Cell Phone/iPod Cozy

(Wow! This is my 4th blog post today!)

I have been asked to teach a class of (28 - 30!!) adults in a continuing education program how to knit over a two day period in a couple of weeks. I figured a small, useful, garter stitch project would be a good project to get them started on.

My recommendation to their teacher was to try and scrounge knitting needles from colleagues and ask the students to see if their parents, grandparents or other family members might have knitting needles they could borrow. The teacher is going to provide the yarn and we'll be able to provide each student with a few extra grams of yarn than the cozy will require.

I thought it was important for the students to experience 100% wool so with a budget in mind, I suggested the teacher buy some Patons Classic Wool for the project. We should be able to wind off about 5 little balls of yarn from each 100g ball. She hopes to use her Michaels 40% off coupons. I will provide the buttons unless the students want to bring their own. Hopefully we'll be able to scrounge some darning needles as well for the finishing. I have a few students can borrow for the class.

So my design for an iPod or cell phone cozy was born. I customarily teach beginners the knitted cast on. I know it isn't used as much as the long-tail cast on but once the student has more or less mastered the knitted cast on, they have pretty much grasped the basics of knitting. I will also be teaching a bind off and (gasp!) even how to do a two-stitch buttonhole by binding off 2 sts and doing a twisted loop cast on in the next row.

Here is the project with the knitting completed. The buttonhole is visible near the pointy end.

After sewing the sides up with a whip stitch and sewing on the button, it is ready for its device.

Ta da!

I really think the students will be able to complete the project in a reasonable amount of time even if there's not enough class time allotted.

I think I'll knit up another one with snazzier yarn...