Mouse's Steelers Striped Leg Warmers: Knit Pattern

{Mouse's Steelers Gear}

Living in a warm weather climate, my dogs find it difficult to show their team spirit (Steelers spirit, that is) during the football season. The season starts in August (it is hot here) and continues through September (hot), October (still hot), November (warm to not that hot) and into December and January (sort of cool, except that one week that is it pretty cold). Needless to say, those cute doggie sweaters are out and a simple little collar and leash combo just doesn't cut it.

Mouse --she's a dog--requested a pair of Steelers striped leg warmers she can wear during the games and on walks when it starts to get chilly. Who am I to deny my dog Steelers gear?

{She says, what other colors are there?}

Thus the Steelers Striped Leg Warmers pattern was created. We (Mouse and I) decided on a classic black and gold stripe with 2x2 ribbing at the cuffs. Mouse says she supposes that the leg warmers could be made in other colors, but she doesn't know why you'd want to do that. ;]

{I'm ready for some football!}

The leg warmers are made from two colors of acrylic yarn for the washablity and longevity acrylic supplies. Additionally, our climate doesn't necessitate wool or wool blends for 99% of the year and I didn't want to cause overheating issues. Sweaty paws, yuck! If we lived in say...Pittsburgh...I would definitely make another pair in a superwash wool. I used size US7 dpns to get a nice fabric.

{Mesmerized by the game}

The pattern was written specifically for Mouse's legs. They measure 8" in circumference just under her elbow joint and taper down to 6" in circumference at her wrist. The total length is about 10". Mouse is what I consider to be a medium size dog bordering on largish. She's a 65 pound American Bulldog. I say medium because she isn't the largest or smallest dog we've had. The pattern (below) discusses gauge and has an equation for customizing the size to different leg circumferences.

{Steelers Striped Leg Warmer}

Steelers Striped Leg Warmers (for dogs)

Ravelry Pattern Page Link

• Suggested Yarn: I Love This Yarn! (available at Hobby Lobby) or other aran/worested weight yarn (2 colors)
• Yardage needed: Specifically, not much. I don't have the exact yardage calculated. I'm 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

The written pattern is for the measurements listed above. However, this equation should help you resize the pattern for other sized pets.

Customizable Equation

From your gauge swatch: ____ stitches per inch _____ rows per inch

From your pet: _____ circumference of leg just under the elbow joint (I'll call it upper leg)

_____ circumference of lower leg just above wrist (above the side nail thing)

_____ length of arm from elbow to wrist

Cast on amount:

___(stitches per inch) x ___(circumference of upper leg) = ____* Make the total a multiple of 4

Number of decreases needed:

___(stitches per inch) x ___(circumference of lower leg) = ____* Make the total a multiple of 4
(upper leg total) - (lower leg total) = ____ number of decrease stitches / 2 = ___ number of decrease rounds Space the decrease rounds between 2-4 rounds of stockinette depending on the length of the leg and how drastically it tapers.

Pattern

Loosely cast on 32 sts in color A. Separate over 3 dpns. Needle 1 has 8 sts, needle 2 has 16 sts, needle 3 has 8 stitches. Customized sizing instructions in (red). Divide cast on stitches over 3 dpns with 1/4 of the total stitches on needle 1, 1/2 on needle 2, and 1/4 on needle 3. I decrease at the beginning and end of needle 2 thus the extra stitches on that needle.

Rows 1-6: (Color A) *k2, p2*

Rows 7, 8, 9: (Color B) Knit all stitches

Row 10: k8 (all of needle 1), ssk, k12 (to last 2 stitches on needle 2), k2tog, k8 (to end of round)

Rows 11, 12: Knit all stitches

Row 13: (Color A) Knit all stitches

Rows 14: k8 (all of needle 1), ssk, k10 (to last 2 stitches on needle 2), k2tog, k8 (to end of round)

Rows 15, 16, 17: Knit all stitches

Row 18: k8 (all of needle 1), ssk, k8 (to last 2 stitches on needle 2), k2tog, k8 (to end of round)

Rows 19, 20, 21: (Color B) Knit all stitches

Row 22: k8 (all of needle 1), ssk, k6 (to last 2 stitches on needle 2), k2tog, k8 (to end of round)

Rows 23, 24: Knit all stitches

Rows 25-30: (Color A) Knit

Rows 31-36: (Color B) Knit

Rows 37-42: (Color A) Knit

Rows 43-48: (Color B) Knit

Row 49: (Color A) Knit

Rows 50-54: *k2, p2*

Bind off loosely. Weave in ends

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As expected, Clicky the Moose and Black-Eye Pea have asked for leg warmers of their own. Moose has requested leg warmers to replicate the socks from the team's throwback jerseys, while Pea wants to represent for her favorite player Troy Polamalu. The patterns to those designs will be added as they are completed. =]