Cell Phone Sock

This is a miniature sock with thick yarn, big enough to protect your cell phone from scratches and dust. It’s a great way to practice short-row heels for beginners. It knits up in just over an hour from scraps, and is a great stashbuster, last-minute gift and instant gratification project in one!

You’ll need:

– 3.5 mm (US4) DPNs
– scraps of yarn recommended for needle size – I used two colors, red (MC) and yellow (CC) nondescript cheapo cotton yarn leftovers from washclothes. If you just use one color, disregard the color instructions.

Abbreviations:

k: knit; p: purl
k2tog: k next two stitches together
ssk: slip next two stitches seperately as if to knit. Insert right needle back into the stitches and k through them

How-to:

1. Leg

CO 24 in MC – long tail cast on, or any kind of stretchy cast on, works well on this. Distribute evenly on 4 needles, join into round, being careful not to twist.

k1, p1 for 6 rounds in MC

*Switch to CC, and continue in stockinette for 5 rounds. 1 round of MC. Repeat once from *, add another 5 rows of CC but leave off MC row.

2. Heel

The heel is worked over the 12 stitches of needles 1 and 4 in MC

Review the Wendy Johnson’s Generic Toe-up Sock recipe for the heel. Work first half until you have 4 stitches wrapped on either side and 4 “live” stitches in the middle, then work second half until you are back to the original 12 stitches. Work the single MC stripe color.

3. Foot

Work foot in stockinette stitch, repeating the 5×1 striping twice before cutting CC.

4. Toe

The toe is worked in MC.

Round 1: k to last 3 sts on needle 1, k2tog, k2 (one on needle 1, one on needle 2) ssk. K to last 3 sts on needle 3, k2tog, k2, ssk.

Round 2: k

Repeat these two rounds until you are down to 8 stitches.

5. Finishing

Cut yarn, thread the tail through the leftover stitches and pull tight. Weave in ends. Insert phone.

If you want to and if your phone is small enough, you can add a crocheted loop on the one side of the ribbing and a button on the other side of the leg. However, this might take away the “authentic sock feeling”.