Chapstick Cozies For The Masses!

 For This project, you will need: a set of Size 5 double-point knitting needles and DK or worsted weight scrap yarn

 

  Every year around Halloween, I start thinking up a great plan for what I'm going to warm-heartedly knit up for everyone I know. Now, when I say "everyone I know", I mean it. That's the warm-hearted part. I literally start this every year with the good intention of knitting something for everyone I know. Sadly, this never gets off the ground and I end up knitting something for about 1/3 of the people I know. I figure I'll have eventually knit one thing for everyone by the year 2034, a prediction which has made me drastically cut back on the number of new friend applications I'm handing out. Sorry, folks.

  This past Christmas, I got it into my head to knit everyone chapstick cozies. They're tiny, and quick, and under $1 or so to make, so I thought they were a good choice. They also easily use up your oddballs of scrap yarn- something we all could take more effort to do.

  It started with this pattern by fantasy writer Devon Monk. Yeah, that's right. She's got 50+ things published, and has time to whip-up cool knitting patterns. I'm a little in love with her too.

  Lip Smackers lip balms are fun, inexpensive, and a true guilty pleasure for just about everyone.  They remind us of being kids, which is why we love them so much, but also why we feel too silly to buy them for ourselves.   You can pick up an 8-pack of them at places like Walgreens and Target for under $10.  People (even men) love them.

My brother-in-law is a huge H.P. Lovecraft fan, so I started on his, figuring I could modify the pattern for other people's cozies. ("Other People's Cozies" sounds like a movie title, and makes me giggle.) It literally took around 30 minutes from start to finish. A very simple pattern; just a "tube sock" with a button-hole.  The wings are sewn on after its made, the eyes are simple needlework, and the tentacles are a fun little braid.  Easy stuff.

  Next, I created one for my sister.  She's an elephant keeper at the Dallas Zoo, and loves all things elephant.  Same basic pattern:  tube, button-hole, and "wings", which on the elephant, I placed higher up and made rounder so they'd look like ears.  The eyes are just a single stitch done with black yarn and a yarn needle.  The nose is basic I-cord.  Again- under 30 minutes.

  And finally, for my best friend, I knit this one.  This one took a smidge longer, because it has a lot more detail.  But it was totally worth it.  I've had people tell me it's "beautiful", it's "the funniest thing ever!", and that I should "sell those for church fundraisers".  Well, without revealing my intentions for making it, I'll just say that I love how it turned out.   It was made with the same tube sock technique as the others.    I switched to a flesh-colored and brown yarn once I got to the button-hole.  The arms are a simple I-cord, with two rows of flesh-colored yarn to start.  The beard is a basic V, started with one stitch and increased until it was big enough to attach to the mouth opening.  And the crown is just three strands of yarn braided together.  I love him.   

  I also managed to knit a few "plain" cozies, that aren't worth showing pictures of.  Basically, just plain tube-socks with button-holes.  They only take about 15 minutes, you can make a few design and color choices, and they're not too bad to look at.  Still, I of course didn't manage to make one for everybody.

...starting in August this year.