Simple Knitted Legwarmers pattern - still time to make before Christmas

Simple, knit legwarmers

The last few days have been FREEZING, and I mean negative numbers. The weather is tempting me to add another project to my already long Holiday project list.

Legwarmers!

I can bundle up all I want on top, but if all I have on the legs are jeans, I'm still going to be pretty dang cold. I could wear tights underneath my jeans, but who wants to do that?

So, I thought, I should just make really long legwarmers, like mid-thigh length legwarmers. Doesn't that sound wonderful! They'll be like blankets for the legs!

I made the legwarmers in the image above back in 2009 and am thinking I'll use the same, no-fuss pattern. To update them for the thigh length legwarmers, I'm going to use the same design and just keep stitching until they're the right length. I'll take the measurement around the largest part of my thigh instead of calf to start. That may be all I do. However, if the legwarmer seems too big once I get lower on the leg, I may start decreasing a stitch or two every now and then to make the bottoms slimmer. But who knows, it might be just right with the bottoms being big. I'll decide as I go, and let you know what happens.

Here is the pattern for the original legwarmers from the photo above.

Simple Legwarmers:

I used black, sport weight, blue sky alpaca yarn, but you can use whatever yarn you'd like. Update: use the needle size that's recommended for the yarn. I don't know what the original size of needle I used to make these back in 2009.

First you'll need to make a quick gauge: Cast on 10 stitches in stockinette stitch (knit a row, purl a row) for 10 rows total. Measure how many horizontal stitches in an inch. Then measure the number of inches around the largest part of you calf. Use those two numbers to figure out how many stitches you'll need to go around your calf.

Figure out the number of stitches it takes to go around your calf (instructions above) and cast on the closest multiple of 4 to that number. For my legwarmers I cast on 36 stitches.

work in the round

(k2, p2) around for 15 rows

k 50 rows (or to your desired length)

(k2, p2) around for 15 rows

bind off loosely.

There you go. Super easy, no frills, but still cute.

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Our new holiday favorite! Wooly Woodland Zipper Pouches.

I recently gifted myself something that I've been wanting to play with for a long time. A machine embroidery sewing machine! Don't worry, I'm not giving up on my hand embroidery roots, I just wanted to experiment in a "new for me" medium.

Look what I made! A little zippered fox pouch.

It's made out of fluffed up 100% wool fabric with a cute cotton lining. I was so excited about the little pouch, that I of course immediately posted it to facebook, twitter and instagram.

I was pretty quickly emailed by several people that they would like one, so I thought,
"How fun! I'll make some more!" 
and decided I would make up a limited amount of them especially for the holidays.

I'm still working out the details about when they'll be released (I've just started to make more). If you would like more info on the Wooly Woodland Zipper Pouches and want to stay updated on when they'll be available, click the link below.

Click here to stay up to date on the release of our Wooly Woodland Zipper Pouches.

You'll be the FIRST to know when they're available, and have FIRST DIBS on them before I share them on our main newsletter and other social media.

And now for a pile of cute...

Look at this pile of wool that I've stitched already. There are hedgehogs, foxes, owls, and even raccoons! I can't wait to make more!

Artist: Myko Bocek Studios

I've been staring at this little puffball owl for weeks now. Isn't he the cutest! All of these wooly pom pom characters are by Myko of Myko Bocek Studios. Check out more of her creations in her etsy store, facebook and blog. She has tons of Easter/Spring cuties in the store right now. How fun!

Giveaway!!!!! My new patterns

Hi peeps! Man, this has been my busiest holiday season ever, which is awesome, but exhausting. Don't worry I'll be posting more regularly soon. The No Coast Craft-o-Rama went great this weekend. It was super fun hanging out with my crafty friends. I still have to clean up everything still (and from Quilt Market too) but I'll get there.

Thanks to everyone who's stuck with the bloggy blog during my lack of posting. I'm going to do a little giveaway for all y'all! I'll be giving away my 4 new printed patterns to one lucky reader. All of you who guessed alligator here were right, my first sewing pattern is the little alligator in the first two pics. He comes with a fold out template and a booklet of easy to follow instructions. The other 3 patterns are my new puppy embroidery patterns, Boston, Golden and Maltese. Each puppy is sitting in a pretty border. The best part is that the patterns include an iron on transfer, woo hoo!

To enter the giveaway just leave a comment below. I'll pick a name randomly on Monday. Then you'll still get the patterns before Christmas! All the patterns are available as printed patterns and as pdf downloads in my etsy shop. Thanks all! -alyssa

Where am I?

I've been super MIA lately, gah! I've been absolutely consumed with my preparations for the Fall Quilt Market. I'm super excited about my new products and I can't wait to share! I also have some fun bit of news to reveal as well, but it all has to wait until after I get back. To make up for my MIA-ness, I'm going to have a little giveaway right when I get back from Houston. More info on that to come. I sent my booth off to Quilt Mmarket on Friday and now I've been playing catch up with all the things that I put off while I was busy prepping. I stayed up way to late on Friday and Saturday frantically designing greeting cards for the manufacturer I work with, and yesterday was another late night working on some embroideries for an exciting new project. Again, I can't share all the info yet (annoying right) but here are a couple of sneak peaks of the two embroideries. I'm hoping to blog more regularly again after Quilt Market. Thanks to all of y'all who've been patient and stuck with me. :-) I'll be tweeting at Quilt Market, follow me here if you'd like all my updates.

Artist: Ana Belen Salatino of Merry Blues Art

It's almost that time of year again (although you wouldn't know from the 80 degree weather we had here over the weekend). Time to start thinking about the holidays. Check out these eco-friendly, Warm Winter Greetings cards from Ana Belen Salatino of Merry Blues Art. They are printed on 100% banana paper made from agricultural waste–meaning no trees! Check out more works from Merry Blues Art and read more about their commitment to helping the environment. etsy and website