Valentine’s Day is coming up and I’ve decided to make a couple mug cozies for Noah’s teachers. While there are a ton of different stitches available to make the cozies, I decided on the basketweave because it won’t stretch as much as other stitches becoming too loose over time, because it is heavier and will hold well to a hot drink, and because I just plain like the way it looks.
The materials you’ll need are:
- Yarn – any color
- Scissors
- A button
- Needle and thread in a coordinating color (to sew the button)
- Crochet hook – I will be using size G
Chain 44 (this is for a Starbucks-sized mug, you can increase the number of chains by any multiple of 4 to fit a wider mug. The yarn will stretch some so if your mug is just a standard size, this pattern will work. If you have a giant mug, you’ll need to adjust it.)
At this point, your work will look super long but don’t worry, it will shrink down as we work in the basketweave. DC in the third chain from the hook and in every chain. You should have 42 DC.
Ch2, turn and front post double crochet (FPDC) in the second DC and in the next 3. You should have 4 FPDC
Next, backpost double crochet (BPDC) in the next 4 DC. Sometimes it’s easier if you turn your work upside down to be able to reach in for the BPDC.
Repeat until the second to last DC (4 FPDC, 4 BPDC, 4 FPDC, etc)
HDC on the top of the last DC.
Ch2, turn. You’ll see some peaks and valleys form. Skip the first DC
and FPDC on the peaks, BPDC on the valleys and repeat the pattern (4 FPDC, 4 BPDC, etc) till the second from last DC.
HDC in the last stitch (and in the last stitch from every round).
Ch2 and turn your work.
Skipping the first DC, now you’ll work the inverse of the previous rounds. Where you have peaks, now you BPDC. Where you see valleys now you FPDC.
HDC in the last stitch.
Ch2 and turn.
Skip the first DC, FPDC on the peaks, BPDC on the valleys.
This is a good size if you want to stop here. It’s the same height as a standard sleeve.
But I like the look better with 2 more rows. So Ch2, turn and work the inverse (FPDC on the valleys, BPDC on the peaks). HDC on the last stitch.
Ch2, turn. FPDC on the peaks, BPDC on the valleys. HDC on the last stitch.
Now we’re gonna make the button hole strap. Ch1 and sl st down the short side of the cozy till a little before halfway.
Now we’re gonna work FHDC.
Yarn over, insert your hook thru the side of your cozy (about the height of a HDC away), yo and pull up a loop
Ch1
YO and pull thru all 3 loops (FHDC made).
Do this as many times as needed to get the length of strap you like. Let’s see it again:
YO and insert hook thru the top of the HDC we just made.
YO and pull up a loop
Ch1, YO and pull thru all loops.
I made 4 FHDC.
Chain as many chains as you need to fit the button you have. I chained 5.
Insert your hook thru the top of the last FHDC and sl st to close.
Cut and hide the two yarn ends with your crochet hook or a yarn needle.
Place the button around the middle of the other short end and sew in place.
There you have it! I read somewhere that mugs are on the “do no give” list for teachers so I asked my barista for 2 clean grande cups and I included a gift card inside. I made a 3rd cozy in a different stitch and added a little heart, isn’t it cute?
Hope you found this helpful. Thanks for stopping by!