Windshield Boot Warmers

I love these things.  With the cold weather approaching, I decided it was time to stock up on the necessaries to survive the winter.  I'm not a winter person.  My biggest beef with winter is that I don't like driving in the snow, and there's always the looming possibility that I might wake up to that white, slushy nonsense outside that is sure to slow down my morning commute and generally piss me off.  I live in the Pacific Northwest, which means it hardly ever snows, but when it does, we all lose our minds.  My people are prepared for rain, but not snow.

I also don't like pants.  Pants are constrictive and bothersome.  They feel like I'm wearing clothes, for crying out loud.  I rejoiced when fleece-lined leggings started coming into style, because it means I can wear skirts in the winter and stay warm.  Just get a decent pair of boots, and you've got yourself a work-appropriate outfit that feels like you're still wearing pajamas.

But then I saw these adorable little leg warmer-type things start to peek out above the tops of tall boots.  This is even better, as the small gap of leg area between the skirt and the boot can now be doubly protected from the cold winter's curse.  But those things are expensive, given the fact that they're just a knitted tube. 

So I made myself a pair.  These are knitted in the round using the windshield stitch from plain jane creations.  Her free pattern is for a cowl, but I adapted it for a smaller project, and added a k1, p1 element to the top and bottom to give it a nice finished look.  Visit her page to find the stitch instructions, as well as needle and yarn sizing (although I used a slightly larger needle than her instructions call for, to get a looser look).

I love watching an interesting stitch come together, don't you?  It's almost like magic.

To make these lovely boot warmers, co 45 stitches of nice, soft wool.  k1, p1 for 5 rows, then go directly into the stitch pattern linked above (ignore her cast on/off instructions, and just start with Row 1).  The pattern is a repeat of 15 stitches, over a sequence of 27 rows.  Complete the sequence one time, then start again and finish on row 12.  k1, p1 for another 5 rows, and cast off as loosely as possible.  Weave in ends.  Make 2.  You don't need to block this one, because wearing it will make the pattern appear.

Throw on a pair of warm, fleecey leggings, your favorite comfy skirt or dress, a pair of tall boots, and run outside to enjoy the season!