Tassenwärmer mit Zopf in Schachenmayr Extra Merino Big

Tassenwärmer mit Zopf in Schachenmayr Extra Merino Big – Free Knitting Pattern (Downloadable PDF)

This free downloadable PDF pattern by designer Tanja Steinbach provides instructions for knitting a charming cable cup warmer (Tassenwärmer mit Zopf) designed to fit a standard handled coffee mug with a diameter of approximately 8 cm and a height of 10 cm — such as a popular style from Ikea. The finished knitted piece measures 26 cm long and 5.5 cm wide, wrapping snugly around the mug and fastening with small decorative buttons. It is a quick and satisfying project, ideal for knitters looking for a practical and cosy homeware make.

What Is Being Made

The pattern produces a knitted cup sleeve or mug warmer featuring a classic cable twist (Zopf) as its central decorative element. The wrap-around design is sized specifically for handled mugs and is secured with small buttons, making it both functional and gift-worthy. Because the yarn quantity is so modest, one 50 g ball of yarn yields approximately four cup warmers, making this an excellent stash-busting or batch-gifting project.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn: Schachenmayr Extra Merino Big — a chunky-weight merino wool yarn, available in Wollweiß (shade 00102) and/or Mittelgrau meliert (shade 00192). Only 50 g per colour is needed, and a single ball makes four warmers.
• Knitting needles: Size 5.0–5.5 mm straight or single-pointed needles.
• Cable needle (Hilfsnadel): A small auxiliary or cable needle is required for working the cable twist.
• Buttons: Small decorative stag-horn (Hirschhorn) buttons, for example Dill Art. 350258 in 11 mm, are recommended for fastening the warmer around the mug handle.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting: The cup warmer is worked flat in rows, making it accessible for beginner and intermediate knitters alike.
• Cable knitting (Zopfmuster): The signature cable is worked on Row 19 using a cable needle. Three stitches are placed on the auxiliary needle and held behind the work, the next three stitches are knitted, and then the held stitches are worked — followed by the reverse cross where three stitches are held in front of the work. This classic six-stitch cable cross creates the twisted rope effect that gives the warmer its decorative appeal.
• Button band and fastening: The finished strip is fastened around the mug using small buttons, requiring basic finishing skills.

Stitches Used

• Glatt rechts (Stocking stitch / Stockinette): Right-side rows are knitted, wrong-side rows are purled. Used as a base or border element within the pattern.
• Kleines Perlmuster (Small seed/moss stitch): Worked by alternating one knit stitch and one purl stitch across the row, with stitches offset on subsequent rows to create a textured, pebbly fabric. This stitch forms the background texture of the cup warmer and contrasts beautifully with the raised cable panel.
• Cable cross (Zopf): A six-stitch cable worked with a cable needle, creating a classic twisted rope or braid motif at the centre of the warmer.

Tension / Gauge

The stated tension for this pattern is 17 stitches and 34 rows = 10 cm² worked in the small seed stitch (kleines Perlmuster) on 5.0–5.5 mm needles. Checking gauge is recommended to ensure the warmer fits the intended mug size correctly.

Pattern Highlights

• Free pattern — available as a downloadable PDF at no cost.
• Uses Schachen