Nothing spoils your take-away coffee faster than burnt fingers holding the cup.
Solution?
A coffee cosy. So, here comes Joe. A lightly padded wrap for your cup, that not only saves your fingers, but keeps your coffee warmer longer.
Using cotton fabrics (quilting cottons) and 100% cotton Wrap-N-Zap Cotton Batting, we have the perfect combination, with the fun addition of words, just in case we forget what we're drinking.
The cotton batting is product specifically produced to be microwave safe, so a little above specifications for this project, but it is light-weight and just thick enough to take the temperature of the hot drink.
The manufacturer advises to preshrink the batting before use, which makes the coffee cosy washable.
The batting was cut to the stitching line, removing the seam allowance, to reduce bulk when the cosy is constructed.
Although I wrote the word on the curved pattern for the cup cosy, I decided that it didn't have quite enough curve for my liking, and so I adjusted the writing when pinning it onto the the fabric.
Writing the letters in white on the solvy made them much easier to see against the dark fabric, and after pinning it in place, the dissolving stabiliser was basted in place, so the thread didn't get caught on pins.
As it is a relatively small project, I decided to hand stitch the layers together, although machine stitching is perfectly acceptable too. A piece of elastic cord is sewn into one short edge, to make a closure loop for the button.
This allows for small variations in cup size. I left a gap along the lower edge for turning the project, and because we are working with curves, I notched the seam allowance to reduce bulk and help it sit flat when turned, and trimmed the corner seam allowance to reduce bulk, and make it easier to create crisper corners.
The corners needed some gentle encouragement with a point turner, and then I used whip stitch to close the gap in the seam.
A button finishes the closure. This is sewn on through all layers of the cosy.
The writing on this project was completed in DMC Coton Retors Mat, which is a thicker, non-divisible thread. The thicker thread creates a very satisfying knot in the coral stitch, which is both visually pleasing, and lovely to touch as you hold your coffee.
This thread is very soft and has a matt finish.
If this isn't available, 6 strands of floss, or a crochet cotton or knitting yarn would give similar results.
And of course, if coffee isn't your drink of choice, you can always write something else on your cup cosy.
Watch our video tutorial on Coral Stitch on YouTube.
