(Continued from page 7)

Drawstring for neck:
       Put 3 needles in the front of the machine.  Do NOT use scrap yarn.  Thread the carrier with it placed to the left of the needles and take the tail of yarn to start your I-cord.  Circle the right needle clockwise, the left needle counter clockwise, and the center needle clockwise.  Pulling down on the end of the yarn, knit to the right or forward.  Continue going forward for 80 rows.  Cut yarn and run the tail through the 3 stitches.  Bury the end.  (Leave the other tail on until you get the cord threaded through the neckline of the shirt, then bury that end and terminate the yarn.)

Hat:
       Use 30 needles and begin with scrap yarn as before, working back and forth.  Stop on the left side of the machine and attach your good yarn.  (Leave a 3-4" tail to work in after you are finished.)  With tension spring on, knit 60 rows; re-hang the hem; knit 20 rows.  Move every other stitch over to the next needle and remove the blank needle.  Knit one row.  Cut yarn leaving a 12" tail.  Run tail through the last row of stitches and pull tight.  Continue sewing down the seam of the hat and brim.  Bury the end of the yarn and terminate.  Sew one of the "hands" to the brim; bury and terminate yarn.

Body:
       Replace all needles in cylinder and set up in scrap yarn.  You may work with or without tension spring since you will only go forward now.  Knit 12 rows.  Move every other stitch over to next needle to form picot edge.  Knit 12 rounds.  Re-hang hem.  Knit 35 rounds (more if using a large bottle).  Move one stitch over to next needle, leave two needles as is, then move the next one over.  Continue once around cylinder.  (These are the drawstring holes for the neckline.)  Knit 10 rounds.  If you can crochet, leave a real long tail.  If not, leave at least 12".  Knit off on scrap yarn for about 10 rows, then cut yarn and knit it off the machine.  You can either run the tail through the end stitches or crochet an edge.  This is not going to show, as the neckline will roll, so don't worry about being fancy.

Finishing:
       Take the I-cord and thread the tail through a blunt needle.  Run it through the holes you created.  Bury and terminate the end of the yarn.  Draw it up snug enough to form a neck hole.  Position the arm which has the hat attached to it and sew into place.  Position the other arm in a similar position on the opposite side and sew into place.  Sew the hand of that arm to the body at about the waistline.  Sew the legs at the line where you re-hung the hem.  Bury the ends.
       Now he can keep his little hat over the top of your bottle between nips or let it hang at his side.  The two of you enjoy your St. Patrick's Day celebration in whatever way suits your fancy.  Since the bottle is covered, no one will know what's inside!