Yarn Stash Busters: Kitchen Goodies & Cozies

Here’s a list of free patterns for a variety of kitchen items and cozies, these are great projects for using up the burgeoning yarn stash you may have piling up in the craft cupboard.

The bulk of the patterns are for knitting but I have included a dozen crochet patterns as well (toward the bottom of the post). Update: I also added a few vintage thread crochet patterns at the bottom of the page (for a bread tray ruffle and a bun warmer).

Some of the patterns listed in the Knitting section do include alternate crochet patterns as well, I’ve noted that where applicable. Enjoy!

Knit

Can, Bottle & Wine Cozies

Wine Cozy: Knit pattern with a twisted yarn rope at the neck, knit in i-cord around the base (helps prevent tipping), includes some embellishment ideas.
Swirled Wine Bottle Cozy: Uses one skein, worked in the round. Drawstring closure at top (twisted yarn rope). Nice!

Mug & Coffee Cup Cozies

Mug Cozy, with tutorial: Knit cozy for a standard sized mug with handle, has an open slot to accommodate the handle, just pop over the mug and voila! fits snug.
Knit Tea Cozy *pdf download. Here’s a tea cozy that’s quite charming, made for a mini-teapot (fits standard size mugs as well), two button closure around the handle slit, tri-color design.
Jazzy Coffee Cup Cozy: Knit pattern – This cozy is for takeout coffee mugs (or those large plastic thermal cups without handles), sleeve design, easy peasy to make.
Kureyon Coffee Cozy: Knit pattern to fit a 16 oz. coffee cup (takeout), worked on 4 dp needles in the round.
Knit Coffee Sleeve: Quick & easy cabled sleeve for takeout coffee mugs. Found on the Craftster forum, pattern is here.
Slingshot Coffee Cozy: Slingshot style carrier and sleeve for takeout coffee cups, no more burning hands from holding cups of hot coffee.
Mug Cosy Pattern: Suitable for large mugs with handles, knitted in aran (worsted) weight wool. Some knitting in the round involved. Pattern is available via pdf download.
Starbucks Coffee Cozy: Designed to look like the cardboard sleeves from Starbucks, cute!

Teapot & French Press Cozies

Easy Tea & Coffee Press Cozy Pattern: Scroll down the page to view the image, three tied yarn i-cords along the handle opening to keep things tied snugly.
Recipe for a Coffeepot Cosy: Drawstring closure at top (3 string i-cord) with a split for spout and handle, rib stitch. The pattern says it’s a coffeepot cozy, but I’d say it’s for a tea pot?
Flower Top Tea Cozy: Fitted knit around the pot topped with a leaf and flowers, sweet and simple design.
Grannies Traditional Tea Cozy: Uses 4 skeins but in three colors so it’s suitable as a stashbuster, this is a nice fitted cozy with a flower top (pattern is based on an old cozy which is topped with a pom pom–I think that looks cute too).

Mug Mats & Coasters

Mini-Rug Mat: Knit pattern using up sock yarn, has fringes on the sides just like a floor rug, cute! Pattern is available in a pdf download.
Calla Coasters: Both knit and crochet patterns available, these are finished with a fabric backing.

Knit Dishcloth & Towel

Coasters, towels and potholders: Four knit patterns – Coasters, Garter Stitch Towel, Checkerboard Towel, Potholder and one Crochet Potholder pattern. Nice!
Candy Striper Cloth: Knit dishcloth pattern, uses 1/3 of a skein in two colors (dishcloth cotton).

You’ll also find a big list of Knitted Dishcloth Patterns here.

Crochet

Loaf Pan Tote: A cozy pattern that will fit a loaf pan snugly, has two handles for easy toting.
Tribble Scrubbies: Crochet versions of the knit pattern above – Nice crochet examples here plus the crochet pattern version here.
Crocheting dish scrubbies 101: Dish scrubbies made out of netting, a how to tutorial.
Crochet: Old Fashioned Potholders: Charming 5-sided design, boy do these bring back memories! Examples are nicely done .
Crochet Tea Mug Cozies: Two different crochet patterns for mug cozies, velcro straps close things up nicely.
Crochet Teapot Cozy: A simple pattern with bow ties fastening the handle and spout openings, button strap closure along the bottom side, cute!
Scrappy French Press Cozy: A Mondrian-inspired cozy, 4 button closure along the side for a snug fit. Perfect, modern design to use up scraps.
Coffee Cup Cozy: This is quite a unique design for takeout coffee cups, the cozy buttons over top to catch all the spills, unbutton when you’re ready to drink.
Chie Crochets Tawashi: Japanese for “scrubby”, crochet pattern using acrylic yarn, square shaped.

