Baby shoe disaster—what went wrong?

Hey there, I’ve been crocheting following a YouTube tutorial. I’ve tried different yarn weights and crochet hooks, but I always end up with the same terrible result. As soon as I have to join two double crochets into a loop, I get dents and indentations. The whole front should be nice and round. And what’s going on with the sides? Why are they collapsing like that??

I’m devastated...

Have you tried the little shoe on yet, or padded it out with, for example, a piece of fabric as if there were a little foot inside?

The little foot also gives the shoe some of its shape. The width of the foot matters too, because that makes it wider toward the back, where yours is still pressed in. 

Thank you, no, I haven't. However, in every tutorial the final result definitely doesn't look like mine, even without a baby's foot inside. It's always nicely rounded at the front, and there are no indentations on the sides.
 Could it perhaps have something to do with how I hold my project or the hook, or with the thread tension? Thanks, kind regards

@ Hera7:
First of all: the little shoes ALWAYS look completely crumpled after the decreases—really always.
Videos are edited, and pattern photos show the booties after they have already been adjusted into shape.

What’s important:
- the sole: a double sole holds the shoe together more stably than a single one.
- feel free to scrunch the shoe or crochet piece together during the decreases (so the stitches stay nice and close together). You can easily smooth the shoe later by repeatedly pressing along the inside and outside with your thumb and index finger. If needed, you can steam the shoe a little beforehand with a steam iron (depending on the material used).
- the yarn tension: yes, it’s important. Definitely not too tight, even if you think that will make the decreases especially close together.

Best, Marion

Hi, thanks, but I’m basically watching her crochet the rounds live. And most of the time, everything looks nice and round. Or rather, she reaches in from the back, pushes something out a bit with her fingers, and by then at the latest, it fits. I can push as much as I want, but for me, everything stays just like in the pictures. 

Now I’ve ventured into an even simpler project. Can you see the bulge on the right, too? Both shoes have this issue. On the left, everything is nice and straight... I’m just trying to understand, which is why I’m asking about it all. I’ve been working on this for days, but I haven’t given up yet. I just want to do it right so it looks nice. Thanks, best regards.

Yeah, the whole “understanding” thing… I get that :-)

Is the number of stitches the same on both sides in the round? In the picture, the front looks like 2 x 2 double crochets crocheted together. That would be the center. How many stitches are to the left of that, and how many are to the right of that up to the back center? Maybe doubling it one more time—or decreasing fewer stitches (crocheting them together) on the other side—could be causing this bulge. 

Hi Hera7,

since I’ve crocheted what feels like 16 trillion baby booties, I can assure you that smoothing it out works well—but the yarn has to be right, too ;-)
Pure cotton works very well, as do merino wool or soft wool/acrylic blends. The yarn also shouldn’t be too thick.

  Also, don’t forget that your crocheting can actually vary within a single shoe. For example, you start off loosely and tighten up toward the end of the round, which can create “bumps” even though all the stitches are correct.

  The yarn in the pictures seems to be quite “thick”... But the important thing is definitely not to give up—with practice (and trial and error), it’ll get better and better, and before you know it, you’ll have the cutest little shoes :-)

Best wishes, Marion 

Thank you! I didn’t count the number of stitches this time, but the number of double crochets is the same on both sides—balanced left and right.

@Marion, I’m also in the midst of baby shoe/sock fever. I just can’t stop crocheting, and I really like this pattern, but these indentations are so unacceptable to me that I had to stop with a heavy heart. I haven’t given up completely—I’m currently crocheting a different pattern that works out fine. But it’s still on my mind; I just can’t let it go. I have to figure out what I’m doing wrong.

Here’s one crocheted from cotton—same issue again. 

Hi Hera7,

honestly: those purple cotton booties are crocheted very well, and the bumps are totally normal—my booties look exactly the same. But if I “iron” them out with my thumb and index finger while they’re in this state, they’ll be reasonably free of bumps :-)

You’re definitely not making a mistake here.

If you want them to be perfect for a gift (or for photos), your only options are to steam and shape them or stuff the front with stuffing (or use those clear or white plastic feet).

Thank you so much. By “steaming,” do you mean shaping the little socks, stuffing them or something similar, and then just applying steam from the iron? Thanks, best regards