Finished Object: Knitted iPhone Cover

As my marathon effort to make a crochet blanket continues in the background, I thought I'd reveal how my iphone cover ended up. And here it is! My iphone and earphones fit snugly inside and I've wrapped the knitted square around one side again to form a separate pocket for the earphones, preventing the handset from getting scratched.

It's my first finished object completed using an acrylic mix yarn - Patons Beehive soft blend four ply, colour 02 (jade green). I originally intended to button it closed but, not wishing to 'guild the lilly', I think I like it as it is. As you can see, I chose to stitch it with the wrong side facing out to give it a less predictable look. Ad-libbing, this is my own design, not even a design really; I just adapted a practise square I knitted last year, et voila, an iphone cosy!

How to Knit an iPhone Cover

Hello one and all! I have something in the pipeline to show you; it's a knitted iPhone pouch. I just need to reassemble my sewing machine to put a label on it and it's all complete!

As I've been up since 6am with only four hours sleep, I decided to forego my gym class this evening and have melted into the sofa instead.

I don't know whether I told you but I live in a flat. We are having a few problems with the property management company which is a source of huge frustration. It's got to the point where I'm so irritated by them, I can't even bare to look at them. Oh dear.

I guess I'll just have to knit my way back to serenity. Just a few rows and I'll be at peace again!

Rowan Laze Knitting Pattern

Oh my god! The Rowan 'Laze' pattern is so long; even my mother groans and leaves the room when I ask her to look at it for me.

"It’s a 25 row pattern!" she cries. However, it is certainly worth persevering as I really love the dogtooth check pattern and contemporary shape of this two colour knitted cardigan. The Rowan Studio 20 booklet also contains a whole raft of other patterns for young fashionistas – the diamond patterned 'Sun' dress has a certain ikat look about it and is a firm favourite. There's also 'Shine', a chic summer shift dress with a twisted cut out back detail that is both elegant and understated. Pictured top to bottom: Laze, Sun and Shine Rowan knitting patterns.

Bouquet Tea Cosy

And here she is at last, my finished tea cosy. As you can see, I covered her in daffodils, a lily, roses, poppies and leaves. I'm fairly pleased with how it turned out and will definitely make another tea cosy from a different pattern in the future. Tea cosies rock!

To make it a bit more interesting I broke the rules by using different sized needles so all the flowers were different sizes, and I knitted the leaves in three shades of green.

When I get near the end of a project I always underestimate how long it will take to darn in the ends. This project was no exception, it actually took ages to sew all the foliage on and tidy up the inside but I am quite pleased with my handiwork. You just can't really buy these, only in the every-one-identical, mass produced sense anyway!

Thanks to everyone whose free patterns I used, now everything's neatly stitched down it's ready for a tea party...!

In the News: How to Knit the Knitlympics

As we're now in 2012, I'd thought I'd issue an Olympic post and mention 'Knitlympics', a quirky new book of knitting patterns about how to knit former Olympic stars. Check it out! After looking up author Carol Meldrum's website http://www.beatknit.com, I have to say, it's fab and more than worthy of a listing on my blog roll. I am full of regret that I didn’t apply for Olympic tickets, however, whipping up something from the aforementioned book is surely the most painless way to limber up and get into the spirit of the big event?!

Although I’m personally more amigurumi than mochimochi myself, all this Olympic fever is making me want to fashion something Olympic myself. When the London 2012 logo was first launched it was unpopular, critics claimed the digits looked as if Lisa from The Simpsons was doing something unmentionable. However, I found its graffiti retro feel really appealing!

Disappointingly, a quick scan on Ravelry revealed zero London 2012 knitting and crochet projects in progress. If you are making something crafty in preparation for London 2012 do let me know, I’d love to ‘have a butcher’s’, as we say in cockney London town. Perhaps we could even display them online in the style of Tony Hart's gallery from the children's art TV show, Hart Beat. Oh, that takes me back...

H6PCK8YHGGSS

Step by Step

The pouffe is coming along lovely! I'm delighted by it's chunkiness and the texture reminds me of wattle and daub or something medieval. What do you think?

How to knit an i-cord YouTube stylee

This is what I'll attempt to do this weekend in a bid to make the side straps for baby Willson's bonnet. I'll let you know how I get on! YouTube clip courtesy of knittingtipsbyjudy.