Black Purl Magazine | Sharing the passion and soul of needlecrafts

QUICK CLICKS
About Us
Search
Share
Blog
Subscribe
Contact Us
Advertise
Submit
Media Room
Patterns
Archives
Home

"Dial My Heart"
Cell Phone Pouch
Designed by Gina Griffin

This is an easy little intarsia project, born out of need. I've hated every cell phone case that I've bought so far, and I wanted one that was “Just Right.” It had to fit in my purse, it had to protect my display from scratches, it had to be cute, and it had to be doable with scrap yarn. This fits the bill.

If you haven't done intarsia before, don't get all weird about it. This is tiny, and a perfect thing to start off with. Things to remember:

Notes:
Twist your yarns when you start a new color. You don't have to get crazy... Just twine the two strands in one direction then continue to knit.

Use “manageable lengths” of yarn. I think this is a term that Kaffe Fassestt coined, and for me, it's the best way to go. You can use bobbins to hold wraps of your different colors. But to me, they've always been more trouble than they're worth. Just cut a length of yarn and let it hang. (I usually keep it less than a foot, probably more around 9”.) You'll weave in the end later.

Weave in ends. Some people weave in their ends as they go. Some wait till the end. I go back and forth, depending on the size of the project. This was so small, I just waited till the end. What you need to do is leave an end long enough to thread and sew when you finish a segment of color. (I try to leave around 6”.) Use a tapestry needle or finishing needle, thread the needle, and thread the yearn through the backs of the loops of yarn. You don't want to pierce the fabric that you created all the way through, and you don't want to distort the fabric. Practice on a swatch first, if you're nervous.

There is a great book on intarsia by Keeley and Sherry Steuver that you can purchase at http://swakknit.com. In my opinion, it's the best thing out there, and it's also a great price.

Obviously, you can twist this pattern any way you want to. The pouch is large enough for my tiny little Kyocera phone and the ear bud, and it also comfortably fits a flip phone. You could probably lightly felt it and still have plenty of room. Use a solid color for the stripes, and a variegated color for the larger color blocked areas. Add a chain stitch in embroidery around the heart. I'm sure you can think of more things than I can imagine

Most of all, have fun!

Dimensions: 4”w X 5.5”h

Materials:

#8 US Needles (straights)
Tapestry needle
Worsted weight scrap yarn in several colors (I used four colors). Use wool if you plan to felt it lightly.

Abbreviations:
BO - Bind off
CO - Cast on
K - Knit Stitch
K2tog - Knit 2 stitches together
P - Purl stitch
St. St. - Stockinette Stitch (all knit stitches on e side, all purl stitches on the other.)
X - Times (as in 2 times)

Instructions:
Front
Begin chart (below) by CO 16st. work in K1P1 rib for 1”.

Continue to work chart in St. St. until piece measures 5”.

Next row: K2tog 2X. Knit to last 4 sts. K2tog 2X.

Next 3 rows: K2tog at beg and end of row.

BO.

Work the back chart the same as the front. Piece together using tapestry needle. Weave in ends. Wash and block.