Tea / Coffee Cup Cozy Pattern / Tutorial

I really need to start Jenna's Harris Shrug, (which I will be starting later today, I can't wait to begin this project!) but in the meantime I had an idea for a cup cozy, and I built a light box yesterday for taking photos and I really wanted to try it out! I had so much fun building this light box, but I will write about that soon. I have knitted this cozy in Colourspun DK cotton, I love the rainbows!

It's an easy pattern, knitted in the round part of the way and then flat.

I have knitted the beginning of my cozy with a curl at the base, but if you would like it to lie flat, just purl a few rows in the round instead of starting with knit rows:)

Materials:
A small amount of DK cotton
4mm circular needles or DPNs
Sewing up needle
Button
Crochet hook to crochet a small chain for a loop

Pattern:
I have knitted this cozy in the Magic Loop but DPNs would also be perfect:)

If you would like the first few rows to lie flat, purl 4 rows of your cozy instead of knitting them in garter stitch, mine has a little curl for effect:)

Here we go:
Cast on 46 stitches and join for knitting in the round.
Knit 5 rows in the round.
Now, to make the opening for the handle you will no longer be knitting in the round, but rather back and forth as for flat knitting.
Rows 6-24: You will be knitting back and forth on your rows, not in the round. Alternate purl and knit rows, starting with a purl row and ending with a purl row on row 24.  Eventually, as you progress along the rows, you will manage to have all the stitches on one needle.

Measure your cozy around the cup a few times to make sure it fits.

Row 25: Knit row and increase four stitches evenly across the row. To increase without being able to see the increases, simply pick up a stitch between two of your stitches as seen in the photo above. Place this stitch on the left needle.

Once the stitch is on the left needle, knit into the back of the stitch as seen in the above photo. You will now have an increase and not be able to see it at all! :)

Rows 26-30: Knit, this will give you an attractive edging.

Cast off loosely.

Sew on a button on one side at the top of the opening of the cozy. Sew in all the ends. On the opposite top edge of the cozy crochet a small chain, attach and sew into a loop to button the cozy closed.

You are finished!!
This cozy is perfect to gift to someone, don't you think? It knits up so fast, I would say it took me half an hour from start to finish:)
Have a lovely week.

Please note this pattern is for personal use only, thank you:)