A Quick Project

It was my fourth (and last) day in Mr. G's class. Being summer school, they had individual work (that they weren't doing, mostly), so I had a lot of time to sit and watch them.

I had read my Entertainment Weekly, written three (well, this one too, so four) blog posts, and beta read thirteen chapters of a fellow blogger's book. I had also taken roll, kept track of all the classes, and made sure the classes' assignments kept up with what they should have been able to finish.

I needed something else to do.

I had recently (April-ish) replaced my school bag. I decided my IKEA clock needed a cozy.

Let me back up a minute. I carry a small clock for days when the classroom has no working clock. My new school bag doesn't have a great spot to stash it. So, I figured I could knit it a clipped pouch to make it easier to access in the bag.

And since I needed something to do while watching kiddos not work...

I started the gauge swatch. I measured it and the clock. I figured out how many stitches to cast on. And then I started it and knit almost half of it. In the first two-hour block of the day.

In the second two-hour block, I finished it with almost an hour to spare. That includes binding off and winding in ends. (And, of course, that includes starting class, taking roll, giving them their assignment for the day, and keeping watch over them.)

There were some obvious mistakes in my knitting. I had made a brief mental plan of what I wanted to do, but things got changed in the knitting, as they always do. I lost a stitch somewhere (I'm pretty sure I know where). I put the "button hole" in an awkward spot (making it diagonal). It is a little bigger than I needed.

But, I figured I could write up the pattern. If I ever decide to redo this, I have ready access. I edited out my most obvious mistakes in the write up. It is knitable, and it does the job.

Small Clock Clipped Cozy Knitting Pattern

Materials: 

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft (in olive green)--no where near a full skein, so use scrap yarn for this

Needles: US size #7 (4.5mm) dpn, set of four 

Notions: Name badge clip, marker

Gauge:

20sts/4 inches over stockinette stitch 

Directions:

CO 36 sts, join to work in the round (careful not to twist)

• Round 1: (K1, p1), repeat 8 more times, (p1, k1) repeat 8 more times
• Round 2: (P1, k1) repeat 8 more times, (k1, p1) repeat 8 more times
• Round 3: (P1, k1) repeat 7 more times, bind off the next 4 sts, (k1, p1) repeat 7 more times
• Round 4: (K1, p1) repeat 7 more times, cast on four stitches, (p1, k1), repeat 7 more times

Begin working in stockinette stitch (knit every round). Continue until piece measures as long as desired (to length of clock). 

Then, arrange sts evenly over two needles (18 sts per needle). Turn inside out. Bind off using the 3-needle bind off.

Wind in ends. Snap name badge clip through button hole made over rounds 3 & 4.