Crochet Leg Warmers: A Beautiful Free Pattern for Happy Legs
These crochet leg warmers are slouchy, baggy tubes with a ribbed cuff at each end and a tie that gathers the top just below the knee. They are worked flat, in rows, and seamed into a tube, so there is no joining in the round to worry about. You get every row below with a photo for each stage: the ribbing, the double crochet body, the top ribbing, the seam and the ties.
Below the steps you get a calf-to-rib-rows table that we worked out ourselves, a stitch count for every part, the places crochet leg warmers go wrong, a care note, and five more free leg warmer patterns to compare. Where a number is missing from the design, we say so and show our arithmetic instead of guessing.
The correction up front: the design prints no finished size, no yardage and no gauge, and its ribbing is a range, not a fixed number (44 to 50 rows). So treat the counts as a map and measure your own calf. The design also works the ribbing on a smaller hook than the yarn label suggests, and we explain why that is a sensible choice and not a mistake.
- Crochet Leg Warmers at a Glance
- What You Need for These Crochet Leg Warmers
- Crochet Leg Warmers: Step by Step
- Crochet Leg Warmers Size Guide: Calf to Rib Rows
- Crochet Leg Warmers Stitch Counts
- Where Crochet Leg Warmers Go Wrong
- Caring for Crochet Leg Warmers
- Five More Free Leg Warmer Patterns
- Crochet Leg Warmers FAQ
- Fingerless Gloves and Other Pairs to Make
Crochet Leg Warmers at a Glance
The crochet leg warmers are made of four parts: a ribbed cuff strip, a double crochet body worked along its long edge, a second ribbed strip on top, and a pair of chain ties. Everything is worked flat, then the long edge is seamed with single crochet and the tube is turned inside out.
| Part | What you work | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom ribbing | Chain 7, then 6 single crochet in the back loops only, row after row | 6 stitches wide, 44 to 50 rows long |
| Body | Double crochet along the ribbing edge, one per ribbing row, turned each row | 50 stitches, 23 rows |
| Top ribbing | Same strip, joined to the body with slip stitches as you go | 6 stitches wide, about 50 rows |
| Seam | Single crochet through both layers, about 2 per body row | 46 along the body |
| Ties | A chain on the smaller hook, threaded round the top ribbing | 80 chain each |
The numbers behind it: by our count one leg warmer holds 300 single crochet in each ribbing strip (6 stitches x 50 rows) and 1,150 double crochet in the body (50 stitches x 23 rows). A pair therefore needs 2,300 body stitches, which is a lot of double crochet but very simple ones.
What You Need for These Crochet Leg Warmers
The design uses a short kit: plain yarn, two hooks, a yarn needle and scissors. The maker works the ribbing and the ties on a 3.75 mm hook and the body on a 4.5 mm hook. Any plain, smooth yarn works, and the design does not say it must be a particular brand.
| Item | What to use |
|---|---|
| Yarn | Plain yarn; the maker uses Lion Brand Pound of Love in a pale green |
| Ribbing hook | 3.75 mm (also used for the ties) |
| Body hook | 4.5 mm |
| Tools | Yarn needle for the ends, scissors |
| Yardage | Not printed in the design; see the note below |
| Skill level | Beginner friendly, though the ribbing is slow |
How much to buy: the design gives no yardage, and we will not guess one. For comparison, the pages we read print 256 yd for a child’s pair, 465 yd for the Sigoni Macaroni slouchy pair (one skein) and 846 yd for the adult Red Heart crochet leg warmers, which is for both colours together in the smallest size. The maker’s skein is Pound of Love, which Lion Brand prints as 1,020 yd (932 m) and 454 g, which is more than any of those designs uses for a pair.
Hook and yarn: Lion Brand prints Pound of Love as category 4 (medium, worsted) and lists a 6 mm hook. The Craft Yarn Council gives 5.5 to 6.5 mm for that category. The body hook of 4.5 mm is 1 mm below that floor, and the 3.75 mm ribbing hook is 1.75 mm below it. That is deliberate: a tight rib hugs the leg and a firmer body holds the slouch.
Stitches and abbreviations
Crochet has two naming conventions, so here are both. Only the first five rows are used for these crochet leg warmers.
| Abbreviation | Name used here | Other naming convention |
|---|---|---|
| ch | Chain | Chain |
| sl st | Slip stitch | Slip stitch |
| sc | Single crochet | Double crochet |
| dc | Double crochet | Treble crochet |
| BLO | Back loop only | Back loop only |
A blanket is chained to a stitch multiple, but crochet leg warmers have none: the ribbing is a chain of 7 and the body takes one double crochet per ribbing row. In place of a multiple you get a simple match: the number of ribbing rows is the number of body stitches, so if you work 44 rib rows you work 44 double crochet in each body row.
