Laid Back Legwarmers in Spud & Chloe Fine - 201719 - Downloadable PDF

Laid Back Legwarmers Knitting Pattern by Meg Roke – Spud & Chloë Fine (Pattern No. 201719)

The Laid Back Legwarmers is a cheerful, colorful knitting pattern designed by Meg Roke as part of the Spud & Chloë Small Fries Collection. Published as pattern number 201719 and available as a downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level project creates cozy, all-over stranded colorwork leg warmers sized for children aged 4–6 years (with three size options: 4, 5, and 6 years). These leg warmers are designed to keep even the most active little ones warm during outdoor play or walks to school, combining practical warmth with a playful, creative aesthetic.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a pair of children's leg warmers worked in the round from the bottom up. The finished pieces feature an all-over zig-zag stranded colorwork pattern that runs the full length of the leg warmer. Because stranded colorwork carries a second yarn across the wrong side of the fabric, the resulting fabric has a built-in double layer that adds extra insulation — a practical benefit for cold-weather wear. The leg warmers are sized to measure approximately 11¼ to 12¼ inches in length depending on the size chosen.

Techniques Used

• Stranded colorwork (Fair Isle-style knitting): Two or more yarn colors are worked simultaneously in the same round, with the yarn not currently in use carried loosely across the wrong side of the fabric. This technique creates the signature zig-zag pattern and adds warmth through the doubled fabric layers.
• Working in the round: The leg warmers are knitted entirely in the round using double pointed needles, eliminating any seaming and producing a smooth, seamless tube of fabric.
• Long-tail cast-on (or stretchy cast-on): The pattern specifies a long-tail cast-on or similar stretchy cast-on method to ensure the bottom edge has adequate stretch for easy wear.
• Joining in the round: Stitches are cast on and joined carefully to avoid twisting before working begins.
• Binding off: A standard bind-off is used to finish the top edge of each leg warmer.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch in the round (knit every round) forms the base fabric of the leg warmers.
• Stranded colorwork chart stitches: Rounds 1–4 of the colorwork chart are repeated throughout the body of the leg warmer, creating the repeating zig-zag motif using two colors, referred to in the pattern as Color A and Color B.
• Knit stitch (k): The primary stitch used throughout the entire project.

Materials Required

Yarn

• Spud & Chloë Fine (80% superwash wool, 20% silk; 65g / 248 yards per hank): 1 hank each of Color A and Color B for all sizes. This 4-ply / fingering weight yarn offers a luxurious silk blend that is soft against children's skin while the superwash wool treatment makes it easy to care for.
• Spud & Chloë Outer (65% superwash wool, 35% organic cotton; 100g / 60 yards per hank): Used for a contrasting element — 2 (4, 4) hanks depending on size. This bulkier yarn is referenced in the materials list alongside the finer yarn, suggesting it may be used for an additional design element or finishing detail within the pattern.

Needles

• Size 2 (2.75mm) double pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge — used for the main stranded colorwork body of the leg warmers.
• Size 11 (8mm) double pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge — referenced for a specific portion of the construction, such as a cast-on or edging technique using the Spud & Chloë Outer yarn.