Home-made arm/leg warmers

[kygrrlinco]

Well, winter is definitely setting in here in Colorado, and it's time for warmer cycling clothing.
I knit and sew, and am wondering if anyone has ever made their own arm and leg warmers. I was thinking about knitting some nice lambswool armwarmers, and I have some windstopper fleece I could do leg warmers with, including ankle zippers. This came to mind as a way to save some money 'cuz I'm broke, but it seems like it may be a fun project.
Any thoughts?

[madscot13]

an old roommate knit armwarmers that go halfway up your palm and there are thumb holes. super comfy. they were snow proof with mittens over them.If she weren't in school I would commission her to make me a pair. they were perfect in the winter because

[skhill]

I've been thinking along the same lines here... The yarn for the legwarmers (or maybe stockings; I haven't decided yet) I'm planning on knitting should be here any day now! Turquoise and midnight blue stripes are what I'm planning...

I've also been thinking of cutting up an old sweat shirt from the days I was 50pounds heavier to make arm-warmers. Or maybe a bolero. We'll see... The thing is, these days I'm spending so much time on my bike that I don't sit down at the sewing machine very often.

Let me know how your experiments go!

[PamNY]

I'm definitely going to try to make arm warmers. I have tons of fleece, or I may use some old sweaters. I accidentally shrank some merino sweaters from the thrift shop and could use the sleeves from those.

I'll probably order gripper elastic online. Will report back results, even if they are comical in nature. You just never know with my sewing projects.

pam

[Red Rock]

Good luck on your kniting adventure. I have been thinking about doing the same thing. It will be neat to see your creations. If you saw the thread on my pumpkin, I had a few disasters before I was able to get it going correctly.

Red Rock

[MomOnBike]

I made a couple of pair of arm warmers. It was comically simple:

1) Go to cloth store and buy material. Knit, synthetic, warmish is what I got, though fuzzy would work, as well. I got (I think) 1 1/4 yards

2) Measure upper arm, wrist, and length of arm around a bent elbow. Add about an inch to the length measurement. You might consider writing these numbers down.

3) Draw a rectangle to those measurements directly on the fabric & cut out. Because the material is stretchy, you don't need to add ease.

4) Sew the long seam. (Serger, just shave the edges.)

5) Hem as pleases your fancy. You can slap some sport elastic on the top at this point, too. I did one pair with and one without, and they both work - but I ride a recumbent and my arms are up so gravity isn't pulling them down.

6) Pull 'em on and go for a ride. (Hey! They fit ME!)

Try it, you'll surprise yourself.

[DebW]

I cut the toes out of a pair of long socks and used them as arm warmers.

[newfsmith]

I cut the toes out of a pair of long socks and used them as arm warmers.

Me too.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I accidentally shrank some merino sweaters from the thrift shop...

AAGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!