Web-Letter, Issue 26 – Valentine Mug Cozy Hi and greetings from Portland, Maine, where a wet snow is falling. It’s the beginning of February and—in case you hadn’t been reminded by the pink and red displays at the grocery and drug stores—Valentine’s Day is almost upon us. In a closet at home, I have a tattered cardboard box about a foot square in which I keep all manner of makings for Valentine cards. There’s the usual red and pink construction paper, frilly paper doilies, and red foil hearts in various sizes; but over the years I’ve also collected interesting Japanese papers, scissors that make scalloped edges, flowered wrapping paper, smooth and crinkly ribbons, and other odds and ends that are fun to work with. I’ll be dusting off that box soon for an evening of cutting and pasting. And when I’m done with my paper Valentines, I’ll cast on for Kristen’s TenDyke’s knitted Valentine—a heart embossed mug cozy.
The Story: Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and every year I wrack my brain trying to think of something heartfelt to give my loved ones. This year has been no exception. I feel that a lot of love goes into my knitting; whether I’m making a sweater, scarf, or even a small project—it’s made with love. Because February 14th is not very far away, and most of my free time is being spent tech editing or writing patterns, I decided that it had to be a small project. Then it came to me—my boyfriend has been drinking lots and lots of tea. Sometimes the same mug full of tea sits and sits until it’s room temperature, but he still drinks it, warm or cold. Knitting tends to keep things warm, right? So what could be better than a mug cozy for Valentine's Day? After all, that day is for being cozy, isn’t it? I whipped up a chart with a heart panel and a cable to knit from. Then over a weekend—while he was busy—I quickly knit it up, kidnapped his mug and sewed up the seam to fit around his handle. But this one didn’t feel right. The heart was on the opposite side of the mug from the handle. I thought it could be better. So, the next weekend I created a new chart, with two heart panels and a braided cable. This time the cable sat across from the handle and the hearts were on each side. So, when he’s holding the handle, he can be looking at a heart, and one heart can be facing away from him. This pattern is the better of the two cozies. And of course this pattern isn’t only for Valentine’s Day. Feel free to change the chart and customize it to anything that fits your needs! The Yarn: Renaissance — 100% wool Which fiber would be the best fiber to keep something warm? Wool, of course! But not only did I use it in this cozy for its warming properties, but it also absorbs moisture. So, just in case a mysterious hole appears in your lip during one of your sips, your cozy will not be saturated with moisture. The surface will remain dry and you'll be able to continue enjoying your warm beverage with dry hands. Learn more about wool. Where to buy Renaissance.	The Pattern: Here's the free downloadable Valentine Mug Cozy pattern The Stitches: This mug cozy is knitted using the technique known as stranded or Fair Isle knitting. In stranded knitting, two colors of yarn are used across the same row, alternating between the two to form a color-work pattern. While one strand is being worked, the other is carried behind it (or in front of it on the WS rows). This technique takes more yarn than working with a single color and makes for a thicker, warmer fabric. Learn more about Fair Isle Knitting.
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