Felted Laptop Sleeve...for School Cool or Office Pool!

A way to show your school colors and protect your prized possession! This easy to knit/ easy to felt laptop sleeve will get you looks from the geeks and the chic's!
Even the office group will be a little jealous!


SIZE: Varies
Pattern fits a laptop 9 inches (22.9 cm ) tall x 12.25 inches (31 cm) wide x 1.25 (3.2 cm) deep. Size is adjustable.

MATERIALS
• 820-099 Lion Brand Lion Wool Yarn: Winter White (or color of choice) 3 Balls (A)
• 820-113 Lion Brand Lion Wool Yarn: Scarlet (or color of choice) 1 Ball (B)
• Knitting Needles- Size 8 [5 mm]
• Large-Eye Blunt Needles
• Additional Materials
2 1-inch (2.5 cm) rectangle rings (available at hobby stores in the section of materials for making purses or jewelry)

GAUGE:
22 sts x 28 rows = 4 in. (10 cm) in Stockinette stitch BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR GAUGE. When you match the gauge in a pattern, your project will be the size specified in the pattern and the materials specified in the pattern will be sufficient. If it takes
you less stitches and rows to make a 4 in. [10 cm] square, try using a smaller size hook or needles; if more stitches and rows, try a larger size hook or needles.

NOTES:
Sizing
Laptops vary quite a lot in size; this pattern can easily be adapted to any size, providing you follow the rules below. Knitting that is being felted shrinks more in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction. Your piece, before felting, should be 1.5 times as tall as you need on the finished vertical dimension and 1.2 times as wide as needed on the horizontal dimension.
Thus, to fit a laptop that is 9 inches (23 cm) tall, the piece needs to be 9 inches (23 cm) x 1.5 or 13.5 inches (34 cm) deep before felting. If your laptop is 10 inches (25.5 cm), the vertical dimension will be 10 inches (25.5 cm) x 1.5 or 15 inches (38 cm). To fit a laptop that is 12.25 inches (31 cm) wide, the piece needs to be 12.25 inches (31 cm) x 1.2 or about 14.75 (37.5 cm) inches wide before felting. If your laptop is 13 inches (33 cm) wide, the piece will need to be 13 inches (33 cm) x 1.2 or 15.6 inches (84 cm) wide. The final sizing can also be controlled to some extent by how much you felt the piece -- start out gently and then use hotter water and more agitation if the sleeve is too large.


LAPTOP SLEEVE
Front
With A, cast on 80 sts
Beginning with a knit row, work in Stockinette (knit on right side, purl on wrong side) until piece measures 13.5 in. (34.5 cm), end with a right side row. Knit the next (wrong side) row rather than purling it to make a turning ridge where the front folds to become the bottom.) This is the end of the front portion of the sleeve.


Bottom
Work 12 rows in Stockinette stitch, end with a right side row. This is the end of the bottom portion of the sleeve.


Back
Knit the next row rather than purling it. At the end of the row, cast on an additional 10 stitches for a total of 90 sts.
This is the start of one of the side flaps.
Knit the next row and, at the end of the row, cast on an additional 10 stitches for a total of 100 stitches. This is the start of the other side flap.
Continue in Stockinette stitch until the vertical edge of the side pieces measures 13.5 in.(34.5 cm), end with a right side row.
On the next row, bind off the first 10 stitches, then knit to the end of the row rather than purling it -- 90 sts.
On the next row, bind off the first 10 stitches, then knit to the end of the row - 80 sts.
This is the end of the back portion of the sleeve.


Top
Work 12 rows in Stockinette stitch, end with a right side row.
Knit the next (wrong side) row rather than purling it..
This is the end of the top portion of the sleeve


Front Flap
Continue in Stockinette stitch for 6 in. (15 cm), end with a wrong side row.
Next row (knit row): K2tog, knit to last 2 sts; k2tog -- 78 stitches.
Next row (purl row): P2tog, purl to last 2 sts; p2tog -- 76 stitches
Next row (knit row): K2tog, knit to last 2 sts; k2tog -- 74 stitches.
Next row (purl row): P2tog, purl to last 2 sts; p2tog -- 72 stitches
Bind off, weave in ends.


Strap
With B, cast on 72 stitches.
Rows 1-12: Knit
Bind off, weave in ends.


Finishing
Seam front and back at sides, seaming lower edge of front to bound-off sts of back.


Felting
Felting is a process whereby the wool is deliberately handled so that it is matted into a fabric. Wool fibers have scales and are also crimped. When these fibers are wetted and softened and then rubbed together they grab each other and are permanently bound together. This happens when you put a wool item in a washer
and agitate it -- it comes out much smaller and also denser, because the fibers have bound together.
Finished item size depends on how much the piece is felted. Keep in mind that you can always felt more, but once felting is done, it is not reversible. Wash by machine on a hot wash/cold rinse cycle with detergent and several pieces of clothing to agitate. At the end of the wash cycle try the item to see how well it fits. If you
like it, stop! Place it flat to shape and let dry. If it is larger than you want, you can felt it additionally, if you dry by machine on a regular setting until almost dry. Remove from dryer and lie flat to shape. Steam if desired.
If the item is still too large, you can felt it additionally by washing again. Felting is often improved by adding about 1/2 cup baking soda to the wash water to increase the alkalinity.

Assembly
Sew one end of strap at top center of back. Sew the 2 rectangular rings, one above the other, at lower edge of front. Thread free end of strap over one ring and under the other to secure.