It is spring in Wyoming. The robins have returned, and under the occasional dusting of snow the grass is turning green again.
We've been busy around here celebrating birthdays and observing Lent and getting ready to clean the house in preparation of Easter.
One thing about spring - it is still cold in the mornings. And partly because the outdoor wall in our kitchen is made of cinderblock, the cupboards and countertops are cold much of the time. Having a cozy for our french press is almost a necessity, but the bound rectangle of pre-quilted fabric I had safety-pinned around the glass carafe was getting old and I was tired of looking at it. Besides, it was ugly and didn't match my new kitchen. So in a fit of inspiration, I cut part of a sleeve from a felted wool sweater, and opened the center of the seam for the handle. It isn't beautiful, but it was super quick and does the job admirably. The cozy on the mug is simply a rectangle of treble crochet rows in cotton, and it stretches just enough to fit. I didn't bother with trying to make it match anything because it was just a prototype.
I really couldn't believe it when I saw Coffee Cozies in the new books at our public library. (I see there's also one for tea pots.) Then I saw Pretty Little Cozies at a quilt shop. Check them out if you want to get serious, but for me the quick sweater fix was the way to go.
Despite being a "super quick prototype", I think your sweater-cozie speaks volumes about your creativity and style. A section of sleeve cut from my most vibrant and interesting sweater would be a slightly fecal shade of brown.
Appetizing...
Posted by: Miles Rausch | April 19, 2011 at 10:02 PM