This hottie cover is made in three pieces: one for the front, two for the back, creating an opening for the hot water bottle to be inserted. It uses stranded colourwork worked from charts where 1 square represents 1 stitch. Read RS rows from right to left and WS rows left to right, stranding yarn not in use across the WS of the work. Where the yarn will be stranded more than 8 stitches or so (in the cloud section), take care not to pull the floats too tight. Catch them behind the work by dropping the working yarn and passing the yarn not in use around the working yarn before continuing with the next stitch. This should catch the float behind the work without making it visible from the front.

This pattern is featured in Knit Now magazine, which is available in both print and digital editions. Print editions are available (with worldwide shipping) from MoreMags and digital editions are sold via PocketMags.