Tennis racquet cover

Protect your racquet with Bryony Hitchcock’s super cool practical cover.

■ Sirdar Cotton 4ply (100% cotton, 100g/335m), 1 ball of each: Yarn A Mill White (501), Yarn B Laguna (536), 2 balls of Yarn C Hot Pink (511)

■ A 3.5mm (US E/4) hook

■ Stitch markers

■ 2 lobster claw clasps and 2 single D-rings, 25mm

■ 2 sheets of A3 craft foam (3mm depth)

■ White zip, 25cm (10in)

■ Small snap fastener

■ Craft glue and/or pink sewing thread to match yarn

TENSION

23 sts and 29 rows to measure 10x10cm (4x4in) over dc using a 3.5mm hook

MEASUREMENTS

42x29x4cm (16 x11 x1 in)

NOTES

This pattern is worked with a length and increases to match the racquet shown. It can be altered to suit any model by regularly checking the working piece against the foam insert, and adding extra increases/decreases, and rows, if necessary. Draw around your tennis racquet onto the craft foam and cut out two matching pieces. The crochet cover will need to extend one stitch each side of the edge of the foam.

COVER MAKE 2

With Yarn C, ch22.

Row 1 (WS) Dc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch to end, turn. [21 sts]

Row 2 (RS) Ch1 (does not count as st throughout), dc in each st to end, turn.

Row 3 Ch1, 2dc in each of first 4 sts, dc in next 13, 2dc in each of last 4 sts, turn. [29 sts]

Row 4 Ch1, dc in first st, FPtr round next st, dc in next 6 sts, (FPtr round next st, dc in next st) 7 times, dc in next 5 sts, FPtr round next st, dc in last st, turn. Place marker in first FPtr and move up each row. [29 sts]

Row 5 Ch1, dc in each of first 2 sts, 2dc in each of next 2 sts, dc in each st across to last 4 sts, moving marker up, 2dc in each of next 2 sts, dc in each of last 2 sts, turn. [33 sts]

Row 6 Ch1, dc in first st, FPtr round next st, dc in each st across to marked st, (FPtr round next st, dc in next st) 7 times, move up marker, dc in each st across to last 2 sts, FPtr round next st, dc in last st, turn.

[33 sts]

Rows 7-16 Repeat Rows 5-6 five times more. Each odd row will increase by 4 sts. [53 sts]

Row 17 Ch1, dc in each of first 2 sts, 2dc in next st, dc in each st across to last 3 sts, moving marker up, 2dc in next st, dc in each of last 2 sts, turn. [55 sts]

Row 18 Repeat Row 6.

Row 19 Ch1, dc in each st across, turn. [55 sts]

Row 20 Repeat Row 6.

Rows 21-22 Repeat Rows 19-20 once more. [55 sts]

Rows 23-30 Repeat Rows 17-20 twice more, fasten off. [59 sts]

Row 31 Join Yarn A in first st, ch1, dc in first 2 sts, 2dc in next st, dc in each st across to last 3 sts, 2dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts, turn. [61 sts]

Row 32 Ch1, dc in first st, (FPtr round next st, dc in next st) across to end, moving marker up, turn. [61 sts]

Row 33 Ch1, dc in first 2 sts, 2dc in next st, dc in each st across to last 3 sts, 2dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts, turn. [63 sts]

Row 34 Ch1, dc in first 2 sts, (FPtr round next st, dc in next st) across to last st, dc in

last st, moving marker up, turn, fasten off. [63 sts]

Row 35 Join Yarn C in first st and work as Row 31. [65 sts]

Row 36 Repeat Row 32. [65 sts]

Row 37 Join Yarn B in first st and work as Row 33. [67 sts]

Row 38 Repeat Row 34, fasten off. [67 sts]

Row 39 Join Yarn A in first st, ch1, dc in each st across, turn. [67 sts]

Row 40 Repeat Row 34, fasten off. [67 sts]

Row 41 Join Yarn C in first st, ch1, dc in each st across, turn.

Row 42 Repeat Row 34, fasten off. Row 43 Join Yarn B in first st, ch1, dc in each st across, turn.

Row 44 Repeat Row 34.

