the gift series:  every friday for as long as i can keep it going, i will be creating a post that i think would make a wonderful gift for someone you know.  this is to go along with a new year’s resolution that i made to make almost all of next year’s christmas gifts by working on random gifts throughout the year.  this way i will be spreading the spending out rather than going broke at christmas time.  i plan on having a variety of projects from sewing, knitting, stitching, and random crafts.  some posts will be diy, tutorials or just inspirational photos.  i hope that you enjoy the series and find it helpful.

do you have about a gazillion of those ugly wedding can cozies? i know i do. ok fine. you caught me. i only have 30. but it feels like a gazillion!  they are a big wedding gift around these parts, but they are always so ugly. odd colors or color combinations. funky and sometimes inappropriate sayings.  well i wanted something a bit nicer.

here’s what i you’ll need:

can cozy (collapsible neoprene cozy)

enough jersey material to cover cozy (i used some bleach pattern jersey that i had at home)

needle and thread (in same color or contrasting color)

1. using a seam ripper carefully undo the side stitches.

2.  lay the cozy out flat and trace the shape onto a piece of paper.

3.  add a seam allowance of 1/2 in to all but the sides that were sewn together.

4.  use this pattern to cut your jersey fabric.  try to find some jersey with character.

5.  pin the jersey to the front of the can cozy folding the seam allowance around the curved section first.

6. stitch this in place using a whip stitch.

7. make sure your jersey is snug and pin and fold seam allowance over top of can cozy.  whip stitch in place. (note: for my first few, i did this step last.  i think it would look better done now.)

8.  fold can cozy in half with right sides together; again making sure jersey is snug.

9.  stitch together the sides using a running stitch. use the old seam markings to guide your stitches.

10. fold right side out. and enjoy

Variations : you could easily do the following to jazz them up a bit more:

add you favorite stencil using permanent marker or fabric paint

add applique or do reverse applique

add writing (names or better sayings that what they started out with)

Sewing: don’t like hand stitching. you could probably use your sewing machine. just be sure to use a stretchy stitch on the tops of the cozy.  you need it to stretch around your can.

NOTE: i was hoping to have shop up and running by monday but it is causing me some issues.  but i hope to have it worked out soon. so stay tuned!