Swallowed By The Sky ([info]swallowedbysky) wrote in [info]fandomknit,
@ 2007-05-02 04:33:00
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(Mostly) FO and Pattern: iTARDIS (Doctor Who iPod Cozy)
Two or three people in the last month have asked me how something as small as my iPod can fit as much music as I claim it does, and the joke with a friend became that the iPod is uses Time Lord technology-- bigger on the inside than the outside. That, combined with this post, inspired the iTARDIS cozy for a friend's iPod.

It's made from Senso crochet cotton worked on size 1 DPNs, and I'm glad iPods are as small as they are, because after finishing this my hands are *killing* me.  There's a reason I don't do a lot with cotton.   It took me a few hours last night to knit, and half an hour tops to the do lettering today.

I'm absurdly pleased with how this came out.

I present the iTARDIS:





I plan to attach a large bead to the top of one side and elastic to the other, letting it serve as both a button and a "light".  Sadly, I left the bag with my beads and elastic at a friend's house.  I'm also thinking about getting iron-on transfer paper and making the sign that's on the door, ironing it to a piece of ribbon, and attaching the ribbon-sign to the TARDIS.  Except that iron-on transfer paper's *expensive* and it seems like a bit of a waste to spend 10 bucks for a square inch of paper.



And it's even got a hole for the dock connector. This was pre-embroidery and end-weaving.



I made this up as I went along and kept surprisingly meticulous notes for me, so, because I can, a rough pattern. Note that this is the first time I've tried to convert my notes into a pattern that can potentially make sense for others, so it's by no means perfectly written.




iTARDIS

This is designed to fit a 60 gig iPod Video, but it fits my 80 gig Video (which is the same size as the 60 gig) as well as my old 60 gig iPod Photo.

Materials

Senso Quick Finish Crochet Cotton (100% Mercerized Cotton)
MC: Color # 1011 (blue, 1 ball)
CC: Color 1001 (white, 1 ball)
CC2: Color # 1012 (black, 1 ball)

About 5 yards of white thread (I used Coats and Clark button and craft thread-- a bit thicker than machine sewing thread, but not nearly as thick as the crochet cotton).

You won't need a full ball of any of these, and there's all in all you use barely more than a yard or two each of black and white. You use about 70-75 yards of blue, which is about half a ball.

Needles: set of 5 US size 1 DPNs

Sewing needle (for lettering) and yarn needle for weaving in ends.

Gauge: 8 sts per inch, row gauge matters less but about 10 to 11 rows per inch.
A tiny bit bigger on the stitch guage is okay, but no smaller: this fits the iPod pretty snuggly-- tight enough to cling and not fall off, but not so tight as to make getting an iPod in and out difficult. Go smaller on gauge, however, and it will likely be too tight.

--

Set up and first few rows

In MC, CO 40 stitches. Divide between 4 of the 5 needles (10 stitches per needle)

Join, being careful not to twist, and work in K1P1 ribbing for 3 rounds.

Do not break yarn.

Attach CC2 and work 4 rounds in circular stockinette.

Break CC2.

Carry MC up the inside of the work and work 1 round of circular stockinette.

Windows

Attach CC and work as follows

Windows round 1: *MCp2, CCk2, MCp1, CCk2, MCp1, CCk2* repeat between *s 4 times

Windows round 2: *MCk2, CCk2, MCk1, CCk2, MCk1, CCk2* repeat between *s 4 times

Windows round 3 and 7: same as round 1

Windows round 4, 6, and 8: same as round 2

Windows round 5: In MC knit all

Break CC2.

Body panels

With MC:

Each of the three vertical sections of the body consists of 10 rounds:

Round 1: Knit 1 round even
Round 2: Purl 1 round even

Rounds 3-10:

*Knit 1 round even
(P2, K8) 4 times*

Repeat from * to * a total of 4 times.


Repeat the entire body panels section a total of three times.


Bottom

*P2, K2Tog, K4, SSK* Repeat from * to * (8 sts decreased, 32 sts on needles)


There are 2 possible bindoffs, one will leave a hole through which the dock connector will fit, the other will seal off the bottom, requiring the iPod to be removed before syncing, charging, etc.

To form a hole for the dock connector:

BO 3, k10, BO6, k10, BO3

You now have 20 sts on the needles, 10 on each side of the bound off stitches.

Arrange your stitches so you have 5 on each needle as shown:

| | | | | - - - - - - | | | | |
| | | | | - - - - - - | | | | |
seta                setb

Turn work inside out and work a purled 3-needle bindoff on the 10 stitches in set a, break yarn leaving a 1 to 1.5 yard tail, weave it over to set b and work another 3-needle bindoff in purl.