Crochet Leg Warmers: Step by Step
Work the ribbing strip first, then rotate it and build the body on its long edge. Steps 1 to 6 make the bottom ribbing, steps 7 to 9 make the body, steps 10 to 13 add the top ribbing, steps 14 to 17 close and turn the tube, and steps 18 to 21 make and fit the ties. Make two.
Step 1: Gather the yarn and both hooks
Lay out the yarn, the 3.75 mm and 4.5 mm hooks, a yarn needle and scissors. Label the two hooks with a scrap of tape so you do not mix them up.
Step 2: Make a slip knot and chain 7
Use the 3.75 mm hook. Make a slip knot, then chain 7: yarn over, pull through the loop, and count seven V shapes along the chain.
Step 3: Single crochet in the last 6 chains
Skip the first chain next to the hook, then work 1 sc in each of the next 6 chains, going into the top of each V. You now have a strip 6 stitches wide. Chain 1 and turn.
Step 4: Work every row in the back loops only
On each new row, work 1 sc into the back loop only of each of the 6 stitches, chain 1 and turn. Going into the back loop only is what builds the vertical ridges that make the ribbing stretch.
Step 5: Check the ribbing round your calf
Keep working rows and wrap the strip round your leg now and then. The maker made 50 rows so the cuff slides down and bunches, and says 44 to 50 rows suit a leg of their size. Fewer rows give a snugger fit; more rows give a looser one.
Step 6: Stop when the strip fits
Fasten off the ribbing when the strip stretches lightly round your leg. For a pair, count the rows and make the second strip to the same number. This strip is the cuff and also sets the width of the body.
Step 7: Switch to the 4.5 mm hook and chain 2
Turn the strip so a long edge faces up. Insert the 4.5 mm hook and chain 2. Work 1 dc into each ribbing row: the maker goes into the hole at the end, then the side of each ridge going inwards and outwards in turn, which gives 2 dc per valley between ridges.
Step 8: Count to 50 and turn
At the end of the row count your double crochet. The maker had 49, so added one more near the end, away from the end stitch, to get 50. Chain 2, turn, and work 1 dc into each stitch across, so that you finish the row with 50.
Step 9: Work 23 rows of double crochet
Chain 2, turn and work dc across, 50 stitches each row, until you have 23 rows. Weave in the tail as you go if you like, by holding it along the top and working over it. The body is now a flat, slouchy panel.
Step 10: Switch to the 3.75 mm hook: chain 7
Change back to the small hook for the top ribbing. Chain 7 at the end of the body, and work 6 sc into the chain, skipping the first one, as in step 3.
Step 11: Join the ribbing with 2 slip stitches
Slip stitch into the first stitch along the top edge of the body, then slip stitch into the next stitch as well. Turn the ribbing and work 6 sc into the 6 stitches, skipping the two slip stitches.
Step 12: Skip 2 slip stitches, 6 sc, chain 1
On the row back, skip the 2 slip stitches and work 6 sc, then chain 1 and turn. The label in the design reads: skip 2 ss, sc in last 6 stitches, ch 1.
Step 13: Repeat the last 2 rows to the end
Work 6 sc in the back loops, then 2 slip stitches into the next 2 stitches of the body, turn, and repeat these two rows until the ribbing reaches the end of the top edge. By our arithmetic 50 body stitches at 2 per join give 25 joins, which makes about 50 ribbing rows, the same as the bottom.
Step 14: Fold the leg warmer in half
Chain 1 and fold the panel in half with the open edge on top, so that the two ribbing ends meet and the two long sides of the body meet.
Step 15: Single crochet the seam through both layers
Go into each stitch of both halves together and work 1 sc through both. Along the body make about 2 sc per double crochet row, which is 46 for 23 rows. The maker says it does not matter exactly where the hook goes, so long as you get about two per row.
Step 16: Chain 1, cut and tie off
After the last stitch, chain 1 and pull the loop up. Cut the loop in half, pull the end that is attached to the ball out, and pull both ends tight. The maker’s trick is to cut the loop, not the working yarn.
Step 17: Weave in the end and turn inside out
Weave the end in along the ridge in the centre, then turn the tube inside out so the seam is hidden. A faint line may show at the back of the leg, which the maker accepts.
