XOXO Coffee Cup Sleeve

A special hello to all you knitters out there!

Today I'm excited to share with you a fun and easy pattern that I made up.  It's a knitted coffee cup sleeve with my favorite sign-off message on it: xoxoxo.

You can use any worsted weight yarn for this project, just make sure to go down a needle size from the one recommended so the stitches will be nice and tight.  I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease worsted weight yarn and size US 7 needles.  This is a quick knit that uses less than one skein of yarn.

The goal is for the sleeve to say xoxoxo with a 3-stitch ribbing on either side.

Abbreviations used in this pattern:

• C8F: Slip 4 stitches from the left hand needle onto a cable needle, holding the cable needle in front of the main knitting.  Knit the next 4 stitches from the left needle, then knit the 4 stitches from the cable needle.


• C8B: Exactly the same as C8F, but hold the cable needle behind the main knitting.

Here's the pattern:

• Cast on 22 stitches

• Row 1: Knit 22
  
• Row 2: Knit 3, Purl 16, Knit 3
• Row 3: Knit 22
• Row 4: Knit 3, Purl 16, Knit 3
• Row 5: Knit 3, C8F, C8B, Knit 3
• Row 6: Knit 3, Purl 16, Knit 3

• Row 7: Knit 22
• Row 8: Knit 3, Purl 16, Knit 3
• Row 9: Knit 22
• Row 10: Knit 3, Purl 16, Knit 3
• Row 11: Knit 3, C8B, C8F, Knit 3
• Row 12: Knit 3, Purl 16, Knit 3

• Rows 13-18: Repeat rows 7-12
• Rows 19-24: Repeat rows 1-6
• Rows 25-30: Repeat rows 1-6
• Rows 31-36: Repeat rows 7-12
• Rows 37-42: Repeat rows 7-12
• Rows 43-48: Repeat rows 1-6
• Rows 49-54: Repeat rows 1-6
• Rows 55-60: Repeat rows 7-12
• Rows 61-66: Repeat rows 7-12
• Rows 67-72: Repeat rows 1-5

• Row 73 (beginning of button holes): Knit 3, Cast Off 4, Purl 8, Cast Off 4, Knit 3
• Row 74 (finishing the button holes): Knit 3, Turn work around, Cast On 4, Turn work around, Knit 8, Turn work around, Cast on 4, Turn work around, Knit 3

• Cast off 22 stitches

Now all that's left is to sew on a couple of buttons, slip your new sleeve onto your coffee cup, and enjoy!

Happy sipping!
xoxo
Laura