Knitted Hot Water Bottle Cover

2 x 100g balls of Sirdar Bonus Chunky yarn (the colour I used is Raspberry)

6mm knitting needles

The pattern is 12 rows repeated.  Odd rows are front side facing, even rows are inside facing and are all the same. 

Front : Cast on 40 Stitches

Row 1 :  K14 P2 K8 P2 K14

Row 2 :  K16 P8 K16

Row 3 :  K14 P2 K8 P2 K14

Row 4 : K16 P8 K16

Row 5 :  K14 P2 C4B C4F P2 K14

Row 6 : K16 P8 K16

Row 7 :  K14 P2 K8 P2 K14

Row 8 :  K16 P8 K16

Row 9 :  K14 P2 K8 P2 K14

Row 10 : K16 P8 K16

Row 11 : K14 P2 CF4 C4B P2 K14

Row 12 : K16 P8 K16

Repeat this pattern 8 times.  On the 12^th row of the 8^th repeat, cast off 12 stitches at the beginning of the row, then continue with the pattern.

Cast off 12 stitches at the beginning of the following row, then K2 P2 rib for 5”.  Cast off

Back : Cast on 40 Stitches

Row 1 :  K14 P2 K8 P2 K14

Row 2 :  K16 P8 K16

Row 3 :  K14 P2 K8 P2 K14

Row 4 : K16 P8 K16

Row 5 :  K14 P2 C4B C4F P2 K14  *

Row 6 : K16 P8 K16

Row 7 :  K14 P2 K8 P2 K14

Row 8 :  K16 P8 K16

Row 9 :  K14 P2 K8 P2 K14

Row 10 : K16 P8 K16

Row 11 : K14 P2 CF4 C4B P2 K14  *

Row 12 : K16 P8 K16

Repeat this pattern 5 times.  On the 12^th row of the 5th repeat, cast off 12 stitches at the beginning of the row, then continue with the pattern.  Cast off 12 stitches at the beginning of the following row, then K2 P2 rib for 5”.  Cast off

To sew up :

Hold the knitting right sides facing each other and pin together.  Begin at the shoulders and sew up both sides.  At the neck, sew a little way up on the inside and then finish sewing up on the right side (the neck will be turned over like a polo-neck jumper)

Sew down the side seams, fold up the long end of the front so that the back overlaps by two pattern repeats and sew all seams together.

Turn inside out and fold the ‘neck’ down.

* C4B – cable 4 backwards.  Slip two stitches onto a cable needle and hold behind the knitting, knit the next two stitches and then the two from the cable needle.

C4F - cable 4 forwards.  Slip two stitches onto a cable needle and hold in front of the knitting, knit the next two stitches and then the two from the cable needle.