Blast from the past: Sushi TP Cozy

So way back when (ok,  it was 2004) Kim Werker launched Crochet Me, the first online magazine devoted entirely to crochet. She was looking for modern, creative crochet projects, and she selected the Sushi TP Cozy anyway (ha ha). It ran in the first issue and has, over the years, brought work my way that I don't think I would have gotten otherwise.

Crochet sushi TP cozy revisited

It led directly to the Sushi Pillow, published in Get Hooked! (edited by Kim Werker), and to appearing on Knitty Gritty with the Sushi for the Bathroom pattern set, which is how I met Vickie Howell. It's driven a lot of traffic to my website, it's resulted in my getting fan mail from a fiction author I'm a fan of, and it continues to put a smile on people's faces. This week it may have led to another opportunity (that I'll share if it goes through), and at the very least, I now have a fresh new sample and good photos. This one came together really quickly - I finished it while the photographer was fiddling with light settings and stuff - and I had fun noticing how easy it's become for me to improvise and create on the fly with a bag of scrap yarn and a few crochet hooks.

The basic pattern is still available for free on the Crochet Me website, and I told Kim this morning that it's been giving me ideas for a pattern that would also teach a variety of techniques. We'll see how far I get with that, and how much further a silly idea that made me laugh almost ten years ago will go.

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.”

— Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

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.

Repurposed swatch

Ever wonder what to do with a swatch?

I knit this during the planning phase of the Spalding House yarnbombing and was going to unravel it to make some yarnbombs with - and then realized it would make a perfectly good yarnbomb as is! It was a little too long, so I picked out a row and bound it off to make a perfect fit.

The yarnbomb has been tagged with a QR code that goes to theFUZZhawaii.blogspot.com (it's also written out on the back of the tag for those who don't want to use a smartphone app).

How to Impress the Muggles (Crochet 16 oz. Coffee Cup Cozy)

Reusable takeout/takeaway cup sleeves as seen on Craftster! Most of these samples use Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton. These make very quick, easy gifts and are a good way to use up scraps of yarn. 

For a 16 oz. takeout cup: With worsted weight yarn and a G hook, chain 30. Join into a ring and hdc into each chain. Increase 2 sts every other round (e.g. inc 1, hdc 12, inc 1, hdc rem), checking the fit every once in a while, working a plain round to tighten it up if necessary. I like a cozy about 6 rounds high. Stretchy yarns like wool need fewer increase rounds - increasing 2 sts every third round might do the trick. If you want it to fit lower, start with a shorter foundation chain. Please note that I'm using US crochet terms here; in UK terms the half double crochet (hdc) is called a half treble crochet (htc). 

Modification: if the foundation chain is making the cozy too tight to get on to a cup easily, use a foundation hdc (also called 'chainless') instead (there's a great photo and video tutorial on Moogly: Foundation Half Double Crochet). 

I gave one as a small thank-you gift to a barista who makes me awesome iced decaf soy dirty chai lattes (chai latte with a shot of espresso).  Barista delighted, shows to a bunch of our co-workers, co-workers make many comments on it.  I need to remember not to downplay my skills - sure, it's something I just whipped up with scrap yarn and an empty takeout cup...but I don't have to say that.  I can just smile and say thank you.

Crochet: Sushi Toilet Paper Roll Cozy

Crochet and crochet+knit pattern originally published by CrochetMe, the online magazine for hip, free crochet patterns.

all-knit version instructions have been posted here and on Craftster. 

[originally posted at mizuna.blogspot.com]

Crochet maki sushi roll that doubles as a cozy for your loo roll