Crochet Ipod Cozie

Well sometimes in craft swapping one person will send their item to never receive anything back in return. This is horrible and when this happens and you are part of an organized site, others of us angel and send the item to them.
This was a crocheted cozie I made for someone that was flaked on in her swap.

It worked out perfect because she owns the video Ipod I do so I could use mine to kame the pattern up as I went along. I made it with an extra long handle that can be doubled to be like a purse, removed completley so no metal remains on the holder to scratch the Ipod, or left long to wear across the body.
I also included a small access hole on the bottom so the charging cord could be attached without removing the cozie...especially handy for charging it in the car!

The top of the cozie has a small snap on it so the Ipod won't fall out but still allows plenty of room to attach the earbuds and even store them in the case.

Here it is hanging and inside the cozie are the earbuds all tucked down the back. She loved the cozie and the colors.
It was made with some old #5 crochet thread in pink and tan. I alternated colors to creat stripes using a Tunisian Knit stitch. Then on the top I added a ribbed cuff because to me it looked like a sweater in need of a colar. Then the strap I doubled up the yarn and made a simple chain cord.

Alien Illusions

Well here's my youngest because he's the only child I have that will still willingly model for pictures!
He thinks the illusion items I have made in the past were just so cool and when I showed him the alien illusion scraf online he fell in love. So for his 11th birthday this year I made him one in secret and a matching hat out of the left over yarn.

Here's the side view and I have been told the entire 5th grade thinks this is AWSOME!

And, the hat I just made up as I went along making a small swatch for the ribbing. I just measured his head, messured the swatch and then made it as large as I needed to fit around his head. I then did stripes with the green and black in sk st on circulars, switching to dpns as the hat decreased near the top. He's happy happy because the crochet hats I have made in the past he says "let the air in my ears" and the knit ribbing covers his ears and he feels nothing. I also haven't caught him without a hat on his head in this frigid weather since making him this.

Reindeer

Christmas Reindeer

The pictures don't really do this justice as the camera really picks up the fiber fill which isn't noticible in person. However, here is a cute little reindeer I made for the exchange student that is living with us. She loves deer so this was something fast to create and stick in her stocking for her first American Christmas.

She loves him and displays him on her dresser.

Tunisian Cable Clutch-pattern with picture

Tunisian Cable Clutch
By Stephanie
Copy Right 2007
free to use pattern for personal use

Materials:
6.00 mm Hook (I used a Boyes size J...guage is not important here)
3 Oz any worsted weight yarn
large eye needle
1 yard 1/2 inch satin yarn
1-2 Stitch holder, second hook or scrap yarn on needle to hold stitches

Stitch Key:
(Following links all go to nextstitch.com where you can view a video)
For this bag you will need to know how to do the following stitches in crochet
Crochet Chain (ch)
Single Crochet (sc)
Half Double Crochet (hdc)
slip stitch (sl)
single crochet decrease (scd)
Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS - also known as afghan stitch or tunisian basic stitch)
Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS)

Beginning the Bag
chain 43
Row 1: Insert hook into 2nd loop from hook, yo and pull up a loop.* Insert hook in next loop, yo and pull up a loop.*
Continue from * to * to the end, you should have 43 loops on the hook.

TIP: if using a standard crochet hook place a rubber band wrapped many times around the unused end to keep loops from falling off

Work off loops:
Now yo and pull through 1 loop on hook, *yo and pull through 2 loops on hook* repeat from *to * until you have worked off all loops on hook
you will end up with 1 loop on the hook at the end and for each row through out

NOTE: This is the basicTunisian Simple Stitch TSS that you have just completed

Row 2: You will be working the Tunisian Knit Stitch TKS across this row
On the front of the piece you should see vertical bars instead of the standard looking crochet stitch, There will be 2 vertical bars one on the front of the piece one on the back
Skip very first vertical bar on right hand side of piece
In second Vertical bar *insert your hook between these vertical bars, yo, pull up a loop*
Continue from *to* across, you will have 43 loops on the hook

NOTE: For every row through out when you do your forward pass you will end up with 43 loops on the hook

Work off loops:
Now yo and pull through 1 loop on hook, *yo and pull through 2 loops on hook* repeat from *to * until you have worked off all loops on hook
you will end up with 1 loop on the hook at the end and for each row through out

Row 3: Switching stitches to start the cable
TKS the next stitch
*Skip next 3 stitches and TKS the 3 next stitches.

this image shows me doing the cable for the 2nd time, I already had done the begining of row 3 steps on the first 7 stitches on the right of the needle. You see the area I am pointing at showing the 3 skipped stitches and the next 3 worked in TKS.

