Crochet a Basic Cell Phone Pocket!

My mother keeps losing track of her cell phone in her house, so I decided to make her a little pocket to carry it in so that she could either wear around her waist on a belt or around her neck on the days she doesn't have a clothing pocket. Now if I can just get her to remember the acronym RTP (return to pocket), she will be ahead of the game! *smile*

Supplies Needed:
* Red Heart Fashion Crochet Thread, 100% Mercerized Cotton, Size 3, 125 yard ball
* (second one = bits of varigated thread to add to body of fabric)
* Boyds Crochet Hook, size D
* Large Safety Pin or Stitch Keeper (looks like a giant safety pin). If you need to leave your work, thread the stitch keeper through the last loop to keep your work from unraveling until you return.
* Tape measure or ruler.
* Scissors
* Large-eyed yarn needle. (I prefer a slender blunt-end steel needle.).
* 1 (3/4 inch) button.
* Sewing needle and thread to match

Directions:

Step 1. Chain (ch) 32 or enough chains to go around the width of your phone ending on a even number of chains. Don't make it so tight though, that you might not be able get a finger and your thumb into the pocket to retrieve the phone.

Step 2. Single crochet (sc) in each chain across. (31 sc).

(OPTIONAL = At this point, you have a choice. You may crochet your pocket in a flat piece or you may decide to crochet your pocket in the round. Here's directions for both options.)

Step 3a. On the flat = Ch 1. Turn. Sc in each stitch across (31 sc). Repeat this row until your piece measures as long as your cell phone plus one inch. (5 rows = 1 inch).

Step 3b. In the round = Meet the two ends of row together. Slip-Stitch (ss) into the first stitch at the beginning of the first row to make a continuous circle. Ch 1. Make a sc in the same sc you made a slip-stitch in. Continue sc around the row until you come to the end. Repeat. You will be making a tube as long as your mobile phone plus one inch. (Note: I prefer to crochet in the round.)

Step 4a. On the flat = Check your fabric against your phone to see if it is long enough. (My crocheted fabric was 5 inches long). At this point, if you wish, you may end your last row as is, but I wanted to add a decorative edge, which is a reverse single crochet (rsc). To make, ch 1, but do not turn. Without slipping the loop off your hook, slip the tip of your hook back into the last sc you just made and pull up a loop. Sc as usual. You will  sc backwards all across last row, making a rope-like finished edge.

Step 4b. In the round = Check your fabric against your phone to see if it is long enough. My tube was 5 inches long. At this point, if you wish, you may end your last row as is or you may add a decorative edge which is a reverse single crochet (rsc). To make, finish row by ss into sc of last row, then ch 1. Without slipping the loop off your hook, insert your hook back into the last sc you just made and pull up a loop. Sc as usual. Keep going backwards across last row, making a rope-like finished edge.

Step 5a. On the flat = When you come to the end of this rsc row, end off, leaving a long (abt. 15 inches or so) thread tail to whip stitch your flat piece together along the long side to make an open-ended tube. Weave in ends, trim, and turn tube inside out. Flatten tube and figure out where center front is and sew a button on at this point. On opposite side, at center back, attach crochet thread.

Step 5b. In the round = When you come to the end of the rsc row, ss to finish row and ch 1. Fasten a stitch keeper to the ch. This will be your center back. Flatten fabric to figure out front center and sew on a button at that point with needle and thread. Remove stitch keeper and slip your hook back into the loop.

Step 6 = Insert phone into tube. Ch across the top of your mobile telephone, around button and back to starting point (I had 16 chs). Fasten at center back with ss, then to make a belt loop, ch 5 inches long or as long as your tube is. Fasten ch to bottom of tube at center back with a ss. Ch 1.

(On the second phone pocket I made, I shortened this belt loop chain to 3 inches and laid it down the center line to attach it where it ended.Ch 1.)

Step 7 = Sc across chain. If it's hard to sc with phone in tube, remove phone. End row by fastening at top center back with a ss. Ch 1, turn. Continue sc two more rows, fastening with a ss at bottom center point. Fasten off, leaving a long tail (18" to 20" long) of thread. Turn tube inside out and whipstitch end closed. Weave ends in and trim if needed. Turn right side out. You may consider this phone pocket complete with belt loop handle, or you may continue by adding a neck loop .

(On the second phone pocket I made, I added crocheted dangles to the bottom to close the tube. Here's how = flatten tube button side up and attach thread on side. Ch 1, sc, catching both front and back chains, then ch 7, double-crochet (dc) 7 times in 6th chain from end, then sc down remaining chain. SS through front and back of crocheted fabric, ch 1, 2 sc in 2 chs, catching both front and back together, 7 ch, 7 dc in 6th ch, and 5 sc back down ch. Repeat. Continue until you have closed end of tube with 7 or 8 dangles. Fasten off and weave ends in.)

Step 8. Neck Loop = Flatten tube once more to find east and west sides. Attach thread to one of those side points and ch. At any point, to test length of chain, you may insert your cell phone into the pocket again and slip the stitch keeper through the last loop on your chain and the other side of the pocket.  (Since my mother and I are BBW's, I made a chain approximately 30 - 32 inches long.) Remove phone, flatten tube, and attach ch to opposite side. Ch 1, turn, and sc across ch. When at end of row, ss on fabric edge and fasten off. Weave in ends and trim. You may tuck neck loop inside pocket when wearing on your belt.