DIY Padded Double Knit Book Sleeve

I have loved books since time immemorial and carry one whenever am on the move. Bibliophiles know the pain of find one of your books scratched by something in your bag or the cover being bent.

I got tired of that and decided to use my knowledge of double knitting to make an easy (enough) book sleeve to protect my book(s). And here is the result. But first an introduction to double knitting for those new to it.

Double knitting is worked in pairs of stitches, alternating across the row. We shall be using crochet cast on and double the number of stitches required because we'll be knitting two separate surfaces connected with the cast on stitches creating a bag like space.

I use double strands to make the sleeve more solid. So be aware of that as this will alter your measurements.

The amazing thing about my pattern is that we shall only be using the knit stitch so even a beginner to knitting can knit this sleeve, with a lot of patience and eagerness. The other thing is everything is hand sewn including the lining. You can use a sewing machine if you're verse with it. I love the handmade way.

Complete book sleeve can fit a medium sized book like 'The Final Empire' by Brandon Sanderson or multiple small sized books as shown. Here are the exact inner measurements of the finished sleeve, 19 cm by 23cm.

You can modify the dragon chart with any you like once you've made this one. Have fun while making this.

So let's begin?

Supplies

1. 2 3/4mm knitting needles

2. 2.5 mm Crochet needle

3. 4 ply yarn in two colors, A and B

4. Scissors

5. Dragon knit pattern

6. Lining Fabric

7. Sewing needle

8. Blue sewing yarn

9. Foam

Cast On

NB: the numbers in the grid photo refer to the picture number rather than step number.

1. Using the dark blue yarn, create a slip knot on your crochet hook.

2. Hold your main knitting needle parallel to your crochet hook.

3. Take the working yarn and wrap it behind the knitting needle, around, and over the crochet hook.

4. Pull the working yarn through the stitch on your crochet hook.

Repeat steps 3 – 4 until you have cast on 100 stitches.

5. With the yarn infront of the knitting needle, take the loop off the crochet hook and loop through the knitting needle. This will make the 101th stitch.

Body of the Sleeve

There are multiple ways to double knit and I’m going to show you a simple double knitting variation first using one color of yarn then later on using two colors of yarn:

DK Using One color of Yarn

Knit first stitch, bring yarn forward, slip the second stitch purlwise, knit next stitch...) Repeat till the end with a slip stitch.

DK Using Two Colors of Yarn:

Knit the first row using only the dark blue yarn as follows: knit one, *bring yarn to the front, slip next stitch purlwise, take yarn to the back, knit next stitch* repeat from * till the last stitch, bring yarn forward, slip next stitch purlwise.

We shall be using the chart attached from here in out.

NB:

1. When you are reading a double knitting pattern you will start from the bottom right and work across to the left. Turn your work and repeat same row until your next instruction change.

2. Both strands are also to be carried to each end row. If you're new to double knitting you want to use your index finger in between yarns as you carry them along.

3. For the first stitch of every row make sure to knit with both light and dark blue strands. This will be the edge stitch (as shown in picture above).

4. When doing a knit stitch make sure you have your working yarns in the back of your work;When slipping a stitch move your yarn strands to the front of your work before slipping and then move them to the back again to set up for the knit stitch again.

5. Twist the yarns around each other. This will prevent your work from falling apart at the edges.

Turn your work around, pick up both strands of yarn and bring them both to the back of your work.

Row 1: Use instructions for DK using one color of yarn

Row 2 - 58: Use instructions for DK using two colors of yarn and follow chart pattern.

Row 59: DK using dark blue yarn.

Cut 1 inch of dark blue yarn.

Row 60 - 67: Using light blue yarn, knit according to chart pattern.

Casting Off

1. To cast off we shall separate the front stitches from the back stitches by removing them from one needle and putting them back on separate needles. I arrange them so that the sharp end on the needle carry the front stitches faces my left while the sharp end of the stitches on back needle faces my right.

Weave the end of the dark blue yarn we just cut previously.

Then we shall bind off from front to back using crochet needle as follows:

2. Turn the work so that you have access to the stockinette edge. Using the crochet hook, insert it through the stitch on the knitting needle, then pick up the dark blue stockinette bump where the dark blue and the light blue stockinette meet as indicated on the picture.

3. Pass yarn over, pull through stockinette bump. Now you have two loops on the crochet loop, one from the needle and one from the stockinette bump. Yarn over, pull through both loops and you're left with one stitch.

4. Pick one stitch from the knitting needle, put crochet hook through dark blue stockinette bump, yarn over, pull through both front loops, yarn over and pull through last two loops. Repeat this row all round.

Repeat steps 3 & 4 with the rest of the stitches till you reach the end.

5. Pull yarn of the last loop. Cut 2 inches yarn for weaving the end.

Weave in Ends

Weave in ends to keep your stitches from unraveling. We only have three threads to weave.

1. Thread your tail on your tapestry needle and then weave it in diagonally by going right through the purl bumps.

2. Pull the tail through and go for another 5-6 stitches in a different direction.

3. Pull the end through but don't pull it all the way through. You need a bit of slack right there where you changed directions.

4. Once you are satisfied and you ensured that the fabric isn't puckered in any way, you can cut the tail.

Lining

1. Cut one rectangle of lining fabric 25 cm width and 50 cm high.

2. Cut one rectangle of foam 25 cm width and 46 cm high. Fold widthwise with fabric facing the right-side of each other as shown in sample picture 4.

3. Align both foam and lining fabric together in a way that there is 2 cm, on top, left on both edges as shown on the fifth picture. The excess fabric will be tacked in to be sown in later.

4. . With a seam allowance of 2 cm and using back stitch, sew 23 cm lengthwise till the top of the sleeve. Repeat on the opposite edge. Cut excess yarn on these edges.

5. Tack the excess lining fabric as indicated on step 3 above. Refer to pictures 6-8. Using back stitch connect inner lining to knit booksleeve.

Done

And we are done. Ain't it gorgeous? 🤭

Once you get the hang of double knitting, you can play around with different colors of yarn as shown on last picture.

I can't wait to see what you'll do with this pattern. Enjoy.