Easy-to-knit pencil case

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Finished case is approx 20 x 10 cm (8 x 4 ins) and is worked in stocking stitch throughout, with intarsia motif. Standard abbreviations are used. Recommended for knitters with some experience.

You need:
Bernat Handicrafter Cotton (50 g) pure cotton yarn as follows:
- 1 ball of No. 00022 Denims or No. 23181 Faded Denim, Main Colour (MC)
- Small amounts of No. 00010 French Blue, Colour A (A); No. 00001 White, Colour B (B); and No. 00088 Delft Blue, Colour C (C)
- One pair of 4 mm knitting needles
- Tapestry needle
- Sewing needle
- Coordinating thread
- Coordinating 20 cm (8 ins) zipper

Tension:
20 sts and 26 rows = 10 cm (4 ins) in stocking stitch. Work to exact tension with specified yarn to obtain satisfactory results. TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK TENSION.

To make:
Notes
- To prevent yarn tangles, wind small ball of each colour for each intarsia motif.
- When working charts, work knit rows from right to left and purl rows from left to right.
- To prevent a hole when changing colours midrow, pass colour to be used under and around to right of colour just used.

With MC, cast on 41 sts.
Row 1 (wrong side): Knit.
Beg with another knit row, work 6 rows in St st, thus ending with right side facing for next row.

Joining appropriate yarn colours when necessary, work motif as follows:
Row 8 (right side): K14, work first row of Chart A, k14.
Row 9: P14, work next row of Chart A, p14.
In same manner, complete chart.

With MC, cont even in St st until work from last chart row measures 5 cm/2 ins, ending with right side facing for next row.

Joining appropriate yarn colours when necessary, work motif as follows:
Next row (right side): K14, work first row of Chart B, k14.
Next row: P14, work next row of Chart B, p14.
In same manner, complete chart.

With MC, work 6 rows in St st, thus ending with wrong side facing for next row, then cast off knitwise.

To finish:
With tapestry needle, weave in ends on wrong side of work. Fold knitted rectangle so right sides are together and cast-on and cast-off edges are even at top; mattress-stitch each side seam.Turn right side out. Tucking ends into case, pin zipper inside between top edges; baste and remove pins. With sewing needle and matching thread, backstitch in place, 3 mm/1/8 in from teeth at each side, whip-stitch each outer edge of zipper to wrong side of case, then slipstitch case to zipper at each end. Remove basting.

Designer's tips
- Check out all the shades available in Bernat Handicrafter Cotton, then choose your own colour combination.
- Dress up the zipper pull with a charm or a little tassel made from yarn ends.

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