Waffle weave mug cozie crochet pattern

Another one of the fabulous child care center directors I am working with just finished her Aim4Excellence credential not too long ago. You know what that means, don’t you? Time for me to crochet something as a little “congrats!” gift! 

I knew the director enjoyed coffee/tea/hot cocoa so I wanted to get her a gift card to Caribou Coffee. I have made a handful of different coffee mug cozies in the past, but I came across a pattern that used the waffle weave stitch that I had used in a baby blanket years ago. 



I LOVE that a simple front post double crochet and back post double crochet stitch can create such a unique, textured look. 

Materials used: 

A small amount of worsted weight yarn (I chose a pretty teal color)
Size H hook (5 mm)
Large button
Thread, scissors, needle

I found the free waffle weave crocheted cozie pattern here.

The pattern calls for a 4.5mm hook, which I didn’t have. I used a 5mm hook and it worked out just fine! Mine fits the small size Caribou coffee cup just perfectly!

End of Round 1.

A few stitches into Round 3. Notice how the the texture is starting to
appear already. 

A few stitches into Round 4.

A little over half way done. You can see how the alternating front and back post double crochet stitches make this unique waffle weave look. 

Finished product!

After crocheting the cozie, I found a nice large wooden button and sewed it on with turquoise thread. I put it on the Caribou Coffee cup, filled the cup with some candies and the gift card, and “Wa-la!” The director loved her little gift! :) P.S. If you ask the coffee shop barista reaaalllly nicely, they might just give you an extra cup for free - they did for me! 

Yummmmy. Chocolate and a coffee gift card. What's not to love!?

If you like the look of this waffle weave stitch, you should check out the baby blanket I made using the same type of pattern – it is simple and beautiful! 

Baby blanket using the waffle weave crochet stitch.

                               

Waffle weave crochet pattern

So, I LOVE the look of this basket weave crocheted baby blanket. It looks more like a knit pattern, but it is actually crocheted! It involves a couple of more advanced stitches, but once you get the hang of them, it is a piece of cake! 

I used Loops and Threads Charisma yarn from JoAnn Fabric. I’ve made this blanket a few times – the first time in Charcoal and the next time using Off White with a Dark Blue border.

 I like the Charisma yarn because it is thicker and works up fast, but is also soft and machine washable and dryable (super important qualities to have when making a baby blanket!) 

The hook suggested is an 8mm hook, but I only had a 9mm so I used that instead. I followed this pattern:  http://www.deliacreates.com/nesting-basket-weave-crochet-baby/

My friend, Jackie, sent me this picture (above right) of the blanket I made for her sweet baby boy Emmett. Doesn’t it look so cute hanging on the edge of the crib with the adorable sign above? For this blanket, I used 6 balls of Off White and 1 ball of Dark Blue for the border. 

I had learned how to do a front post double crochet and back post double crochet stitch when making some cute baby booties before, so I was familiar with the stitch. It is actually easier to do with thicker yarn and a bigger crochet hook, so this is a perfect pattern to learn how to do this stitch. Here is a link to a GREAT tutorial on how to do the front and back post double crochet stitch: https://crochetwithpassion.wordpress.com/2013/11/06/front-and-back-post-double-crochet-tutorial/ Just remember that it is the front and back POST you are focusing on, not the loops. The post is the upright, vertical part of the stitch.

As you start working on this pattern, you won’t see the basket weave pattern right away. The pattern requires you to alternate every 4 rows. After 8 or 12 rows, you will start to see the pattern emerge. Keep in mind, you need to end your pattern on  a multiple of 4 so you don’t break the pattern halfway through.

In this picture, I purposely placed my foot next to the blanket 

so you can see the size of the baby blanket. 

Pretty pink toes, right? 

The little laminated sticky label in the corner is one of the coolest creations on the planet! It is a personalized label from NameBubbles that is washable and super sticky.  I love putting the label on it to remind the recipient that the gift was made with lots of love.

 If you are wondering if these labels are worth the money, let me tell you they absolutely are! I bought the laminated washable ones so that they will hold up in the wash. Here is the link to their website: http://www.namebubbles.com/Default.aspx  

I used to work at a child care center and one of the little boys in my room had a laminated sticker on his blanket. It was washed MANY MANY times and still looked brand new and still stuck to the material. Great way to label your child’s clothes or belongings so they don’t get lost at daycare.
Happy crafting everyone! :)