Pattern: Baby Legwarmers [Ravelry]
Yarn: Rowan Wool Cotton (brown) and Baby Cashmerino (green) <1 ball of each
Needles: US 3
Recipient: Future Baby Eloise!
Notes: My friend and fellow Spider Kaitlyn swears that legwarmers are the world's most useful handknit for babies. I wanted to make something for a shower gift in relatively short order, and these seemed perfect. Machine washable. Useful. Cute. I think the recipient liked them pretty well, but since she doesn't have any babies yet, I don't think she quite gets the utility of legwarmers (I have to admit I don't fully get it either, being childless, but I take all the moms' words for it!).
These took me about three hours to finish. Sometimes, when a tiny project like this takes three hours, I marvel at knitting books and patterns that give time estimates, like Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. I am not a slow knitter, but I do not think I have ever finished ANY knitted gift in a single hour! In any case, a quick gift that I could easily knit more of and probably will, before too long, since my friends have been busy on the procreation front.
Work continues on the Viennese Shrug. I got through the first repeat and found that, sure enough, subliminalrabbit was right to warn me that the thing is ginormous - though it was turning out rather pretty, don't you think? (Sorry for the poor cameraphone shot - this was taken on the 7 train on the way to the Mets game!)
So I frogged. With three repeats of the lace motif instead of the four as written, I braved the provisional cast-on a SECOND time thanks to some moral support and mathematical magic from Virginia, Sandra, and Marie. I've made up about half the ground lost in frogging, and it's going a lot faster without that repeat - hope it doesn't cause any major disasters later on. Hang on tight, Dear Readers, this could be a wild ride!
Posted by jess at July 15, 2009 10:12 PM | TrackBackThe legwarmers are wonderful, and I'm certain that the mother will find them indispensable.
Posted by: Mildawg at July 15, 2009 11:58 PMThey are DARLING, but I have to say I am a mom and I don't really get it. I guess I never really tried them out... Do you put them in a onesie and then the legwarmers instead of pants?
Posted by: Julie at July 16, 2009 12:15 AMi made pairs for my boys, but they were a little, um, girly. they always ended up wearing the cutest american apparel karate pants (a total winner for boys). my niece wears babylegs every day...she goes in a onesie with the leggings and then my sis slips a skirt or dress over it all. it helps that she lives in a cooler climate. those are verrry cute...i am partial to stripes too.
Posted by: mamie at July 16, 2009 1:07 AMI would never have guessed that legwarmers would be a useful baby knit!! I'm going to have to remember that. They are too cute!
Posted by: Julie at July 16, 2009 7:46 AMi'm so sorry i haven't written back - i have had a crazy week and i am scores of emails and hundreds of blog posts behind!
anyway - i think you will be fine with three repeats. i recommend also altering the width. HUGE!
Posted by: marri at July 16, 2009 10:52 AMThose leggies are absolutely adorable. I only have boys, but I would totally love those on a baby girl. They seem very useful with a dress here in the chilly Northeast winters.
Hmm..maybe I should make a set for my chihuahua? :p
Posted by: Jennifer at July 16, 2009 11:15 AMWe use baby legwarmers all the time. They're great w/a onesie b/c you don't have to struggle to take pants off for a diaper change. They make quick sleeves w/her sleeveless sleepsack. They protect her knees when crawling. In the winter, they work as..well, legwarmers, covering up that gap between the bottom of pants and the socks/shoes.
Posted by: Jolt at July 16, 2009 12:31 PMI think they're adorable. I've never used them but I'm sure they're quite useful; I can definitely see the advantage of them.
Posted by: Rose at July 16, 2009 3:25 PMyes, i do solemnly swear that legwarmers are the hand knit my babies wore the most. under EVERYTHING. And for me, they eliminated the need to bundle them up in snowsuits, which I find to be visually pleasing, but SO ANNOYING to deal with. It extended the life of their pants through the end of the cold season by basically extending the bottoms of the pants. Glad you tried it out :)
Posted by: kaitlyn at July 17, 2009 9:19 AMthose legwarmers are the cutest!
Posted by: meg at July 17, 2009 10:44 PMI love the little legwarmers, but I'm with the other mom who thinks they can look a tad girly. I tried to find some for my son, to my dismay. So fun, though! Thanks for sharing.
Car Seat Blanket
