Crochet leg warmers to light up your wintry days

Photo via Hook Yarn Carabiner, https://hookyarncarabiner.com/

It's dark, cold, dreary...but look at you: you have these awesome crocheted leg warmers to keep you warm while looking fabulous! Yes, that's the way to handle winter.

The fabulous Ellie at Hook Yarn Carabiner created the pattern for these crocheted leg warmers as something fun, fashionable, and usable to make during wintry days when you stay inside and wear when you go outside. 

Handmade "leg sweaters" are fashionable and cozy-warm, yes, but there's an added 'special touch' with this pattern: Kreinik Reflective Yarn. Ellie calls for it as a carry-along (so lightweight, you can hardly tell it's there) to add a level of safety when you go out at night, walking the dog, biking, jogging, or grabbing dinner. The neutral gray of the Reflective Yarn goes so well with the Lion Brand Scarfie yarn she used, but it blends into just about any color or yarn. Hmm, bonus idea: this pattern could become your go-to gift to make for friends this year.

The Kreinik Reflective Yarn is thin and neutral, so it blends into any yarn. Photo showing it reflecting in a camera flash via Hook Yarn Carabiner. 

Get the pattern from her Etsy shop here.

Get the Kreinik Reflective Yarn here.

Photo via Hook Yarn Carabiner, https://hookyarncarabiner.com/

Want more?

Ellie's such an interesting person in addition to being a crochet enthusiast. Read more about her here and check out some of her other crochet patterns here. Follow her on Instagram too.

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Free knitting pattern featuring Reflective Yarn

Stay warm and safe with reflective knitwear

If you knit or crochet hats, scarves, dog sweaters and other outdoor wear, you're going to want some of this: Kreinik Reflective Yarn. This fiber looks like a simple gray when it’s knit or crocheted into a project, but shines brightly when light hits it, adding a little level of safety when it’s worked into outerwear for you or your pet. If headlights from a car or cyclist aim in your direction, the reflective yarn helps tell the driver that someone is there. 

This particular reflective fiber comes on spools for small projects (like stripes or highlighted areas) or cones for larger projects. Super fine or lace weight, you add it to any yarn you already have, making it versatile for all projects. It's a fun material to experiment with as the weather keeps us indoors this time of year. Start now and you'll have all of your gifts made by the time Christmas 2018 comes around.

To get you started, here is a fast, free knit ear warmer/headband pattern from designer/teacher Mary Beth Temple of Hooked For Life Publishing. Ribbed top and bottom for a good fit, the simple diamond pattern in the center is achieved by working a diamond shape in stocking/stockinette stitch and its reverse. The reflective thread is only worked into the reverse stocking/stockinette stitched diamonds, so it lights up in a fun pattern when the light hits it. 

Reflective Diamonds Ear Warmer

Finished Size: Approx 3.5″/9 cm tall x 21″/53cm in circumference, unstretched. Will stretch to fit larger heads

Materials:

Approx 45 yds/41m worsted weight yarn. Model shown in Diamond Yarns Tradition (51% acrylic/42%wool/7% nylon; 100g, 219 yds/200m)
1 spool Kreinik Reflective Thread (buy here)
Circular needles size 7/4.5mm or size needed to obtain gauge
Stitch marker

Gauge: 16 sts x 20 rows = 4″/10cm in st st

Notes:

A denotes wool yarn only.

B denotes wool yarn and reflective thread carried together.

Carry the reflective yarn on the wrong side of the work, twisting yarns to keep from tangling if float is more than 4 sts.

Ear warmer:

With A, cast on 82 sts. Set up for working in the round, being careful not to twist Stitches, and place marker for beginning of rnd.

Work 5 rows k1/p1 ribbing, decreasing 1 st anywhere on the 5th rnd for a new total of 81 sts.

Diamond Pattern:

Rnd 1: With A, k4, with B, p1, (with A, k8, with B, p1) 8 times, with A, k4.

Rnd 2: With A, k3, with B, p3, (with A, k6, with B, p3) 8 times, with A, k3.

Rnd 3: With A, k2, with B, p5, (with A, k4, with B, p5) 8 times, with A, k2.

Rnd 4: With A, k1, with B, p7, (with A, k2, with B, p7) 8 times, with A, k1.

Rnd 5: With B, p.

Rnd 6: Rep Rnd 4.

Rnd 7: Rep Rnd 3.

Rnd 8: Rep Rnd 2.

Rnd 9: Rep Rnd 1. End off reflective thread.

Work 5 rows k1/p1 ribbing, increasing 1 st anywhere on the first Rnd for a new total of 82 sts.

Bind off/cast off in ribbing.

Weave in all ends.

originally from http://hookedforlifepublishing.com/2017/11/reflective-diamonds-ear-warmer-free-knit-pattern/ used by Kreinik with permission from Mary Beth Temple

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Free knitting pattern from Hooked For Life

Tis the season to be thinking about holiday gift giving. It's always good to give something handmade —it's unique, created with love, one of a kind, personal and meaningful — but there's only so much time in a day, right? So go for quick projects like this one, Reflective Diamonds Ear Warmer, a free pattern from Mary Beth Temple of Hooked For Life.

Knit this headband in a favorite color; the neutral gray Kreinik Reflective Yarn will blend into anything. What, you haven't heard of Reflective Yarn? If you knit or crochet, you have to try it. Not only is it fun (think of adding subliminal motifs, words, or messages), but it adds another level of safety to items worn in the dark. When the light hits it (like a flash or car light), it reflects. Great for knitted or crocheted dog sweaters, plus hats, scarves, gloves, etc. 

Get the free pattern

Did you see Mary Beth show the Kreinik Reflective Yarn on UK's Hochanda TV in October? She had this cute ear warmer design, which is now available as a free pattern here: http://hookedforlifepublishing.com/2017/11/reflective-diamonds-ear-warmer-free-knit-pattern/

Side note about the Reflective Yarn: you can also stitch with it. It's about the weight of our Fine #8 Braid. Go ahead and needlepoint with it for belts, shoes, handbags. You can also use it on 14-count Aida in cross stitch or in embroidery on clothing. 

For more information

• Purchase Kreinik Reflective Yarn on spools for small projects or on cones for larger projects. See options: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Reflective-Yarn.html
• Ideas for using it in needlepoint, cross stitch or embroidery: http://kreinikthread.blogspot.com/2013/01/reflections-on-reflective-thread.html

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