POKEBALL TENNIS BALL COVER

I made a series of ball covers designed to look like the belly of various Care Bears.  While making the Care Bear Balls, my wife asked me to make her a Pokeball tennis ball cover.  Here is the pattern for the Pokeball tennis ball cover that I came up with.

MATERIALS:
Worst weight yarn:  White, red, and black.
F crochet hook
Tennis ball
Tapestry needle

BUTTON:
Rd 1: With white, ch 2, 4 sc in second ch from hook working around ch, join with slip st in first sc changing to black. (4)
Rd 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around, join with slip st in first sc.  (8)
Finish off leaving a long tail.

BALL COVER:
Rd 1: With white, 6 sc in magic ring.  (6)
Rd 2: 2 sc in each sc around.  (12)
Rd 3: (sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) around.  (18)
Rd 4: (sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc) around.  (24)
Rd 5: (sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc) around.  (30)
Rd 6: (sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc) around.  (36)
Rd 7: (sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc) around.  (42)
Rd 8: sc in each sc around.  (42)  Change to black.
Rds 9-10: sc in each sc around.  (42)  Change to red.
Rd 11: sc in each sc around.  (42)
Rd 12: (sc in next 5 sc, sc2tog) around.  (36)
Rd 13: (sc in next 4 sc, sc2tog) around.  (30)
THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO SEW ON THE BUTTON.
INSERT TENNIS BALL, WHILE HOLDING IN PLACE, CONTINUE TO CROCHET AROUND IT.  YOU MAY NEED TO PULL YOUR FINISHED WORK TIGHTLY TO GET IT TO COVER TO COMPLETELY.
Rd 14: (sc in next 3 sc, sc2tog) around.  (24)
Rd 15: (sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog) around.  (18)
Rd 16: (sc in next sc, sc2tog) around.  (12)
Rd 17: sc2tog around.  (6)
Finishing off leaving a long tail.  Weave tail through sc of Rd 17, pull tightly, and secure.  Weave in ends.

Pokeball and Pokemon is copyright Nintendo, Inc. and their respective creators.

This crochet pattern is an original pattern and is © by Christjan Bee (March 2016).  Please do not claim this pattern as your own.  If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to this pattern but please do not reprint/ repost it on your site.  You may print and keep a copy for your own personal use but you may not sell or distribute it, or sell items made from this pattern.