velvety legwarmers pattern
My mother asked me to make her some legwarmers to get her through winter, since she only wears skirts. I went on a pattern hunt and only found 3 free patterns. One…well, wasn’t her style. The second pattern was old and incomplete (cut off after row 9…lol). The third pattern was free for completing a survey at weirdmirror.org…but she outright refused to send it to me. Once I got that reply I figured she must be a livejournal user that has a vendetta against me for saying it was petty to sue someone over a crochet pattern. Oh well. So instead I whipped up this very simple pattern and thought I’d share it in case anyone else runs into the same problems I did.
These velvety soft legwarmers are designed to fit the contours of your leg and keep you warm all winter.
Pattern:
The hooks used are G and K.
My mother picked out one skein of Red Heart Plush yarn in French Blue which will go very well with jeans skirts.
It’s approximately 14 inches high and can easily be fitted for wider legs by repeating row 8 until the proper width for your leg. It can be lengthened by repeating row 19 as necessary.
With G hook, Chain 16.
1: sc in 2nd chain from hook and each chain across (15 sc)
2-34: in back loops only, sc in each sc across (15 sc)
35: slip stitch rows 1 and 34 together, do not finish off
01: with K hook, sc in each row around, join with slip stitch to first sc (34 sc)
02: (sc in next 16 sc, 2 sc in next sc) twice, join with slip stitch to first sc (36 sc)
03: (sc in next 17 sc, 2 sc in next sc) twice, join with slip stitch to first sc (38 sc)
04: (sc in next 18 sc, 2 sc in next sc) twice, join with slip stitch to first sc (40 sc)
05: (sc in next 19 sc, 2 sc in next sc) twice, join with slip stitch to first sc (42 sc)
06: (sc in next 20 sc, 2 sc in next sc) twice, join with slip stitch to first sc (44 sc)
07: (sc in next 21 sc, 2 sc in next sc) twice, join with slip stitch to first sc (46 sc)
08: (sc in next 22 sc, 2 sc in next sc) twice, join with slip stitch to first sc (48 sc)
09-19: sc in each sc around, join with slip stitch to first sc (48 sc)
20: (sc in next 21 sc, reduce once over next 2 sc) twice, join with slip stitch to first sc (46 sc)
21: (sc in next 20 sc, reduce once over next 2 sc) twice, join with slip stitch to first sc (44 sc)
With G hook, chain 16.
1: sc in 2nd chain from hook and each chain across (15 sc)
2-44: in back loops only, sc in each sc across (15 sc)
45: slip stitch rows 1 and 44 together, do not finish off
With like sides together, slip stitch top ribbing to body
Finish off and weave in ends.
Terms of Use
This pattern is free for personal use. If you post pictures of your finished item or reproduce this pattern, please credit me (Lynn Szwalkiewicz or vigilant20) as the original designer and link to the CraftiBlog at http://crafts.vigilant20.com.
The Craftiblog 
Hmmm . . . In terms of Josi’s response to sending the pattern, wouldn’t that be considered false advertising, or advertising under false pretenses (could be the same thing ^___^)?
Anyways, I LOVE the leg warmers!! They’re so cute!!! If I had a reason to wear them, they would be made in an instant ^____^
Looks awesome from here. I looked over your pattern, and it looks really simple — I’m impressed, because mine always come out with incomprehensible gibberish. Nice job!
Do they slide down easily? I know crochet is not nearly as ‘elastic’ as knitting.
It’s ribbed, but yeah, that doesn’t work as well as a knitted design would. It’s also coutoured to your leg, which helps it stay up. I was able to change the picture to me wearing it so it gives you a better idea of the design 🙂
Contouring it was a good idea. I haven’t worn leg warmers since the 80’s. 🙂
Great pic! They definitely look warm!
Its not petty to sue over the unauthorized use of a crochet pattern. Some people make their living selling their patterns, and when you help distribute them to the world for free its akin to stealing. I dont know why some people have such a hard time understanding this concept.
I’m not even going to get into it. But I do want to say that there seem to be 2 categories of crocheters.
There’s an older livejournal crowd that hates younger crocheters. I can’t even tell you how many people I’ve run into that just this one woman you are defending has attacked and used personal information from their journals to hurt them with. How about getting my site registration information, spreading around my name and address, picking through my pictures and leading conversations about how ugly I am…all because I said that. They also tend to spend their time with threats, in groups who’s sole puprose is making fun of others, selling patterns, and suing people for using them.
