Entrelac Sunburst Book Jacket by Cecily Keim

1:01 PM
What a capital idea! This knit sunburst design looks complicated, but it's not.

Materials:
jacket body yarn
  2 skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton in Sage (#83)
sunburst motif yarn
   1/3 skein of Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton in Poppy (#601)
   1/3 skein of Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton in Orchid (#618)
pair of straight size 7 needles
9 double-pointed size 7 needles
hardbound/wirebound journal measuring 8-1/2" x 11"
2 fabric pieces measuring 7"x10" (once hemmed)
Finished Sizes
Motif - 10" x 10"
Book cover - 11" x 8-1/2"
Entrelac Sunburst Motif

First Tier
  1. Using orange yarn, CO 48.
  2. Create 8 base triangles, each worked over 6 stitches (figure A).
  3. Each triangle starts with 2 stitches. On the Knit rows, work in an extra stitch from the cast-on stitches to increase the shape of the triangle.

     Row 1: K2, turn.
     Row 2: slip 1, P1, turn.
     Row 3: slip 1, K2, turn.
     Row 4: slip 1, P2, turn.
     Row 5: slip 1, K3, turn.
     Row 6: slip 1, P3, turn.
     Row 7: slip 1, K4, turn.
     Row 8: slip 1, P4, turn.
     Row 9: slip 1, K5, turn.
     Row 10: slip 1, P5, turn.
     Row 11: slip 1, K5, don't turn.


  1. Without turning, continue to work into the cast-on stitches to work row 1. Repeat rows 1 through 11 until you have 8 triangles.
  2. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail.
  3. Now you have 8 triangles on your needle; though they probably look more like nubs than triangles due to the way they are attached to the needle (figure B).  
  4. Start to work in the round with the next row. To do this, transfer the triangles onto double-pointed needles. Each triangle should have its own needle (figure C).
  5. Use the cast-on tail to tie the two end triangles together at the bottom tip of each triangle (figure D).
. Second Tier
This tier creates rectangles in each triangle space (figure E).
  1. With the wrong side facing, use the orange yarn and an empty needle to pick up 5 stitches along the side of the triangle. Use the needle holding triangle stitches to your right:
  • s1, K4, turn
  • Use the empty needle: s 1, P3, P2 together, turn

Note: This P2 together works 1 stitch from the triangle on the needle into the row. Repeat 2 and 3 until all of the stitches from the triangle have been worked into.
  1. Work 1 row of Knit and 1 of Purl:

  • s 1, K4, turn
  • s 1, P4, turn
  1. Continue to work 1 rectangle into each triangle space across the round.
Third Tier
This tier creates a rectangle along the side of each rectangle (figure F).
  1. With the right side facing. Use the purple yarn and an empty needle to pick up 8 stitches along the side of a rectangle. Turn. Use the needle holding rectangle stitches to your right:
  • s 1, P7, turn.
  • Use the empty needle: s 1, K6, ssK, turn.
  • Repeat 2 and 3 until all of the stitches from the rectangle have been worked into.
  1. Work stockinette rows:
  • s 1, P7, turn
  • s 1, K7, turn
  • s 1, P7, turn
  • s 1, K7, turn
  1. BO, and cut the yarn.
Note: Each rectangle in this tier is made with a separate portion of yarn. Continue to work 1 rectangle into the side space of each rectangle across the tier.



Book Jacket Body
  1. Start with the two bottom flaps, working the two pieces at the same time. To do this, CO for each piece on the same needle and work each piece at the same time using separate balls of yarn.
  2. CO 26. Using a separate ball, CO 26 on the same needle.

     Row 1: K 26 across, switch to the other cast on group and K 26 across.
     Row 2: P 26 across, witch to the other cast on group and P 26 across.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 to row 14.
     Row 14: P 26 across. Switch to the other cast on group and P 26 across. At the end of the row of the second piece on the needle, CO 15
     Row 15: K 41 across. Using the yarn from this group CO 7 and continue to knit the row of the second group. The two groups are now joined. CO another 15 at the end of the row.
     Row 16: P 89 across.
     Row 17: K 89 across. Repeat rows 16 and 17 to Row 82.
     Row 82: At the beginning of this row, BO the first 15 stitches P the next 26 stitches. BO the next 7, P through the end of the row.
     Row 83: BO the first 15 stitches, K the next 26 stitches. BO the next. Join a separate ball. K 26.
     Row 84: K 26 across. Switch to the other group and K 26 across.

Having completed the sunburst design, next move on to the body of the cover.  
Row 85: P 26 across. Switch to the other group and P 26 across. Repeat rows 84 and 85 through Row 98. BO both groups (figure G)

Finishing

  1. Block the book jacket so that the flaps are folded and creased (figure H). A steam iron works perfectly for this. Pin in place (figure I) and sew the ends of the flaps.
  2. Stitch hemmed fabric panels (inside lining to cover spiral book) into place as shown (figure J).
  3. Whipstitch sunburst design onto the front of the book jacket (figure K).
 
.Source: http://www.diynetwork.com/topics/crafting/index.html