I don't recall where I first saw this idea, maybe a friend had favorited someone's project. But I just loved this when I saw it and had to try it myself. The first project I saw was from Ravelry user jpknitknot, but I based my project from the notes that Ravelry user swellknitter took. I changed the decreases at the bottom.
Anyway, here is a rough guide to how I made mine. I used Opal sock yarn, which is 465 yards in a 100g ball. I used my 40" circulars in 2.25mm using magic loop. I saw that others had used their 8" or 9" circulars, but I felt it was too fiddly for me at this circumference, and used magic loop instead. I got about 8 stitches per inch, and knit until my cozy had reached about 6.25" before starting the decreases. You can block it to fit if it's a little small. Mine felt snug, but was very fitted, not loose.
Roughly, the pattern is to make your first decrease about 2" after the ribbing, and then again every 1.5" (twice) for a total of 6 decreased stitches. Once you knit the length of the mug, start the bottom decreases. If you want to try using a different yarn, try to knit a circumference of about 7.5" so that you have some negative ease (the mug is about 8.5" at the top).
Materials:
Fingering weight yarn (about 65-80 yards)
Size 2.25mm circulars or DPNS (or whatever is needed to meet gauge)
I bought the mug here at the Starbucks Store. It had better reviews than other brands.
CO 60 sts using long-tail cast on. Knit in the round (using magic loop with long circulars).
It curls a little when it's off the mug, but if you choose not to use ribbing, the outer plastic sleeve will hold it up. Use the look you want!
Rows 1-4: 1x1 ribbing (knit1, purl 1 across) - or just start in stockinette.
Rows 5-29: knit
Row 30: [K2tog, K28]* twice. (58 sts)
Row 31-47: knit.
Row 48: [K2tog, k27]* twice. (56 sts)
Row 49- 64: knit
Row 65: [K2tog, k26]* twice (54 sts).
Continue knitting until your cozy reaches the bottom curve of the stainless steel interior of the mug, about 6.25". For me, it was until row 77. Decreases for me started at row 78.
Decreases (6 decreases every other row):
1: K7, k2tog around (48 sts)
2: Knit
3: K6, k2tog around (42 sts)
4: Knit
5: Knit 5, k2tog around (36 sts)
6: Knit
7: Knit 4, k2tog around (30 sts)
8: Knit
9: Kknit 3, k2tog around (24 sts)
10: Knit
11: Knit 2, k2tog around (18 sts)
12: Knit
13: Knit 1, k2tog around (12 sts)
Cut yarn, draw through remaining sts.
Tip: Try on the cozy as you go. If you are getting close to the center and you haven't decreased to the end, you can skip a plain knit row (12) to decrease faster. If you find that you need more rows to meet in the middle, knit row 14 around, then row 15 K2tog around.
Also, if you are using a different brand or style of mug, here are some basic guidelines:
- If it is a straight cylinder and does not gradually get smaller at the bottom, do not do decreases until the bottom portion.
-Measure the top of your mug- as a rule, you want to make your sleeve slightly smaller than your mug so it hugs it, just like when you're making socks. So for mine, it starts off as 8.5", so I started mine at 60 sts which is 7.5".
-When you start your bottom decreases, if you use a different stitch count than the pattern suggests, just make sure it divides by 6, or find the closest stitch count to divide by. For example, if you are using a thicker yarn and cast on fewer stitches and end up with 50 instead of 54 sts, just decrease 5 times (k8, k2tog). Or if you have 56 sts, decrease 7 times (K6, k2tog).
-Another thing to consider: When you put a hot beverage in your mug it will loosen the fibers of your yarn, so you don't want it to be loose fitting when you make it. Also, it may not be a good idea to use acrylic because of the heat factor.