Then there’s the sort I see more at Crochetville who crochet for charity, give gifts for the fun of giving, spend time helping each other, and distributing their patterns for free.
Does one sound petty to you?
A) I’m not defending Josie – Personally, I think she is a little petty and a whole lot jerk.
B) I’m speaking from 10 years of watching people steal my original jewelry designs when I worked art festivals. It drove my business into the ground, and yeah I’m pissed about it.
C) I am a young crocheter, thank you. And, I’ve only been doing it since last year – so that makes me a young new crocheter.
D) Personally, I dont believe in “hunting” someone down on the internet just to make fun of them, or to heckle them.
I have no beef with young people, or old people. I have no beef with people who want to create patterns and distribute them for free. And, I admire people who craft for charity – it takes a lot more time and care to make a blanket for charity than it does to buy one and donate it. I’ve made a few blankets myself for Project Linus, as well.
I *do* have a beef with people who steal. Whether it be patterns or designs or ideas… whatever. Internet or otherwise. Stealing sucks. That was my point.
Just love these, so great for the coming cold season!
thanks for the pattern
hi thanks for posting that adorable pattern. i am not sure what some of the other comments were, but i agree with lynn, i have seen people who have crocheted for years, stick their noses up in the air and act all uppity when a new or younger crocheter has a question, well i think i fall into the older crocheter, but i certainly would never think about not helping someone out if they ased for help, or nor do i think less of someone because they have not been crocheting as long as me. i find these people are a sorry excuse for a artist/crafter and they are abusing the good name of all. as for stealing patterns, been there , done that, had several of mine stolen and credit taken for my ideas, now when i make my patterns up that i give for free(which i have quite a few) what i do is somewhere in the pattern incorparte my name. hehehe, works great. this one lady actually tried to sell my backpack that i had submitted to the same publication. they were going to buy it too, but since i e-mailed them adn told them it was mine, they said well they had no way of knowing and would not be buying it at all. needless to say i was ticked off. anyways enough of my opinion and thanks for sharing once again.
That is really ridiculous that she wouldnt give the pattern. She runs her life in a really vengeful, screwed up manner and unfortunatley, has an army of followers who do her bidding. It wasn’t petty to sue those ppl for stealing her patterns, but it was petty of her to make a huge deal of it on our crochet com and draw attention to it. Anyway, your pattern is great so you come out swinging!!! 🙂
Thanks for posting the pattern!! As for the politics happening here, with any creative endeavor I think think it is important to respect the creator/artist. If they intend for the pattern to be free with credit noted (as you do) or paid for (as others do) then everyone else should respect their decision on the matter. Lawsuits over patterns for personal use are probably not worth the cost to anyone, but if the finished product were being sold… that changes things. I don’t know Josi or what she may have done (she sent me the pattern without a problem, I’m just looking for something less slouchy) but I tend to think that if we all respected eachother, then there would be a lot less happening that people would consider suing over. Just my two cents. Either way, I like your pattern and I’m THRILLED you’ve made it available!
I was taught to crochet by my great aunt when I was a little girl of 9. I am to this day, so very thankful to her for her taking the time to teach me. I am now a grandmother, and I am teaching my 6 year old grand daughter. How in the world are we going to keep this art form alive if we do not pass it on to the younger girls ? So if an experienced crocheter will not teach a new or novice crocheter, to me that is very selfish. Women crochet for various reasons, i.e., necessity, gift giving, stress reliever, and to drown sorrows. Just think for a minute, none of us would be crocheting if we did not learn from someone else either in person, or someone who wrote a book about it. I said my peace….now enjoy your God given talent and if someone asks you how did you learn that ? Tell them that you will teach them. Take the time…..someone else did.
W.Dorothy
im tryin this pattern right now, and i am a rookie, so am i missing something here?
for the first section, i ch1 and turned after every row, was i wrong to assume?
now i’m on the second portion, do i also chain and turn per row?
thanks,
johnny
Thanks for posting this pattern and running the link to it on LJ’s Polite Crochet. I’ve been trying to come up with some leg warmers myself since I live in the great frozen north and the cold makes my legs cramp horrible, I will give this one a try for sure!!!