Step 18: Make the ties: chain 80
Use the 3.75 mm hook. Make a slip knot and chain 80, or enough to wrap round your leg below the knee and tie a bow with some spare. Cut, pull the end through, tighten it and weave in both ends. Make two ties, one per leg warmer.
Step 19: Thread a tie through the top ribbing
Pick a spot away from the front, near the middle of the ribbing area. Pull the tie through about halfway, then go in and out every 3 rows round the top. Put it a little to the left of centre so the two ends meet nicely on the other side.
Step 20: Pull the tie all the way round
Keep threading until the tie has gone the whole way round, and check that both ends come out at the front. Pull to gather the top a little, and the slouch begins.
Step 21: Tie a bow and make the second one
Tie a small bow at the front. Then repeat every step for the second leg warmer, using the same ribbing row count so the pair match.
Crochet Leg Warmers Size Guide: Calf to Rib Rows
The design says to add rows for a bigger calf and take rows away for a smaller one, but gives no table, so here is one. Two of the free patterns we read print both a row count and the size it makes: Joy of Dance has 28 ribbing rows for a 7.5 in leg (19 cm), and Ribby Legwarmers has 42 rows for 30 cm (11.8 in). That is 3.7 and 3.6 rows per inch.
| Calf (inches) | Slouchy fit, rib rows | Snug fit, about 12% fewer |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | 43 | 38 |
| 13 | 47 | 41 |
| 14 | 50 | 44 |
| 15 | 54 | 48 |
| 16 | 58 | 51 |
For a 14 in calf, which is the Red Heart fit for its smallest size, the table gives 50 rows slouchy and 44 snug, the same two numbers the maker uses. That is our arithmetic from other designers’ counts and not a tested result, because your yarn, hook and tension change the rows per inch. Make a short strip, stretch it round your leg and adjust.
| Published size (Red Heart, adult) | Calf fit, with about 2 in ease |
|---|---|
| XS/S/M | 14 in (35.5 cm) |
| L/XL/2XL | 15.5 in (39.5 cm) |
| 3/4/5XL | 17 in (43 cm) |
The Craft Yarn Council has no calf or leg-length chart; its foot size page covers foot circumference only, so the designers’ own tables are the best published figures. For children, the Joy of Dance pattern prints 7.5, 8.5 and 9.5 in around (19, 21.5 and 24 cm) and 10, 11.5 and 12 in long (25.5, 29 and 30.5 cm) for ages 2 to 3, 4 to 7 and 8 to 10.
Length: the design prints no length, and its 23 body rows are not a measurement. Work the body until the leg warmer reaches where you want it, then add the top ribbing. The adult Red Heart pattern works its leg section to 19 in (48.5 cm) for the smallest size, which is a long over-the-calf shape.
Crochet Leg Warmers Stitch Counts
The design states the counts and we added the totals. Here is every count in one place, so you can check your work as you go.
| Part | Hook | Per row | Rows | Stitches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom ribbing strip | 3.75 mm | 6 sc | 50 | 300 |
| Body | 4.5 mm | 50 dc | 23 | 1,150 |
| Top ribbing strip | 3.75 mm | 6 sc | about 50 | about 300 |
| Seam | not stated | 2 sc per body row | 23 | 46 |
| Tie | 3.75 mm | 80 chain | 1 | 80 |
Adding it up gives 300 + 1,150 + 300 + 46 = 1,796 stitches for one leg warmer, plus 80 chain for its tie. A pair is 3,592 stitches and 160 chain. The top strip is our estimate, since the design does not state its row count, so count your own as you work.
Where Crochet Leg Warmers Go Wrong
Four things go wrong most often with these crochet leg warmers, and all four show before the seam.
The count is one short
There are no stitches to find along the edge of a ribbing strip, so the dc count drifts. The maker was one short at 49 and fixed it by adding a stitch near the end, away from the edge. Do the same and keep to 50 so the body matches the ribbing.
The ribbing is on the wrong hook
Working the ribbing and the body on one hook makes the cuff loose and shapeless. Use the 3.75 mm hook for the ribbing and the ties and the 4.5 mm hook for the body, and the cuff will grip while the body slouches.
Two cuffs that do not match
The second leg warmer is made from scratch, so count the ribbing rows of the first and copy them. A difference of 5 rows shows at the bow.
The seam is raised
The seam is a raised ridge on the outside while you work. Do not skip turning the tube inside out, because that tucks the ridge away. A faint line at the back of the leg is normal.
