Keep your coffee cozy

One of La Femme Monkita's favorite customers, Natasha P., sent a kind e-mail recently, suggesting something I could make during the scarflette off-season: drink cozies. To some they're called koozies, cozies, coozies -- I don't know. Personally, I don't love any of the names, but I couldn't come up with anything better. If you've got any suggestions, it will be much appreciated.

So, anyway, back to the cozies...

Natasha said she has an old wristband from some past Detroit Auto Show that magically became a drink cozy. She uses it for her coffee -- saving a tree by refusing that little cardboard sleeve they give you -- as well as for her cocktails -- keeping her hand from freezing and avoiding that whole soggy bar napkin thing.

It took a couple of weeks and several prototypes, but I think I found a style that works -- both in looks and function. I've made a handful of them and, though they have gotten tons of views on my site (one almost 200!) I've only sold one.

I decided the yarn that works best for these is a cotton/modal shine worsted blended yarn from KnitPicks.com. It comes in a bunch of bright colors, is super soft and has just enough stretch. I knit it in a single rib, so it's got a little bit of stretch and is plenty thick to keep the heat/cold away, but not SO thick you can't hang onto it.

I started by first using snaps to hold the cozies together. I figured it looks a little snappier (pun intended) than just sewing it up. It kind of accessorizes the accessory. Little did I know it involves hammering parts into other parts... I'm sure my downstairs neighbor Bridget has appreciated that.

So, this is what I came up with for the first couple:






Then, I realized, "Hey, I've got all these cool buttons sitting around from my grandma and great-grandma and others I've acquired via donations and eBay, so I why don't I take advantage of that?"







Which led to my first cozy sale:



THEN, I happened upon some pretty cool buttons the other day while shopping for supplies, so I decided to buy a couple of those (even though I should use the dozens of buttons I already have...). So, here's what came of those:




I should have a bunch more yarn waiting for me in Chicago right now, so be looking for more soon!