Coffee Cozies

While I was shopping in the fabric store with one of my brides, I managed to pick up some really cute cotton prints. Racking my brain for what I could do with these, I came up with the idea to make a Coffee Cozy. I have seen people make these by knitting and crocheting them. However, I'm not a real genius with those techniques. Fabric is another story.

Now, I could have just bought one at the local Caribou Coffee since they now have them displayed near their checkout counter. You can buy any of the 15-20 different styles that suit your personality. They even have some that light up. None of these really fit my personality. But with the fabric I picked up this week, I knew I could design one just for me. :)

So, in case you are wondering. Here's how it's done:

Step 1-Next time you're at your local coffee house and you grab a cup to go, SAVE the brown cardboard sleeve.

Step 2-Find a cute fabric that fits your personality and fold it in half with the right sides together. It will need to be at least 9"x9" in size and I suggest using cotton for this project.

Step 3-Pull apart your coffee sleeve where it is glued together and use this as your pattern. Lay the pattern on top of your folded piece of fabric. With a piece of chalk, outline the sleeve 1/2" outside of the pattern. This will act as your seam allowances.

Step 4-Cut out the outline you just drew and be sure to keep the two layers together. I usually pin mine to be sure it stays together.

Step 5-Sew the two pieces of cloth together leaving 5/8" seam allowance. Be sure sew three sides of the pattern, leaving one of the smaller ends open.

Step 6-Trim your edges down and put notches in the curves portions of the fabric. Using the open end of the fabric, flip the right sided fabric so that it is on the outside. Press.

Step 7- Fold over the unfinished end and press under 1/4". Fit the finished end into the pressed end. Zig Zag stitches together.

Step 8-Top stitch the top and bottom of the Coffee Cozy all the way around. I like to use a contrasting color. It gives it some character. :) Press and voila....you have yourself a environmental friendly, reusable and personalized Coffee Cozy.

I am currently giving these away as "thank you's" to my alterations clients. Have I enticed you?