Black-Eye Pea's Polamalu Spirit Leg Warmers: FREE Knitting Pattern

{aka Pea is for Polamalu ~ Ravelry pattern link}

Pea's sister Mouse received the first pair in the series of Pittsburgh Steelers Spirit Leg Warmers. By no means could Pea be left out. No, no. Not Miss Jealousy herself.

{Checking the offensive set}

Pea's favorite football player is the Steelers Troy Polamalu. She says they have a lot in common. They are both really smart. They are both really fast. They both have to be wherever the ball is and take it away from the other person/dog. If they don't get to the ball first, that other person/dog deserves to be tackled. And if the quarterback/mama/papa throwing the ball is too slow, it can be taken away then, too.

{The blitz is on!}

This set of leg warmers was constructed a little differently. I chose to go from the bottom cuff up and use intarsia for the numbers. I suck at intarsia and it looked all warped. I frogged them and decided to just do the entire section between the cuffs in gold stockinette then use a duplicate stitch in black for each number. It went together so much faster for me that way. However, if you are better at intarsia than me, I included the charts for that.

{Prepare to be sacked!}

Again, the do-it-yourself formula for gauge, yarn and needle size can be found here with some tips within the pattern in red. My pattern for "Pea is for Polamalu" in Pea's size (medium dog) is below.

{Time out}

Steelers Striped Leg Warmers (for dogs)

Ravelry pattern link

• Suggested Yarn: I Love This Yarn! (available at Hobby Lobby) or other aran/worested weight yarn (2 colors, Black and Yellow in this project*)
• Yardage needed: Specifically, not much. I don't have the exact yardage calculated. Again, I am a slacker.
• Materials: US 7 dpns (or size needed to obtain gauge), tapestry needle
• Gauge: 5 stitches and 7 rows over 1 inch in stockinette stitch
• Finished dimensions: 8" around top cuff tapering to 6" around bottom cuff and about 9" in length

{Pea is for Polamalu}

Abbreviations: k-knit, p-purl, M1B-make 1 back, M1F-make 1 front (See knittinghelp.com for instructions and video of the increase stitches. They explain it way better than me.)

If doing the color work in intarsia, the numbers start at row 7. The charts at the end of the pattern have all the color work directions and a different way to divide stitches per needle.

Loosely cast on 24 stitches in color A (black). Divide evenly between 3 dpns (8 sts per needle). Place marker and join in the round. P.S. Don't twist the stitches.

Rows 1-4 (Color A): *K2, P2* to end

Rows 5-35 (Color B for rows 3-45): Knit all stitches

Row 36 and all increase rounds: k1, M1B, k until 1 stitch before end of round, M1F, k1 (26 total stitches)

Rows 37-38: knit all stitches

Row 39: increase round (28 total stitches)

Rows 40-41: knit all stitches

Row 42: increase round (30 total stitches)

Rows 43-44: knit all stitches

Row 45: increase round (32 total stitches)

Row 46 (Color A): knit all stitches

Rows 47-54: *k2, p2* to end

Finishing: Loosely bind off all stitches. Use the charts and duplicate stitch (Color A) to create the numbers on each leg warmer. One number per leg warmer.

{Click each image enlarge. Charts for intarsia and duplicate stitch}

Please let me know if you make these leg warmers! (Or if you have any problem with the pattern.) Leave a comment or message me on Ravelry. I am drizzle and design as Hermione J. Schwartz.

*Colors and jersey numbers can be swapped, but let's not tell Pea. =]