Here's an easy-to-follow pattern for a hand-knitted mobile phone case with a buttoned strap, designed by Sarah Marie Fuchs and submitted to the book "One-Skein Wonders" by Bella Filati Luxury Yarns in Southern Pines, N.C.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

-- Yarn: One skein of Berroco Bling-Bling, a 60 percent cotton and 38 percent acrylic blend yarn in rust-gold, which will make three or four phone carriers measuring 2.5 inches wide and 4 inches tall with a 6-inch buttoned strap.

-- Needles: Standard size U.S. No. 8 straight needles, sometimes sold as 5mm, or whatever size you need to obtain the correct gauge.

-- A half-inch button

-- One 5-inch length of grosgrain ribbon, three-eighths of an inch wide

PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS

-- Gauge: 17 stitches equals 4 inches in stockinette stitch

-- Knitting the cell phone case: Cast on 24 stitches. Work in stockinette stitch until piece measures 4 inches or desired height (depending on size of cell phone), ending with a wrong-side row.

-- Knitting the strap: Bind off 10 stitches, knitting to end of row. Next row: Bind off 10 stitches purl-wise, purling to end of row. Work remaining 4 stitches in stockinette stitch (on right-side rows, slip the first stitch purl-wise; on wrong-side rows, slip the first stitch knit-wise) until strap measures 6 inches, or the desired length, to buttonhole.

-- Making the buttonhole: In Row 1, follow this pattern -- knit 1, knit 2, yarn over and knit 1. Work three rows in stockinette stitch then bind off.

-- Finishing: Fold carrier in half and sew side and bottom seams. Whipstitch grosgrain ribbon to inside of strap, from top of carrier to buttonhole. Sew on button. Weave in ends.

Reprinted from "One-Skein Wonders," Storey Publishing, 2006.