Useful Goodies for Knitting your Cozy Fire or Cozy Pad!

Cozy Fire and Cozy Pad are knit like toe-up socks and use several techniques familiar to sock knitters. Three of my favorite techniques are commonplace toe-up and cozy-knitting treats: Magic Loop, Judy’s Magic Cast-On, and Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off.

Magic Loop

I am pretty biased when it comes to knitting in the round. It is all about magic loop for this knitter. But putting my disdain for double-pointed needles aside for a moment, to knit the Cozy Fire or Cozy Pad I strongly recommend using the magic loop (or two circular needles). Because, unlike a sock or a sleeve that is perfectly cylindrical, our “tube” is flat, with a front and a back, with half the stitches in front and half in back. It is very challenging to try to divide those cast-on stitches by 3 or 4 – it is almost physically impossible! Don’t do it!

For both the written and video links that follow, you want to ignore the instructions for casting on and dividing up stitches and the like. You won’t be casting on to knit an open “tube”. Instead, you will be casting on using Judy’s Magic Cast-On (see below) which starts you off with a “seam” at the “toe”. Your “tube” will be sealed at the bottom!

Knit Picks Magic Loop Written Tutorial

Judy’s Magic Cast-On

Truth be told, I hardly ever use video tutorials. When it comes to Judy’s Magic Cast-On, however, I was about to give up on toe-up socks for good after several attempts to use a written tutorial, when I was miraculously rescued by Cat Bordhi and her video tutorial. (I’ve included the link to Judy Becker’s article in Knitty.com in case you are smarter than I.)

Judy's Magic Cast-On Written Tutorial

Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off

I find Jeny’s written tutorial of her inspired technique to be easy to follow. If you prefer video tutorials, I’ve included Cat Bordhi’s on the assumption that it is as helpful as her cast-on video was to me.

Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off Written Tutorial

How do I get my flap to lie flat?

I have compiled a short list of possible answers to the $64,000 question.

• Add a crab stitch or single crochet edge to the flap. This works pretty well, though not perfectly. Most of the tutorials show crocheting the edge to a crocheted piece, but this tutorial shows adding the edging to a knit piece.

• Knit into the back of the first and last stitch of every knit (right side) row. This is what I did and I’m pretty happy with it!
• Knit the flap in garter or seed stitch. As the designer, I just don’t love the way either of those options look, but it will take care of your curling problem!

Did I leave anything out? Did you try any tricks on your Cozy Fire or Cozy Pad that you want me to share?

Leave me a comment here and let me know. Thanks and Happy Knitting!