Basically, it's a sock for a jam jar (or in this particular case, a pesto jar). I started with a flat round disc and then knitted further without increasing to turn it into a tube.

I made this at the suggestion of someone who was collecting knitted things for a photoshoot - I don't think it's exactly what she had in mind, the reference pics were of very plain, tweedy jug-shaped things. I'm thinking of doing a few more: a black mohair one with horizontal welts and a fawn fuzzy one with cables all over.

Here's how to do a flat round disc to start off with:

Using 4 dpns, cast on 8 sts and distribute over 3 needles, with 2 sts on the 1st needle and 3 sts each on the 2nd and 3rd needles. Join into a round and knit all sts through the back loop to keep the center flat.
Then:
1st round: Knit into front and back of each st (called inc 1)
2nd round: Knit to end.
3rd rnd: As first.
4th and 5th rnds: K to end
6th rnd: *Inc 1, k2, inc 1, rep from * to end
7th and 8th rnds: K to end
9th rnd: *Inc 1, K4, inc 1, rep from * to end
10th and 11th rnds: K to end
12th rnd: *Inc 1, K6, inc 1, rep from * to end.
13th and 14th rnds: K to end

... you get the idea. Keep measuring the knitting against the bottom of the jar - I only did about 8 rounds, using 2.5 mm needles and DK cotton.  (It's a small jar)

Then knit straight in the pattern of your choice. Ribbed patterns like the one I used need to be able to pull in, so the disc needs to be a little bigger than the bottom of the jar. At this point you can easily switch to a circular and magic loop it if that's easier.

The stitch pattern:
You need a multiple of 6 sts  - I think I had to k2tog twice to get the right amount of stitches
rnd 1 - 6: *P2, K4* rep from * to * to end
rnd 7 - 12: *K3, P2, K1* rep from * to * to end

I dug out some old doily patterns, and used just as much as was needed to make a disc big enough to cover a badge. The odd colours are because that's what I had - some black and white versions will be nice to do next.

Wouldn't you be worried if a schnauzer with a taste for knitting got this close to you?

What do you do with a bunch of badges that don't sell? Cover them!



The back is surprisingly neat....

I remembered to take notes this time, and wrote up the pattern - it's on my blog. I'm not sure how many more of these I can make without inventing new bits to add on to them, but I'm trying to fill an order...

Knitted in the round, magic loop....
I wanted to cast on using Figure 8 technique, and instead I found this: the Turkish Cast-on

http://fluffyknitterdeb.blogspot.com/2005/10/knitting-made-easier-turkish-cast-on.html

It's easier than Figure 8, easier to remember, and completely invisible. Now there's so little sewing up to do - just closing the top of the head and the ends of the limbs. (Previously I was knitting these in flat pieces and sewing them up.....)

The ears on  these 2 were done with shortrow shaping, rather than my usual method of casting off along the edges. This made the ears curve in, looking more like horns. I quite like the puffiness.

The patterns on the bodies are slipstitch patterns from my ancient Reader's Digest book of needlecraft.

My version of this pattern: http://autoscopia.com/amelia/archives/2005/11/jess.html

The collar rolls a bit because I haven't blocked it at all; it took a week to knit and then another week to find the time to cover the buttons, so I wasn't going to waste any time before wearing it.

Lovely socks in a completely inappropriate colour, but I like them anyway. The pattern is free, here: http://autoscopia.com/amelia/archives/fashion_for_free/index.html

I knitted one with dpns, because that's all I had at midnight on the day I wanted to start them. The other I knitted with a magic loop, as per the instructions. Magic loop is easier.

I spread all the odd bits from my stash out on the kitchen table and started playing with colours. (I didn't cook for a few days, I couldn't bear to put all that wool away....) There's some sort of evolution from left to right in this picture


but I think this one's my favourite


or maybe this one