How to Make the Perfect Cup Cozy

Sharing is caring!

I love coffee. I don’t drink a whole lot of it, but I do love it. Despite having my lovely Nespresso machine at home, I do like to enjoy the occasional Starbucks. I have one of those to-go cups and have experimented with how to make the perfect cup cozy.

The problem with everything I crocheted was that they ended up too big and they would also stretch out and fall down off the cup. I know that by using cotton yarn, it would be more stable and less likely to stretch out, but I typically have acrylic yarn on hand and wanted to make a cozy using what I had on hand. The perfect cup cozy does not slide down the cup.

I wanted something really cute, so I decided to make a sock monkey one. It turned out great but soon it stretched out and it would not stay up on the cup. I read somewhere about adding puff paint on to the inside to add grip, but that didn’t work either. So I crocheted one, much smaller – it’s quite snug around. So far, it’s holding up okay.

Then a friend asked me to make her a knitted one. It turned out quite nice and I really like how it stretched, but the knit stitches seem to hold their shape better. She just wanted a plain one but I thought it would look pretty with a decorative button sewn on. Then I thought – it would also make a great base for any sort of applique.

So that’s when I got the idea of combining the knit coffee cozy with the crochet sock monkey appliques. The sock monkey appliques are modifications of the Repeat Crafter Me Sock Monkey Hat found here. This blog was one of the first blogs I encountered with regard to crocheting.

So for me, this combined the best of both worlds and makes the perfect coffee cozy. My coffee looks cute and the cup cozy doesn’t fall down! I will, however, provide both patterns and let you decide which one you prefer.

To get a printer-friendly PDF version of this pattern, go to my Ravelry store by clicking here.

Knitted Coffee Cozy Base

For mine, I used Vanna’s Choice in Barley & 4.25mm double-pointed knitting needles.

Cast on 30  stitches
Join to make a circle – be careful not to twist.
P all around
Working in continuous rounds, K every stitch until you reach the desired height
I knitted 18 rows in the barley. Change to Vanna’s Choice cranberry yarn.
Knit 2 rows in the cranberry. Change to Impeccable aran (cream coloured) yarn.
Knit 2 rows in the aran.
P the last 2 rows (still aran) and cast off.
Weave in ends.

Crochet Coffee Cozy Base

Use the same yarn and a 4.5mm crochet hook.

Start with a foundation row of 20 HDC. Alternately, chain 21, HDC in the second chain from the hook and HDC 20.
At the end of each round, join with a slip stitch, ch 1 and start the next row. Some people like to ch 2 – I prefer to ch 1.
Rows 2-7 HDC all around. Change to cranberry yarn.
Rows 8-9 HDC all around. Change to aran yarn.
Rows 11-12 HDC all around.
Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Sock Monkey Mouth

This is based on the Repeat Crafter Me Sock Monkey Hat
For mine, I used Impeccable in aran and a 4.5 mm crochet hook.

Chain 9
SC in second chain from hook and in next 5, 2 SC in last chain.
Continuing on other side of chain, SC 7, SC in last 2, join to first SC, chain 1.
Round 2: SC 7, 2 SC in next 2, SC 7, 2 SC in last 2, join to first SC, ch 1.
Fasten off leaving a long enough tail to sew.

Sock Monkey Smile

Use Vanna’s Choice in cranberry & a 4.5 mm hook

Chain 8
Slip stitch back across
Fasten off leaving a long enough tail to sew

Sew smile onto the aran coloured mouth.
Then sew the mouth onto the cup cozy base.

Sock Monkey Ears

This is based on Repeat Crafter Me’s Sock Monkey Hat

Using barley yarn, make 6 DC in a magic circle. Ch 1, turn.
Pull yarn end so that it makes a half-circle (so not all the way into a circle).
Sc across (6)
Fasten off. Leave a long enough tail to sew.

Sew ears onto the sides of the cup cozy base.

To finish, just sew on some button eyes. I happened to have these flower-shaped ones, but round buttons look just as cute.

This is the first time I’ve ever combined knit with crochet. I really like the difference in textures. For me, this makes the perfect cup cozy –  the combination of the two. So which one do you prefer?

This pattern is an original pattern by West Coast Mom, of Too Much Love.  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 it on your site. You may keep a copy for your own personal use but please DO NOT sell the pattern or distribute it.

You may sell products made from this pattern but please clearly credit the design to me, West Coast Mom, of Too Much Love, and provide a link to my blog www.toomuchlove.ca    Permission is NOT granted for mass production or factory manufacturing of any kind.  Thank you for being respectful and for your understanding.

Want to remember how to make the perfect cup cozy? Be sure to save this to your favourite Pinterest Board.