Looking for a little fun in the sun, or need to brighten
a cloudy day? This bike helmet cover will do the trick.

While biking one of Portland’s many group bike rides
last summer I wondered:

What if there were a flock of ladybugs whizzing
down the road – would drivers be warmed by
the sight and be more apt to share the road?

Might a child reluctant to wear his or her
helmet think differently with a spiffy cover?

Would a cold-weather bike ride be more
comfortable (and cheerier) with a dressed-up
helmet?

Definitely!

The ladybug head, body, and tail are worked flat, with two widths given to fit helmets sized kid and adult. Work the body length to fit your specific helmet. The tail is worked the same for both sizes, and fits most helmets whether they have a rounded or pointed back.

Once the ladybug body is complete, stitches are picked up circularly to work the ribbed hem which hugs the helmet opening.

The black stripe is worked in intarsia; the spots can be, too, or duplicate stitch them on afterward in order to place them where you want them. Instructions are written as well as charted.

For young ones and the young at heart!

The pattern is written for Knit Picks’ Swish Worsted and requires two 50g skeins of black and one 50g skein of red (or any color of your choosing--I’d personally love to see some purple or yellow ladybugs!).

Cascade 220 is another possible yarn for this pattern and would require one 100g skein of red and one 100g skein of black.

Many thanks to Stephannie aka StephCat for excellent tech editing!

This pattern is also available through Knit Pick’s Independent Designer Program site; more information here.