Aran hot-water bottle cover

You will need
• 100g Elle chunky yarn of your choice (colour 014 Aran)
• 5,5mm knitting needles
• double-pointed cable needle
• stitch holder
• tapestry needle
• hot-water bottle (bag section approximately 26 x 20cm)

Abbreviations
CN       cable needle
c4b      slip 2 sts onto CN and hold at back of work, knit next 2 sts, knit 2 sts from CN

c4f       slip 2 sts onto CN and hold at front of work, knit next 2 sts, knit 2 sts from CN
k          knit
k2 tog knit two together
k1t      increase one by knitting twice into stitch
p          purl
rep      repeat
st(s)    stitch(es)
t4b      slip 2 sts onto CN and hold at back of work, knit next 2 sts, purl 2 sts from CN
t4f       slip 2 sts onto CN and hold at front of work, purl next 2 sts, knit 2 sts from CN
WS      wrong side

To make
Cast on 34 sts.

1st row: k1t, p2, c4b, * p4, c4b, rep from * to last 3 sts, p2, k1t. [36 sts]
2nd row: k1t, k3, p4, * k4, p4, rep from * to last 4 sts, k3, k1t. [38 sts]
3rd row: k1t, p2, * t4b, t4f, rep from * to last 3 sts, p2, k1t. [40 sts]
4th row: k1t, k3, p2, k4, * p4, k4, rep from * to last 6 sts, p2, k3, k1t. [42 sts]
5th row: p5, k2, p4, * c4f, p4, rep from * to last 7 sts, k2, p5.
6th row: k5, p2, k4, * p4, k4, rep from * to last 7 sts, p2, k5.
7th row: p5, * t4f, t4b, rep from * to last 5 sts, p5.
8th row: k7, p4, * k4, p4, rep from * to last 7 sts, k7.
9th row: p7, c4b, * p4, c4b, rep from * to last 7 sts, p7.
10th row: k7, p4, * k4, p4, rep from * to last 7 sts, k7.
11th row: p5, * t4b, t4f, rep from * to last 5 sts, p5.
12th row: k5, p2, k4, * p4, k4, rep from * to last 7 sts, p2, k5.
13th row: p5, k2, p4, * c4f, p4, rep from * to last 7 sts, k2, p5.
14th row: k5, p2, k4, * p4, k4, rep from * to last 7 sts, p2, k5.
15th row: p5, * t4f, t4b, rep from * to last 5 sts, p5.
16th row: k7, p4, * k4, p4, rep from * to last 7 sts, k7.
Repeat rows 9 to 16 six more times.
65th row: p15, c4b, p4, c4b, p15.
66th row: k2 tog, k13, p4, k4, p4, k13, k2 tog. [40 sts]
67th row: k2 tog, p10, (c4b, c4f) twice, p10, k2 tog. [38 sts]
68th row: k2 tog, k9, p2, k4, p4, k4, p2, k9, k2 tog. [36 sts]
69th row: k2 tog twice, p6, k2, p4, c4f, p4, k2, p6, k2 tog twice. [32 sts]
70th row: k2 tog twice, k4, p2, k4, p4, k4, p2, k4, k2 tog twice. [28 sts]
71th row: k2 tog twice, p2, (c4f, c4b) twice, p2, k2 tog. [24 sts]
72th row: k2 tog twice, k2, p4, k4, p4, k2, k2 tog twice. [20 sts]

Slip the remaining 20 sts onto a stitch holder.

Back
To work the back, cast on 26 sts.

1st row: (right side) k1t, p24, k1t.
2nd row: k1t, k26, k1t.
3rd row: k1t, p28, k1t.
4th row: k1t, k30, k1t.
Continue in reverse stocking stitch (purl right side rows, knit wrong side rows) to row 47.
48th row: k2 tog, k to last 2 sts,  k2 tog.
49th row: k2 tog, p to last 2 sts,  k2 tog.

Repeat rows 48 and 49 until 20 sts remain, ending with a WS row (row 54). Cut yarn to a length of 20cm and sew the back to the front for a few centimetres down the side, starting from the remaining stitches. Place the stitches of the front and back on one needle and continue working in double rib (k2, p2) until the rib measures double the length of the funnel section of the hot-water bottle (approximately 29 rows). Cast off and sew up the rest of the bag.

Stocking stitch hot-water bottle cover

You will need
• 50g Elle double knit yarn of your choice (colour 014 Aran)
• dusty pink knitting yarn (for blanket stitch edge)
• 4mm knitting needles
• stitch holder
• tapestry needle
• hot-water bottle (bag section approximately 26 x 20cm)

To make
Cast on 35 sts.

1st row: (WS) p.
2nd row: k1t, k to last st, k1t.
3rd row: k1t, p to last st, k1t.
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until there are 45 sts (row 6). Continue working stocking stitch up to row 67.
68th row: k2 tog, k to last 2 sts, k2 tog. [43 sts]
69th row: k2 tog, p to last 2 sts, k2 tog. [41 sts]
70th row: k2 tog, k to last 2 sts, k2 tog. [39 sts]
71st row: k2 tog, p to last 2 sts, k2 tog. [37 sts]
72nd row: k2 tog twice, k to last 4 sts, k2 tog twice. [33 sts]
73rd row: k2 tog twice, p to last 4 sts, k2 tog twice. [29 sts]
74th row: k2 tog twice, k to last 4 sts, k2 tog twice. [25 sts]
75th row: k2 tog twice, p to last 4sts, k2 tog twice. [21 sts]

Slip the remaining 21 sts onto a stitch holder. Work the back in the same manner as the front. Cut the yarn to a length of 20cm and sew the back to the front for a few centimetres down the side, starting from the remaining stitches. Place the stitches of the front and back on one needle and continue working in single rib (k1, p1) until the rib measures double the length of the funnel section of the hot-water bottle (approximately 39 rows). Cast off and sew up the rest of the bag. Sew blanket stitch around the outer edge of the bag using the pink yarn.

Text and image source: Ideas magazine