Quick & Thick Cabled Hot Water Bottle Cozy

I purchased my rubber hot water bottle a few years ago and typically use it at least a few days every month. In the winter, I fall asleep with it just about every night. When I travel for work, it's a warm substitute for the lack of dog in the bed. Every time I use it, I've had to wrap it in a towel or be sure there are enough layers of clothes between the rubber and my skin to avoid burns. I was clearly in need of a water bottle cozy and what a perfect application for my first skein of handspun yarn! So I whipped up this pattern and am quite satisfied with the results.

Important note: The pattern is available FOR FREE below. However, if you would like a fully written out version of the pattern (no abbreviations), different versions of the chart, or just a plain pdf version to pull over to your phone, you can purchase this pattern in my Ravelry or Etsy store.

Q: What do I need for this project?

A: To make a water bottle cozy, you will need:

• Yarn - see notes below

• 6mm circular or dpn needles or whatever size is needed to meet the gauge

• Crochet hook (for the provisional cast on)

• Cable needle (or an additional dpn)

• Tapestry needle

• Snips

• Stitch marker(s) - optional but recommended

Tips, Notes, & Learnings

How much to buy? My finished cozy used 5.5oz (155g) and about 130yd (119m) of yarn. When in doubt, by the extra skein and keep the receipt.

Consider your fiber as well. The yarn used here is 100% wool. Wool is a good choice as it's very insulating which means the bottle can be filled with the absolute hottest water and still be held next to the skin safely. The wool will also keep the water warm longer, meaning fewer trips to the kettle.

While it may not be possible to use wool yarn, I do recommend choosing a natural fiber or a wool blend. Why? Some bottles can get very hot - in this case, it's possible the cozy could start deforming and changing its shape. Most of the time, this will not be an issue, but better safe than sorry! Avoid this problem and keep cost down by going with a wool or natural fiber blend which will raise the melting point of the fiber.

Adjusting for Size

Not every hot water bottle will be identical in size (although many are). You may also need to adjust the cozy size based on gauge or yarn being used, particularly because this pattern was made using my first (lumpy) handspun.

Check out my post on Gauge here for instructions on how to change the number of stitches or needle size based on your gauge swatch.

If your horizontal (number of sts) gauge is spot on but vertically you're coming up short, no worries! When you finish round 46, instead of moving on to round 47 as written, begin repeating from Round 21 and onward until the cozy is tall enough to reach the top of the bottle. Once you've got the height needed, go ahead and move on to the ribbing.

Hot Water Bottle Cozy Pattern

Notes on Reading Cable Abbreviations

• All cable abbreviations can be read as "number by number, direction cross."

• The first number is how many stitches will go on your cable needle.

• The second number is how many stitches you will knit or purl from the regular needle.

• RC means Right Cross while LC means Left Cross

• If F is included, for example 1/2 RFC, it means Front. This is there as a reinforcer that yes, the smaller number of stitches goes in the front of the cable.

• If P is included, for example 2/2 RPC, it means Purl. After grabbing the first stitches for the cable needle, you will purl rather than knit from the regular needle.

• All abbreviations are available in the downloadable chart for reference.

Example: 1/2 RPC - one by two right purl cross (see below for steps).

• 1/2 LFC - sl 1 st onto cn, hold in front, k2, k1 from cn

• 2/2 RC - sl 2 sts onto cn, hold in back, k2, k2 from cn

• 2/2 RPC - sl 2 sts onto cn, hold in back, k2, p2 from cn

• 2/2 LPC - sl 2 sts onto cn, hold in front, p2, k2 from cn

Find abbreviations confusing? Download a fully written-out version of this pattern from my Ravelry or Etsy stores! The download also includes additional versions of the chart.

Note: Cable abbreviations adapted from those by the Craft Yarn Council. Chart and written instructions created using Stitch Fiddle.

Pattern

*Setup*

CO 28 sts using a provisional CO.

Using circular needles or dpns, k across, pick up and knit on the other side of the provisional CO (56 sts on needles). Continue below, working in the round. Use a stitch marker to indicate the beginning or end of each round.

*Cables - Begin Chart*

Note that all even rounds are knit your knits and purl your purls.

The chart is at the bottom of the pattern and is downloadable (right click or long press).

Originally published October 29, 2021.