Sunday, June 20, 2010

The Boss's Wife Wine Coozie




My mom raised me to never show up at someone’s house empty-handed (especially someone you’d like to make a good impression on, like your boyfriend’s parents or your boss’s wife…). It just so happens I was invited to my boss’s wife's home jewelry party and wanted to make something nice to show that I’m not only the best employee in the office but am amazingly creative, thoughtful and talented. HA. In my dreams. Let’s just say everyone loves wine and who doesn’t want to oooh and aaaahh over a little wine coozie.

I kind of did a variation on several wine coozie patterns that I found online to make one that worked for me. The whole thing from cast on to the bow tie finish on the cord took me about 10-15 hours over 3 days, so all in all, it was a pretty quick project. Since I’m still suffering from pain from the back surgery, I have been the loser of all losers and doing absolutely nothing on the weekends. The finishing of this little bobble made me feel like I was half-way productive this particular Friday and Saturday night!

To make the coozie- I used Lionbrand’s homespun beige yarn on size 9 double pointed needles:
Cast on 36 stitches and divide onto 3 dpn's. Place marker and join to begin working in the round.

Work 9 rows K3, P3 ribbing around.
Row 10: K3 *P1, yo, P2tog, K1, yo, K2tog* repeat between *'s around to last 6 stitches, K1, yo, K2tog, P3
Work 9 more rows K3, P3 ribbing around.
Knit all stitches on next and all following rows until work measures 12 1/2 ".
Purl 1 row.
Knit 2 rows and begin decreases.

Decrease rows:
Row 1: *K2, K2tog* repeat between *'s around
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: *K1, K2tog* repeat between*'s around
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: *K2tog* repeat between *'s around

Cut yarn and thread through stitches remaining on needles. Weave in ends.
To create the “berries and leaves” (they were supposed to be grapes but I got sick of making the little round balls after three, so thus, they are berries) I used a sock weight yarn called “Matsuri Lime/Purple”. Oddly enough I ripped out the purple part for the berries and the Lime for the leaves, but that’s why you can see flecks of all colors in each.

I used size 2 straight needles for both:
To make the Leaves:
CO 5 sts.
Row 1 [RS]: K2, YO, k1, YO, k2. 7 sts.
Row 2 and All WS Rows: P all sts.
Row 3 [RS]: K3, YO, k1, YO, k3. 9 sts.
Row 5 [RS]: K4, YO, k1, YO, k4. 11 sts.
Row 7 [RS]: K5, YO, k1, YO, k5. 13 sts.
Row 9 [RS]: Ssk, k9, k2tog. 11 sts.
Row 11 [RS]: Ssk, k7, k2tog. 9 sts.
Row 13 [RS]: Ssk, k5, k2tog. 7 sts.
Row 15 [RS]: Ssk, k3, k2tog. 5 sts.
Row 17 [RS]: Ssk, k1, k2tog. 3 sts.
Row 19 [RS]: Sl 1, k2tog, psso. 1 st rem. Bind off.

To make the berries:
CO 3 sts
Row 1: P3
Row 2: K1, YO, K1, YO, K1 (5 stitches)
Row 3: P5
Row 4: K5
Row 5:P5
Row 6: K2tog through the back, K1, K2tog (3 stitches)
Row 7: Slip 1, P2 tog through the back pass slip stitch over, thread end through to cast off

Tie both cast on and cast off ends together and use one end to sew base together and make a small ball

I used a twisted cord to finish and looped it through the ridge on the coozie while it was on a wine bottle to make sure it fell in the correct places. Tied in a bow and “ta-da”.