I created this pattern, in tandem with former colleague Erin Korey, while teaching an independent study in footwear construction in the Costume Production MFA program where i work. The project my students were doing at the time addressed the concept of footwear add-ons: spats, gaiters, pattens, spur leathers, anything that could be created to change the look and function of footwear, that is not actually permanently attached to the shoe itself.

Because of the small number of students in the class (2), i did all the projects along with them, partly because i feel that the best way of learning costume crafts artisanship involves both the creation and engineering of practical projects, and observing how others create and engineer projects, and partly because i just want one more project in the mix to discuss. Plus, hi, it’s fun!

Doing a Google image search on “gaiters” while preparing for my lecture, i came across this sweet knitted spat image from Interweave Knits and decided it would be my project. Interweave’s pattern, “Uptown Gaiters,” was offered as a free pattern for subscribers to the magazine in winter of 2004. I probably could have contacted the magazine and offered to purchase the pattern, but i felt that would have been “cheating.” The idea was to treat the image as if it were a research picture provided to me by a costume designer, for which the knitting pattern was unknown--the goal of the project then was to determine the pattern from the picture and recreate it.

Follow the link for more details and the pattern itself. The pattern can also be shortened or lengthened as you wish--it is knitted from the arch of the foot upwards!