Say Hoppy Easter with a Bunny Beer Cozy

As a child, I always loved Easter Egg hunts, though I was not at all a fan of eggs. It was the hunt I loved, searching the nooks and crannies of my grandparents' backyard for brightly colored prizes. And of course, the plastic, candy-filled variety were never disappointing.

Now that I'm an adult, I never get to search a yard for colored eggs. So, I started a new tradition. An Easter ale hunt! We gather with friends in the backyard, barbeque, and decorate six pack holders as our "Easter baskets," then go on the hunt. Bottles of beer are rather easier to find than those little round eggs, but you get something you want every time. At least I do.

To add a little extra festivity to this year's Easter ale hunt, I've made cute little bunny cozy to keep those ales cool. Try the free pattern out for yourself and have a hoppy Easter, in more ways than one!

Hoppy Easter Beer Cozy

Cozy fits bottles and cans, as well as .5 liter water bottles.

Materials

• US H (5 mm) hook.
• Worsted weight yarn of your choice in white, pink, and black. Shown in Red Heart Super Saver in White, Black, and Shocking Pink.
• Tapestry or Large eye blunt needle 

Gauge

7 stitches and 9 rows = 2” in sc.

Abbreviations

st(s) : stitch(es)

ch: chain

sc: single crochet

sl: slipstitch

inc: increase (crochet two stitches in one space)

Notes

1.  Cozy is worked in a spiral, without joining rounds. Do not join rounds unless otherwise stated.

3.  Repeat directions following * to end of round.

Pattern

With White, make a magic ring.

1:  Sc 6. Mark ends of rounds. Work in a spiral; do not join rounds.

2:  *Sc inc  (12)

3:  *Sc inc, sc (18)

4:  *Sc inc, sc 2 (24)

5:  *Sc inc, sc 3 (30)

Work even until piece measures 5.5” laid flat.

At the end of last round, sl to join. Ch 1, *sc. Sl to join. Tie off. Weave in ends. 

Ears

inside

With pink, ch 10, sc in second ch from hook, sc 7 more. Work 3 sc in last ch. Working down opposite side of ch, sc 8. Tie off.

outside

With white, ch 10, sc in second ch from hook, sc 7 more. Work 3 sc in last ch. Working down opposite side of ch, sc 8.

Ch 1, turn. Hold the pink ear piece against the white one, with right sides facing out. Working through back loops of pink ear piece and through sts of white piece (see photos), sc 8, sc inc 3, sc 8. Tie off, leaving a long tail to sew bottom edge of ears to cozy. 

Finishing

Nose

With pink yarn and a tapestry needle, stitch a triangle shape in the center of the cozy. Start with the yarn under a single stitch for the bottom of the nose and worked across the 3 stitches in the row above. Wrap yarn several times so the nose puffs out from the cozy.

Mouth

With black yarn and a tapestry needle, work overlapping stitches down from the nose a couple stitches, then out to the side one stitch, and curving up for two more stitches. Repeat last two steps on the opposite side. 

Eyes

With black yarn and a tapestry needle, starting 3 stitches above the corner of the nose, work one long stitch across two stitches to the side and up one, then another two stitches to the side and down one so the eye has a "v" shape. Repeat on opposite side. 

Sew ears to the top of the cozy above the face, with 6 stitches centered between the ears. Tie off. Weave in all ends.

Add an ale with lots of hops, and you're ready to celebrate!