1.15.2008

Legwarmies


Legwarmies
by Alana Dakos

These are the perfect cool weather accessory for the "little legs" in your life. I love to put my 2 year old in those cute short skirts and dresses for spring, but I worry about her little legs being too cold. These are great for chilly mornings because they are so easy to slip off when the sun comes out. She also wears them over tights for added warmth on an extra cool day.
Legwarmies are practical and a fun and funky fashion statement. You can knit them to match all your favorite outfits. They make great last minute gifts because it only takes a weekend to whip up a pair. Legwarmies stretch to fit most children from about 3 months to 3 years old. This yarn is wonderfully soft and warm against your little ones skin and, guess what moms, you can even machine wash them!



FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Cuff Circumference: 5 inches unstretched, 10 inches stretched
Length: 9 inches (This measurement can be adjusted by lengthening or shortening St st panel.)

MATERIALS
Version A (Solid Color): Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino [55% Merino wool, 33% Microfibre, 12% Cashmere; 137yd/125m per 50g skein]; color: #600, Dusty Pink; 1 skein
Version B (Thin Stripe): [MC] Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino [55% Merino wool, 33% Microfibre, 12% Cashmere; 137yd/125m per 50g skein]; color: #503, Apple Green; 1 skein [CC] Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino color: #013, Grape; 1 skein
Version C (Wide Stripe): [MC] Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino [55% Merino wool, 33% Microfibre, 12% Cashmere; 137yd/125m per 50g skein]; color: #007, Magenta; 1 skein [CC] Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino color: #101, Off White; 1 skein
#1 set US #3/3.25mm double-point needles
Stitch Marker
Tapestry Needle



GAUGE
28 sts/36 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch


PATTERN NOTES
2x2 Rib (Worked over a multiple of 4 sts)
Round 1: [K2, p2] to end.
Every round is the same.

Elizabeth Zimmerman's Sewn Cast off:
(This produces a nice stretchy cuff that won't be too tight and cut off circulation!)
Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread tail onto tapestry needle. Insert needle purlwise into first stitch then move it to be the last stitch on the final needle. It will then become the final stitch to be cast off. This gives a neater finish to the end of the round. Continue with the following instructions:
*Sew purlwise (right to left) through 2 stitches, leave the stitches on the needle. Sew knitwise (left to right) through the first stitch and then remove stitch from the needle. Repeat from * for the entire circumference. You will have one stitch remaining. Insert needle purlwise into last stitch and remove from the needle.



PATTERN
With [MC] loosely cast on 44 stitches. Divide stitches evenly between 3 double pointed needles. (15 stitches on needles 1 and 2, 14 stitches on needle 3.) Join into a round being careful not to twist your stitches. Mark first stitch for beginning of round. Work 6 rounds in 2x2 Rib.
Version A (Solid Color): Switch to St st and work until piece measures 8 inches from cast on edge. Work 6 more rounds in 2x2 Rib. Loosely cast off using Elizabeth Zimmerman's Sewn Cast off method.
Version B (Thin Stripe): *Drop [MC] switch to [CC] and work 2 rounds in St st. Drop [CC], pick up [MC] and work 2 rounds in St st. Repeat from * continuing in this manner until you have 35 stripes total ending with a [CC] stripe. Cut [CC] leaving a long tail to weave in the end. Pick up [MC]. Knit one round. Work 6 rounds in 2x2 Rib. Loosely cast off using Elizabeth Zimmerman's Sewn Cast off method.
Version C (Wide Stripe): *Drop [MC] switch to [CC] and work 4 rounds in St st. Drop [CC] pick up [MC] and work 4 rounds in St st. Repeat from * continuing in this manner until you have 17 stripes total ending with a [CC] stripe. Cut [CC] leaving a long tail to weave in end. Pick up [MC] Knit one round. Work 6 rounds in 2x2 Rib. Loosely cast off using Elizabeth Zimmerman's Sewn Cast off method.


FINISHING
Weave in ends using a tapestry needle. Block lightly.




By the way, my daughter has been wearing these a lot lately and they look super duper cute on her and everyone comments on them!

I'm happy to report that Legwarmies is also available in French and Hungarian!



30 comments:

Unknown said...

