sewn on.