My very first design!!!

I'm finally doing it. I designed something that I'm confident enough to publish! Albeit free, but still, it's here!

Maneki Neko Cellphone Cozy
Design by MarieAnge Brouillard

My daughter is a huge anime and manga fan. When she lost her cellphone cozy she asked me to make her a new one. After browsing through countless patterns and not finding anything I liked, I designed my own. This cozy will fit a cellphone that is 4 inches (10 cm) in height and 2.5 inches (5 cm) wide.

You will need:

• Size 6US or 4mm straight needles
• Size 7US or 4.5 mm straight needles for cast on and bind off
• Darning needle
• Size 3mm crochet hook
• Small amount of bulky yarn of your choice for cozy
• Small amounts of white, pink and black dk yarn for embroidery
• Small button

For my daughter's cozy I used Bernat Masala Hyacinth Hues because it was the closest color to match her cellphone.

Stitches used:

• K – knit
• P - purl

Method:

Using a knitted cast on method along with size 7US (4.5mm) needles CO 15 sts.
Switch to size 6US (4mm) needles
Row 1: *k2, p1* repeat to end
Row 2: *k2, p1* repeat to end

Repeat these two rows until the piece measures 5 inches (12.5 cm) unstretched.

Loosely bind off using the same needles used for the cast on.

Lay the piece flat, find the center and fold it to create a crease in the yarn. Mark the crease with a bit of yarn at each end. Unfold your rectangle and you should have a rectangle that looks like the one shown here.

Using a crochet hook and white yarn slip stitch the outline of the cat onto one half of your knitted rectangle.

Slip Stitch on knitting method

Hold the working yarn under the piece, with your crochet hook, from the top poke through the knitted rectangle and pick up the yarn from below. Draw up a loop and stretch it just enough so you have a nice small loop, keeping the loop on your crochet, poke the crochet through the knitted rectangle a short distance away from your first stitch and draw up another loop of yarn through the first loop. Keep doing this until the outline of your cat is done.

With a darning needle, add the eyes, and fill in the ears using slip stitch embroidery.

Take a piece of black yarn, make a triple knot in the middle, pass the two ends on either side of where you want the nose to sit and pull through and knot on the back side of the rectangle.

With pink yarn, add the mouth starting at the nose.

For the whiskers, make a knot close to the end of a short piece of 3 ply white yarn and separate the 3 plies which will give you the 3 whiskers. Poke the needle through where you want the whiskers to sit and make a large knot underneath. Poke the needle through to the right side where you want the other whiskers to sit and make a knot close to the fabric. Cut yarn leaving a short piece that you separate for the whiskers. See picture for placement.

Sew a small shiny button onto the belly of the cat.

With right sides facing, sew the bottom and side of the cozy using the mattress stitch method so both edges meet and do not overlap. You want the cozy to hold the cellphone snuggly.

I hope you enjoy the pattern. Please be respectful of copyright issues. This pattern is for personal use only and is not to be sold under any circumstances. The pattern is also not to be used to knit and sell the finished item. Charity knitting is always welcome along with the use of this pattern.

PS. If you find any mistakes, or have questions, do not hesitate to let me know. Constructive criticism is always welcome.