Row 45 Ch1, dc in each st across, turn. Row 46 Repeat Row 34, fasten off. Row 47 Join Yarn C in first st, ch1, dc in each st across, turn. [67 sts]

Row 48 Ch1, dc in first st, FPtr round next st, dc in each st across to marked st, (FPtr round next st, dc in next st) 7 times, move up marker, dc in each st across to last 2 sts, FPtr round next st, dc in last st, turn.

[67 sts]

Row 49 Ch1, dc in each st across, turn. [67 sts]

Rows 50-59 Repeat Rows 48-49 five times more.

Rows 60 Repeat Row 48 once more.

Row 61 Ch1, dc in first 2 sts, dc2tog, dc in each st across to last 4 sts, dc2tog, dc in last 2 sts, turn. [65 sts]

Row 62 Ch1, dc in first st, FPtr round next st, dc in each st across to marked st, (FPtr round next st, dc in next st) 7 times, move up marker, dc in each st across to last 2 sts, FPtr round next st, dc in last st, turn.

[65 sts]

Rows 63-68 Repeat Rows 61-62 three times more. Each odd row will decrease by 2 sts. [59 sts]

Row 69 Ch1, dc in each st across, turn. [59 sts]

Row 70 Repeat Row 62. [59 sts]

Rows 71-72 Repeat Rows 61-62 once more. [57 sts]

Rows 73-74 Repeat Rows 69-70 once more. [57 sts]

Rows 75-76 Repeat Rows 61-62 once more. [55 sts]

Rows 77-78 Repeat Rows 69-70 once more. [55 sts]

Rows 79-80 Repeat Rows 61-62 once more. [53 sts]

Rows 81-82 Repeat Rows 69-70 once more. [53 sts] Rows 83-112 Repeat Rows 61-62, 15 times more. Each odd row will decrease by 2 sts. [23 sts]

Row 113 Repeat Row 61 once more. [21 sts] Do not fasten off.

EDGING

Ch1, dc evenly around edge of cover working 1 st in each st or row end. Fasten off.

D RING FASTENING LOOPS MAKE 2 With Yarn A, ch7.

Row 1 Dc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, turn. [6 sts]

Rows 2-7 Ch1, dc in each st across, turn,

fasten off. [6 sts]

Loop the piece through a D-ring, and whip stitch the ends together to close. Using the image as a guide, sew both to the WS of first Cover along the left edge.

EDGE STRIP

Row 1 Rejoin Yarn C at bottom corner of first Cover with the fastening loops attached to work around the curved edge, working in bl only, dc around in each st of Edging incorporating D-ring fastening loops as you go, turn.

Rows 2-7 Ch1, dc in each st across, turn. Fasten off.

PLACKET

Row 1 With WS facing, join Yarn C to left edge of Edging of second Cover approx 25cm from the bottom corner, working in bl only, dc in each st across to corner, turn. Rows 2-3 Ch1, dc in each st across, turn. Fasten off.

TO MAKE UP

Attach craft foam pieces to the WS of each Cover with craft glue and/or hand stitch in place with cotton thread.

Sew or ss seam the two Covers together with WS facing inwards. Do not join the bottom 25cm where the zip is.

Pin the zip behind the Placket on the second Cover so that the bottom of the zip meets the bottom edge of the Cover. Pin to first Cover along Edging so that the Edge Strip will hide the zip when closed. Sew in place with matching thread.

SNAP FASTENING COVER

With Yarn A, ch6.

Row 1 Dc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, turn. [5 sts]

Rows 2-5 Ch1, dc in each st across, turn. Dc evenly around 3 sides of the Cover working 2dc into each corner.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Use the tail to sew the Cover to the Edging of the second Cover at the bottom. Attach a snap fastener to the Cover and the corresponding place on the Edge Strip.

STRAP

Using Yarn A, ch201.

Row 1 Dc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across, turn. [200 sts]

Rows 2-4 Ch1 (does not count as st), (dc in next st, FPtr in next st) 100 times, turn,

fasten off.

Row 5 Join Yarn B in first st, ch1, (dc in next st, FPtr in next st) 100 times, turn.

Row 6 Repeat Row 2, fasten off.

Loop each end through the D-ring of the lobster clasp and sew in place to secure.