How to Make a Reusable Coffee Cozy – Free Pattern!

If you’re constantly picking up coffee on the go, why not try this quick and easy coffee cozy DIY?

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a small commission if you purchase through my link–at no additional cost to you.

I love picking up a coffee or tea when I’m out, whether I’m running errands or just taking a leisurely walk.

However, what is generally a pleasant experience (because coffee) is sometimes made less pleasant by how uncomfortably warm the to-go cup can get.

Hear me out. I know it’s a minor thing, and some people hardly notice the heat. My mom often teases me about it too. (Playfully, of course.) But my skin is hyper-sensitive and anything too warm—or too cold—can be really uncomfortable.

Hence my love of the coffee cozy or coffee sleeve.

I love how accessible coffee sleeves are; most places have them. But that also means more trash, which isn’t the best for the environment.

I want comfortable hands and less waste.

Which is why this was a project I was excited to take on. Now I keep a reusable coffee cozy in my purse so I always have one ready to go for those impulsive coffee stops. I’m contributing a little less waste to the landfills, and I get to show off fun fabrics from my fabric stash in the process.

Plus, reusable coffee cozies make great little gifts.

So if you also hate it when your to-go coffee is just too warm, why not try out this coffee cozy pattern?  

To download the pattern (for free!), click the button below:

To make a reusable coffee cozy you’ll need:

• Fabric: My preference for this project is quilting cotton. You could also use cotton flannel. I used the same patterned fabric for both the inside and outside of my coffee cozy, but you could also choose to use two different patterns or colors–one for the inside and one for the outside. I used less than a quarter meter of fabric. If you don’t have access to a lot of fabric options near you, check out Amazon. This retro floral cotton fabric bundle is gorgeous!
• Batting: You’ll want 100% cotton batting, like this Pellon Wrap N Zap batting. You can also get batting made specifically for insulation, like this Insul Bright insulated lining.
• Your Pattern: You can use mine (download it for free here), one you’ve found elsewhere, or one you’ve drafted yourself.
• Thread: I prefer Guterman thread for almost all my projects. I haven’t had an issue with the quality yet, it’s easy to find, and it’s often on sale. (At least where I shop.) If you’re not sure where to start, check out this Gutermann thread pack.
• A sewing machine or needle. This is the Brother sewing machine I use. Of course, any sewing machine will work. You can hand-sew this if you prefer, but it won’t be as quick of a project.
• Fasteners. I use snaps for this, but you could also sew in velcro instead! If you’re worried that plastic snaps might not hold up to the extra hot coffee that you like to get, or you just want to reduce your plastic usage, velcro would be a good alternative. If you do want to use snaps, this is the snap attachment tool and snaps that I use.

An important note: If you think that you might want to put this coffee cozy in the microwave at any point (wrapped around your cold coffee of course), make sure that you use 100% cotton thread and fabric and that your batting is microwave safe.

Directions

Step 1

The first step is to gather all your materials. Print out the free pattern (download it here) and get your fabric, batting, snaps, etc., together. Make sure your fabric is already washed and ironed flat.

In this case, I’m using a cute coffee cup patterned fabric that I picked up at Fabricland. It felt like a fitting choice for a coffee cozy, but you can use any fabric pattern that inspires you. (Later you’ll see images of a cozy I made with honeycomb-patterned fabric.)

Step 2

Cut out the pattern and assemble it as pictured. You want the side that says “bottom” on the left, and the side that says “top” on the right. Tape it together. Now you’re ready to move on to cutting your fabric!

Step 3

Cut out that fabric you’ve picked. In this example, I’m using the same fabric for both the interior and the exterior of the coffee cozy. I just folded the end up so the right sides were together, and then cut out my fabric like this. That way I could be sure everything lined up properly.

With this pattern the cups sort of go in all different directions, so it doesn’t matter which way is “up”. However, if you’re using a fabric with a very clear direction, make sure you place the pattern in the way that makes the most sense for said fabric.

Step 4

Cut out the fabric and lay it on top of the batting. You can cut a piece of batting the same size as the fabric, but I decided I would sew first and cut second. So I just laid the patterned fabric pieces I just cut on top of a piece of batting. It clung to the cotton amazingly well.

I have the two pieces of patterned fabric together right sides facing each other.

Step 5

Now sew around the patterned fabric, leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Leave 1-2 inches open at the bottom to turn the fabric.

Step 6

Trim away any excess fabric (including all that extra batting if you did what I did) and clip your corners to reduce bulk.

Step 7

Flip your coffee cozy right side out so that you have patterned fabric on either side and the batting secured inside. Iron it flat.

Step 8

Topstitch around the coffee cozy. I left about 1/8″ around the edge. We’re nearly done!

Step 9

Now you’ll attach your snaps or velcro. My snaps are attached about 2cm in from the side. The top one is also about 2cm down from the top, and the bottom one is about 2cm up from the bottom. But play around with the placement. Do you just want one snap in the middle? Or maybe you want to sew velcro here instead! Go for it! Make it your own.

Step 10

And that’s it! You’re now the proud owner of a reusable coffee cozy.

Will you use them? Gift them?

I like to keep one in my purse for my on-the-go coffee trips but they also make great gifts. You can add one to a reusable Starbucks cup, or wrap it up with a coffee gift card. They would also fit in holiday stockings, and make perfect “for no reason” gifts.

I’d love to see yours! Post your coffee cozies on Instagram and use the hashtags #diycoffeecozy #theserialcreative

For more fun projects you can make, check out my other free patterns here.