DIY braided cable mug cosy (with free pattern)

This time of year my favourite way to cosy up is with a cup of tea and the latest copy of Country Living. All the better if I can do so in bed!

A mug cosy helps keep your beverage warm and prevents your hands from burning on the hot ceramic. Better yet, it looks good! This pattern is perfect practise for knitting cables. The rest of the stitches are simple, so you can concentrate on practising a new technique.

Free pattern below!

Materials

• Superwash wool yarn, DK weight
• 3 or 3.5mm knitting needles (gauge is flexible!)
• Button of your choice
• Cable needle

Cabled Mug Cosy Pattern

Pattern Key

K = knit
P = purl
BO = bind off
CO = cast on
M = make/increase
Sl = slip
Cn = cable needle
C6B = Sl 3 to cn, put cn in back, K3, K3 from cn
C6F = K3, sl 3 to cn, put cn in front, K3, K3 from cn
k2tog = knit 2 together

CO 15

Row 1 & 2: K
3: K1, M1, K4, M1, K5, M1, K4, M1, K1 (19 sts)
4: K1, M1, K4, M1, K3, M1, K3, M1, K3, M1, K4, M1, K1 (25 sts)
5: K
6: K8, P9, K8
7: K4, P4, K9, P4, K4
8: K8, P9, K8
9: K4, P4, C6B, K3, P4, K4
10: K8, P9, K8
11: K4, P4, K9, P4, K4
12: K8, P9, K8
13: K4, P4, K3, C6F, P4, K4
14: K8, P9, K8
15: K4, P4, K9, P4, K4
16: K8, P9, K8

Knit rows 9-16 another six or seven times, until the piece is approx 2″ short of wrapping around your mug. (If you have a large mug, you might need to repeat more times.)

To finish:

1: K4, P4, C6B, K3, P4, K4
2: K8, P9, K8
3: K4, P4, K9, P4, K4
4: K
5: K1, k2tog, k2tog, k2tog, K11, k2tog, k2tog, k2tog, K1 (19 sts)
6: K1, k2tog, k2tog, K9, k2tog, k2tog, K1 (15 sts)
7: K5, BO 5, K5 (10 sts)
8: K1, k2tog, k2tog, CO 5, k2tog, k2tog, K1 (11 sts)
9: BO

Use the same yarn to attach a button to the cosy and you’re finished! You can block your cosy as an extra step, but I find the cosy keeps its shape once it’s on the mug.

All that’s missing from my ideal morning is this gorgeous ‘Sand’ linen duvet set by Parachute. I’ve just been introduced to this company and absolutely love their approach to bedding!

What are you doing to stay cosy?

Lots of crafty love,

*Bedding image courtesy of Parachute Home