Coach's Craft Corner

Traveling by RV is the greatest.  I really love driving along the open road, in the comfort of my copilot’s chair, looking at the scenery through the big, wide windshield.  And cruising down the road gives me plenty of time to do something else I love: crafts.  I've decided to share some of these projects on the blog, and I’ll include instructions in case you’d like to make some of your own.

Send me your ideas for fan crafts!

First up, we have a Bears Latte Cozy.  Show your team colors and help save Da Planet by using this cozy as a reusable cup insulator.  This is a pretty simple knitting project that can be completed in just a couple of hours.  Of course, you have to know how to knit J.  This project uses inexpensive acrylic yarn to keep it washable. 

You can knit this in the round on double pointed needles, or on straight needles, in which case you just need to sew the sides together when done.

Materials:

size US9 dpn or straight needles

Small amounts of acrylic yarn in Navy, White, and Orange.

With Navy, cast on 24 stitches (spread evenly on 3 dpn). (Join, being careful not to twist.) Knit in k2p2 rib, knitting the knit stitiches and purling the purl stitches.  This applies to all rows. Work 5 rows.  Switch to White, and work one row.  Instead of breaking the yarns to switch colors, just catch it behind the loop of the last stitch and bring it along until you need it again.  Switch to orange and work 2 rows.  Switch to White and work 1 row.  Switch to Navy and work 3 rows. Repeat the stripe pattern (white, orange, orange, white), followed by 3 rows of Navy.  Repeat the stripe pattern (white, orange, orange, white).  You should have 3 stripes.  Break off the white and orange.  It's all Navy from here.  Keep working the k2p2 ribbing for 6 rows, then bind off.  Weave in loose ends.  Voila!  

Ok, I know how to count. The prototype only had 2 stripes.