And now for something completely different.

Behold, the latest finished crafty project. It’s small, it’s sparkly, and I sort of love it. It’s my coffee sleeve! I made one for my husband first (his is so sedate – tan with a light green stripe), and then for myself, I broke out the insane, what-was-I-thinking-I-was-ever-going-to-use-this-for sparkly slytherin green novelty yarn and paired it with a nice, functional dark chocolate colored wool. The result? Reduced environmental impact, hotter coffee longer, protected fingers, and slytherin sparkles! Woot!

I was knitting it at sermon group, where I took some shit from my colleagues, but now I have a fabulous, artisan coffee sleeve and they don’t. Okay, that would be the youngest-child brat in me, but I’m gearing up to finish my story boards on Death today, so I’ve got to have something perky going on, as I’m fairly sure crying will ensue.

Tech Specs:

It’s three rows stockinette to make the rolled cuff of crazy-wonderful novelty yarn, and then proceeding in a garter stitch, casting off (tightly!) on a knit. It’s knit in the round on three needles, decreases are in the middle of the second of third. On a US5, 56 stitches are cast on (I do 20 on the first, 16 on the second and 20 on the third). This will fit a standard grande starbucks cup. Decreases, after decorative cuff, happen every second, then third garter. (Garters being two rows, so this would be decreasing on the fourth row, which is a purl, and then the tenth row, which is a purl. Then continuing – the 14th row, and the 20th row, etc. But when looking at the project, I find it easiest to count the garters, not the rows. Anywhoozle.) Continue  until it’s as long as you want – I made the woolen bit 3.5 inches long, which is perfect for my hand. This was about a three hour project.

A note on yarn selection – it’s worsted weight, and if I were you, I’d use 100% wool on the body of the sleeve. It will keep your coffee warmer and your hand cooler.