Free crochet pattern: Little owl eBook reader cover

Finished dimensions 8″ x 6″ to fit an iPad Mini, Kindle, Nook etc

You will need:
Approx 100 yards worsted weight yarn (I used about half a ball of Willow Yarns Wash, 100% acrylic)
Plus a small amount of a contrast colour for the owl and a scrap for the beak
An H-8 (5mm) hook
Large eyed darning needle
One large button, approx 7/8″ diameter
Two smaller buttons, approx 1/2″ diameter

Gauge:
16hdc and 13 rows to 4 inches

Abbreviations:
St stitch
Ch chain
Sc US single crochet (UK double crochet)
Hdc US half double crochet (UK half treble)
Ss slipstitch
Rnd round
RS right side (public side)

This is worked from the closed bottom of the bag to the open top. You will make a chain then work along one side of it as usual, then, rather than turn and work a row back the way you came, you will work into the loops on the other side of the chain. This will automatically form the closed base of the bag – no seams to sew.

Ch25 (not too tightly), hdc into third ch from hook, hdc into each ch to end (24 sts including turning chain at beginning). (I worked into two loops on the first pass and when crocheting into the other side of the chain I worked into the single loop – see photo above.)

Rotate the work (keeping RS facing you) so you can locate the loop of the chain at the base of the last st worked. You can see it in the above photo, just underneath the head of the hook, at top left of the work. Hdc into that, and into each ch across, including the base of the turning chain at the end. (48 sts)
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Above photo shows the first round complete with the line of the starting chain highlighted in red.

Rotate work again (keeping the RS facing you) and hdc into every stitch, working in a spiral, until 25 full rows can be counted on both sides.

After a couple of rounds, the work looks like a small canoe!
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And then flattens out.

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Because of the spiral nature, the top edges are not exactly matched. Finishing your last hdc at the very edge of the bag (lay it flat to check) work 7sc into next 7 sts. This is the back of the bag and you will now be creating the flap.
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Find centre st – count the hdcs in from the side, place a marker in the st, and fold in half to check placement.

You want to ss in third st before marker – if your next st is not the third st away from the marker, work another sc (or more) to get to the right place. Ss into that st, ch2, hdc6, ch2, turn
(This is the base of the buttonhole flap. You now have 7 sts for the flap, and the centre one should be your marked st.)

Hdc6, ch2, turn, for a total of 6 rows from the top edge of the bag. Except on the last row, only ch1.

Buttonhole row:
Sc2, ch3, skip next 3 sts, sc2, ch1, turn
Sc2, sc3 into ch-space, sc2, fasten off

Weave in ends.

Sew on button with a double strand of yarn to match up with buttonhole placement.

Owl appliqué

Make a slipknot, ch4, sc into second ch from hook, sc into each of next two sts, ch1, turn

2sc into first sc, 1sc into next sc, 2sc into next sc, ch1, turn

(Sc into each st across, ch1, turn) for four rows

On the last row, work ch3 instead of ch1 at the end. Ss into all 5 sts. Ch3 and ss again into last st. This forms owl’s ear tufts.

Cut yarn, leaving long enough tail for sewing (about 12 inches). Fasten off.

Sew owl to bag, fastening off and weaving in ends inside bag behind owl.

Sew on smaller buttons for eyes, using one strand of main colour or contrast.

Embroider beak with two sts of double stranded contrast yarn.
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I hope you like my pattern. As usual, there are no restrictions on the use of the final product. If you have any questions or comments, I’d be glad to hear from you.