Here are a few more crafty lists:

These patterns are not only a great way to use up your yarn stash, the items you create are actually useful .

Bun Warmer Linen: Vintage Crochet Edging Pattern

*First published April 29, 2009 and moved to this page for better organization

Supplies Needed:

Vintage Bun Warmer Linen

J.& P. COATS BIG BALL BEST SIX CORD MERCERIZED CROCHET, Size 30: 1 ball of White; or
CLARK’S BIG BALL MERCERIZED CROCHET, Size 30: 1 ball of White
Milwards Steel Crochet Hook No. 10
1 piece of linen (14×14 inches square)

Gauge: 5 sps or bls make 1 inch; 5 rows make 1 inch.

Crochet Edging Pattern

Corner

(Make 4)

Starting at “A” on chart, ch 69.

1st row: DC in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across (22 bls made). Ch 5, turn.
2nd row: Skip first 3 dc, dc in next dc (sp made over bl), (ch 2, skip next 2 dc, dc in next dc) 20 times; dc in next 2 dc and in top of turning chain (bl made over bl). Ch 3, turn.
3rd row: Skip first dc, dc in next 3 dc, ch 2, dc in next dc (sp made over sp), 2 dc in next sp, dc in next dc (bl made over sp), make 9 more bls, 1 sp and 8 bls, 2 dc in next sp, dc in 3rd ch of turning chain. Ch 3, turn.
4th row: Follow chart across. Ch 3, turn.
5th row: Follow chart across, ending with a bl over last sp (1 bl decreased at end of row). Ch 1, turn.
6th row: Sl st in first 4 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in next sp, dc in next dc (1 bl decreased at beginning of row), follow chart across. Ch 3, turn. Follow chart to “B”. Now repeat last row of chart 26 times more. Break off. Sew 4 corners together to form a square.

Edging

1st rnd: Attach thread to any corner, ch 8, dc in same place, * ch 2 and, working along side, dc at base of next dc. Repeat from * across side to within next corner piece, (ch 2, skip 2 ch, dc in next ch) 21 times; ch 2, make dc, ch 5 and dc in next corner and complete other sides and corners the same way. Join to 3rd ch of ch-8.
2nd rnd: Sl st in next sp, in same sp make sc, ch 2 (dc, ch 2) twice and sc; * ch 2, in next sp make (dc, ch 2) twice; sc in next sp. Repeat from * around, working corners as before. Join and break off.

Pin edging in place on linen. Cut out material in back of corners and edge, leaving 1/4 inch for hem. Sew neatly in place. Starch lightly and press.

Source: Vintage pattern sheet from J. & P. Coats

Bread Tray Ruffle

Here’s a pattern for a bread tray ruffle (and ruffly it is!) from a vintage pattern magazine (1948):

Picture of Vintage Bread Tray Ruffle - Tipnut.com

I’ve uploaded it in a pdf file for anyone who’d like to have it: Bread Tray Ruffle (pdf file).

For starching doily instructions, here’s what they advised:

Directions for Starching Doilies
Starch: Dissolve 1/4 cup starch in 1/2 cup cold water. Boil slowly over a low flame, as it thickens stir in gradually about 1 1/4 cups of cold water. Boil, stirring constantly until starch clears. This makes a thick pasty mixture.
As soon as starch is cool enough to handle, dip doily and squeeze starch through it thoroughly. Wring out extra starch. The doily should be wet with starch but there should be none in the spaces. Pin center of doily in position according to size and leave until thoroughly dry. If steam iron is used iron ruffle after it is dry. If regular iron is used dampen ruffle slightly before pressing. Pin folds of ruffle in position and leave until thoroughly dry.