Crochet Leg Warmers – Peppermint Candy
Make crochet leg warmers that really fit! All-over stretch, combined with mix and match size and shape options make these leg warmers truly customizable.
Make your leg warmers shorter for a smoother finish, or longer for a more slouchy look. They’re great for gifting too. Find your perfect fit today!
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Holiday Stashdown Crochet Along
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Crochet leg warmers that really fit!
Everyone’s legs are a different size and shape. In my case, for example, I have very wide calves. Most leg warmers that are comfortable on my calves are too baggy at the ankle. If they fit at the ankle, I can’t pull them all the way up.
With this pattern, you can choose an ankle size that fits you, and then decide on the shape of the leg that you want. Do you have narrower legs, or plan to wear them slouched around the ankle? Maybe a straight leg is a good choice. Want to pull them all the way up comfortably? Try tapered or curvy. Whatever your size and style, there’s a combination to fit.
Yarn and colors
I dug into my stash for this project, and came up with some Paintbox Simply Aran yarn. The Vanilla Cream and Pillar Red were perfect peppermint candy colors!
Working into the 3rd loop
The texture of these crochet legwarmers is created by alternating between normal half double crochet stitches, and half double crochet stitches worked into the third loop. Because we are turning our work with every round, the third loop is in the front, and just below the front and back loops that we normally work into.
For a more detailed look at working into the third loop of hdc, see this tutorial
Peppermint Candy Leg Warmers
Materials
- Yarn: Worsted weight yarn
- 125-175 yds red
- 75-125 yds cream
- Hook: Size H/8 5mm crochet hook or size needed to match gauge.
- Notions: Yarn Needle
Project Level
Intermediate: Working in the round, working in third loops only, and front and back post stitches.
Size
Instructions for additional sizes are indicated in [ ]. Choose a size for the ankle and a size for the calf.
Ankle size: XS [S/M, L/XL] fits ankle measurement of 7-8 [8-10, 10-12] inches
Leg shape: Straight [Tapered, Wide].
- Straight: Calf is about the same size as ankle – no shaping.
- Tapered: Calf is about 1.25 times the width of the ankle.
- Wide: Calf is about 1.5 times the width of the ankle.
Gauge
13 hdc x 12 rows = 4 inches.
Abbreviations used
(Pattern is written in US terms)
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
fphdc = front post half double crochet
bphdc = back post half double crochet
tlo = third loop only
st(s) = stitch(es)
sl st = slip stitch
RS = right side
WS = wrong side
Stitch Multiples
For those of you who like to modify designs, here are the multiples to keep in mind.
- The cuff should be a multiple of 2 rows (4 makes the leg work out more easily)
- Rnd 1 of the of the leg should be an even number of stitches. If you need to add an extra increase to make it even, that’s fine.
Instructions
Cuff
With red, ch 8
Row 1 (WS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st across. (7 sts)
Rows 2 – 20, [24, 28]: Ch 1, turn, sc in back loop only of each st across.
Check that cuff fits comfortably around your ankle. If it does not, you may want to change to a different size or a different hook.
Joining (WS): Fold cuff so that short ends meet, with right sides together. Working through both layers, sl st in each st across.
Leg:
Rnd 1 (WS) : Working in sides of rows on cuff, choose one option below
- Straight: Ch 1, hdc in each row around, join with sl st to first st, changing to cream. (20 [24, 28] sts)
- Tapered – Sizes XS and L/XL only: Ch 1, 2 hdc in each of first 2 rows, hdc in next 2 rows, (2 hdc in next row, hdc in next 3 rows) around, join with sl st to first st, changing to cream. (26 [36] sts)
- Tapered – Size S/M only: Ch 1, 2 hdc in first row, hdc in next 3 rows, (2 hdc in next row, hdc in next 3 rows) around, join with sl st to first st, changing to cream. (30 sts)
- Wide: Ch 1, 2 hdc in first row, hdc in next row (2 hdc in next row, hdc in next row) around, join with sl st to first st, changing to cream. (30 [36, 42] sts)
Rnds 2-3: With cream, ch 1, turn, hdc in first st, hdc in tlo of next st, (hdc in next st, hdc in tlo of next st) around, join with sl st to first st. Change to red at end of Rnd 3.
Because we are turning our work, the third loop of the hdc will be at the front. See this tutorial for more details.
Rnds 4-5: With red, repeat rnds 2-3, changing to cream at end of Rnd 5.
Rnds 6-7: Repeat rnds 2-3.
Repeat rnds 4-7 to desired length, then repeat rnd 4 once more.
Top ribbing will add about 1 more inch
Top Ribbing
Rnds 1-3 (RS): Ch 1, do NOT turn, bphdc around first st, fphdc around next st, (bphdc around next st, fphdc around next st) around.
Fasten off, weave in all ends.
Repeat instructions for 2nd leg warmer.
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4 Comments
Sandra L
I just started to make a pair of these for my daughter-in-law. BUT, I have a couple of questions. First, the pattern says the ankle and cuff can be adjusted. But then there’s no instructions for the top cuff to be adjusted, like there is for the ankle cuff. Second, I’m a bit confused about the WS and RS. IF I understood the directions correctly, I slip stitched the ankle cuff together with the right side on the inside, and the wrong side on the outside. There was no mention in the pattern at all that the cuff or body of the legwarmer should be turned inside out so that the right side is facing out. Yet, at the end, when it comes to the top “ribbing”, it says to do that on the right side. At what point should the legwarmer be turned inside out in order to be worked on the right side facing out? After the ankle cuff? After the entire body of the legwarmer, before the top ribbing? And finally, I would really like the top cuff to match the ankle cuff and be able to adjust the size so that it doesn’t slide down the leg, but fit snugly. I was hoping that when the description said that we could choose the size of the ankle and cuff that that’s what it meant, but I don’t see anywhere to do this. So I’m trying to figure out if I can make the top cuff to match the ankle cuff without making the cuff separately and then attaching it to the body of the legwarmer afterwards. Sorry for so many questions, but would love some clarification on the directions in the areas I mentionned and some advice on the top cuff. Thanks!
Pia Thadani
Hi Sandra
The ribbing should be elastic enough to keep the leg warmer up, but if you make it any tighter at the top you’ll have trouble getting it up and over the calf muscle. If you want it more elastic at the top you could also sew in a piece of elastic, or crochet with an elastic thread running along with your yarn.
Hope that helps!
Sandra L
Ok, I guess I should have tried to be more clear. The cuff at the ankle is made differently than the top ribbing. I would rather have a “cuff” at the top instead of the ribbing, so I’m wondering if I can just make a cuff and attach it to the body of the legwarmer OR is there a way I can make the same kind of cuff at the top without having to crochet it separately? I’m guessing probably not, but I just prefer that kind of top cuff. Suggestions?
Pia Thadani
I think I see what you mean – you want sideways ribbing at the top like there is on the bottom, instead of the front post/back post ribbing that’s currently on the top? Yes you can crochet that separately and sew it on. You COULD crochet it on, joining every row to the leg with slip stitches as you go, but sewing it on separately is easier.