Simple Striped Mug Cozy
Stripes look impressive but are easy to make, and this mug cozy is a short, satisfying way to learn them. You will work two-row stripes in half double crochet, change colors cleanly at the end of a row and finish with a chain button loop.
- Skill level
- Easy
- Finished size
- About 9 × 3.25 in (23 × 8 cm), to fit a mug about 10–11 in (25–28 cm) around
- Yarn weight
- Medium / Worsted
- Hook
- 5 mm (US H-8)
- Time
- About 1.5 hours
- Terminology
- US terms
Gauge: 13 hdc and 10 rows = 4 in (10 cm). Check the length against your mug after Row 1.
On this page
About this pattern
The cozy is a small rectangle that wraps around the mug, with its short ends meeting on either side of the handle. A chain loop on one end passes through the handle and fastens over a button on the other end.
Because each stripe is only two rows tall, you don’t need to cut the yarn at every color change — the unused color simply waits at the edge until you need it again. The notes show how to adjust the length for any mug.
Why you'll love it
- The easiest possible introduction to stripes
- No cutting between stripes, so there are hardly any ends to weave in
- Fits any mug with one quick measurement
- Makes a hot drink more comfortable to hold
Materials
Worsted-weight (medium
About 25 yd (23 m)
Worsted-weight (medium
About 20 yd (18 m)
5 mm (US H-8) crochet hook
One button, 3/4–1 in (20–25 mm) across
Sew it on with yarn if the holes are large enough, or with sewing thread
Tapestry needle and scissors
Abbreviations
- ch
- chain
- hdc
- half double crochetUK: htr
- sl st
- slip stitchUK: ss
- st(s)
- stitch(es)
- rep
- repeat
This pattern uses US terms. Convert US ↔ UK terms
Stitches used
Notes before you start
- The chain 2 at the start of each row does not count as a stitch.
- To change color, work the last hdc of the row until 3 loops are on the hook, then finish it with the new color.
- Don’t cut the yarn between stripes. Carry the unused color loosely up the side edge.
- Measure around your mug just below the handle. The cozy should be about 1.5 in (4 cm) shorter than this measurement.
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The pattern
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Foundation chain
Stripes
Tip: Wrap the strip around your mug now. The ends should sit on either side of the handle with a small gap. If you need it longer or shorter, start again, adding or removing 3 chains for every inch (2.5 cm).
Finishing
Tip: To use the cozy, wrap it around the mug with the ends on either side of the handle, pass the loop through the handle and fasten it over the button.
Tips
- Keep the carried yarn relaxed at the edge. If it is pulled tight, the edge will pucker.
- Change colors on the last stitch of the row, not at the start of the next one, for crisp stripe lines.
- Cotton cozies can go in the wash with your dish towels; take the cozy off the mug first.
Variations
- Wider stripes
- Work stripes 4 rows tall. Cut the yarn at each color change and weave in the ends when you have finished.
- Solid cozy
- Work all 8 rows in one color and make the button loop in a contrasting color.
- Glass or jar sleeve
- For a tumbler or jar without a handle, make the strip long enough to meet itself and sew the short ends together instead of adding a button.
Common questions
How do I size the cozy for my mug?
Measure around the mug just below the handle and subtract about 1.5 in (4 cm). For every inch (2.5 cm) you add or remove, add or remove 3 chains in the foundation chain.
Does the carried yarn show?
Only slightly, along one short edge — and that edge sits next to the handle, where it is barely noticeable.
Can I leave the cozy on in the microwave or dishwasher?
No. Take the cozy off first. Heat can damage some yarns and buttons, and the cozy is best washed on its own.
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