Need help figuring out adoption relationships? Schedule a complimentary consultation with Lori Holden, M.A.

Show & Tell: Where I Channel Olivia Newton-John

I was at a loss for Show & Tell ideas, so I tweeted about it. I got a suggestion back from My Reality: Show your ugliest _______.

I tend to not hang on to ugly stuff, but I have kept something y’all might consider ugly.

I stashed these away mmmmmm-ty years ago, shortly after I made them, and will probably never ever wear them, but still I can’t part with them. Here, Tessa and I model two sets of some of my very earliest creations.


Back in college, I got into knitting. Leg warmers were what I did then since at that point in my life couldn’t handle anything more complicated, what with boys and studies and boys and parties and boys and dating and classes and boys and all.

Here’s a closeup of the pattern.

I actually think these are very beautiful. Unfashionable, but beautiful.

Still, I won’t be starting an Etsy shop anytime soon.

See more fascinating stuff at Mel’s Show & Tell.

32 Responses

  1. I love them! Very retro!!! You know, if you hang onto things long enough they always come back around in style.That’s why I have my secret stash of flannel shirts, combat boots, and dirty jeans from the ninties!

  2. Seriously, Julia? Arm warmers? I want to come through the web and kiss you!I am SO promoting this fashion trend.

  3. Oh but Lori – these have new life as arm warmers!! I see then on little girls all the time. :0)I think they are pretty nice too. Would never wear them – but I can appreciate the knitting aspect! Your stitches are so even – mine are usually all over the place.

  4. I am totally impressed with your houndstooth knitting abilities! I love them. There is a blogger who made leg warmer type things for all of her procedures. There just may be a market for them . . .

  5. Those are, quite honestly, very un-cute, but the fact that you kept them totally makes up for it. Don’t EVER get rid of those!! When you turn 80, you should sooo pull those out of moth balls and don them to celebrate your spirited life. I also request that you take some pictures and send them to my 80-ish year old self.Until then, I’ll be waiting.

  6. Yeah – I could never do the leg warmers…my muscular calves would only look like tree stumps in leg warmers…but I love the houndstooth!

  7. I too love them! I agree that they are very retro. If I had a pair I would totally wear them! But, I’m weird and zany like that. ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. I say have everyone wear the leg warmers at BlogHer this summer and start a fashion revolution helped out by all the fashion bloggers writing about it ๐Ÿ™‚ Though wool in July…in Chicago…

  9. I’m telling you, if I put these on I’d get people stopping me to ask where I bought them. They’re fun!

  10. Ohhhhh I remember leg warmers, they were THE fashion accessorie at one point, oh my I AM showing my age aren’t I! LOLWhat I couldn’t work out, was if your legs were cold, wouldn’t it be easier just to put a pair of pants on? Oh hang on no, no where near as trendy!!

  11. I can totally see you wearing these as an old lady in a nursing home. “Come now, m’dear, put the leg warmers on Grammy now. Why, back in my day, these were the bees knees…”

  12. They’re back in- don’t ya know. I wouldn’t get rid of them either. There are some things we cannot part with. I have a bin of tshirts from different parts of my life that I stopped wearing so as not to ruin them. They will go to the old folks home with me.

  13. Oh yeah. I remember leg warmers. I remember being at the height of coolness in the 6th and 7th grade for having some. I also look at those pictures and laugh. Yours do have fantastic knitting to them. I love the colors. Maybe the arm warmers could work.

  14. I LOVE THEM! I am currently in a state of OHSS-giant-belly-ness, so anything that doesn’t have to come over my waist is a winner to me! ๐Ÿ™‚Carrie

  15. Nice knitting ๐Ÿ™‚ I’m with Julia, arm warmers are totally in. Maybe, lol. I’m not a fashion person, but I have always loved arm warmers.

  16. These totally crack me up. And yea, there really are arm-warmers out there. Check outsockdreams.com. You’ll fit right in.

  17. I actually saw a young girl wearing leg warmers this winter. And I thought, “Good grief, are they back in style?” (Seems like so much 80s stuff is right now.) It’s one of those things where you think, “Did that the first time around, don’t think I’ll be doing it again,” lol. But definitely, don’t throw them out — Tessa may be wanting them soon!

  18. Legwarmers are all the rage in Japan right. I’m not even kidding. I was a little taken aback when I got here and saw them for sale everywhere – in every color and fabric. There’s a market here so don’t shut down that Etsy idea just yet ๐Ÿ˜‰

  19. How come you never made me a pair of these? I feel so left out!I just got a premonition of you giving me a pair of leg warmers for my birthday or Christmas. Let me say this…they look cute on YOU. Too bad they won’t work for me…not my color(s)?? wouldn’t fit?? Houndstooth makes me look fat???Knowing you as well as I do, I am not surprised that you still have these. Do you also have your Nike tube socks or your college sweatshirt??? ๐Ÿ™‚

  20. Very crafty, wish I could make some. I wonder why they aren’t back in yet? Baby legs were such a craze!

  21. Oh I like them! I’d wear them, especially if my daughter wore them with me. Good work. Sadly, I’m not talented. Although if you check out my S&T, I’m attempting to be.

  22. What a beautiful houndstooth pattern! If they were anything but legwarmers you’d be able to wear them proudly in any era.Very good for a “beginner”.

  23. Leg warmers are < HREF="https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/favourites-of-vogue/090311-chanels-legwarmers-and-woolly-tigh.aspx" REL="nofollow">back<>!! I’m with Coffeegrl, don’t drop the Etsy idea just yet!

  24. They are cute…can’t rock a party with them, but they are awesome to slip into at home!And they are handmade, which makes them infinitely precious!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *