Christmas Mug Cozy – Free Crochet Pattern

Crochet Christmas Mug Cozy

This Christmas Mug Cozy Crochet Pattern is an easy and quick crochet Christmas gift. It makes a perfect crochet Christmas gift for a teacher, co-worker, friend or family member. Fill it with goodies or use it for your own coffee/tea mug on Christmas. It also makes a wonderful crochet Christmas decoration and candy cane holder!

This Santa-themed mug cozy is a great Christmas crochet gift idea for beginners, using only simple stitches—if you can single crochet, chain, and slip stitch, you can make it! It works up in under an hour and requires only a small amount of yarn, far less than a quarter of a skein.

The cozy is designed to fit a standard mug with a circumference of about 10″–10.5″, and the pattern includes easy instructions for adjusting the size if you’d like to make it bigger or smaller.

Use the Table of Contents below to jump to any section of this pattern or keep scrolling down for all the details and the written instructions. 

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Pattern Details

Skill Level

Easy

Size

Finished Mug Cozy is: 10.25″ long and 3.5″ high.

It is designed to fit the following size mugs:

• Circumference (all around the center of the mug): 10 1/8″ – 10.5″
• Height (from top to bottom): 3.75″ – 4.5″
• Width (measuring from end to end across the bottom): 3.25″ – 3.5″

Instructions for adjusting the sizing to fit a smaller or larger mug are included below.

Gauge

4″ x 4″ = 13 sc and 15 rows

Materials

Yarn: Any size 4 (medium) yarn for everything but the top and size 5 (bulky) fleece yarn for the fluffy white top (the “fur”).

What I used:

• I used Loops & Threads Impeccable Yarn, Solid. This yarn is size 4 ( medium) and 100% acrylic. The size is 4.5 oz / 127.5 g. A skein is 285 yd./260m and you only need way less than a quarter skein in total. 
• I used the color “Cherry” for the main red part of the Santa Mug Cozy; the color “Black” for the belt; and the color “Sunny Day” for the belt buckle.
• For the fluffy top, I used Bernat Pipsqueak. This yarn is size 5 (bulky). The size is 3.50 oz. / 100 g. A skein is 101 yd / 92 m. You only need a few yards. The exact color is called “Whitey White.”

Crochet Hook Size: G/6 (4.00mm) for everything but the belt buckle. For the belt buckle: F/5 (3.75mm).

Other Materials: Yarn Needle, Scissors, 1.5 cm Black Button, Black Thread, Sewing Needle, Measuring Tape and a Mug

Terminology

This Christmas Mug Cozy Crochet Pattern is written in English for right-handed crochet using standard US crochet terminology. If you’re more familiar with UK terminology, check out my US to UK Conversion Chart.

Abbreviations

• st = stitch
• sts = stitches
• ch = chain
• sc = single crochet
• sl st = slip stitch

Pattern Notes

• The Santa Mug Cozy is worked flat.
• Each row has 35 stitches.
• Ch 1 does not count as a stitch.
• Always start in the same stitch as the chain.
• After completing the cozy, you will attach a button strap/loop and sew on a button.

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Ensuring Proper Sizing

Before you begin the pattern, measure your mug. (If you don’t have one you can follow the pattern, which should fit a standard size mug)

Measure Your Mug’s Circumference:

If your mug’s circumference (all around the mug) is between 10 1/8″ – 10.5″, follow the pattern.

If it is larger or smaller, increase or decrease the number of chains + 1. For reference, 36 chains creates a row of 35 single crochet stitches that (once a few rows are completed) is 10.25″ long.

Measure Your Mug’s Height:

If your mug’s height (from top to bottom) is between 3.75″ – 4.5″, follow the pattern.

If it is larger or smaller, you will need to increase or decrease the number of rows. I recommend adding or subtracting from the rows of red in equal numbers (for example, if you had a very tall mug, add 2 rows of red before the black belt and 2 rows of red after the black belt). For reference, the chain row and then 12 rows of the pattern creates a finished item that is 3.5″ high.

Measure Your Mug’s Width:

If your mug’s width (from end to end across the bottom) is between 3.25″ – 3.5″, follow the pattern.

If it’s width is larger or smaller, when you make the button strap/loop, increase or decrease the number of chains on the button strap/loop. For reference, the button strap with 8 chains fits a mug that is between 3.25″ – 3.5” wide.

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Pattern Instructions

Mug Cozy

With red colored yarn and a G/6 (4.00 mm) hook, ch 36.

Row 1: In the 2nd ch from hook, sc. sc in each ch across. (This row and all rows have 35 sts in total)

Row 2 – 4: ch 1 and turn. sc in each st across.

Row 5 (Belt): Turn. Change colors: fasten off red yarn and attach black yarn with a sl st. Do not ch. With black yarn, sc in each st across.

Row 6 (Belt): Still with black yarn, ch 1 and turn. sc in each st across.

Row 7: Turn. Change colors: fasten off black yarn and leave a 24″ tail (to create a button strap/loop). Attach red yarn with a sl st. Do not chain. With red yarn, sc in each st across.

Row 8 – 10: Still with red yarn, ch 1 and turn. sc in each st across.

Row 11 (Fur): Turn. Change colors: fasten off red yarn and attach fluffy white yarn with a sl st. ch 1 and sc in each st across.

Row 12 (Fur): Still with fluffy white yarn, ch 1 and turn. sc in each st across.

Fasten off and weave in all loose ends (except the 24″ tail of black yarn).

Button Strap & Button

Button Strap/Loop:

With a G/6 (4.00mm) hook and using the 24″ tail of black yarn from the end of the belt, ch 8. Pull yarn through to close and attach right beside starting ch to create a loop.

Test out the mug cozy on your mug to ensure proper button placement before sewing it on.

Button:

Sew on button on the opposite end from the button strap with black thread. Place button approximately 0.5″ away from end (placement spot may change depending on your work and size of mug, ensure strap fits over the button before sewing)

Belt Buckle

With F/5 (3.75mm) hook and golden yellow colored yarn, ch 18.

1st Rectangle Side (short): In 2nd ch from hook, sl st into back ridge loop. (Interweave has a great diagram of where the back ridge loop is here). In next 2 chains, sl st into back ridge loop. In next ch, sl st x 3 into same back ridge loop.

2nd Rectangle Side (long): sl st into next 4 back ridge loops. In next ch, sl st x 3 into same back ridge loop.

3rd Rectangle Side (short): sl st into next 3 back ridge loops. In next ch, sl st x 3 into same back ridge loop.

4th Rectangle Side (long): sl st into next 4 back ridge loops. sl st into 1st sl st to join.

Fasten off leaving a 12″ tail. Weave in the first end to belt buckle. Using a yarn needle, attach belt buckle to Santa Mug Cozy with the rows of black in the middle. I placed it so that it would be facing you when holding the right handle but you could place it in the center of the mug (or make two buckles and put one on each side!)

And now you have a wonderful ho-ho-holiday mug!

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