From my student days trudging through the snow to the lecture halls to giving the dogs a run in nearby snow-covered fields, these leg warmers add an extra layer of warmth and a splash of individuality. These knee-high legwarmers are inspired by the textures of frost-encrusted stems and branches, and the fissures, knarls and knots of bark which become the dominant features of trees in winter.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: Ladies S/M unstretched 10¾” to fit up to 14” calf circumference
Gauge: 30 sts and 29 rows = 4” [10 cm] over pattern on larger needle after wet blocking.
Materials
Yarn:
Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash (100% Wool; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams): 1926 Doeskin Heather, 2 balls
Needles: US size 6 (4 mm): 32” or longer circular; US size 5 (3.75 mm): 32” or longer circular
Notions: Cable needle; one stitch marker; tapestry needle
Abbreviations
C4B: Place next 2 sts on cable needle and hold at back, knit next 2 sts, and then knit the 2 sts from the cable needle.
M1L: With left hand needle lift the bar between the st just knit and the next st from front to back and knit through the back of it.
M1PL: With left hand needle lift the bar between the st just knit and the next st from front to back and purl through the back of it.
M1PR: With left hand needle lift the bar between the st just knit and the next st from back to front and purl through the front of it.
M1R: With left hand needle lift the bar between the st just knit and the next st from back to front and knit through the front of it.
RT: Knit the next 2 sts together but do not slip from needle. Knit the first st again and slip sts from needle.
Pattern notes
The legwarmers are worked from the bottom up in the round using magic loop method.
Make two the same.
Pattern
With larger needle and using the Cable Cast-On Method, CO 57 sts.
PM and join to work in the round by moving the last st to the start of the needle and passing the next st over it – 1 st dec’d; 56 sts.
Rnds 1 and 3: *(K4, p1, k2, p1); rep from * around.
Rnd 2: *(C4B, p1, RT, p1); rep from * around.
Rnd 4: *(K4, p1, RT, p1): rep from * around.
Rnds 5-10: Rep Rnds 1-4, and then Rnds 1-2 once more.
Place a marker 8 sts before the end of the Rnd.
Rnd 11: *(K4, p1, k2, p1); rep from * to marker, k4, p1, kfb twice, p1 – inc’d 2; 58 sts.
Rnd 12: *(K4, p1, RT, p1): rep from * to marker, k4, p1, RT twice, p1
Rnd 13: *(K4, p1, k2, p1); rep from * to marker, k4, p1, k2, M1L, k2, p1 – inc’d 1; 59 sts.
Rnd 14: *(C4B, p1, RT, p1); rep from * to marker, C4B, p1, RT, kfb, RT, p1 – inc’d 1; 60 sts.
Rnd 15: *(K4, p1, k2, p1); rep from * to marker, k4, p1, k2, M1PL, k2, M1PR, k2, p1 – inc’d 2; 62 sts.
Rnd 16: *(K4, p1, RT, p1); rep from * to last 6 sts, kfb twice, p1, RT, p1 – inc’d 2; 64 sts
Remove marker.
Rnds 17-18: Rep Rnds 1-2.
Rnds 19-26: Rep Rnds 3-4, 3 times, and then Rnds 1-2.
Rnds 27-34: Rep Rnds 19-26.
Place marker 8 sts before the end of the Rnd.
Rnd 35: *(K4, p1, k2, p1); rep from * to marker, M1R, k4, M1L, p1, k2, p1 – 2 sts inc’d; 66 sts.
Rnd 36: *(K4, p1, RT, p1): rep from * to marker, M1R, k6, M1L, p1, RT, p1 – 2 sts inc’d; 68 sts.
Rnd 37: *(K4, p1, k2, p1); rep from * to marker, k4, M1PL, k4, p1, k2, p1 – 1 st inc’d; 69 sts.
Rnd 38: *(K4, p1, RT, p1): rep from * to marker, k4, pfb, k4, p1, RT, p1 – 1 st inc’d; 70 sts.
Rnd 39: *(K4, p1, k2, p1); rep from * to marker, k4, p1, M1L, p1, k4, p1, k2, p1 – 1 st inc’d; 71 sts.
Rnd 40: *(K4, p1, RT, p1): rep from * to marker, k4, p1, kfb, p1, k4, p1, RT, p1 – 1 st inc’d; 72 sts.
Remove marker.
Rnds 41-58: Rep Rnds 17-34.
Place marker 16 sts before the end of the Rnd.
Rnd 59: *(K4, p1, k2, p1); rep from * to marker, k4, p1, kfb twice, p1, k4, p1, k2, p1 – inc’d 2; 74 sts.
Rnd 60: *(K4, p1, RT, p1): rep from * to marker, k4, p1, RT twice, p1, k4, p1, RT, p1.
Rnd 61: *(K4, p1, k2, p1); rep from * to marker, k4, p1, k2, M1L, k2, p1, k4, p1, k2, p1 – inc’d 1; 75 sts.
Rnd 62: *(K4, p1, RT, p1); rep from * to marker, k4, p1, RT, kfb, RT, p1, k4, p1, RT, p1 – inc’d 1; 76 sts.
Rnd 63: *(K4, p1, k2, p1); rep from * to marker, k4, p1, k2, M1PL, k2, M1PR, k2, p1, k4, p1, k2, p1 – inc’d 2; 78 sts.
Rnd 64: *(K4, p1, RT, p1): rep from * to last 14 sts, kfb twice, p1, RT, p1, k4, p1, RT, p1 – inc’d 2; 80 sts.
Remove marker.
Rnds 65-82: Rep Rnds 17-34.
Change to smaller needle.
Rnds 83-86: Rep Rnds 3-4 once, then Rnds 1-2.
Rnds 87-95: Rep Rnds 83-86 twice, then Rnd 3 once more.
Using larger needle, BO as set (knit the knits and purl the purls) but knit the 2nd and 3rd sts of each 8-st patt rep together to prevent cable flare.
Finishing
Weave in yarn ends. Block.