Embroider Child’s Drawing Tea and Mug Cosies

Transform simple cosies into unique and treasured mementos, simply by decorating with a beloved child’s drawing. Select a picture, photocopy it to size, then using appliqué and embroidery, recreate it on a set of cosies. What a wonderful gift for a mother, grandmother, auntie or godparent!

Essentials

Fabric: cotton, printed; fleece, cream; casement, cream, fat quarter of each
Thread, embroidery
Ribbon, 46cm
Tracing or tissue paper
Child’s drawing

Dimensions List

Tea cosy: 23cm x 35cm
Mug cosy: 8cm x 25cm

Make a tea cosy

Select the drawing you want to use and reduce it to size using a photocopier. Cut out a 16cm x 18cm patch of casement. Trace the drawing onto tissue or tracing paper, pin it to the fabric, and embroider over it using split stitch and satin stitch. When completed, carefully remove the tissue paper. If there are large areas of solid colour, trace over the shape using tissue or tracing paper, then cut it out of cotton fabric and use zig zag or buttonhole stitch to applique it in place.
Download the tea cosy template and print it out. Cut out the front and back from cotton fabric and fleece. Centre the illustrated patch of casement on the fabric front piece of the cosy. Pin and sew it in place using either zig zag or buttonhole stitch.
With right sides facing, pin the fleece together around the curved edge, leaving a 10cm gap at one side and the bottom edge open. Sew 1.5cm from the edge and trim. With right sides facing, sew the cotton fabric front and back of the cosy all the way around the curve, leaving the straight bottom edge open.
Turn the fabric cosy right side out, and slide into the fleece so that the right sides are facing. Pin and sew 1.5cm all around the bottom edge. Turn the cosy right side out through the opening in the fleece seam. Turn under the seam of the gap, pin and stitch closed. Tuck the fleece inside the tea cosy to complete.

Create a mug cosy

Select the drawing you want to use and reduce it to size using a photocopier. Cut out a 6cm square of casement. Trace the drawing onto tissue or tracing paper, pin it to the fabric, and embroider over it using split stitch and satin stitch. When completed, carefully remove the tissue paper. If there are large areas of solid colour, trace over the shape using tissue or tracing paper, then cut it out of cotton fabric and use zig zag or buttonhole stitch to applique it in place.
Cut out 10cm x 18cm from cotton fabric and fleece. Cut 46cm of ribbon in half and trim one end of each piece into a V shape. Lay the fabric right side up on your work surface and place a ribbon tie at each end centred on top with raw edges aligned. Place the fleece on top, right side down. Pin and sew around the edges 1.5cm from the edge, leaving an opening for turning. Trim the seam allowance and corners, turn right side out, and sew the gap closed.