Skill level: Moderately challenging (read more about skill levels of knitting patterns here)

Time: varies, but about 8 to 16 hours

knitting pattern for fancy boot cuffs with lace and cable

This time I wanted to make something extremely fancy and glorious.

As Pieces, I often find myself bored and tired from same old things. I need change and variety in my life. So – I came up 2-in-1 boot cuffs. Plain and simple for days I feel calm and serene and when I want the spark and attention I simply attach boot cuff lace with buttons.

I am pleased how they turned out. But what I like the most is that when I want even more variety, then I’ll just knit another lace trims with other colors. Like blue.

Below you can find boot cuffs written knitting instructions and, as always, the chart for lace pattern too.

how to knit boot cuffs

I have to warn you though – this time I haven’t made the pattern for the total beginner. I did not write instructions on how to sew the sides of the knitted item, how to sew a button and how to make a buttonhole. Nevertheless, I’ll give you links on where you can find the info, so you can still knit these legwarmers. (*Someday I will make my own instructions, but I did not find the time now. Thank you for your understanding.*)


Get the printer friendly pattern here:


Size of the boot cuff:

  • Length of the under-cuff (outside of the boot): approx. 16 cm / 6,3 inches
  • Length of the lace application on top (with button band): approx. 10 cm / 4 inches
  • Suitable for boot circumference of 40 cm / 15,8 inches
  • Length of the ribbing inside of the boot: approx. 12 cm / 4,7 inches

Things you’ll need:

  • 50 g of main color (I have white) DROPS Baby Merino (Sport)
  • 50 g of contrast color (I have purple) DROPS Baby Merino (Sport)
  • pair of needles size 3 mm / US 2,5
  • cable needle
  • 4 buttons – circumference 4 cm / 1,5 inches (I chose brown ones because they harmonize with my boots)
  • tapestry needle

Main boot cuff pattern:

legwarmers knitting pattern

Cast on 60 stitches with main color.

Knit 40 rows of 2:2 ribbing (*knit 2, purl 2* repeat from * to * to end).

Knit 4 rows.

Knit and purl rows:
Rows 1, 3, 5: knit;
Rows 2 & 4: purl;

Turning row (this is the row where you fold the cuff over the boot):
Slip 1st stitch, *yarn over, purl 2 together* repeat to last stitch, yarn over, purl last stitch;

Knit and purl rows:
Rows 1, 3, 5: knit;
Rows 2 & 4: purl;

Knit 3 rows;

Knit 1 row and purl 1 row;

Increase round:
Knit 8, inc 1, knit 15, inc 1, knit 15, inc 1, knit 15, inc 1, knit 8;

Purl 1 row;

Knit 4 rows;

Rows 1, 3, 5 knit;
Rows 2, 4, 6 purl;

Increase round:
Knit 9, inc 1, knit 16, inc 1, knit 16, inc 1, knit 16, inc 1, knit 8;

Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 purl;
Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 knit;

Increase round:
Knit 9, inc 1, knit 17, inc 1, knit 17, inc 1, knit 17, inc 1, knit 9;

Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 purl;
Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 knit;

Increase round:
Knit 10, inc 1, knit 18, inc 1, knit 18, inc 1, knit 18, inc 1, knit 9;

Rows 1, 3, 5 purl;
Rows 2, 4 knit;

Knit 4 rows;

Rows 1, 3, 5: knit;
Rows 2, 4: purl;

Turning row (this is the row that will be the lower edge of your boot cuff – everything you knit next will go inside of the boot cuffs lower edge):
Slip 1st stitch, *yarn over, purl 2 together* repeat to last two stitch, yarn over, purl last 2 stitch;

Rows 1, 3: knit;
Rows 2, 4: purl;

Cast off (stretchy cast off recommended).

Sew sides together, sew the lower edge inside of the cuff (you can find video tutorial on how to do the picot hem here) *at 9:57* and sew buttons on equal distance from each other (you can find my instructions from here).

free pattern for knitting boot cuffs

Boot cuff lace with cable trim pattern:

Cast on 30 stitches with contrast color.

Knit 3 rows and start with lace pattern.

Pattern repeats of lace pattern – total of 13 times.

