I’ve got a new free pattern for all those cold medieval enthusiasts in your life: The Knights Hospitaller Hot Water Bottle Cover!

Please note this post was updated on January 13, 2018 – I have now added the missing chart! Aaa I can’t believe I forgot about that!

I made this hot water bottle cover on the requ

est of my slightly nerdy husband. He also looks a bit like a crusader (big beard, long hair, wears a cross), and everyone knows crusaders like to be toasty and warm at night. It uses a chunky yarn so it’s quick to knit and will insulate your hot water bottle for longer lasting warmth on those cold nights (we get a lot of those here in Tasmania).

As a side note, the Knights Hospitaller are an order of knights who used to own Malta and offered shelter to pilgrims and crusaders. Some of you might recognise the shape of the cross as being very similar to the St John Ambulance. That’s right, The Knights Hospitaller were the inspiration for the Order of St John in the nineteenth century who started St John Ambulance. I’m not part of St John Ambulance or anything, I just find that interesting.

About the Pattern

This cover is designed to fit a standard 2 litre hot water bottle.

This pattern uses intarsia colourwork techniques, so you might want to brush up on your intarsia if it’s been a while. At a basic level, in intarsia, each block of colour gets its own ball of yarn, and you don’t carry floats behind the work.

Yarn Used

The yarn I used, Moda Vera Biscay, is available at Spotlight stores in Australia. It is a bulky/12ply weight yarn in 70% acrylic and 30% alpaca. The wool-like halo makes my FO appear kind of old fashioned which fits with the theme. However, if you can’t find this exact yarn, I wouldn’t be shy about experimenting with other yarns of similar tension/gauge. I think this would be a fine pattern to use the inexpensive 100% acrylic yarns you can find everywhere.

The Pattern!

Here it is! You can download the PDF of the pattern here: Knights Hospitaller Hot Water Bottle Cover

Knights Hospitaller Hot Water Bottle Cover

Needles: 4mm straight needles

Yarn: Moda Vera Biscay. 1 x 50g ball each in grey, black, and white.

Tension: 20 sts x 25 rows = 10cm²

Notions: Stitch markers, scissors.

Pattern Instructions

Using grey, cast on 44 stitches.

Row 1 (RS): [k1, kfb] to end. 66 sts.

Row 2: P all sts.

Row 3: *k2, [k2, kfb] six times, k2. Repeat from * two more times. 84 sts.

Work rows 4-14 in stocking stitch, beginning with a P row.

Row 15: K29, pm, work row 1 of Knights Hospitaller Shield Chart, pm, K29.

Continue working in stocking stitch as set (working in grey either side of the markers and following the chart in between markers) until chart is completed, on row 58 (WS). Remove markers on the next row.

Using grey, work in stocking stitch for 12 rows.

Next row: [k2, k2tog] to end. 42 sts.

Next row: P all sts.

Next row: [k6, k2tog] seven times, k6, k3tog, k1. 36 sts.

Work in 1×1 rib for 25 rows.

Cast off using sewn cast off. With WS facing and using mattress stitch, sew back seam. Thurn piece RS out. Keeping the back seam lined up with the centre of the cross, sew bottom seam using a shoulder seam or whip stitch. Weave in ends.