Take me to the Steps

When my local recycling plant stopped accepting glass bottles, I wanted to find a way to reuse them, so I came up with this simple crocheted cozy. The buttons make it easy to change out the bottle if you need to wash or empty your new “vase.” It also doubles as a great way to wrap a gift of wine, flavored vinegar, or anything else that comes in a bottle.

This pattern works up quickly using the double crochet stitch, so it’s easy enough for beginners. For a colorful display, make it in a variety of colors to use when you empty your next six-pack.

Finished size: 9″ tall × 2½” diameter. This cozy will fit most standard beer or soda bottles. Check out my tips for customizing your cozy at http://craftzine.com/09/bottlecozy if you’d like to cover a different bottle.

Gauge: First 3 rounds measure 2½” diameter.

For abbreviations, see the Crochet Abbreviations page.

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Project Steps

Make an adjustable “magic ring.” (To learn how, go to http://craftzine.com/go/magic.)

Round 1 Ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 9 dc in ring, sl st in beginning ch to join — 10 dc (Figure A).

Round 2 Ch 3, dc in first dc, 2 dc in each remaining dc of round, sl st in starting ch to join — 20 dc (Figure B).

Round 3 Ch 3, *2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc; repeat from * around, ending with 2 dc in last dc,

sl st in beginning ch to join — 30 dc (Figure C).

Round 4 Ch 3, dc in next dc, dc in each dc around, join with a sl st in top of beginning ch — 30 dc (Figure D).

Rounds 5–6 Repeat round 4.

Row 7 Ch 5, dc in next 29 dc, turn — 29 dc, 1 ch-5 lp (Figure E).

Row 8 Ch 3, dc in next dc, dc in each dc across, turn — 29 dc (Figure F).

Row 9 Ch 5, dc in first dc, dc in each dc across (including turning ch), turn — 29 dc.

Rows 10–15 Repeat rows 8 and 9 three times.

Row 16 Ch 3, dc in next 3 dc, dc2tog over next 2 dc, *dc in next 4 dc, dc2tog over next 2 dc; repeat from * 3 times, dc in last 5 dc, turn — 25 dc (Figure G).

Row 17 Ch 5, dc in first 2 dc, dc2tog over next 2 dc, *dc in next 2 dc, dc2tog over next 2 dc; repeat from * across, dc in last dc, turn — 19 dc, 1 ch-5 lp.

Row 18 Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, (dc2tog over next 2 dc, dc in next 5 dc) twice, turn — 17 dc.

Row 19 Ch 5, dc in first dc, dc in each dc across — 17 dc.

Row 20 Ch 3, dc in next dc, dc in each dc across — 17 dc.

Row 21 Ch 5, dc in first 3 dc, (dc2tog over next 2 dc, dc in next 3 dc) twice, dc2tog over next 2 dc, dc in last 2 dc, turn — 14 dc, 1 ch-5 lp.

Row 22 Ch 3, dc next dc, dc in each dc across, turn — 14 dc.

Row 23 Ch 5, dc in first 3 dc, dc2tog over next 2 dc, dc in next 3 dc, dc2tog over next 2 dc, dc in last 4 sts, turn — 12 dc, 1 ch-5 lp.

Row 24 (edging) Ch 2 (counts as hdc), sl st in first dc, (hdc, sl st) in each st across — 12 hdc, 12 sl sts. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

On the straight side of the cozy neck, use yarn and a yarn needle to sew a button across from each ch-5 button loop. Place each button over the first and second dc from the straight edge and sew in place with an X (Figure H), then weave the yarn through the next row to put it into position for sewing the next button. Repeat until all buttons are attached, then weave in the yarn ends. Slide the cozy over the bottle and button it up.

See http://craftzine.com/09/bottlecozy for size adjustments.