As a knitter, when a friend or a relative is expecting, you knit something. It’s almost a reflex, I think. Baby = little knitted stuff. The pattern I’ve been following, now that I’m apparently at the age when 90% of my friends and relatives are expecting, is to knit something small as soon as I hear, then something bigger for the baby shower or just close to the arrival if there isn’t going to be a shower. It’s worked pretty well so far.
But what do you do when it’s a knitter’s baby? These wee little people only need so many sweaters and blankets, you know? All the obvious stuff is taken. So for Jess and Amy, both of whom are due soon, I came up with these little legwarmers. Pink for Amy, who’s having a little girl, and green for Jess, who’s having a little question mark. I don’t have any modeled pictures yet, as the buns are all still in the oven, so to speak. But I’ll add them as soon as I can.
Thanks for the photo, Amy!
I like the idea of legwarmers for babies. They are easier for diaper changes than pants, especially for these two cloth-diapering moms. Pants designed for regular diapers never fit over cloth ones, I can tell you. Baby Sister was wearing size 18-month pants when she was four months old. And legwarmers will fit for a long time – pulled up over the thighs when they are little, especially for crawling-padding, then more traditionally when they’re older. These looked like they would have fit Baby Sister (I didn’t try; I couldn’t be sure I’d get them back without some argument).
And yes, the name is quite cheesy, but the x’s and o’s pattern kind of demanded it. With babies, you just have to up the awww factor as much as possible, you know?
So, here’s the pattern. It’s very easy and very quick – I knit the second pair in two days, and I’m a slow knitter.
Yarn: any worsted weight. I used Knitpicks Bare Peruvian Wool, dyed with Koolaid for the pink ones and Jacquard dyes for the green ones.
Needles: US size 8 dpns or circulars
Notions: stitch marker, cable needle (although you can do it without!)
Cable round A: p4, work right-leaning cable, work left-leaning cable, p4, k to end.
Cable round B: p4, work left-leaning cable, work right-leaning cable, p4, k to end.
Right-leaning cable: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hang to back of work, k2, k2 from cable needle
Left-leaning cable: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hang to front of work, k2, k2 from cable needle
Cast on 40sts. Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist sts. Place marker for end of round if needed.
k2, p2 rib for 10 rounds.
Set-up: p4, k8, p4, k to end. (Those 8 stitches will be where the cable goes.)
Repeat this round once more.
Make an O:
Work Cable round A.
p4, k8, p4, k to end for three rounds.
Work Cable round B.
p4, k8, p4, k to end twice.
Make an X:
Work Cable round B.
p4, k8, p4, k to end for three rounds.
Work Cable round A.
p4, k8, p4, k to end twice.
Make another O.
Make another X.
Make another O.
k2, p2 rib for 10 rounds.
Bind off. I used this stretchy one I got from Knitting Daily: k2tog through the back loops, put the new stitch back on the left needle, and repeat all the way around.
The second legwarmer is just the same, except it goes X,O,X,O,X instead of O,X,O,X,O.
Enjoy! And feel free to comment or email me with questions if needed.
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