Warm Oat Latte Mug Cozy Squish Free Pattern

Warm Oat Latte Mug Cozy Squish Free Pattern

Introduction

If you have never held a crochet hook before, this plump little mug squish is the perfect first project to fall in love with. It is a soft, huggable cylinder worked in cozy cream and caramel stripes, with a little handle loop sewn to the side so it looks just like your favorite oat latte mug. Because it is made almost entirely from one simple stitch repeated over and over, it gives you lots of gentle practice without any confusing shaping. When it is finished it feels squishy, warm, and wonderfully soft in your hands, and it makes a sweet handmade gift for any coffee lover. Let's make one together, one easy stitch at a time.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Super bulky (weight 6) chenille-style polyester yarn. You need about 90 yards of cream and about 45 yards of caramel.
• Crochet hook: 8 mm (US size L/11).
• Stitch marker (one is enough, but a few extras are handy).
• Tapestry needle (a large-eyed, blunt needle for sewing and weaving in ends).
• Scissors.
• Polyester fiberfill (the fluffy stuffing used inside pillows and toys).
• Optional: a small amount of contrast scrap yarn to help hold the stuffing opening while you work.
• Finished size: Approximately 8 inches (20 cm) tall and 10 inches (25 cm) around, not counting the handle. The flat base measures about 6 inches (15 cm) across.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

Every abbreviation used in this pattern is listed below and explained in plain English. Read through them once before you begin, and come back any time you feel unsure.

• ch – chain. Make a loop of yarn on your hook, then pull the yarn through that loop to create one chain stitch. A row of chains looks like a little braid.
• sc – single crochet. Insert your hook into the next stitch, wrap the yarn over the hook, pull up a loop (you now have two loops on the hook), wrap the yarn over again, and pull it through both loops. That is one single crochet.
• sc2tog – single crochet 2 stitches together (a decrease). Insert your hook into the next stitch, pull up a loop, insert your hook into the following stitch, pull up a loop, then wrap the yarn over and pull through all three loops on your hook. This turns two stitches into one. (Not used in this pattern, but listed so you recognize it.)
• sl st – slip stitch. Insert your hook into the stitch, wrap the yarn over, and pull it through both the stitch and the loop on your hook in one motion. It makes a very short, flat joining stitch.
• st(s) – stitch or stitches. One completed loop of yarn in your work.
• rnd – round. One complete circle of stitches worked around the piece.
• magic ring – an adjustable loop of yarn that you crochet into, then pull tight to close the center hole. It is how you start a circle with no gap in the middle.
• 2 sc in next st – work two single crochet stitches into the same stitch. This adds one stitch and makes the circle grow.
• fasten off – cut the yarn a few inches from your work, then pull the tail all the way through the last loop to lock it.
• front loops – the loops of a stitch that sit closest to you. When you weave through them, you use only the near half of each stitch.
• continuous rounds – working in a spiral, round after round, without joining at the end of each round.

Gauge

Gauge: 8 single crochet stitches x 8 rounds = 4 inches (10 cm) worked in single crochet in the round.

Gauge simply means how big your stitches turn out. If your stitches are bigger than this, your mug will come out larger than 8 inches tall; if they are smaller, it will come out smaller. That is why we check first. To make a gauge swatch, crochet a small flat circle of about 16 stitches across and work several rounds until it is at least 4 inches wide. Lay a ruler across the middle and count how many stitches fit in 4 inches, then count how many rounds fit in 4 inches. If you have more stitches than 8, try a larger hook; if you have fewer, try a smaller hook. It is completely normal to need a different hook than the one listed.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use your stitch marker every single round. Place it in the first stitch of the round and move it up as you go. In continuous rounds there is no seam to guide you, so the marker is your best friend.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Chenille yarn is fluffy and forgiving, but tight stitches make it stiff and hard to work into. Keep a relaxed, even tension.
• Count out loud. Counting your stitches at the end of each round catches mistakes early, before they grow.
• Carry the unused color loosely. When you change colors, let the resting yarn lie gently inside the piece. If you pull it tight, the mug will pucker.
• Stuff softly. This squish should feel huggable, not firm. Add stuffing in small handfuls and shape as you go.
• Take breaks. Your hands will thank you, and your stitches will stay even.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Notes: Work in continuous rounds; do not join unless instructed, and move the stitch marker up each round. The body is worked from the bottom up as a closed cylinder. The top is left open for stuffing, then closed. The handle is made separately as a flat strip and sewn to the side. When changing colors, carry the unused color loosely inside the piece or fasten off and rejoin; never pull it tight.

