Cute Fall/Winter Leg Warmers: Made from the sleeves of an old sweater!

Time for my first non-crochet post!!

For a while now, I've been wanting a cute pair of leg warmers to wear with my boots this fall/winter. At first, I considered knitting a pair from start to finish but due to all the other projects I have going on (11 foot knitted scarf among others) I just don't have the time and I am far too impatient to wear them. So while I was going through my closet I came across this old sweater. While it is still in great condition, I just don't wear it as much anymore and decided it would go to far better use as my new leg warmers.

 One of the main tools you are going to need (aside from scissors and your sewing machine) is a seam ripper.

 Turn you sweater inside-out and located the shoulder seam. If you are working with a tight-knit sweater, it may be possible to just cut your shoulder seam. In my case, this sweater was rather loose-knit. It may be difficult to find the seam thread, but if you can, you will be able to handle the sleeve with less unraveling.

 Carefully remove both sleeves from the sweater.

 Depending on the size of your sleeves and the style of leg warmers you want, you may have to cut down the length of the sleeve. You can't see it in this photo but before cutting, I used my sewing machine and stitched down the length of the sleeve before cutting so there was no unraveling as I cut of the unwanted material.

 Cut the end of the sleeve off where it starts to curve.

 Carefully fold over cut end making sure you line up the seams. Sew around the opening to create a hem. Make sure you do not pull the sleeve as you go because you don't want to stretch out the end of your legwarmer.

This is the finished product. I wanted mine more fitted. If you want a loose style, leave the extra fabric on instead of cutting along the length of the sleeve.

I hope you find this project as easy and fun as I did. I love how these turned out and I can't wait to wear them with my boots.

Also, don't worry about the rest of this nice sweater going to waste. I'm thinking a pair of mittens and some sort of ear-warmer/scarf are in the works for this sweater as well. So look for those projects in the near future.

Stormi

Flower Winter Headband/Ear-warmer

Flower Ear-Warmer Headband

(More photos follow at the end of the post.)

Introduction
This is a pattern I made based on a Pinterest pin. I'm not sure where the original pattern came from because the link was broken when I clicked on it. I fell in love with this headband/ear-warmer as soon as I saw it and had to come up with a pattern of my own for it. I'm not sure how accurate this is to the original pattern, but it looks very much like the Pinterest photo I was working off of. Once I got the pattern down, it only took me 1 to 1 1/2 hours to finish this headband so it is a pretty quick and easy pattern.

Materials List
Any worsted weight yarn (I used acrylic yarn for the one in the photo, but this pattern would work great with cotton or wool as well.)
USA G-4.25 mm hook
Yarn needle

Headband
Ch 4
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch and across, ch 1, turn
Row 2: 2 sc in 1st st, sc 1, 2 sc in last ch, ch 1, turn
Row 3: sc across, ch 1, turn
Row 4: 2 sc in 1st st, sc to next to last st, 2 sc in last st, ch 1, turn
Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until you have 13 stitches.

Pattern Row: 
dc in first stitch, *skip 1 stitch, work (sc, dc) in next stitch; repeat from * until there are two stitches remaining. skip 1 stitch, sc in the turning chain of the previous row, ch 1, turn

Work pattern row until it reaches approximately 12 inches** from the start of the pattern (do not count the sc).

**If you need to adjust the pattern to fit your head better or to fit the head of a child change the length of pattern rows you do. If you need the headband to be larger, work for an additional inch or two. If you need to shorten the headband, work the pattern for fewer inches.

Row 1: Sc 2 tog, sc to last 2 st, sc 2 tog, ch 1, turn
Row 2: sc across, ch 1, turn
Repeat  rows 1 and 2 until you have 3 stitches remaining.
Ch 1, Turn, sc across for 3 additional rows.

Sc around headband, with 2 sc in corner stitches. When you reach the first end, sc in the first st, ch 5, sc in 3rd st and continue around making sure you sc twice in each corner. Join with sl st and fasten off.
Attach button to top side of other end. Use yarn needle to weave in ends.

Flower
 ch 5; join with a slip st to form ring.
Round 1: Ch 5 (counts as dc and ch-2), [dc, ch 2] 5 times in ring; join to 3rd ch.
Round 2: Ch 1, (sc, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc) in each ch-2 space around – 6 petals.
Round 3: Holding Round 2 forward, * sc in dc from Round 1, ch 3; repeat from * around; join.
Round 4: Ch 1, (sc, hdc, dc, 3 tr, dc, hdc, sc) in each ch-3 space around – 6 petals.
Round 5: Holding Round 4 forward, * sc in sc from Round 3, ch 4; repeat from * around; join.
Round 6: Ch 1, (sc, hdc, dc, 5 tr, dc, hdc, sc) in each ch-4 space around – 6 petals. Fasten off.

Position flower where you want it on the headband. (I prefer how it looks off to one side. ) Using your crochet hook, pull a length of yarn through so one end is through the front of the head band and the other through the back. Using the end  through the front, insert the end up (back to front) through the center circle of the flower, pull it back down through one of the ch 2 spaces and back up through the center circle, then insert the end through the ch 2 space directly across from the one you put it through before and down through the headband. Tie the two ends together and use yarn needle to weave in the ends.

Have fun with this one. I hope you love it as much as I do and if you share this, please link back to my blog.
Happy Crocheting!
Stormi

(Up-close shot of the stitch pattern)

(Picture of the back of the headband)

 (This is the pattern size on my daughter. I'm going to make one to fit her. I think I will make the "patterned" section of her's about 9 inches instead of 12 so it fits her head better.)

 (Side view of the pattern size headband on my daughter.)

Beautiful Winter Bow-Tie Headband/Earwarmer

Hook used: I (5.50 mm)
Yarn used: Red Heart Super Saver (This pattern would also work great with wool or cotton yarn)

The Head Band
Ch 12
ROW 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. (10 dc)
ROW 2-25: ch2, turn, dc in each st across, (10 dc)
Fold in half to line up both ends.
Ch1, turn, sc in each stitch across. (make sure you are working your sc through both ends at the same time.) This connects the ends.
Fasten off and weave in ends.

(If you need to make the band longer or shorter to fit any head, simply add or leave off rows.)

Bow-Tie Band
Ch 5
ROW 1: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each across (4 sc)
ROW 2-10: ch 1, turn, sc in each st across
Fold in half around headband and line up ends.
Ch 1, turn, sc in each stitch across. (make sure you are working your sc through both ends at the same time.)
Fasten off and weave in ends.

Twist Bow-Tie Band around so the seam is underneath, Line the Bow-Tie band up over the seam of the headband to hide the seam.

* If you would like to adjust this pattern to make a Bow-Tie Headband for a child, start with a ch 7 instead of 12 and work enough rows to fit the child's head. When making the Bow-Tie band, work 5 rows instead of 10.