Now remove the 3 stitches just made from the hook and place on a stitch holder

Go back and TKS the 3 skipped stitches
Remove these 3 stitches from the hook and place on a second stitch holder and hold to the back of the work (I just use a second hook of the same size to work the stitches and keep them on it)

place hook in front of the 3 just removed from hook and now pick up the 1st set of 3 stitches you worked the TKS over
Now go back and pick up the 3 TKS you did 2nd starting with the one closest to the right hand side of your work.


You have switched stitches to start the cabling.

TKS next two stitches*

Repeat from *to* to end, you will have 42 loops on the hook and have switched stitches 5 times.
work off stitches just as before.

Row 4-6: repeat row 2
Row 7: repeat row 3
Row 8-10: repeat row 2
Row 11: repeat row 3
Row 12-14: repeat row 2
Row 15: repeat row 3
Row 16-18: repeat row 2
Row 19: repeat row 3
Row 20-22: repeat row 2
Row 23: repeat row 3
Row 24-26: repeat row 2
Row 27: repeat row 3
Row 28-30: repeat row 2
Row 31: repeat row 3
Row 32-34: repeat row 2
Row 35: repeat row 3
Row 36-38: repeat row 2
Row 39: repeat row 3
Row 40-42: repeat row 2
Row 43: repeat row 3
Row 44-45: repeat row 2
Row 46: Insert hook into 2nd verticle bar, yo, pull a loop through as if doing a slip stitch in standard crochet.
repeat the slip stitch across and finish off.
(Yours will be longer but this is what the piece will look like as you go)

Hold right sides together lining up rows on the sides and sew up each side with what ever method you prefer.
I did a slip stitch down each side, but a blind stitch, whip stitch andything will work.

TIP: If you chose to line the purse add the lining now

I laid the purse on a piece of material to measure, folded material in 1/2 and sewed the 2 sides up to form an envelope

You may be able to see here one side the stitching is black and the other side the stitching is pink. On my finished piece the yarn is pink, the lining fabric is black and I wanted to keep the stitches on it the same color so they didn't show. To do this place the black thread in the top of your machine and place the pink thread in the bobbin. Now when you sew make sure the pink side is facing the bobbin and the black side is up facing the needle so you will only see the one color of thread on each side)


then I hemmed the top of the liner and inserted it into the bag wrong sides together
I then used a machine and stitched around the top just under the last row of stitches

TIP: Use a walking stitch method on the machine or do this by hand. If you use the foot the yarn will stretch and end up with the lining not matching up correctly



Adding the Handle:
Now you should be able to find 84 stitches around. count 42 stitches on each side and mark the sides with stitch markers.
So you should place a marker in, count 42 stitches to the left after this and place another stitch marker in the 42nd stitch you count to mark off the 43 stitches that belong to one side

Handle Row 1:
Attach yarn on right hand side of bag where 1st stitch market is located with a slip stitch.
Chain 1 Place stitch marker back to mark this as the
Work 6 Decreases using the first stitch where you attached as the place to begin.
NOTE: once you do the 1st decrease mark this stitch as the 1st stitch with one of the stitch markers.

sc in the next 20 stitches
work 5 decreases to next stitch marker. Place stitch marker back to mark this as the side

Work 6 decreases
sc in next 20 stitches
work 5 decreases
sl into top of 1st stitch
You now have 62 stitches around

Handle Row 2:
chain 3 (counts as first hdc and chain 1 space)
skip next stitch
*HDC in next 2 stitches, chain one and skip next stitch*
repeat from *to * around until there is 1 stitch left unworked
HDC in last stitch
slip stitch to chain 2 space of beginning chain 3

Handle Row 3: chain 1
sc in this stitch and each stitch around
slip stitch to first stitch and place stitch markers in to mark corners.
Handle Row 4-5: repeat row 3
Handle row 6: chain 1, sc in same stitch
sc in next 9 stitches
chain 11
skip next 11 stitches
sc in next 20 stitches
chain 11
skip next 11 stitches
sc in next 10 stitches
slip stitch into begining sc

NOTE: You can remove the stitch markers now, they will no longer be needed

Handle row 7: chain 1 sc in same space
sc in next 9 stitches
sc in each of the next 11 chains
sc in next 20 stitches
sc in each of the next 11 chains
sc in next 10 stitches
sl into starting sc
Row 8-10: repeat row 3
at the end of row 10 finish off.

Finishing: Weave in all ends with a needle
Thread 1/2 inch ribbon through the spaced made on Handle Row 2 and tie in a bow