As you know, polite crochet was created because of miss (so not)all that, she tells around that I posted a published pattern without credit when what I posted was an article about the unicorn tapestries and how the threads were altering in them….when you can’t even keep that much straight…..you need to stop smoking the weed baby, or at least cut WAY back….
Off to see if I have a thing of Red Heart Yarn to try these puppies out!
Bless you, I’ve been serching for a pattern so I can make some nice leg warmers for when I wear a dress or skirt. Which is most of the time, and it gets cold walking my dog at least 3 times a day.
Thank you for sharing your pattern for leg warmers. I can’t wait to try these.
Hi. You have very nice website! Beautiful design.
Thank you for being generous with your resources… I hope that you will receive more than you need for your time and energy. Keep at work!
i was a child of the 80’s and wore legwarmers. my daughter has become curious of some of the styles of clothes we wore back then. i might make her some of these. she’s kinda too old to wear tights so, these will please her i am sure. thanks.
I have been crocheting for over 35 years thanks to a former mother-n-law. She also taught me the basics of knitting. I have been grateful to her ever since. I think a lot of what goes on is motivated by Ego. Since learning to crochet, I collected hundreds maybe even thousands of patterns-bought and free, many of them over 40 or 50 years old. What tickles me about a lot of the newer ones is that, they have already been done or something so similar that its hard to tell them apart unless you read the pattern. The only time I really get upset over patterns being used is when I see a free one on the internet and then the next month I see virtually the same pattern in a magazine with another name on it(other than the one that designed the oringinal). It seems unfair for one person to give it away and another one to make money off it the way some of the magazines do. I’ve got several that I want to publish for free, but I am afraid that someone will start charging for what I am giving away. Or that some magazine will copy them and sell them. Mine aren’t that great a pattern-but some in the magazines aren’t either. I love the free patterns on the internet though I rarely stick to one. I start one and then get an idea to change it and there I go.LOL!
This looks like a great pattern. I’ve been looking for an easy leg warmer for ages. Thank you for putting this up!
Thanks so much for the pattern. I’ve been having the worst time finding something that makes sense. This looks to be right to the point. It’s very late for me; so I’ll be taking a stab at it tomorrow. I am sure it will be a good one! Thanks Again!
Thanks for this pattern! I have just had the same problem searching for legwarmer patterns and really need a pair as our sales route necessitates working out of the van for a full day, summer and winter!! Gosh I get cold legs, even with slacks on!! I just love your site – came here from Flickr!!
Thanks:) I am so happy to find this pattern:)
I want to take a moment and Thank YOU for this pattern!!
I am a polio victim. As a result I have one leg that is much smaller around than the other one.
I love leg warmers and use them daily because the circulation is very bad in my small leg. However! Most purchased leg warmers are made to fit two legs of the same size and as a result I spend ALOT of time pulling the one back up into place!
This is the FIRST pattern I have seen that allows me to make my own custom fit leg warmers!
But, it is more than that! Because of the style of yours, they don’t look mis-matched! I wear them proudly and am making many more in all colors!
(((HUGGS!))) Thank you again!
Pssst: if you could come up with a pattern for size-adjustable slippers that have a cuff around the ankle…I would love you for life!
Very nicely made, i really like that style. Going to make a pair. Thanks for sharing
Well hello,
I have been itching to make a pair of leg warmers (first to make and own actually) and came across your pattern on ravelry. I am pretty new to crochet well… 3 years new and am use to squares to be honest by I really wanted to try a circle. I wasn’t able to follow your pattern past the ribbing BUT because I tried I decided to do what I know and used your ribbing to start me off which was the I spiraling I needed!! Don’t worry I WILL be back to concur your pattern though… Big hugs Steph
When we are finished, do we turn inside out so that the slipped stitch seam doesn’t show on the bottom and top? I just started these and love them!
Actually legally the “design (pattern)” is all that is copyrightable. Anything you make FROM it is legally yours to do with as you want. You are not required by law to give a credit for the pattern even.
Thank you for the pattern. I have wanted to make some for myself. I have m.s. and my legs get cold easily. However, as a well perportioned female (aka I gots curves!)these look like they will work, and I don’t have to make a pattern myself!
I’m having difficulty understanding the second part with the k hook. What is being done exactly?
The pattern appears pretty easy to follow, but I don’t quite understand why it alternates between a K and G hook. It would be helpful if you could repost the picture of what it looks like. Thanks.