Body (make 1)

With cream, make a magic ring.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in ring. (6 sts)

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12 sts)

Rnd 3: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around. (18 sts)

Rnd 4: [Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (24 sts)

Rnd 5: [Sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (30 sts)

Rnd 6: [Sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (36 sts)

Rnd 7: [Sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (42 sts)

Rnd 8: [Sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next st] around. (48 sts)

Rnd 9: Sc in each st around. (48 sts)

The base should now measure about 6 inches (15 cm) across. Do not fasten off.

Sides

Rnds 10–19: Sc in each st around in cream. (48 sts)

Rnd 20: Change to caramel. Sc in each st around. (48 sts)

Rnds 21–23: Sc in each st around in caramel. (48 sts)

Rnd 24: Change to cream. Sc in each st around. (48 sts)

Rnds 25–27: Sc in each st around in cream. (48 sts)

Rnd 28: Change to caramel. Sc in each st around. (48 sts)

Rnds 29–31: Sc in each st around in caramel. (48 sts)

Rnd 32: Change to cream. Sc in each st around. (48 sts)

Rnds 33–35: Sc in each st around in cream. (48 sts)

Rnd 36: Change to caramel. Sc in each st around. (48 sts)

Rnds 37–39: Sc in each st around in caramel. (48 sts)

Rnd 40: Change to cream. Sc in each st around. (48 sts)

Rnds 41–44: Sc in each st around in cream. (48 sts)

Fasten off cream, leaving a long tail for closing. The sides are worked straight for 35 rounds (Rounds 10–44) with no shaping, which creates a straight cylinder. Your piece should now be about 8 inches tall.

Handle (make 1)

With cream, ch 9.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (8 sts)

Rows 2–14: Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across. (8 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. The handle strip should measure about 6 inches (15 cm) long and 1.5 inches (4 cm) wide.

Assembly and Finishing

Step 1 – Stuff the body. Fill the body firmly but softly with polyester fiberfill, shaping it into a plump mug form. Add the stuffing in small handfuls and push it gently into the base corners first. Do not overstuff; the squish should stay soft and huggable.

Step 2 – Close the top. Thread the long cream tail onto your tapestry needle. Weave the needle through the front loops of the final round, going in and out of each stitch all the way around. Pull the tail gently, like closing a drawstring, until the opening gathers shut. Secure with a small knot and weave the end into the body.

Step 3 – Position the handle. Fold the handle strip in half widthwise to form a loop, or leave it flat as a gently curved handle. Pin the ends of the handle to the side of the mug body, about 2 inches (5 cm) from the top and 2 inches (5 cm) from the bottom, so the handle arches outward from the side.

Step 4 – Sew the handle. Using the cream tail and your tapestry needle, sew the handle securely to the body. Work through both layers of the handle end and into the body, making several passes back and forth for strength. Weave in all ends on the inside of the piece.

Step 5 – Shape and block. Gently shape the mug with your hands, smoothing the stuffing and adjusting the handle loop. To block, lightly mist the surface with clean water and pat it into shape, then let it air dry completely. Do not wring or squeeze it.

Optional detail: Embroider a small steam swirl on the front using caramel yarn and a tapestry needle, if you like.

Care: Spot clean only. Do not machine wash or dry. Reshape by hand and air dry.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors. Swap the caramel for soft pink, sage green, or dusty blue to match your kitchen. Keep the cream as the main color so the stripes still pop.
• Make it taller or shorter. Add or remove rounds in the cream sections to change the height. Each extra round adds about half an inch, and the stitch count stays at 48.
• Try a different yarn. Any super bulky (weight 6) yarn works, but chenille gives the softest squish. If you use a smoother yarn, check your gauge again, since the finished size may shift.
• Add a little face. Two small safety eyes and a tiny embroidered smile turn this mug into a sweet amigurumi character. Attach the eyes before stuffing and closing the top.