iPad Cozy

After a little bit of love for my moss stitch iPad cozy, I decided to type up a simple guide so you can make your own! This pattern can be adapted to fit any size device, from laptops to phones, but I have included specific instructions for the standard sized iPad.

First up, you need some gear! Scissors, crochet hook, tapestry needle, a button and of course yarn! I used Lily Sugar 'n Cream in lots of different colours. I only used a small amount of each colour but in total it uses about 1.5 skeins of Sugar 'n Cream. It's a 100% cotton worsted weight yarn in an array of yummy colours (and scents!). You could use any yarn you like, even a smaller weight yarn eg DK weight - the foundation chain will just need to be longer! I used a 5mm crochet hook with this yarn, but you can use whatever suits your yarn!

Instructions are written in US terms. For UK people, the US single crochet is equivalent to a UK double crochet. You'll only be needing this and a chain stitch for the main body, and a reverse single crochet for the edging.

Start off by making the foundation chain. I chained 32 - it looks too long for the iPad, but be warned, it shrinks a lot when you work the first round! It was a bit of trial and error to get the length right, so if you are using lighter yarn and/or a smaller hook you will need to adjust it until it fits.

Round 1 - sc in 2nd chain from hook. 2sc in next chain. sc in next 27 stitches. 2sc in next, sc in last chain. Working back along the reverse of the chain, sc in first stitch, 2sc in next. sc in next 27 stitches, 2sc in next, sc in last. (66)

You can join rounds whichever way you find best. I wanted the joins to be almost invisible, so I followed this method I found on the Internet. Basically, cut the yarn to leave a long tail. Pull it through the last stitch and thread it onto a tapestry needle. Thread this from back to front through the second stitch of the round, then thread it from front to back through the last stitch of the round before knotting and weaving ends in. This leaves a pretty much invisible join. It also means you can move the start of each round so you don't get a noticeable seam up the side of the cozy. I alternated the starting position of each round between the two sides.
If you are making this for a thicker device such as a laptop, you will need to carry on with the increasing rounds until it is big enough to cover the end of a laptop. You follow the same basic pattern - single crocheting around, increasing in the 2nd stitch and 2nd from last stitch on each side.

Round 2 - Join on opposite side of oval with a standing single crochet (or chain 1, sc in same stitch). Chain 1, skip 1 stitch. *sc in next stitch, chain 1, skip 1* repeat around until the last stitch. You will notice that there will be an extra stitch, as the oval base has to be an even number of stitches, and the moss stitch in the round is an odd number. This doesn't really matter though, and I just ignore the extra stitch - you can't even notice it! So for the last stitch, chain 1 and skip 2 stitches. Join round. (33sc, 33 ch spaces)

Round 3 - Join on opposite side on oval with a standing single crochet. Chain 1, skip 1 stitch. *sc in next stitch, chain 1, skip 1* repeat around. Join round. (33sc, 33 ch spaces)

Rounds 4-40 - Repeat Round 3.

Round 41 - This round includes the 'tab' with the button hole in. Join yarn with a standing single crochet on the back of the piece. I joined mine about 7 moss stitches in from the right-hand side when the cozy is flattened. The idea is to crochet around, then carry on with that colour to make the buttonhole tab, without having to join the yarn again.
Repeat as Round 3 again but do not fasten off at end of round. Slip stitch to join round.
Row 1 - Chain 1 and sc in same stich and next chain space. Repeat 3 more times so you have a row of 8 sc stitches. chain 1, turn.
Row 2 - 8 Repeat row 1
Row 9 - sc in first 2 stitches. chain 4, skip 4 stitches. sc in last 2 stitches. chain 1, turn.
Row 10 - sc in first 2 stitches. sc 4 times in chain space. sc in last 2 stitches. chain 1, turn.
Row 11 - 12 Repeat row 1. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Round 42 - Join with a standing single crochet on back of cozy. Reverse sc in each stitch and chain space around. When turning corners, reverse sc twice in stitch. For the sides of the tab, make sure you have a stitch at the end of each row. Join round and fasten off. Weave in all ends.
To reverse sc, simply work your stitches to the right. It feels very unnatural to start with, but soon becomes normal! It just gives the border a nice 'twisted rope' effect. For more info on the reverse sc, see this tutorial I found.

Now you just need to sew the button on! I sewed my button on the centre front of the cozy on Round 36.

Voila! Now you have an iPad cozy to keep your trusty friend warm throughout the Winter months!