* Button holes (first number shows the pattern repeat and second number shows the number of row) – 1/5; 4/5; 7/5; 10/5; 13/5;

* I knitted buttonholes at the beginning of the row like this – k2, make buttonhole from 5 stitches and go on with the pattern as instructed; (here is my tutorial on how to knit buttonhole my way);

Row 1: k11, YO, k2tog, k10, p1, k2, YO, k2tog, YO, YO, k2;
Row 2: k3, p1, k2, YO, k2tog, k1, p12, YO, k2tog, k9;
Row 3: k11, YO, k2tog, k10, p1, k2, YO, k2tog, k4;
Row 4: k6, YO, k2tog, k1, p12, YO, k2tog, k9;
Row 5: k11, YO, k2tog, k10, p1, k2, YO, k2tog, YO, YO, k2tog, YO, YO, k2;
Row 6: k3, p1, k2, p1, k2, YO, k2tog, k1, p12, YO, k2tog, k9;
Row 7: k11, YO, k2tog, 5/5 LC, p1, k2, YO, k2tog, k7;
Row 8: cast off 5 stitches, k4, YO, k2tog, k1, p12, YO, k2tog, k9;
Row 9: k11, YO, k2tog, k10, p1, k2, YO, k2tog, k2;
Row 10: k4, YO, k2tog, k1, p12, YO, k2tog, k9;

boot cuffs lace chart

Knit 4 rows and cast off.

Let me know in the comments below, how hard this pattern was and how did you succeed.

Happy knitting!

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This Post Has 14 Comments

  1. Kathy

    where did you get those boots???

    1. PatternDuchess

      Actually I don’t remember – from some local small shop I guess 🙂

  2. elmarie

    (Knit 40 rows of 2:2 ribbing) I do not see this ribbing part on the picture

    1. PatternDuchess

      This is the part that’s inside of the boot. So it would stay right where it was supposed to 🙂

  3. Elfriede

    Hi what knitting stitch do I use for under cove boot on outside.Where can I find ribbing of inside boot.Where can I find purple cable lace button and pattern.Is the picot edge knitted separately and worked on?Thank-you.

    1. PatternDuchess

      Hi Elfriede, and so sorry for the delayed answer.
      I have everything written down in this post – step by step. Just follow along. But here are answers to your questions.

      “what knitting stitch do I use for under cove boot on outside” – just a simple Stockinette stitch (knit on right side, purl on a wrong side);

      “Where can I find ribbing of inside boot” – I used 2:2 ribbing – knit 2, purl 2;

      “Where can I find purple cable lace button and pattern” – purple lace pattern is starting from where I have a small headline “Boot cuff lace with cable trim pattern:”;

      “Is the picot edge knitted separately and worked on?” – no, you will knit it in one piece;

      Hope this helps.

  4. Marybeth P

    These are gorgeous!!

  5. Ros Woods

    Having a go at this pattern, I think there is a mistake in either rows 7 (cable row), row 8 where you cast off 5 stitches, or row 9.
    At the end of row 7, there are 35sts. Row 8 requires 36sts to complete leaving 31 stitches, but row 9 only uses 30 stitches to complete.
    Im not sure how to fix this ??

  6. Ros Woods

    I just posted a question thinking there may be a mistake in the pattern, I’ve worked it out now.
    Row 8, the cast off row i think is wrong.
    It think it should read cast off 5 sts, k4, yo, k2tog, k1, p11 (NOT 12), yo, k2tog, k9.
    If I do this the sts work and pattern works out right.

    1. PatternDuchess

      The pattern is correct but I see where the confusion comes. When you cast off at the beginning of the row, after the 5th cast off stitch you already have 1 st on your needle. That counts as the 1st knit stitch. You need to knit 3 more and then you’ll have 4 knit stitches total. I hope that helps.

      1. Ros Woods

        Thanks for the reply ?
        I have already finished the 2 lace sections, only have one main section to go.
        I did the 2 lace sections the way I had worked it out, still looks the same.
        I’m going to do another set of lace sections in another colour to mix and match, I’ll do them your way next time.
        I LOVE this pattern !!

        1. PatternDuchess

          It’s great that it worked out for you. You can absolutely do it your way 🙂

  7. Katherine

    Hi, I hope you are well? I am currrently working through the cuff lace with cable pattern and am just a bit confused by the YO stitches when there are two together, e.g. row one near the end, is this actually YO, Knit 1, YO, knit 1? Thanks, Katherine

    1. PatternDuchess

      This is meant to be yo, yo (also known as yarn over twice) – you’ll work two yarn overs and on the wrong side knit one yarn over and then purl the other yarn over. All this will make a larger whole and also do an increase.

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