BUTTERCUFFS frosting for your boots (Free Knitting Pattern)
A pattern by Ashley Martineau of Neauveau Fiber Arts / Handspun Yarn by Heather Lightbody of Girl with a Hook
Tools Required:
- Size 15 double pointed knitting needles
- Size 10.5 double pointed knitting needles
Handspun Yarns Needed:
- Yarn A: 25-25 yards of Single ply chunky yarn by Yarns & Storys. About 5-6 WPI.
- Yarn B: 20-30 yards Art yarn by Girl with a Hook. About 5-6 WPI in the thin points, with huge
puffs that we will leave out as "loops" to maintain the gauge.
- Yarn C: (optional) any chunky yarn to add length to the cuff (depending on how your boots fit,
and how warm you want the cuffs to be, you can also just wear socks)
Yarn Specifics: You will need Approx 50 yards of Handspun Yarn, but you can use more (or less) depending on how
your boots fit and what yarns you are using. You can make these boot cuffs really long to keep your legs extra cozy, but if
you'd prefer to wear them with your favorite pair of socks instead (which is what I do) that's fine too. Try using different
textures of art yarn!! Any extra thick & thin art yarn will work great for the art yarn in this project.
Final Product Measurements:
- 6 inches wide on top (12 inch diameter diameter - adjust to the size of your leg, mine is a small/medium)
- 5 inches wide on bottom (10 inch diameter - adjust to the size of your leg, mine is a small/medium)
- 7-8 inches long (feel free to add more length to go into the boot, or switch to a comfortable commercial yarn to add this length so you aren't "wasting" your beautiful handspun yarn inside of a boot)
Getting a Good Fit:
The fit of these Buttercuffs is snug around the base, but loose on top, if you want looser Buttercuffs measure the diameter of your calf and cast on an additional inch of stitches
when you begin (when you switch to the smaller needles they will become snug around the base) - also the boots help keep them up if they end up on the looser side. Feel free to adjust the pattern for
a better fit (your legs are longer, calves wider, etc.) I tuck mine around my favorite pair of socks to
wear inside the boot so they aren't too tight within the boot and not too hot in the winter.
{ THE PATTERN }
Starting at the top:
- Cast on 25 stitches with Yarn A (12 inch diameter) on size 15 double pointed needles. Note: I just { knit } mine and they do not roll much on top, but if your yarn begins to roll use a { K1, P1 } pattern for 2 - 2.5 inches to create a ribbing that will not roll.
- Knit (or K1, P1) for 9 rows (about 2 - 2.5 inches)
- Pick up Yarn B, knit two rows. Leave the large thick sections of the art yarn hanging down on the outside of your knitting. This will help maintain the gauge, so the cuff doesn't get huge and weird around your leg. You can drape the loop over a stitch, or between stitches. Be careful not to create any extra stitches with your loops.
- Pick up Yarn A, knit for two rows
- Pick up Yarn B, knit for two tows
- Continue knitting two rows with A, B, A, B, until the piece is about 6 inches long.
- Knit 2 rows with Yarn A
- Switch to size 10.5 needles and knit 6 rows (about 1.5 - 2 inches) with Yarn A
- Bind off loosely, Weave in ends.
- Finished cuff will be about 8 inches long. Adjust the loops of art yarn to hang without twisting.
