Free Crochet Pattern - Easy Plarn Bottle Cozy

Last year, I got a nice insulated metal water bottle for Christmas. I love the way it keeps things cold for near 24 hours, and can even keep hot things hot for 6! The first time I took it to Chorale rehearsal though, I found out what I like least about metal water bottles - you knock them over by accident and they go CLANG far more loudly than you'd like. So my crochet gears started turning in my head about how I can fix this problem, and I came up with a bottle cozy! But I wanted a stiff one that wouldn't stretch or sag... so why not use plarn? I had already made a market bag with it and knew its properties - easy to clean, sturdy, eco-friendly - so I got down to it, and the following pattern is the result! Almost an entire year later it's still in great shape, and instead of the clang it makes a dull clunk when knocked over so it serves its purpose well. This easy-difficulty pattern is written for a 3" diameter water bottle, but because it consists of a simple circular increase for the bottom and no limit on height, you can alter it to fit just about any bottle. Don't know what plarn is or how to make it? See my plarn tutorial for step-by-step instructions to make your own.

Difficulty:

• Easy

Materials:

• Plarn (approx. 20 bags' worth of strips for a 3" diameter bottle, but you may need more or less depending on your bottle's dimensions).
• H (5mm) or I (5.5mm) hook, whatever gets you nice stiff stitches
• Ruler or measuring tape
• The bottle you're making it for. It makes it much easier to adjust your fit if you have the bottle itself handy. If that's not possible, at least get the diameter measurement across the bottom and the height to the point you want your cozy to stop (mine stops where the bottle starts curving toward the neck).

Gauge:

• Approx. 4 sts/3-4 rows per inch in hdc (pattern is adjustable; gauge isn't precise)

Finished size:

• Written for a 3" diameter bottle, but can be altered to fit larger or smaller bottles

Terminology:

• bl - back loop
• ch - chain
• hdc - half double crochet
• blhdc - back loop half double crochet
• sl st - slip stitch
• st, sts - stitch, stitches
• sk - skip
• inc - increase; 2 hdc in the same st
• sc - single crochet

Pattern Notes:

• Unless indicated otherwise, always join with sl st to first st of round. Entire pattern is worked in rounds. Beginning ch 1 of each round does not count as a stitch.
• Do not turn throughout.
• Stitch counts represent 3" bottle dimensions; your own numbers may vary but will always be multiples of 10. As such, instructions for other sizes are more loose and reliant on your own judgement.

Bottle Cozy

Base:

Round 1: Ch 4, join to first ch to form ring. Ch 1, 10 hdc in ring, join to first hdc. (10 sts)
Round 2: Ch 1, inc in each st around, join. (20 sts)

Round 3: Ch 1, *1 hdc, inc. Repeat from * around, join. (30 sts)

Round 4: Ch 1, *2 hdc, inc. Repeat from * around, join. (40 sts)

After Round 4, circle should measure slightly less than 3" to allow for a snug fit. You can continue the circular increases in this manner (*3 hdc, inc* around, then *4 hdc, inc* around, etc) until circle is a little less than or equal to your own bottle's diameter; conversely if 4 rounds is too big, stop at 3 instead. You may also fine-tune your sizing by substituting sc for hdc in the last round if needed. Use your discretion. Once you are satisfied with your base circle, continue on to the next steps.

Sides:

Round 1: Ch 1. Blhdc in same st as join and in each bl around, join. (40 sts)

Round 2: Ch 1. *3 hdc, ch 1, sk 1. Repeat from * around, join. (40 sts)

Repeat Round 2 as many times as you wish until the sides reach the desired height. I recommend checking the fit on the bottle after a few rounds if possible to prevent sizing frustration later. To adjust Round 2's pattern for different-sized bottles, add 1 hdc to the repetition for every 10 sts more that your count is (ex. 50 sts in your previous row, you'll do *4 hdc, ch 1, sk 1* around). Fasten off on the last repetition and weave in ends.

*Do not repost my patterns elsewhere without my permission, for free or profit. You are welcome to post what you make from them online, but please link back to the associated pattern page. Thank you for your cooperation, and happy hooking!*