A cute, homemade, holiday gift thats useful, cheerful, and minimizes your trash output.  

I, like many others, love my hot beverages (if you don’t, spend a winter in Vermont – that will change your mind), and while I do make an effort to bring my reusable coffee mug with me to the coffeeshop it does not always happen.  Lets face it, it is just another clunky thing to lug around, using it takes planning and forethought, and there is always that awkward conversation with the barista to look forward to. “I think it holds 14 fl oz?  Wait, you don’t serve 14 oz cups of coffee?”  I have also been known to forgo the cardboard coffee sleeves (in a misguided attempt to ease my guilt in adding yet another coffee cup to the land fill) and have suffered my fair share of burnt fingers as a result.  If you are thinking that cardboard coffee sleeves are recyclable, you are right, but it still takes time, energy, and resources to make and recycle them.

Okay, now I am just ranting, and, yes, I have probably put too much though into this, but these reusable coffee sleeves are a perfect size for carrying around in your purse, are easy to clean, protect your fingers, and bring a little bit of festive cheer to your day.

Reusable Holiday Coffee Sleeves

Crochet Coffee Sleeves

Pattern inspired by the Reindeer Cup Cozy (I have made these in the past as a good Rob Your Neighbor gift) found on www.bernat.com.

Crochet Glossary

Materials:

• 4 mm (U.S. G) Crochet Hook
• Cotton Yarn, medium (4) weight (140 yd/128 m, 2.8 oz/80 g makes about 3 sleeves)

Directions:

Make 30 Chs (add or remove a couple of Chs depending on how wide your cup is) and Sl st the ends together to form a ring.  Be careful with how you Sl st the ends together.  You want to avoid any twists in the ring.

• Rnd 1:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each Sp. Join the Rnd with a Sl st. (30 Sc)
• Rnd 2:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each of the next 5 Sps.  Make 2 Sc in the next Sp.  Make 1 Sc in each of the next 18 Sps.  Make 2 Sc in the next Sp.  Make 1 Sc in each of the last 5 Sps. (Increase the Sc count by 2, giving you a new total of 32 Sc) (At this point I no longer Sl st the Rnds together.  I just jump directly into the next Rnd.  This makes things a little uneven at the end, but it keeps the Sts more uniform throughout and the sleeve from widening to much.  Your choice.)
• Rnd 3:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each Sp. (32 Sc)
• Rnd 4:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each of the next 6 Sps.  Make 2 Sc in the next Sp.  Make 1 Sc in each of the next 18 Sps.  Make 2 Sc in the next Sp.  Make 1 Sc in each of the last 6 Sps. (34 Sc)
• Rnd 5:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each Sp. (34 Sc)
• Rnd 6:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each of the next 7 Sps.  Make 2 Sc in the next Sp.  Make 1 Sc in each of the next 18 Sps.  Make 2 Sc in the next Sp.  Make 1 Sc in each of the last 7 Sps. (36 Sc)
• Rnd 7:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each Sp. (36 Sc)
• Rnd 8:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each of the next 8 Sps.  Make 2 Sc in the next Sp.  Make 1 Sc in each of the next 18 Sps.  Make 2 Sc in the next Sp.  Make 1 Sc in each of the last 8 Sps. (38 Sc)
• Rnd 9:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each Sp. (38 Sc)
• Rnd 10:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each of the next 9 Sps.  Make 2 Sc in the next Sp.  Make 1 Sc in each of the next 18 Sps.  Make 2 Sc in the next Sp.  Make 1 Sc in each of the last 9 Sps. (40 Sc)
• Rnds 11-14:  Ch 1. Make 1 Sc in each Sp. (40 Sc)

Fasten off the end, and tuck in the yarn ends.

Embroidered Tree Motif

Materials:

• Embroidery Floss – two similar colors in white, cream, ivory, or light grey
• silver or gold Thread
• Embroidery Needle
• Scissors
• Beads

Directions:

• Embroider tree trunk and branches using a chain stitch.  Overlap the chain stitch to create some variation and interest.  Double the embroidery floss over, and create a larger chain with one color.  Use the other color to make smaller branches with a single strand of embroidery floss.
• Use a backstitch to create the thin thread of silver or gold garland decorating the tree.
• Attach the beads along the garland.

Embroidered Reindeer Motif

Materials:

• Embroidery Floss – white, tan, dark brown, and red
• silver or gold Thread
• Embroidery Needle
• Scissors

Directions:

• Use a backstitch and the white embroidery floss to create the outline for your reindeer.
• Use the tan embroidery floss to go back and create a threaded backstitch.
• Continue to use the tan floss and make a single chain stitch as the ear and another one for the tail.
• Use the dark brown floss to create french knots for the eye and nose.
• With the dark brown floss use a backstitch to create the antlers.
• Optional Lettering:  With the red embroidery floss use a backstitch to write out your word.  I decided on the word “cheers”, but you could also personalize the sleeve with a name or some other personal message.
• Thread the silver or gold thread through the red stitches to create a twisted effect.