Bessie Bear's Simple Striped Hot Water Bottle Cover
You will need:
2 x balls Debbie Bliss Cotton DK in Grey (A) 2 x balls Debbie Bliss Cotton DK in Cream (B) 2 x 4mm straight needles $2\times3.5\mathrm{mm}$ (or 3.75) straight needles 5 x 3.5mm DPNs 2 x stitch holders 3 small buttons 1 x darning needle Abbreviations: YO - Yarn over st st - stocking stitch Front (Knitted in 1 piece) (Worked in stocking stich with 8 rows for each stripe of colour). With 4mm needles and A cast on 32 stitches. ·Knit 1 row. Increase 1 stitch at each end of next 4 rows working in st st as you go and ending on a k row (40 stitches) Work 3 more rows of st st with A, ending on a purl row. Switch to B and work 8 more rows in stocking stitch, ending on a p row. Continue working straight, changing colour every 8 rows until you come to your $5^{\mathrm{th}}$ band of B. Now decrease 1 st at each end of next $3^{\mathsf{r d}}$ row and on next following 6 rows (28 stitches) Next row: Cast off 5 sts at both ends of next row and leave remaining 18 on a stitch holder.
Back (Bottom Piece)
? Work as front until you have 4 stripes plus 2 two rows of B. Change to 3.5mm needles - rib (K2,P2) next 6 rows and Cast Off in rib.
Back (Top Piece)
With 3.5mm needles CO 40 sts. Rib (K2, P2) for 2 rows straight. Next row: Rib 6, YO, K2tog, rib 11, YO K2 tog, rib 11, YO K2 tog, rib 6. Rib next 5 rows. Change to 4mm and work as front. Sew up sides. With 3.5dpns, rib (k2, p2) neck (with stitches from holder) until neck measures 6 inches from shoulders. Finishing: Sew up any gaps. Fold neck down. Sew buttons on.
