Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook (41 page)

ABOUT HEATHER

My first knitting project was for a Girl’s Brigade badge (New Zealand’s Girl Scouts). I quit soon after because I had more holes than stitches. Nine years later, I tried again on a pair of huge wooden needles, and I knit up a chunky-arse scarf in an hour. I can’t seem to use a pattern, so I usually knit freshly, which means I can end up with something completely different from what I envisioned. When I knit or sew (another pastime), I listen to loud music; bands like Foo Fighters, Pacifier, and Rage Against the Machine get me knitting at a breakneck pace. At the moment, I’m trying to learn bass guitar so I can make music of my own. My favorite thing is going to rock concerts with friends, but that doesn’t happen too often when you live in a small town in New Zealand.

JESCA SANDER

My friend Cricket had this horribly beat-up cell phone. The battery fell off constantly and the faceplate wouldn’t stay on, so I decided that she needed a cozy to protect it. I got to work that night, and after a few revisions, the cozy was just right for that old phone. Then I realized that, with a few adjustments, my piece could hold just about any techno-accessory, including a PalmPilot or an iPod. Now Cricket has three covers and wants even more!

S
IZES

Cell phone (iPod, PalmPilot)

Finished measurements: approx 2½ (3, 3½)" wide by 5¼" tall

M
ATERIALS

Tahki • Stacy Charles
Cotton Classic II
(100% cotton; 50g/74 yds)

COLOR SCHEME 1

A:
1 skein #2801 (teal)

B:
1 skein #2401 (orange)

C:
1 skein #2726 (lime)

COLOR SCHEME 2

A:
1 skein #2459 (pink)

B:
1 skein #2726 (lime)

C:
1 skein #2401 (orange)

US 6 (4mm) knitting needles, or size needed to obtain gauge

1" square Velcro

Sewing needle and thread

One ½" coordinating button (optional)

G
AUGE

20 sts and 26 rows = 4" in St st

D
IRECTIONS

With A, CO 16 (18, 20) sts.

Working in St st throughout, work 2 rows A, *4 rows B, 2 rows C, 4 rows B,** 8 rows A.

Rep from * 2 times more, then from * to ** once.

Cont with A, work 2 rows. Piece should meas approx 10½".

BO 2 sts, k to end of row.

BO 5 (2, 2) sts, p 0 (6, 0), BO 0 (2, 0) sts, p to end of row.

K 0 (6, 0), CO 0 (2, 0) sts, k to end of row, CO 3 (0, 0) sts using single CO.

Work 3 more rows A.

Then work 4 rows B, 2 rows C, 4 rows B, 2 rows A.

BO all sts. Your piece should meas approx 13".

FINISHING

With RS together, and matching first set of B rows to 8th set of B rows, backstitch seam. Turn RS out, sew button to lower center of flap. Sew one side of Velcro under last set of B rows of flap and other side onto cozy itself.

ABOUT JESCA

As thanks for house-sitting for my aunt and uncle, my aunt gave me a set of bamboo needles and a knitting book. That was last year, now I’m hooked. In real life, I am a leader for “Outdoor School,” a program in Oregon where we take sixth-graders on week-long trips into the woods to teach them about the environment. I spend the rest of my time playing piano and flute, surfing, and snowboarding.

KAREN BAUMER

In my yarn stash, I had almost a full skein of Classic Elite
Montera
left over from a tote project, and I bought the GGH
Esprit
just because I liked the color. The two yarns were snuggling near each other, and I liked the way the colors and textures looked together. Since I was using up leftovers, the project had to be small—hence, mittens. Note: You can wear these mittens with the cuff flipped up or down.

S
IZE

Women’s Medium/Large

Finished measurements: approx 9½" around base of fingers; 11½" from bottom of cuff to tip; 9½" from cuff to tip with cuff folded up

M
ATERIALS

MC:
Classic Elite
Montera
(50% wool/50% llama; 100g/127 yds), 1 skein #3887

CC:
GGH
Esprit
(100% nylon; 50g/88 yds), 1 skein #15

US 10 (6mm) double-pointed needles (set of 5), or size needed to obtain gauge

Stitch marker

Waste yarn to mark thumb sections

G
AUGE

MC:
16 sts and 22 rows = 4" in St st

CC:
10 sts and 20 rows = 4" in garter st

D
IRECTIONS

LEFT MITTEN

With CC, CO 24 sts; divide sts evenly among four needles and join into a rnd. Pm to indicate beg of rnd/needle 1. Work 2½" in garter st, inc 1 st per needle on last rnd—28 sts.
Remember that garter st in the rnd is alternating one row p, one row k
.