How to Knit Your Own Coffee Cozy

As an obsessive coffee drinker, I love handmade coffee cozies! The coffee sleeves cafes use always seem to be too thin, so coffee cozies are an amazing reusable alternative. In the winter, they keep my coffee warm and my hands burn-free; in the summer, they keep my beverage cool and my hands dry. No matter what your style is, you can make your own cozy in just a few easy steps. Here’s how to do it!

1. Gather your supplies. Choose a yarn you want to work with and the appropriate hook or needle size. If you’re using buttons, grab some of those as well. Remember that wools are fantastic for insulating beverages, and both wool and cotton will absorb condensation from your cup. For my cozies, I used Martha Stewart Crafts Roving Wool in Sea Glass Blue and DaVinci in Quartz.

2. Measure your mug or cup. You’ll want the finished dimensions of your piece to be just a little smaller than your cup’s circumference for a snug fit.

3. Pick a stitch pattern. This is the perfect opportunity to practice a new stitch or to swatch for a new project! If you’re looking for inspiration, browse our StitchFinder for lots of knit and crochet cables, lace, and stitch patterns. I used the horseshoe cable and regular garter stitch (knit every row) for my cozies.

4. Get knitting! Cast on stitches to create the height of your cozy. Feel free to experiment to find out what looks good on your mug. I used 10-14 stitches for my cozies. Start your stitch pattern and knit until your cozy wraps around the mug. If your mug has a handle, you have two options: either stop knitting with about half an inch to go (more on this in step 5), or create buttonholes and make sure the ends overlap. Bind off.

5. Attach it! If your mug or cup doesn’t have a handle, you can just seam the cast on and bind off edges together, such as my cozy on the right. For mugs with handles, you’ll need to sew on a few buttons. If you stopped with half an inch to go, you’ll create your closure by knitting 2 i-cords for about 10 rounds each. Now, attach the i-cords the side of your knitting that does not have buttons. These closures will reach under the mug’s handle to the buttons on the other side, as seen below.

And that’s all there is to it! Now you have a beautiful customized coffee cozy that keeps your beverages warm in style. These directions work for crocheting, too!