This simple tutorial will show you how to make a fabric coffee sleeve with a few very basic sewing skills. A great beginner sewing project.
I'm not a coffee drinker but I do love a cup of tea, especially in the winter. Typically I heat water in a mug by using the microwave and that makes our mugs very hot to hold. So I decided to make a couple of simple coffee sleeves to protect our hands from hot cups. Today I'm sharing a reusable coffee sleeve tutorial with you.
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How to Make a Fabric Coffee Sleeve
Here are the two different shapes I used. The top is a straight forward rectangle to use on a straight sided mug.
The second coffee cup sleeve is angled to fit on a tapered mug or a typical take-out coffee cup.
For the straight mug find the length by measuring the distance around the mug. Then add an extra 1/2 inch for a seam allowance. Then measure the sides to the height you'd like adding an extra 1/2 inch for the seam as well.
The tapered mug was a little harder. I tried doing the math by measuring the top and bottom of the mug and connecting the lines to see if that would make the perfect template. It didn't. So in the end, I used a piece of paper bigger than I needed and fit it directly to the mug, and traced the pattern with a pencil on the paper.
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Once you have the cozy pattern created, cut out one piece of batting and two fabric pieces.
Then with the right sides together, as shown above, sew a 1/4 inch seam all around the edges, leaving a couple of inches open on one side.
Turn the mug cozy right side out.
Turn under the edges of the fabric on the open side and place a piece of elastic cording
about 2.5 inches long in the middle of the open end.
Now sew a nice 1/4 inch topstitch around all four sides paying special attention to the elastic. I'd give that area a few back stitches to make sure it's sewn in well.
Then hand sew a large button on the opposite side to complete the enclosure.
So easy and so cute. You can do this with any kind of fabric. Both of these are cotton. You probably could wash them but I'd consider placing them in a mesh bag first or try just spot cleaning.
Finally, since you are using elastic there is a little wiggle room. This means the coffee cozy will probably fit different sized mugs or even take-out paper cups from Starbucks. So now that you have the cozy template, you can make several in no time.
More Easy Sewing Projects
Fabric Coffee Sleeve Tutorial
Equipment
- Sewing Machine
- Scissors or rotary cutter
Materials
- Fabric
- Batting
- Elastic Cording
- Large Buttons
Instructions
- Find the length by measuring the distance around the mug.
- Add an extra 1/2" for a seam allowance.
- Measure the sides to the height you'd like.
- Add an extra 1/2" for the seam as well.
- Once you have the template created, cut out one piece of batting and two pieces of fabric.
- With right sides together, sew a 1/4" seam all around the edges, leaving a couple of inches open on one side.
- Turn the mug cozy right side out.
- Turn under the edges of the fabric on the open side.
- Place a piece of elastic cording about 2.5" long in the middle of the open end.
- Sew a nice 1/4" topstitch around all four sides.
- Give it a few back stitches to make sure it's sewn in well.
- Hand sew a large button on the opposite side to complete the enclosure.
Jo Stires
How do I print the instructions? I would love to make some of these.
Patti Estep
Jo, you can click on the icon next to the grey y circle at the top of the post. This will give you a list of options, scroll down until you see an orange Print button.
Jen Baker
love the pattern and colors you used
great idea for a mug cozy, cant wait to try it out!
Patti Estep
Thanks Jen. I believe the fabric patterns are both from Amy Butlers Collection. The green is part of the Lotus collection but I'm not sure what the blue and brown one is.
MrsSW
Something like this has been on my to-do list for awhile, Patti, along with a cozy for my teapot. Thanks for the "push." 🙂
Sheila
Patti Estep
Oh, a tea cozy would be a great complement, Sheila. They were so easy and fun to make. I think I'll make a few for some of my friends for their bdays or maybe Mother's Day. Since my own mother has been gone for a long time I often like to make something for my sisters and close girlfriends.
Carole West
What a great idea and the the color choices are perfect. I love fabric but when it comes to making anything with it that's where it ends. But I hear you about heating up the water in the microwave and then having a mug that's too hot to touch. Good solution and such an easy fix.
Patti Estep
Thanks Carole. Just another way to use up my stash and something I really needed. So glad you liked it.
Mary
hi! I love this idea. is this project safe to put in the microwave, like a cozy bowl? or do you use it after it comes out of to grab it. I can decide if the elastic or button would be safe. thank you!
Patti Estep
Mary, I'm not sure it they are safe in a microwave oven. I made them with the thought that you'd place them on a hot beverage. It seems like they might be but you'd have to do some research to be sure.