September 3, 2012
Do you have a favorite kind of project that you like to stitch? One that you gravitate toward more often than others? I kind of feel like I love to stitch just about everything. People ask me all the time if I like knit or crochet better. I always answer that I like them both the same, which is true. Put a hook or some needles in my hands and give me some yarn, or even a cross stitch kit with a sewing needle, thread and fabric and I am filled with joy. I just love stitching in any of these craft forms.
That being said, looking at these legwarmer projects that I stitched many moons ago, I realize I just LOVE legwarmers!! Maybe it’s because they go on adorable little dancers who are excited to put on ballet or tap shoes and twirl. Who knows? But, for whatever reason it may be, legwarmers have got to be one of my favorite things to make. I’ve recently started making socks and they bring me similar joy, but the simplicity of the legwarmers makes them just a tad more appealing. You don’t have to worry about the heel turn and toe shaping. You just do the ribbing on the top and bottom (and in this patterns case add a little ruffle) and Voila!! You’ve got cuteness overload!!
I stitched these for a very dear friend of mine who had a little girl so that made the project all the more special to me. There is also something to said about stitching something for people you love.
*This post may include affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for more information.*
Striped Ruffle Legwarmers Pattern Info:
The pattern I used for this project was Striped Leg Warmers by Cheryl Murray. You can also find a copy of the book I found the pattern in on amazon for fairly cheap. I’m attaching a link for that below.
Ruffle Legwarmers Yarn Choices
Good yarn choices to use to make this would be Vanna’s Choice, Caron Simply Soft Party, and Red Heart Soft. I recommend any of these. My friend chose pretty specific colors so I was a bit limited on yarn choices for this particular project, but as you will see over the next few posts, I made several more pairs of these. I’m including an Amazon link below to find a few yarn choices there. A few other places to check out yarn are Lion Brand, Knit Picks (I will post some colorways for this company below) and Create For Less websites.
Needles and Tools
Something else that comes in handy if you decide you’d like to stitch this pattern up for yourself is a good set of knitting needles . My favorite brand to use, and the only kind I have ever really purchased, are the Knit Picks brand. They are so beautiful and I can’t help but smiling just looking at them. Pictured below are several of the mosaic wood options they carry. I just love them.
You can also find options at any of your local craft stores or even on Amazon. I’ll be sure to include a few other links as well. Several buying options to choose from and I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them. 🙂 You will see that most of the options I recommend are interchangeable sets, and only ones that I have heard great reviews on, even if I don’t personally own each brand. Interchangeable needles are going to be the most economical way to get started as you can use them for a wide variety of projects. Whatever you do, make sure to do your research. If you purchase a quality needle from the start, you won’t have to buy replacements later on. They will stand the test of time and use, so do your homework first and shop smart!
Still Need Help?
If you currently don’t know how to knit, I’d be happy to stitch these up for you, just send me a message to custom order. Or…. I highly recommend learning Show to knit yourself! Check out the site for Annie’s below for an online learning option. You can try this site out for free to see if you like it before continuing a membership. I’m also including a link for a kit similar to what I purchased back in 2012 that I used to aid in teaching myself to knit, long before these great online resources were as readily available.
Finally, here are the few little notes and tips I took for myself and saved in Ravelry when I stitched a similar pair of these up :
Pattern is written for size 6-12 months. In order to adjust for 24 month will use size 6 and 7 double pointed needles and follow pattern as written. Will post later to tell if this worked or not. 🙂
This worked. I will try to post another pic soon of them being worn/modeled by a 24 month old. 🙂
That should be about all you need if you want to try this one out. Please let me know if you have any questions or need any help.
Happy Stitching!
🧶💖
~Mindy~
