Mug Cosies!

Two of my uni friends wanted to do Christmas presents this year. Nothing big because we are all on budgets but just a little thing. It's our last Christmas as students together so we wanted to do something for it. I wanted to make something for them. They never really see the crafting side of me and I think I know them well enough to know they would actually quite like that (not everyone appreciates a handmade gift). I was stumped for ideas though when my lovely friend Lisa suggested mug hugs. I thought this was a fab idea. I had never done one before but always wanted to. So this gave me the perfect excuse. Plus I figured I could fill the mugs with chocolate and relaxing tea since we have three huge essays to do over the Christmas break.

I didn't follow a pattern as I like to make things difficult for myself. Plus I thought it would be difficult to get the pattern to fit the mug. Really I didn't want to be the crazy lady measuring mugs in the shop because I would end up doing that. Once I just did a prototype and decided from there how wide it should be before making the actual mug cosies. The colours I picked out were to give it a winter theme. I didn't want Christmas as I wanted them to be able to use them all year round. So I thought going for wintery colours instead would be a nice compromise. Plus I kind of like those colours.

I am aware I said two uni friends. That third mug is for my gran. I filled it up with some chocolates and left out the hot chocolate as I'm not sure she likes it.

I also said I wanted to give put relaxing teas in there but I had a hard time finding individually wrapped tea bags in the flavours I wanted. As I hovered round the tea section I had one of those eureka moments when I realised that they might prefer hot chocolate anyway. I myself don't like hot chocolate which is why it took me so long to have that epiphany.

I then wrapped them and added these little tags I stitched up. These were part of a free kit from Cross Stitcher. They seem to give you a free tag set every year and I don't normally bother with them. I loved the wee houses though. The next thing I knew I had stitched up the gingerbread men too. I think they are just the right size for the mugs.

I still have a few Christmas gifts to finish but I am right on track. This might be the first year I won't be finishing anything on Christmas Eve. Fingers crossed.

The mug cosy pattern is my own. It's pretty simple and I am sure there are a few almost exactly the same kicking about. If anyone would like me to write it up though just let me know and I'll do that.