Alternating Card Sleeve

FREE Gift or Credit Card Sleeve

You know I need a new credit card sleeve when the cashier at the supermarket takes a pitiful look at it and says that she likes it … out of pity of course. Yeah, remember when I published this card holder about 2 summers ago? Well, that’s the one I’d been using from then up until about three months ago.

How sad, but sometimes things just get past me.

“It still worked!” is all I got to say; but it was getting fuzzy due to all the washing it had been through. :) And now you know how durable these things can be.

Anyhoo, since I love my new-found stitch pattern, which I refer to as the ‘alternating‘ stitch, I decided to use that and make a new one. It’s nice and sturdy, due to the cotton yarn; and it fits nicely over a single card, but will also stretch to hold a number of cards.

Other patterns in my “Alternating” series include a hat, bag, clutch, and phone pouch.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Materials:
Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter in 2 colors, or any #4 worsted cotton.
Crochet Hook: 4.50mm
Other: A 3/4″ Button

Gauge: 2″ over 9 sts.

Finished Size: Fits a gift/credit card.

Abbreviations:

CA = Color A
CB = Color B

Blslst = Back Loop Slip Stitch
Ch/Chs = Chain/Chains
Flhdc = Front Loop Half Double Crochet
FO = Fasten Off
Hk = Hook
Rep = Repeat
Sc = Single Crochet
Sl St = Slip Stitch
St/Sts = Stitch/Stitches

Notes:

Use the tight slip stitch join to keep a straight seam, or whatever other method you may have.

All rounds are joined in both loops of first stitch in round.

Color changes are made after the joining slip stitch.

Carry the yarn up at each round.

If you experience difficulties making the first flhdc and blslst in each round, try wiggling the hook and keeping the stitches loose, but not too loose.

The stitches are alternated with the half double crochet worked into the front loop only of the slip stitch, and the slip stitch is worked into the back loop only of the half double crochet. Here is a tutorial.

Pattern Instructions:

With CA, Ch 15

Rnd 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hk and in next 12 chs, 3 sc in last ch, working into free loops of beginning chs, sc in next 12 chs, 2 sc in last ch; join with sl st to first sc. (30 sts)

Rnd 2: With CB, ch 1, flhdc in same st as join, blslst in next st, *flhdc in next st, blslst in next st; rep from * around; join with sl st in first flhdc. (30 sts)

Rnd 3: With CA, blslst in same st as join, flhdc in next st, *blslst in next st, flhdc in next st; rep from * around; join with sl st in first blslst.

Rnds 4-9: Rep rnds 2 & 3.

Begin Working in Rows

Row 1: With CA, Ch 1, sc in first st and in next 14 sts. (15 sts) Turn, leaving remaining sts unworked.

Rows 2-5: Rep row 1.

Row 6: Ch 1, sc in first 7 sts, ch 3, skip next st, sc in last 7 sts. Do Not FO, Turn and continue with edging.

Edging:

With CA, Ch 1, sc in first st and into each st and ch across up to last st, work 3 sc into last st, continue to work along edge and sc evenly around, work another 2 sc into same st as where the first sc was made; join with sl st to first sc. FO.

Attach the button to align with the button hole and you’re all set.

Thank you so much to Fran Guardino for testing this for me.

You can also visit CPB for a few more FREE Card Holder Crochet Patterns.