These curly-toed elf boots are fun to make and fun to give, and can be made to fit all sizes from little bitty baby elf to big daddy elf and everything in between. Today I’m featuring the baby and child sizes. Youth and adult sizes are here. They’re so cute in traditional Christmas colors or any cheerful candy color combination.

Crochet Baby and Child Elf Boots

By Carolyn Christmas

 

Notes

Size: This pattern can be custom fitted to any size. If you are making these slippers as a gift, use the charts at bottom of pattern to determine shoe length needed, and follow pattern to make shoes the desired length.

Gauge: 14 sc = 4″; 16 rows sc = 4″ (gauge is not critical since slippers are worked to measurements)

Crochet terminology: This pattern is written in American terminology.

Skill level: Intermediate or adventurous early crocheter

Special Stitches

To work dc decrease over 8 sts, (yo, pull up lp in next st, yo, pull through 2 lps on hook) 8 times, yo pull through all lps on hook.

Abbreviations

• ch(s) chain(s)
• dc double crochet
• inc increase
• lp loop
• rnd round
• sc single crochet
• sl slip
• sl st slip stitch
• sp(s) space (spaces)
• st(s) stitch(es)

Instructions

Row 1: With toe color, leaving 12″ tail, ch 11, sc in second ch from hook, sc in each ch across, turn. (10 sc)

Rows 2-3: Ch 1, sc in each ch across, turn. At end of row 3, do not turn. Begin working in rnds.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, working in ends of rows, work 6 sc evenly across, join with sl st in first sc. (6 sc)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, do not join; work in rnds using a scrap of yarn or stitch marker to mark ends of rnds. (12 sc)

Rnd 3: (Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st) around. (18 sc)

For baby sizes, skip to shell stitch section.

For child sizes, work rnd 4.

Rnd 4: (2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts) around. (24 sc)

Shell stitch section

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in same st, * skip next 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, skip next 2 sts **, sc in next st; repeat from * around ending last repeat at **, join with sl st in first sc.

Note: Change colors each row if desired.

Rnd 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in same st, * skip next 2 dc, sc in next dc **, 5 dc in next sc; repeat from * around ending last repeat at **, 2 dc in same st as beginning ch-3, join in top of ch 3.

Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in same st, *skip next 2 dc, 5 dc in next sc, skip next 2 dc *, sc in next dc; repeat from * around ending last repeat at **, join with sl st in first sc.

Repeat rnds 2-3 until piece is about half the length of foot. At end of last rnd, fasten off.

Heel section

Row 1: Join heel color with sc in joining, dc in next st, (sc in next st, dc in next st) around ending with dc in last st, turn.

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first st, dc in next st, (sc in next st, dc in next st) across, turn.

Repeat row 2 until piece is the length needed according to chart at bottom of pattern, or when piece is length of foot when stretched slightly, working the following row for last row.

Last row: Ch 1, sc in first st, dc in next st, (sc in next st, dc in next st) across, working dc decrease over center 8 sts.

With outside of shoe facing you,working in ends of rows, ch 1, sc in end of each row across, sc in 2 sts at instep (these are the 2 sts on last row of shell stitch section where first and last st of row 1 of heel section are worked), sc in end of each row on remaining side, join with sl st in first sc. Fasten off, leaving tail for sewing.

Finishing shoe section

Thread tapestry needle with yarn tail; sew up heel opening. For curly toe, thread tapestry needle with beginning yarn tail; sew first and last rows of strip at toe together to form tube. Curling tube as shown in photo, tack curled tube to shoe.

Now, choose whether you want to add ribbed button cuffs like the green and purple set shown, or cuffs with button loops like the red, turquoise and purple set shown.

Ribbed buttoned cuff

For right shoe

Row 1: Holding shoe with toe pointing to the right, join cuff color with sc in back lp only of sc about halfway between instep and back of heel; working toward heel, working in back lps only, sc in each st around to front of instep; working in front lps only for remainder of rnd, sc in in each remaining st; working in remaining front lps at beginning of rnd, sc in front lps to about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way between first st and back of heel, turn (overlap created).

Row 2: Ch 1, working in back lps only, sc in each st across working 2 sc in one st at approximate center front of cuff and 2 sc in one st at approximate center back of cuff (2 increases made—placement of increases is not critical), turn.

Note: Change colors every other row if desired.

Row 3: Ch 1, working in back lps only, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 4: Ch 1, working in back lps only, sc in first 2 sts, for buttonhole, ch 1-2 chs (depending on size of button), skip same number of sts as chs just made, sc in each st across working 2 sc in one st at approximate center front of cuff and 2 sc in one st at approximate center back of cuff, turn.

Row 5: Repeat row 3, working sc in each ch made for buttonhole.

Row 6: Repeat row 2.

Row 7: Repeat row 3.

Row 8: Repeat row 4. Fasten off. More or fewer cuff rows may be worked as desired, spacing two or more buttonholes evenly on even-numbered rows.

If cuff has been worked with two colors, work an edging row of sc:

Edging row: Join with sc in end of row 1; sc in end of each row to corner, 2 sc in corner, sc in each st across, 2 sc in corner, sc in end of each row. Fasten off.

For left shoe

Row 1: Holding shoe with toe pointing to the left, join cuff color with sc in front lp only of sc about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way from instep toward back of heel, working toward instep, working in front lps only to instep and in both lps for remaining sts, sc in each st around; working in remaining back lps at beginning of rnd, sc in front lps to about halfway between instep and back of heel, turn (overlap created).

Row 2: Ch 1, working in back lps only, sc in each st across working 2 sc in one st at approximate center front of cuff and 2 sc in one st at approximate center back of cuff (2 increases made—placement of increases is not critical), turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, working in back lps only, sc in each st across to within 3-4 sts at end of row (depending on size of button—if you chained 1 for buttonhole on first shoe, work to within 3 sts of end of row; if you chained 2 for buttonhole on first shoe, work to within 4 sts of end of row), ch 1-2 sts for buttonhole as for first shoe, skip same number of sts as chs just made, sc in last 2 sts, turn.

Row 4: Repeat row 2, working sc in each ch made for buttonhole.

Row 5: Ch 1, working in back lps only, sc in each st across, turn.

Row 6: Repeat row 2.

Row 7: Repeat row 3.

Row 8: Repeat row 4. Fasten off.

More or fewer cuff rows may be worked to match first shoe, spacing two or more buttonholes evenly on odd-numbered rows as established. Work edging row if needed to match first shoe.

Finishing

Sew buttons in place to overlapped area, sewing buttons underneath buttonholes.

 

Cuff with button loops at front

Row 1: Join cuff color with sl st at approximate center front at instep, ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st around to last st, 2 dc in last st, do not join, turn.

Row 2: Ch 1, dc in each st around, turn.

Row 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in each st around, 2 dc in last st. Fasten off.

 Edging and button lps

For right shoe

Join contrasting color with sc in end of row 1 at instep, sc evenly up edge to corner, 2 sc in corner, sc in each st around, 2 sc in remaining top corner; working in ends of rows down remaining front edge, ch 7-9 for button lp (depending on size of button and how far back on cuff you wish to place buttons), sc in same st, sc in end of next row, (sc, ch 7-9 for button lp, sc) in end of same row, sc evenly along remaining edge to first st, join with sl st in first sc. Fasten off.

For left shoe

Join contrasting color with sc in end of row 1 at instep, sc evenly up edge to corner evenly spacing two button lps to match button lps on right shoe, sc evenly along remaining edge with 2 sc in corners, join with sl st in first st. Fasten off.

Finishing

Sew buttons in place under button lps.