Crooked Lane Lace Leg Warmers
A fun, easy to memorize lace pattern knits up into a stylish pair of leg warmers. I knit them in the round on 2 24″ needles. Of course, you can use your favorite method for knitting in the round.
Fiber: 2 skeins of Galway wool from Plymouth. 210 yards per skein.
Size 6 needles of your choice for working in the round.
Gauge: 24 sts and 16 rows equal 4″ in pattern stitch
Size: 16″ in length. 11″ at widest point when not worn. The bottom ribbing is about 6.5″ around. See notes for working different sizes.
Notes: The pattern for these leg warmers are written for one size. The pictures show them on two different sized legs. One small, and mine. (My calves measure 17″ around at the widest part.) Thus, the legwarmers do stretch and have a different appearance when worn on different size legs.
Here are the smaller legs. . .
Here are my larger legs. . .
The Lace Pattern is a repeat of 4 stitches, so you could also make the leg warmers larger or smaller by increasing or decreasing the number of stitches by 4. You could also go down or up a needle size for changing the size.
You could also choose to not increase. The lace pattern is about 8 inches around before increasing.
Abbreviations and techniques used:
K1b-knit stitch through the back loop
Kn-Knit n number of stitches
K2tog-knit two stitches together
Pn-purl n number of stitches
SSK-slip one, slip one, put both stitches back on left hand needle and knit together through the back loops
YO-yarn over
Lace Pattern:
Round 1 *K2 k1b, p1* around
Round 2 *K2tog, yo, k1, p1* around
Round 3 *K3, p1* around
Round 4 *K1, yo, ssk, p1* around
Directions:
(Make two…one for each leg)
Cast on 48 sts.
Join being careful not to twist stitches. Place marker. Work 2 inches in 2/2 ribbing, (Knit 2, purl 2 around) slipping marker.
Beg pattern. Work in lace pattern until leg warmer measures 4 inches from cast on edge.
Beg increasing: Inc one stitch each side of marker every 4th row 8 times. (64 sts)
Work even until leg warmer is 12 inches from cast on edge or approx 4 inches from desired length.
Decrease one stitch each side of marker every 2nd row 2 times (60 sts)
Work in 1/1 ribbing until leg warmer measures approx 16 inches or desired length from beg.
Cast off loosely in rib.
I would like a little more detailed information on the increasing for this pattern.
Hello Handmadebyssw
There are many ways to make increases while knitting.
One way to do it is to work to one stitch before the marker and knit and purl into that stitch, (one increase made) and then slip the marker. Then knit and purl into the stitch after the marker – another increase made.
The pattern is a repeat of 4 stitches ( if I remember correctly) so after each increase you can knit those stitches surrounding the markers until you have increased 4 stitches on either side. Then work those new stitches into the established pattern. Hope this helps.
Shawn
Thank you so much for this pattern!! I’m so excited to finish this project, I am a bit confused about the increasing, after the increases how do you keep the lace pattern so everything still lines up?
Hi Lisa,
When increasing, work the new stitches in stockinette (knit sts when working in the round) and when you have enough new stitches for the lace pattern, incorporate them into the lace pattern. So when there are 4 more new or increased stitches, start the lace pattern on with the same row you are working for the rest of the round. Hope this makes sense. Happy knitting,
Shawn
could you explain the increasing more?
HI Kerresa,
I sent you an email today about increasing . . .please look in your “junk” mail if you don’t get it.
This is the pattern I’ve been looking for for weeks. I’m looking to make stockings and I believe this will work lovely.
Hi! I was looking for a beautiful and really special pattern for leg warmers for a gift. Thanks to your generosity in sharing I found it!!!
Thanks so much!
Ruthie
This is a beautiful pattern….thanks for sharing!
Thanks for a leg warmer pattern that will fit us larger leg girls!!!!