Cookie's Knitted Kindle Cozy

I received my Kindle this past Christmas and started looking for a suitable cover. I needed to protect my new "baby". I couldn't find anything that I really liked that wasn't going to cost a small fortune coming from the US to Canada. So, I found a knitted e-reader cover and adapted it for my Kindle, added a strap and voila: A Kindle cover that is also a cross-body purse. There's enough room in here for a pad of paper and a pen, and the adapter for my Kindle. I can also fit a change purse in it. A slim phone would fit, and I've carried my mp3 player in it also.

I made this once and then wrote up the pattern below. If you have any questions about this pattern please don't hesitate to ask.
Happy Knitting!

Knitted Kindle Cozy
This pattern was based on and adapted from a version at http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/baobab/baobab.pdf, retrieved January 12, 2011. It is sized for the 3rd generation Kindle, but can be easily modified to accommodate any size reader or other device.

MATERIALS
1 ball 4 ply, 100% acrylic, worsted wool from Bernat (made in Canada - Red Heart brand from California seems to work up about the same way)
Number 5 US (3.75 mm) straight knitting needles, and US 5 (3.75 mm) double point needles for strap
One or two 1” buttons (I used two but it kind of looks like my purse has eyes, plus it's just two too many buttons to do up - if I did it again I'd probably use just one - adjust your buttonhole row accordingly)

GAUGE
4 sts = 1”

SEED STITCH
Row 1: * K1, P1, rep from * across.
Rep this row for Seed Stitch.

STRIPE
Rows 1-3: Purl.
Rows 4-5: Knit.

COVER
With straight needles, cast on 25 stitches (I used the Cable cast on technique).
Knit 1 row.
Work in Seed Stitch until piece measures about 3 1/2”, ending on WS. Work Stripe.
Work in Seed Stitch for about 1 3/4 inches, ending on WS. Work Stripe.
Work in Seed Stitch for about 3”, until it wraps around the bottom of the Kindle and meets up with the end of the Stripe on the front, ending on WS (you're now working the back of the cover). Work Stripe.
*Work in Seed Stitch for about 1 3/4 inches, ending on WS. Work Stripe.* Repeat from * to * once.
Work in Seed Stitch for about 3”, ending on WS (you're now working the front flap of the cover). Work Stripe.
Work in Seed Stitch for about 1 inch, ending on WS.
Buttonhole Row (RS): Working in Seed Stitch, work 5 sts, create buttonhole over next 3 sts, work to last 8 stitches, create second buttonhole over next 3 sts, work to end. NOTE: I used the One-Row buttonhole technique, as described here: http://www.knittingonthenet.com/learn/bh5.htm, except that I used the Cable cast-on technique to cast on stitches.
Continue in Seed Stitch until piece measures about 1 3/4" from last Stripe, ending on the WS. Work Stripe.
Work in Seed Stitch for about another 1/2". You want to just cover the stripe under the flap.
Bind off knitwise on WS. I used the Traditional bind off technique.

FINISHING
Place your device in the cover, folding flap to the front and placing markers for buttons under buttonholes. Turn inside out. Pin sides together and stitch up side seams. Turn right side out and sew on buttons.

STRAP
Using double-point needles, cast on 3 stitches. I used the Cable cast on here too. Knit first row. Knit an I-cord to the desired length, keeping in mind that it will stretch some when it hangs (instructions for knitting an I-cord can be found here: http://www.stitchdiva.com/custom.aspx?id=196), and cast off. Sew both ends of I-cord to sides of purse on the interior just at the top of the purse (under the flap).