Ipad Cosy- Elsie Revisited

 One of the first patterns I had published in 'Inside Crochet' magazine was for an ipad cosy.Elsie was my Nana's name. This was the prototype- the pattern uses different colours, but you can choose your own, or use stash yarn, like I did.

Elsie ipad cosy 

 The granny square is a great confidence builder for anyone new to crochet. Instructions on how to make them vary, if you already know how to do them, use the method which works for you.This project takes extra large grannies, joins them together and then felts them to make a really chunky protective layer, with or without a lining and extra padding. Before machine washing, the cover looks huge, but it shrinks by 30-40% after felting.

An ideal beginner project, as any mistakes in the basic granny square disappear in the felting process! This uses a special machine washable felting yarn, so hopefully the resulting cosy will resemble the one pictured. Felting can be great fun, a bit like magic but the results are not always what you’d expect!

 

MATERIALS

● SMC Wash + Filz-it! Fine(100%wool)

1xMango,shade 104- A

1x Blanket, shade 120-B

1xWhite, shade 102-C

2x Cherry, shade 127-D

 

● 5 mm crochet hook

● Lining fabric, 4x larger than ipad itself (optional)

Padding (optional)

Velcro (optional)

YARN ALTERNATIVES

An felting wool or 100% wool or cashmere (lopi yarns can work well) .

 TENSION

I recommend that you make one complete granny square in either the recommended yarn or an alternative and test wash it first, in a mesh bag.

Using SMC Wash + Filz-it fine, granny square should measure

13cm x 13cm before felting

After felting- 10cm x 10cm approx.

 

MEASUREMENTS

After felting, cosy measures approx.30cm by 20cm.

 

Basic Granny Square

 

Using A and a 5mm hook, make 6ch , join in a ring with a ss.

Rnd 1: With A, 3ch, 2tr into ring. *3ch, 3tr into ring, repeat from * twice more.

3ch, join with ss to 3^rd of first 3ch. Break off yarn A.

 

Rnd 2: Join B to any space, 3ch (2tr, 3ch, 3tr) into same space.

*1ch (3tr, 3ch, 3tr) into next sp, repeat from * twice more,1ch, join with a ss to 3^rd of 3ch. Break off B.

 

Rnd 3: Join C to a 3ch sp, 3ch, (2tr, 3ch, 3tr) into same sp.

*1ch, 3tr into 1ch sp,1ch. (3tr, 3ch, 3tr) into 3 ch sp, repeat from * twice more. 1ch, 3tr into1ch sp,1ch, join with an ss to 3^rd of first  3ch.

 

Rnd 4: Join D to a 3ch sp, 3ch, (2tr, 3ch, 3tr) into same sp.

*(1ch, 3tr into 1ch sp) twice,1ch.

(3tr, 3ch, 3tr) into 3ch sp, repeat from * twice more.

(1ch, 3tr into 1ch sp) twice,1ch, join with a ss to 3^rd of first 3ch.

 

 

Complete 12 granny squares in total.

 

 

Joining the squares

 

The squares are joined using double crochet seams.

Place 2 squares right sides together. Using D, insert the hook from front to back through the edges of both pieces. Yrh and pull through, make1dc in the usual way, Then insert hook into the next stitch along, through both layers, ready to make the next dc. Continue in this way until you have a piece of 3x 4 squares joined together.

Fold in half  to make a 2x3 granny square rectangle and join edges, leaving one short end open. Sew in all ends securely.

 

Felting

 

 Follow instructions on ballband of SMC Wash +Filz-it!fine, or test wash alternative yarn granny square in a mesh bag at a regular 40 degree wash. Use detergent and include a towel or pair of jeans to help the felting process. Colour catcher sheets are also a good idea. Remove felted piece while still wet and block, leave to dry.

If it is a lot bigger than the desired 10cm square, try felting at a higher temperature.

If it is a lot smaller, try stretching it.

Felt is quite robust, so it can be manipulated into the desired shape and pressed with an iron on a wool setting.

As no two felted pieces are identical, so some may turn out a perfect snug fit for your ipad, others less so.

If there is some wriggle room in your cosy, but not enough to warrant re-doing the machine felting, you could make a padded lining and Velcro closure.

If it comes out too small, kindle cosy, anyone?