Maybe I’m just a tad crazy at times, or maybe you could to soften that phrase and say that I’m perhaps a bit over-imaginative, but some combination of the two causes me to become inexplicably attached to inanimate objects. I worry that certain skeins of yarn feel unloved because they tend to settle down at the bottom of my stash, while others emerge to color various projects a dozen times over. Leaving certain stuffed animals in places that are new to them sets me on edge, because what if they feel lost and scared? What if they feel homesick when they get adopted into new homes? I kid you not, as pathetic as it all seems, but sometimes I worry about these things like they can all really feel and understand the world as any other person does. Don’t laugh now, but almost every item I frequently use has a name, right down to my favorite spoon (“Nosh.”)
When a new, fancy toy arrived for my birthday, she stole my affection from day one. An amazing, beautiful, flawless mp3 player sporting classy clean icons and smooth edges, Zoé, my Creative Zen, quickly insinuated herself into my daily routine and my heart. Enduring such heavy use, it was only a matter of time before I began to worry about Zoé’s well being, as it’s not hard to scratch such a smooth, unblemished music player in this sharp world we live in. Obviously, a cozy was just what the doctor ordered, but this undertaking in itself posed yet another problem: What yarn would do for such a wonderful friend?
After a good deal of searching, I came upon a spot of luck and managed to secure my local yarn store’s final skein of a breathtaking mottled blue cotton, going by the name of Patagonia. Reading the label confirmed that the yarn gods had smiled upon me – Hand dyed 100% natural cotton for $10? I could barely scramble over to the register fast enough, anxious to get back to my needles and set off to work. Zoé must have been getting so cold waiting alone!
Working up a basic pattern from scratch, it really took no time before Zoé was comfortably nestled into her new cozy, looking very safe and content indeed. Wanting to add a bit of interest to the exterior, I knit in a more unusual cable stitch right down the center. Ultimately, it fit Zoé perfectly and looked quite stylish, I think that this particular stitch might have been more successful if executed with a smoother yarn, without all of the bumps of a hand spun cotton.
A simple button closure secures the precious cargo inside, making for the perfect little pocket guaranteed to soften any accidental falls or rough journeys. I sure hope this cozy carrying case is enjoyed by its intended recipient, because I would hate to think that she would be dissatisfied with my work, and start misbehaving as a result!
So far so good, but after laboring so hard to supply me with good music to craft to, I think it’s time Zoé took a little nap. Peeking out one last time before closing the door and shutting off the lights, it’s easy to see how she’s so easy to love.
If you’re interested in recreating this cable pattern for yourself, here are some instructions that I wrote to the best of my ability. [This is not a pattern for the whole cozy!] I’m sorry if it doesn’t make sense or is very difficult to follow, but I’ll do my best to clarify any questions that may arise. There are 12 pattern stitches, not including a border, so if you want to repeat this a couple times, cast on multiples of 12 + however many stitches you want for a border.
Row 1: K3, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k4
Row 2: P3, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p4
*Repeat these rows 3 more times, 4 times total
Sl 3 st onto cable needle and hold in back, p1, k1, p1, [k3 from cable needle], sl 3 st onto cable needle, hold in front, k3, [k1, p1, k1 from cable needle]
k1, p1, k1, p7, k1, p1
*p1, k1, p1, k7, p1, k1
k1, p1, k1, p7, k1, p1*
*Repeat 3 times more, 4 times total
Sl 3 st onto cable needle and hold in back, k3, [p1, k1, p1 from cable needle], sl 3 st onto cable needle and hold in front, k1, p1, k1, k3 off cable needle
P3, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p4
Starting from the very beginning of directions, repeat until desired length is reached.
Oooh…I love that yarn! Very pretty. Do you have any left?
!!! Creative Zens, rule.
I love the cozy, the yarn is beautiful.
BTW: Mine is named Dameon and his external drive is Mango :3
Gorgeous yarn. You take amazing macro pics. I wish mine were 1/2 as good. Of course yarn doesn’t squirm as much as much as a two year old boy…LOL The cozy is great and I love that yarn. The softened effect of the cable from the handspun cotton makes it that much more unique. Zoe (I name all of my stuff, too) should be very happy with her new home.
You’ve renewed my hope in Patagonia. I bought two hanks because I loved the color and feel…completely oblivious to the fact that it was “thick and thin”. I despise knitting with thick and thin yarn because (when I’ve used it) it obliterates any sense of stitch definition…but that looks LOVELY! I may have to dig Patagonia out of the bottom of the stash tonight and give her another try.