Reusable Coffee Cup Sleeve Pattern for Keeping Coffee Cool

First, make a tracing of your child’s silhouette: Shine a lamp on a blank wall and have your child sit sideways so you can see his or her profile in a shadow on the wall.

Tape a piece of paper on the wall and trace the shadow in pencil. You can also let your kids try this with your silhouette.

Using a photocopier, reduce the traced silhouette so it can fit on the 5-by-5-in/12-by-12-cm piece of felt. The size of your original will vary depending on how close to the wall your child was sitting.

Using scissors, cut out the reduced silhouette and pin it to the black felt. Cut out the silhouette.

Using scissors, cut 2 of the coffee sleeves from the contrasting felt using a template as a guide.

Lay one of the coffee sleeves on a clean work surface, so that the shorter edge is closest to you. Pin the silhouette in place on the sleeve, it should be centered. Using needle and black thread, sew around the edge to secure the black felt to the sleeve.

Put the coffee sleeves together so the edges match up and the silhouette is on the outside. Using an embroidery needle and floss, blanket stitch around the entire edge of the coffee sleeve to attach. Work your stitches from left to right. Begin by bringing your needle to the outer edge of the fabric at point A. Insert your needle back into the fabric at point B. Push your thread through both fabrics in a straight line so it is coming out at point C. Your thread should be behind the needle as it goes through the fabric. Continue to stitch taking note that point C now becomes point A for the next stitch. The thread will form a nice edging around the fabric. Finish off with a knot and clip threads.

Place the two short ends of the felt together so the sleeve forms a ring, with the ends overlapping by 1 inch or so. Pull apart the Velcro. Pin one part of the Velcro on the inside of the felt, about ¼ in from the edge. Pin the other part of the Velcro on the outside of the felt, at the other end about ¼ in/6 mm from the edge. Practice matching up the Velcro to ensure that the pieces are placed properly, and then peel off the backs and adhere the Velcro to the fabric. Let Velcro sit for the time recommended on the packaging once adhered to fabric.