Caring for Crochet Leg Warmers
Check your own yarn label first. Lion Brand prints machine wash and dry for Pound of Love, with a water temperature of no more than 105 F (40 C), no bleach and no ironing. The Red Heart Super Saver page also says do not iron.
Do not steam them to flatten the ribbing. Lion Brand support says acrylics are sensitive to heat and should not be steam blocked. We found no steaming rule for wool on any yarn maker’s page, so if your yarn is wool, wash it as the label says and lay it flat to dry.
Five More Free Leg Warmer Patterns
Here are five other free leg warmer patterns that we read, for a different size, a different yarn or a different stitch. For each one we list only what the page prints, and say which numbers are missing.
| Pattern | Shape | Hook | Yarn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crochet Leg Warmers (Red Heart) | Adult, three sizes, ribbed cuffs and an hdc leg, 19 to 22 in | 4.5 mm and 5 mm | Red Heart Super Saver, 846 yd (smallest size) |
| Joy of Dance (Red Heart) | Child, three sizes, hdc leg with a ribbon eyelet round | 4.25 mm | Red Heart Soft Baby Steps, 256 yd |
| Cabled Legwarmers (All About Ami) | Cabled body of 10 in on a ribbed band; also boot cuffs | 4.5 mm | Lion Brand Heartland, 1 to 2 skeins |
| Slouchy One Skein (Sigoni Macaroni) | Worked in the round from a chain of 47, textured body | 5 mm | Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool, 465 yd |
| Ribby Legwarmers (My Hobby Is Crochet) | Worked sideways, 30 cm wide and 32 cm long | 4 mm | Red Heart Crazy Wool, sport weight |
What the five pages leave out: three print a yardage (Red Heart, Joy of Dance and Sigoni Macaroni), two print a gauge (Red Heart and Joy of Dance), and the Craft Yarn Council has no calf chart to check their sizes against. Their hooks run from 4 to 5 mm, all below the category 4 floor of 5.5 mm for the worsted ones. Two pages also disagree with themselves: the Joy of Dance product page lists 4 mm, its image text 3.25 mm and its PDF 4.25 mm, and the Red Heart adult page offers three sizes while calling itself one size.
More wearables on our site: the free crochet fingerless gloves pattern for a matching pair of hand warmers, the easy crochet scarf pattern and the moss stitch crochet scarf.
Crochet Leg Warmers FAQ
What hook and yarn do I need for crochet leg warmers?
These crochet leg warmers use a 3.75 mm hook for the ribbing and ties and a 4.5 mm hook for the body, with plain worsted-type yarn. The design prints no yardage, so buy a skein and keep the label.
How many rows of ribbing do crochet leg warmers need?
The maker works 50 rows for a loose, slouchy fit and says 44 to 50 rows suit a leg of their size. Our table gives 43 to 58 rows for a calf of 12 to 16 in.
How many double crochet are in the body of these crochet leg warmers?
The body is 50 double crochet per row for 23 rows, which is 1,150 stitches per leg warmer. The number of body stitches matches the number of ribbing rows.
Why is the ribbing worked in the back loops only?
Working into the back loop only leaves a ridge on each row, and the ridges are what let the cuff stretch round the leg. Use the smaller 3.75 mm hook so the ribbing grips.
How long should the ties on crochet leg warmers be?
The maker chains 80 on a 3.75 mm hook, or enough to wrap below the knee and tie a bow with spare. Chain more if you want long tails.
Can I wash crochet leg warmers made from acrylic yarn?
Follow your own yarn label. Lion Brand prints machine wash and dry for Pound of Love, no ironing, and says acrylic should not be steam blocked, so do not steam the ribbing.
Fingerless Gloves and Other Pairs to Make
Once the first pair is done, make another in a second colour, or add ribbing rows for a snugger version. A pair of fingerless gloves in the same yarn makes a set, and you can browse every free pattern on the site.
Need something for the feet too? Make these easy crochet slippers.
Sources
- Red Heart, Crochet Leg Warmers
- Red Heart, Joy of Dance Leg Warmers
- All About Ami, Cabled Legwarmers
- Sigoni Macaroni, Slouchy Crochet Leg Warmers
- My Hobby Is Crochet, Ribby Legwarmers
- Lion Brand, Pound of Love yarn
- Lion Brand support, what is blocking
- Yarnspirations, Red Heart Super Saver
- Craft Yarn Council, yarn weight system
Pattern credit: the baggy leg warmer design in this guide is by Gabrielle McAuley. Find more of their work on the YouTube channel Gabrielle McAuley.
