Halloween Project #4: Jack O' Lantern Mug Cozy

This pattern should have been really easy to come up with, and I was flabbergasted when the traditional Jack O' Lantern mouth didn't turn out perfectly on the first try. I made about 4 - 5 attempts to crochet a mouth that looked somewhat decent for a Jack O' Lantern before I decided to just simplify it. I simply used a zig-zag pattern. So even though this guy doesn't look exactly like a Jack O' Lantern (and kind of looks like he's wearing a comically over sized mustache), I still think he's pretty cute...and will give me extra comfort when I drink Pumpkin spice tea.

What you'll need:

- Medium worsted weight yarn (I used Red Heart..."Carrot", to be exact.)
- Size H Hook

How to do it:

Base is worked in continuous rounds.

Using your orange yarn:

R1: Ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook (6 sc)

R2: 2 sc in each sc around (12 sc)

R3: *2sc in next st, sc* 6 times around (18 sc)

R4: *2 sc in next st, 2 sc* 6 times around (24 sc)

R5: *2sc in next st, 3 sc* 6 times around (30 sc)

R6: *2sc in next st, 4 sc* 6 times around (36 sc)

R7: *2sc in next st, 5 sc* 6 times around (42 sc)

R8: 1 sc in each sc (42 sc)

Sides are worked in rows back and forth.

R9: ch 1. In back loop only, hdc in each st around ss to first hdc, ch 1, turn. (42 hdc)

R10 - 11: Working in both loops, hdc in each st around. ss to first hdc, ch 1, turn. (42 hdc)

R12: hdcdec over next 2 sts, 38 hdc, hdcdec over last 2 sts, ch 1, turn. Do not join to first stitch of this row. (40 hdc)

R13: hdcdec over next 2 sts, 36 hdc, hdcdec over last 2 sts, ch 1, turn. (38 hdc)

R14 - 23: hdc in each st around. Finish off at the end of R23. (38 hdc)

Making the ties:

Join orange with ss at the end of R22, ch 30, sc in second ch from hook and next 3 sts, hdc to end of ch, ss to end of R21, finish off and tie in ends (4 sc, 25 hdc)

Repeat tie on opposite end of mug

Making the eyes (Make 2):

Using black yarn:

- Ch 5, sc from 2nd ch to end of ch (4 sc)
- 1 sc, 1 scdec, 1 sc (3 sc)
- 1 scdec, 1 sc (2 sc)
- 1 sc (1 sc)
- Finish off, leaving a long tail to tie onto cozy.

Making the mouth:

- ch 29. 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (1 sc in each of next 3 ch. Miss next ch. 1 sc in next ch. Miss next ch. 1 sc in each of next 3 ch. 3 sc in next ch) twice. Miss next ch. 1 sc in next ch. Miss next ch. 1 sc in each of next 3 ch. 2 sc in last ch. Finish off.

When sewing on the eyes, if your triangles are a little wobbly, use the yarn you're using to tie it on to even out the edges a bit.

And the final step: drink some coffee (or more appropriately: Pumpkin spice tea).

The next project will be...well...a mystery. Not because I'm a master of suspense, but rather, because even I don't know. I guess we'll see when we get there!