Candy Cane Coffee Cozy

If you're anything like me, the holidays always somehow come sooner than you expect, and you don't consider a gift "last minute" unless you're weaving in the ends in the car on the way to Grandma's. If you're like me and you're in the market for a quick stash-busting stocking stuffer, I have the free pattern for you!

 My Candy Cane Coffee Cozy uses just half an ounce of yarn total and works up super quick. It's a very simple pattern with just one unusual technique, a technique I'd say is actually easier than the usual method. If you've done crochet colorwork before, you likely know that color changes are smoother when done in the last yarnover of the stitch before the color change.

However, since this pattern is designed to spiral like the stripes on a candy cane, the color changes work best when made BETWEEN the stitches instead. For this method, you'd work a complete hdc with color A, then change to color B for the first yarnover of the next stitch. The result will look like this:

See how the last red stitch top appears over a white stitch, and the last white stitch top appears over a red stitch? This method works for this pattern because of the color changes shift one stitch to the left on each round. After round one, you'll work red stitches only into stitches with red tops and white stitches into stitches with white tops. Pretty nifty, eh?

For the last round of hdcs (Round 8), color changes are worked in the traditional method. In the last stitch before a color change, you'll use color A to yo, insert your hook into the stitch, yo and pull up a loop, then color B to yo the last time and pull through all the loops on the hook. The result looks like this:

Red tops on red stitches and white tops on white ones. This method is used for the final round of hdcs to give the piece a more finished look.

I wrote this pattern up in both a simple version and a detailed version. I find the simple version easier to follow, but if you'd rather see exactly how many stitches of each color and in what order they're worked, check out the detailed version. Both are free and both are below. A downloadable pdf is also available in my Ravelry Store. Enjoy!

Candy Cane

Coffee Cozy

  

Materials

• Worsted weight yarn in red and white. Shown in Red Heart Super Saver in Ranch Red and White.
• US H (5 mm) hook, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Tapestry or Large eye blunt needle

Notes

• Worked in a spiral; do not join rounds unless otherwise noted. Do not turn at ends of rounds.
• Repeat directions following * to end of round, unless otherwise noted.
•  Change colors between stitches rather than in the last yarn over of previous stitch, except in last round of hdcs. See this blog post for explanation:
• Color designations are given before the stitches they apply to. “White hdc 2” means to work the next two hdc in white.

 Abbreviations

ch: chain

sc: single crochet

hdc: half-double crochet

sl: slipstitch

inc: increase (crochet two stitches in one space)

Gauge

8 sts and 5.5 rows = 2 inches in hdc 

Simplified Instructions 

With white yarn, ch 31.

1:  Working into the bump on the back of each ch, join in a ring, ch 1 (does not count as first st), sc in same sp. Change to red. (Be sure to change colors between stitches.) *With red hdc 2, with white hdc 2.  Mark the end of this and each succeeding round. Do not join rounds. (31)

2-3:  *Hdc, working white stitches into white stitch tops and red stitches into red st tops.  (31)

4:  *Red hdc inc, hdc 1, white hdc 2, red hdc 2, white hdc 2. Last repeat will end with only 1 white hdc instead of 2.  (35)

5:  *Hdc, working white stitches into white stitch tops and red stitches into red st tops.  (35)

6:  White hdc 2, red hdc 3, white hdc 2, red hdc inc, hdc 1. Last repeat will end with red hdc inc.  (39)

7:  *Hdc, working white stitches into white stitch tops and red stitches into red st tops.  (39)

8:  In this round only, work color changes in the last yo of previous stitch. *Hdc, working white stitches into white stitch tops and red stitches into red st tops, to last stitch. End sc 1.  (39)

9:  With white, sl to join in back loop of first st. *White sl in back loops only.

Sl to join with first st. Tie off. Weave in ends. 

Detailed Instructions 

With white yarn, ch 31.

1:  Working into the bump on the back of each ch, join in a ring, ch 1 (does not count as first st), sc in same sp. Change to red. (Be sure to change colors between stitches.) *With red hdc 2, with white hdc 2.  Mark the end of this and each succeeding round. Do not join rounds. (31)

2:  White hdc 2. *Red hdc 2, white hdc 2. End red hdc 1.  (31)

3:  Red hdc 1, white hdc 2. *Red hdc 2, white hdc 2.  (31)

4:  *Red hdc inc, hdc 1, white hdc 2, red hdc 2, white hdc 2. Last repeat will end with only 1 white hdc instead of 2.  (35)

5:  White hdc 1, red hdc 3, white hdc 2, red hdc 2. *White hdc 2, red hdc 3, white hdc 2, red hdc 2.  (35)

6:  White hdc 2, red hdc 3, white hdc 2, red hdc inc, hdc 1. Last repeat will end with red hdc inc.  (39)

7:  Red hdc 1, white hdc 2. *Red hdc 3, white hdc 2. End red hdc 1.  (39)

8:  In this round only, work color changes in the last yo of previous stitch. Red hdc 2. *White hdc 2, red hdc 3. End white hdc 1, sc 1.  (39)

9:  With white, sl to join in back loop of first st. *White sl in back loops only.

Sl to join with first st. Tie off. Weave in ends.

Enjoy a nice cup of Christmas cheer!