Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Kindle Pocket -- Free Pattern

My husband and daughter got me a Kindle for Christmas! Since my 2 oldest daughters immediately absconded with it to read for the next few days, I figured I'd at least do something Kindle-related. So, I designed a felted Kindle Pocket to protect my new gift.



Materials:
Needles: US 8 / 5.0 mm 16" circulars
Yarn: 1 skein Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in Cranberry Swirl (or desired colorway)
One colorful button or set of velcro strips (depending on preferred closure on top)

Gauge: not particularly important since you will carefully felt to size.

FINISHED DIMENSIONS: 6.5" W x 9" L

Abbreviations:
sts: stitches
C8F: Slip first 4 sts to cable needle and hold to front. K next 4 sts, then K 4 sts from cable needle.
K: Knit
P: Purl
BO: Bind off
CO: Cast on

Note: This pattern is for the regular-sized Kindle, not the larger Kindle DX.

KINDLE POCKET
CO 56 sts.

Edging:
Working in round on 16” circs, work 4 rows of garter st. (K one round, P one round, K one round, P one round).

Buttonhole:
(Note: If you prefer to use velcro strips as a closure, you can skip the buttonhole directions, and instead do 2 more rows in the previously established garter st pattern)
K 13 sts. BO 2 sts. Knit 41 sts.
P 13. CO 2 sts. P 41 sts.

Begin cabled front panel:
Rounds 1-2: K8, P2, K8, P2, K around.
Round 3: K8, P2, C8F, P2, K around.
Rounds 4-8: K8, P2, K8, P2, K around.

Repeat 8 rounds 6 more times.

Divide sts onto two needles: 28 sts for front and 28 sts for back (with cabled panel centered in front). Turn inside out so right sides face each other. Using a 3-needle bind off, BO all sts to create flat seam at bottom. (If you don't wish to do a 3-needle BO, you can also use kitchener stitch to graft the two edges, or you can bind off as usual and sew the two edges together.)

Felt lightly or to desired shape and size.
Sew button (and/or velcro strips if preferred).

16 comments:

  1. Thanks for this, I modified it a bit and just love how it came out! My first attempt at felting, too!

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  2. So...don't throw it in the washer to felt? Just felt it by hand? Help! :)
    xo

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  3. I did throw mine in the washer and dryer to felt. I just didn't leave it in either very long, because I only wanted a light felting. Felting is one of those things where you just have to keep a close eye on the object and stop the process when the desired effect is achieved.

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  4. Having said that, I will also fully admit that I have felted slippers for myself and ended up giving them to my 3 yr old, because I didn't keep a close eye on how quickly the felting was coming along!

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  5. Does anyone have a pattern for a felted cover for the Kindle DX?

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  6. Hey there! I found your pattern on Ravelry and I really want to try it, but I'm confused about what this part of the pattern means:

    [Repeat 8 rounds 6 more times.]

    Help!

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  7. Hi Gretchen,
    Rounds 1-8 in the pattern directions make the first cable. You repeat those rounds 6 more times to make 6 more cables. So, once you are done with Round 8, start with Round 1 again working your way to Round 8. Then keep doing this until you have 7 cables total.
    Hope that helps!

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  8. This is blocking and felting on my washer right now! I am making it for the K3 instead of the K2 so I let it felt a little longer. Mine is 8.5"x5.75" so it should easily accommodate my K3 (which is 7.5"x5") in the silicon skin after that comes in the mail. I also used 100% wool yarn instead of the wool/mohair blend and it felted up really nicely. If you want stitch definition like the example I would stick with the blend, but if you want it to really look felted, the 100% wool worked great. It's very cushy too.

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    Replies
    1. Kari - do the cables still show on yours? I really want to try felting but don't want to put the work into the cables if they won't show up - there are other patterns without the cables (but I liked this one).Thanks in advance! Mary

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  9. Well, I guess it's just blocking now...LOL. Late night!

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  10. I desperately want to learn how to knit, I've tried a few times using books to learn and just can't seem to get it, I end up fumbling around with the needles and if I do manage to cast on I can't do anything else with it. I have a Nook ereader and would love to make one of these for that! Should I get the needles that are attached? Is there special yarn that is used for knitting as opposed to crocheting (I can do a very basic crochet)? What is felting? I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions, but I have been wanting to learn how to knit for months now, I really feel like I need to be doing something with my hands and knitting looks like so much fun.

    Thanks
    Sarah

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  11. Hi Sarah,
    I taught myself how to knit a few years ago using a book for kids (since I couldn't understand the books written for adults!). But, looking back, I think the best thing would have been to take an intro class at either a yarn store or a place like Joanns or Michaels. That way, you can have someone right there who can answer all of your questions and show you exactly what to do with the needles and yarn. Plus, knitters love to get new knitters started!

    To answer your particular questions:
    1) If you are just learning to knit, I would start with the basic straight wooden needles (not circular/attached ones). The size you buy depends on the yarn you are planning to use. For the Kindle Pocket, I did knit it "in the round" using ciculars, but you may want to hold off on that until you are comfortable with straight needles. Or, you can modify the pattern to knit it flat and then sew up the side. (Again, someone from a yarn store could easily show you how to do that.)
    2) The yarn for knitting is the exact same as used for crochet. But, if you want to felt a project, it needs to be wool yarn not acrylic.
    3) Speaking of felting...it is just shrinking your project! If you have ever accidentally thrown a wool sweater into the wash, you have felted! In the case of the Kindle Pocket, we are felting the project on purpose to shrink it so it will be thicker and sturdier.

    Hope this helps a bit, and good luck as you begin learning to knit!! Keep me posted on your progress!

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  12. Hi Kari,
    Are you on Ravelry?? Have you posted your project pic? I'd love to see it!

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  13. I cast 56 stitches on a 16" circa and there is no way for
    me to join in the round. am I missing something?

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  14. Hi hersandhers,
    What yarn are you using for your project? If the weight isn't the same as in the original pattern (i.e., if it's a lighter weight), then the 56 sts would probably be difficult to join in the round, and you may have to use dpns instead. But, the heavier weight yarn is needed to get gauge; otherwise, the Kindle Pocket will be too small.
    Hope this helps!

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