Mop Head Cover

MOP HEAD COVER -for those flat-surfaced mops with the rubber flanges to tuck the cover into

Materials:
100% cotton yarn (any of the brands will do- Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton,
Aunt Lydia's Denim Cotton, or the other ones I can't remember right now)

Size 7 needles I use bamboo circulars, working back and forth

GAUGE- don't worry about it Just make sure the fabric is relatively
firm, extending over 1 1/2 inches larger than the mop head on all 4
sides

TECHNIQUE- You will be working garter stitch throughout, starting and
ending with a single layer The middle rows are double-knit sections;
you are knitting a tube, but will be purposely crossing the front and
back stitches

Remember that this is a "guideline" type of pattern Feel free to change
anything to suit your situation! Change the needle size larger for a
looser fabric, smaller for a firmer fabric Add or subtract stitches or
rows to fit your mop head If the double-knit is too intimidating, just
make it one layer throughout

Abbreviations: I've written them out the first time, then put the
abbreviation in parentheses Example: Slip 1 (sl 1)

PATTERN:

Cast on 55 stitches Working in garter stitch, knit 16 rows (8 ridges,
or 1 1/2 inches)

(sidebar: knit the first 3-4 rows, then check the fabric against the
long side of the mop head for size Adjust stitch count as necessary)

Start double-knit section, working thusly:
Row 1: K 1, cast on (CO) 1, k 1, CO 1, across, ending with K1
Turn
Row 2: K 1, *bring yarn forward (BYF), slip 1 (s 1), bring yarn to back
(BYB), k 1* Repeat from * across
Turn
Row 3: BYF, *sl 1, Purl 1 (P 1),* Repeat from * across
Turn
(sidebar: Since you're working garter stitch IN A TUBE, you need to
alternate knit rows with purl rows Otherwise, you end up in stockinette
stitch)
Row 4: Repeat row 3
Turn
Row 5: Repeat row 2

Look at what you're knitting You should have a tube, because you're
knitting every other stitch The stitches you're slipping are the back
side When you turn, they become the front, and you knit or purl them to
be the garter stitch

Knit along until you have 3 ridges in front and back

Then- next row, Cross-knitted; purposely cross the sides of the tube:
knit the stitches you would have slipped, slip the stitches you would
have knitted

(Sidebar: Don't worry too much if the garter stitch or the double knit
isn't perfect! This is just a mop Mistakes don't matter I ended up
with knit rows next to knit rows sometimes when crossing, it *really
doesn't matter* Figure it out as you go)

Next row: proceed with double-knit garter stitch, rows 2-5 above Repeat
for 3-4 more garter ridges

Cross-knit next row

Double-knit next rows, for 3-4 more garter ridges

Now, hold the fabric against the mop head to make sure the double-knit
section is big enough Add or subtract rows as needed

Next row, resume single layer garter stitch: K 2 together (K2tog)
across You're knitting the layers together
Turn

Knit all rows in garter stitch, about 8 more ridges each side Fit the
cover to the mop head before binding off, add or subtract rows as
necessary

copyright 2001, Ruth Schooley I hereby claim to be the original author
of this idea and pattern! If you make money with it, I want a small
consideration; if you reprint it or rewrite it, I want to be cited;
otherwise do with it what you will Violaters are hereby cursed with
stitches that will trampoline off the needles willy-nilly