It's that time of year again - that time of year when I get emails from shoppers who are looking to buy a ready to use mug cozy. I don't sell finished cozies; if I did, the retail price would be at least $50, and I don't think that's reasonable to ask. There are, however, other people who sell cozies, and I've been adding links to a Pinterest board: Mug Jackets and Cup Cozies.
Knitters Without Borders: Smocked Mug Jacket (revised)
I started a Mug Jacket sample in Peace Fleece and got annoyed with myself. If you check the Ravelry projects for this pattern, you'll find a lot of very smart revisions to modify the pattern for different purposes (like travel mug sleeves) or just to make it easier to knit. Sometimes I think my desire to get something knit-to-fit or easily resized overrides my desire to make something easier to actually physically knit, which is how I wound up wrestling with the smocking stitch for a couple of repeats before deciding to just rewrite the pattern already. And so there is now a revised version available for sale - knit from the top of the sides, down to the base. The hand-drawn graph paper chart for the smocking stitch has been replaced with a chart done in Knit Visualizer. Additional photos have been added - each section has a small photo of the section being worked (the base, for example, includes a photo of the finished base).
The previous version is still available for free as a PDF download. The fundraiser version price has been raised to $5.50, with $4.50 going to Medecins sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders. MSF/DWB is always in need of funds; sadly there is no shortage of people world-wide in need of medical care. If you are reading this, there is a very, very good chance that, compared to most of the world's population, you are wealthy. If you are planning to knit a warm jacket for a mug or French press coffeemaker, chances are you can spare a few dollars to help others in need.
For those who purchased the earlier version of the pattern, as a thank-you I sent a new download link for a free download of the revised pattern. If you did not get an email from me with the download link, please let me know so I can send you the link.
Smocked Mug Jacket
Smocked Mug Jacket
The pattern has been rewritten to accomodate a standard sized mug (with information on how to alter it to fit other sizes), professionally tech-edited by Eleanor Dixon, and now includes a step-by-step photo tutorial for the smocking stitch pattern. $4.50 of the $5.50 purchase price goes to Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders as part of the Tricoteuses Sans Frontières/Knitters Without Borders fundraising efforts. The pattern is also available for free (download links are at the bottom of this page).
Please note that is is a knitting pattern - a set of instructions for knitting a mug cozy. This is not a finished item, and I do not sell finished cozies (if I did, the retail price would be at least $50). If you are looking to buy a ready to use mug cozy, I recommend going to Etsy and doing a search for "mug cozy" or "coffee cozy." You can see a roundup of my favorites on Pinterest.
“Who is MSF/DWB?
MSF is a medical relief organization dedicated to bringing help to people in the worst circumstances in the world. MSF goes where other relief organizations (NGO’s) will not. Where circumstances are the most desperate, the most dangerous and the most hopeless... you will find Médecins Sans Frontières. MSF is transparent and neutral without any political or religious affiliations, and does not accept donations from Pharmaceutical companies or companies that make Tobacco or Alcohol. Part of their job is to witness and report violations of human rights and dignity. MSF helps all persons who need them, regardless of their race, religion, politics or gender. MSF won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.”
The revision also makes the free version of the pattern identical to the fundraiser version of the pattern. Free version: download pattern and download tutorial.
Doctors Without Borders/Médicins sans Frontières Donation
Today I donated $215 to Doctors Without Borders, in large part thanks to purchases of the Knitters Without Borders fundraiser version of the Mug Jacket knitting pattern.
Thank you all for helping to make this donation possible.
Knitters Without Borders: $126
March 25, 2008 - December 10, 2008: $126.00 raised through sales of the Mug & French Press Jacket pattern! I sent the donation off to Doctors Without Borders today. If you aren't familiar with Stephanie Pearl McPhee's fundraising arm for DWB - Knitters Without Borders - please check out the info page over on the Yarn Harlot blog. The pattern is still available for free (please look in the left sidebar for the appropriate link); if you choose to buy the pattern (which is more detailed and gives instructions for working it from the sides down instead of from the bottom up), $4.50 of the pattern price will be donated to Doctors Without Borders, and the remaining $1.00 will be used to cover PayPal fees and hosting costs.