To form a flat (no hole) bottom:
Arrange stitches evenly onto 2 needles and graft together. If you hate grafting, turn work inside out, and work a 2 needle bindoff in purl.


Finishing
Weave in ends.

Embroidery: With iPod inside, use a sewing needle and white thread to form the letters "POLICE BOX" on each side of the TARDIS.

It's important that the iPod be inside because the TARDIS itself stretches so much (it is, after all, bigger on the inside than on the outside) that if you don't have it properly stretched, you run the risk of embroidering too tightly, which would mean that your iPod wouldn't fit inside.





(Post a new comment)


[info]tabula_x_rasa
2007-05-02 09:24 am UTC (link)
OMG WIN.

Yeah, I'm totally adding this to my "to make" pile!

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]swallowedbysky
2007-05-02 08:46 pm UTC (link)
Heee:)

Excellent.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]qkellie
2007-05-02 10:22 am UTC (link)
EEE! That's the cutest thing! Just out of curiosity, what kind of iPod do you have? I've only got a Nano, so I'm wondering if I'd need to make this smaller.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]swallowedbysky
2007-05-02 08:48 pm UTC (link)
Thank you:)

I have an 80 gig video. Someone made a version for the Nano here, and that was sort of my inspiration for this.

If I were to modify what I did for the Nano, I'd cast on 20 stitches and pretty much follow the same pattern, only repeating everything twice-- You'd end up with 1 window on each side, if that makes sense. It should be noted that, uh, I haven't had a Nano in my hand in a while, and it's entirely possible you'd end up with a case that's too big, following my advice here. Check out the post I linked to:)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)


[info]qkellie
2007-05-02 09:04 pm UTC (link)
Great, thank you for the link and the ideas! :D

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]arionrhodd
2009-04-18 04:38 pm UTC (link)
This is great! Thanks for the nano link and modifications. I'm going to explore & see what happens. To quote Jon Pertwee/Doctor #3 "A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points but it is by no means the most interesting!"

Like your avatars, too, especially Grommit.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]megiknit
2007-05-02 12:53 pm UTC (link)
oh that was adorable! nice to see a nonscarf dr who project! :)

I love the analogy too :) I have a big ole dinosaur ipod but it has my entire collection of cds on it + the entire contents of my hd! thats a lot o shit!

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[info]swallowedbysky
2007-05-02 08:51 pm UTC (link)
Thank you:)

Yeah, I still have the yarn sitting in my stash for the Harry Potter scarf I'd planned to make a year and a half ago. I'm not big on scarf knitting in simple stitches-- give me lace or a Clapotis and I'm there, but basic garter? I'll fall asleep before I've finished the first color :-D

I know! The really, really scary thing though? I've got an 80 gig iPod and... it's full. Totally full. 60+ gigs of music and the rest video files.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)


[info]megiknit
2007-05-02 09:07 pm UTC (link)
I have 40 I think? At the time I think it was the biggest or next to biggest size gb wise...circa 2003. It is full. I've got less than a free gig. I wanted one when they first came out and were like 5-10gigs so when they had 40 I was like YES waiting rules! It was my college graduation pressent to myself.
I kind of covet the itsy bitsy clip on one though....but you know i would LOSE it so fast...sooooooooo fast.

I am with you on the scarf knitting too....not that I dislike scarves necessarily but they are kind of boring...not as bad as bedspreds though.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]sarchix
2007-05-02 01:26 pm UTC (link)
Lovely job! Not sure if it would work on my mp3 players (have a Creative Labs Zen Vision M which looks like the iPod with the vid screen.)

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]swallowedbysky
2007-05-02 08:52 pm UTC (link)
Thank you:)

I think if the size is comparable, it should fit, just ignore the part about making a place for the cord to connect.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]fyrdrakken
2007-05-02 03:51 pm UTC (link)
Damn, that's brilliant. (And the PDA cozy that I'd left on indefinite hold out of sheer non-interest in the project just got bumped back up on the queue, with a new design and color scheme...)

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]swallowedbysky
2007-05-02 08:53 pm UTC (link)
Thank you:)

Heeee. I have a secret desire to see a world populated by knit TARDISes of all shapes, sizes, and uses. Of course, I'm a little odd.

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[info]knives42ljk
2007-05-03 02:49 am UTC (link)
Hey, I'm totally with you!

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]metaphoracle
2007-05-02 04:39 pm UTC (link)
Oh, this is so cute!

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]swallowedbysky
2007-05-02 08:53 pm UTC (link)
Thank you!