Yup. They're superduper cute!

Rebekah said...

Oh very cute! I also gave your blog address to my sister, also a sister in Iowa.

Rebekah Knit Knack

Anonymous said...

These are so adorable. I have a 2year old daughter that will love them. I cannot wait to make them!

meg said...

I just finished the first one of a pair for my two-year-old daughter. She got so excited and had to try it on both legs. Super cute! Thanks so much!

Sara said...

so cute! i just made a pair
thanks!!

Anonymous said...

These are just adorable, huge thanks for sharing x

Anonymous said...

Lovely thank you so much for sharing this pattern. I know what my little one will be wearing this winter.

Beth said...

Great - I want to knit a pair right now!

Steph at Problem Solvin' Mom said...

Absolutely adorable!! I have been looking for a pattern for legwarmies, thanks so much!

mcaplan said...

Perfect simple pattern! Been searching for a pattern, and this looks awesome! Thank you!!!

Anonymous said...

Love these!

botaneige said...

I was looking for a legwarmies pattern. Yours is exactly what I was looking for. Simply perfect !
I am french so I traduced your pattern into french. Can I publish the french version on my blog ? With a link to your blog, of course.
Excuse my poor english. I am ok with knitting english but speaking english is more diffucult :-)

botaneige said...

Oops ! My web blog is http://crevettefabrique.canalblog.com/

Burcu said...

Hi, I have finished first of our pair of legwarmies, but the stripes aren't as straight as I hoped them to be. The place where one row finishes and second begins is a bit slanted to one side, you can say that it is the joint at the back. Do you have any tips to avoid this?

vanessa said...

thank you!

Brooke said...

in response to burcu - try this -
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/01/jogless-stripes.html

She's Gone A-Wall said...

Thank you so much for sharing this adorable pattern. These make great little "arm warmers," too!

She's Gone A-Wall said...

Thank you so much for sharing this adorable pattern! These make great "arm warmers" as well!

Sylvia said...

These are too precious! I can't wait to knit some up for my twin girls.
Thanks for sharing the pattern!

Rasmussen Family said...

Great pattern:) we adjusted to only 32 cast on for my 4 month old's tiny legs and they are so cute. Thanks for the pattern!!

Jill said...

I just made 2 sets of these for a baby I know: http://www.jillsjourneys.com/2011/11/baby-leg-warmies-for-maggie.html What a great, fast gift! Thanks.

Unknown said...

Could these be modified for big people? Like, 5'4"...? They're great! (:

Marie said...

what weight is this yarn worsted? yarn is this i want to use yarn I already have instead of the debbie bliss.
thanks for an adorable pattern

Anonymous said...

My daughter, expecting her first baby in April, sent me the link to these leg warmies. They are delightful and I shall be making some as soon as the latest cardigan is finished. Thank you. :)

Angela said...

I want to make these in a newborn size as a gift with hat & booties I've already made. Any suggestions how many I should cast on for such a tiny size? And how long I should make them? Thanks, ladies!

Angela said...

I want to make these in a newborn size as a gift with hat & booties I've already made. Any suggestions how many I should cast on for such a tiny size? And how long I should make them? Thanks, ladies!

Anonymous said...

I made my first pair for our new grandchild, due in April. You might like to see them

http://mybeautfulthings.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/majik-table-baby-leg-warmies-and-clematis-buds/

All the best and thank you for the pattern :)

Renee J said...

Hi, I am from Australia and we don't get that yarn here. Could anybody help me with the thickness of this yarn? That is, would it be 4-ply, 8-ply/double knitting, 10-ply/chunky, 12-ply? Also what size needles to use and if I could use a circular needle, what length should I try? Many thanks for your generosity of supplying the free pattern.

Unknown said...

Hi Alana,

This is a really cute pattern. I'd like to feature it in Curtzy.com's Knitting and Crochet newsletter. This would entail a short description of the pattern and link back to your blog, with all the credit being given to you.

I hope this is something you would be comfortable with.

Thanks,

Jordan

Unknown said...

Hi there…
I would like to make a pair of these for my 5 year old niece.

Any thoughts on how I could alter the pattern? Bigger needles? Extra stitches?

Thanks,
Sarah Joy