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]contrarier
2007-07-19 05:07 am UTC (link)
Out of date: sure. Helpful: hopefully.
As an alternate to buying expensive transfer paper, try printing it out from the computer.
Iron the wax side of frezer paper to cotton fabric, you can get a yard from craft stores for under $5 or just cut up an old white t-shirt. Cut to the size of a piece of paper and trim away strings. Put it in the printer and print out the design.
It won't work with laser printers, and make sure that it'll print onto the fabric and not the paper side when you put it in.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]swallowedbysky
2007-07-19 05:09 am UTC (link)
That's absolutely BRILLIANT.

You've officially become my new hero.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)


[info]contrarier
2007-07-19 05:10 am UTC (link)
Just glad to help.

And that icon is wonderful.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)


[info]swallowedbysky
2007-07-19 05:11 am UTC (link)
You're fantastic, thank you!

A friend of mine, [info]khohen1, made it last night, and I'm kind of in love with it:)

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]surrexi
2007-07-27 01:32 am UTC (link)
This is absolutely amazing. As of right now, I have only knit a scarf, and that was just using knit stich, but I am saving this for when I know a little bit more. Because I just need this, lol.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]swallowedbysky
2007-08-06 06:25 am UTC (link)
Thank you:)

I need to make another one-- the original was gifted to my best friend, and I'm jealous of her wicked cool iPod sleeve while my own iPod is living in an ugly pink thing I bought on clearance at Target.

As a bit of for-the-new-knitter advice, don't let people scare you off of any technique you want to try. Knittinghelp.com has some great instructional videos, and I'm one of those people who learned to work with DPNs before I learned to purl, increase, or decrease. I learned to cable before learning to increase and decrease too, come to think of it.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]jaynerulis
2007-11-05 02:35 am UTC (link)
Oh this rocks!!

I wish I had a bigger Ipod... I have the shuffle second ed...

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[info]gabrevencore
2007-12-16 02:50 am UTC (link)
This pattern is simply amazing. I had an Ipod Classic for my birthday and I'm planning to do this as soon as my term's over.

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Made this - turned out great
(Anonymous)
2008-01-02 12:33 am UTC (link)
I made this for my daughter's Hannukah present. I haven't actually seen the ipod in it, but she has shown it to a LOT of people. To find something that a 21 year old would like to have - it's good. (her twin got a crocheted tribble - they have different interests!)

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Made this - turned out great
(Anonymous)
2008-01-20 06:35 pm UTC (link)
Crocheted tribble?!!! Do you have a pattern? I'd love to get that and make it with some "hairy" yarn, as my daughter calls it.

Looove the iPod cozy, but I've never been able to knit (more than 3-4 loops on the needle simultaneously makes me want to go find my happy place). Love the way it looks, though.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: Made this - turned out great
(Anonymous)
2008-01-20 10:32 pm UTC (link)
Oh, I found the tribble pattern here:

http://mirawyncrafts.blogspot.com/2007/10/make-your-own-tribble.html

I'm going to try that one for my Dad--he's a big Trek fan. I wouldn't mind one myself.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]ossiantoday
2008-02-12 11:34 am UTC (link)
Very cute pattern, just made it for my boyfriend. There are picture of it on Ravelry if you're interested - I'm 'ossianknits' there.

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[info]ticklemeorange
2008-06-21 12:20 am UTC (link)
I found this off of Ravelry.com and I plan on making this for a friend who is iPod and Dr. Who obsessed. :D Thanks for the pattern!

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[info]failte_aoife
2008-10-21 09:28 am UTC (link)
As I don't have an Ipod, what are the measurements of the finished piece? I might want to make it for my camera or my MP3-Player and need to know if I have to alter the pattern a bit.

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[info]reading_angel
2008-10-23 06:53 pm UTC (link)
Hey, I don't have an iPod, but would you mind if I use your pattern as a base for figuring out how to make just a mini-TARDIS? I'm fairly new to knitting and haven't yet learned knitting in the round so I'd have to alter it anyhow. I have a friend who is somewhat obsessed with Dr. Who and I'd love to knit her something as she is the one who got me hooked on knitting in the first place.

BTW - I followed a link from Ravelry.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Obviously this is late but -
[info]cinnamingirl
2009-03-10 03:33 pm UTC (link)
Even if you don't know how to knit in the round, you could make this and just seam it up the side. and Knitting in the round is super easy, once you get the hang of it.

If you wanna make a mini TARDIS - there's a pattern on Rav called "TARDIS stuffed plush" that you could probably just do smaller with a lil bit of math, instead of altering this one.

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