Cozy Thermos Cover with Embroidery 🐭❄️

Step-by-step sewing guide

We’ll sew a padded fabric sleeve for a metal thermos, featuring the Mouse holds a Christmas ball embroidery design. The cover is quilted, insulated and fully lined – perfect for winter walks and ski trips.

1. Measure your thermos 📏

You only need a tape measure and a piece of paper.

1. Height (H) – measure from the bottom up to where you want the cover to end (usually just under the metal cup/lid).

2. Circumference (C) – wrap the tape around the widest part of the body.

3. Bottom diameter (D) – measure across the base.

Now calculate:

• Body width = C + 2 × seam allowance
  (for 1 cm / ⅜″ seams: C + 2 cm)

• Body height = H + seam allowance at bottom + top
  (for 1 cm seams: H + 2 cm)

Write these numbers on your pattern paper.

2. Draft the pattern ✏️

1. Draw a rectangle with your body width and body height.

2. Round the bottom corners slightly – this helps when attaching the circular base.

3. Draw a circle with diameter D + 2 × seam allowance (for a separate quilted base).

4. Add a second rectangle for the lining if you want the cover a bit looser: add 0.5 cm ease to the width.

Label:

• Outer quilted body

• Outer bottom circle

• Lining body

• Lining bottom circle

Cut the paper pieces out.

3. Materials & tools 🧵

• Outer fabric: medium-weight cotton, linen or cotton-blend

• Lining fabric: cotton (can be plain)

• Batting or thin insulating fleece (e.g. cotton or polyester)

• Tear-away or cut-away stabilizer for embroidery

• Matching thread for sewing; embroidery threads for design

• Bias tape or strip for binding the top edge (optional)

• Sewing machine with walking/quilting foot if possible

• Embroidery machine for
  Mouse holds a Christmas ball embroidery design

• Pins or clips, fabric marker, scissors/rotary cutter

• Optional: cotton webbing for a handle, snap or Velcro tab

4. Prepare the quilt sandwich 🧊

We’ll quilt one large piece and then cut the pattern from it – like in many hot-water-bottle cover tutorials where the quilt top is made first and trimmed to shape.

1. Cut a batting rectangle at least 4–5 cm larger than your body pattern in both directions.

2. Cut an outer fabric rectangle the same size as the batting.

3. Place layers:

   • Outer fabric right side up

   • Batting under it

4. Baste with pins or spray.

5. Quilt straight lines (vertical, diagonal or wavy) about 2–3 cm apart. A walking foot helps keep layers flat.

👉 If you want a separate quilted base, also quilt a small square for the bottom circle.

5. Embroider the mouse design 🐭🎄

1. Find the front center of your body pattern and mark where the embroidery should sit – usually slightly above the vertical center, so it’s visible when the thermos is on the table.

2. On the quilted rectangle, mark this same position with a washable pen.

3. Hoop the quilted rectangle with stabilizer, centering the mark in the hoop.

4. Stitch Mouse holds a Christmas ball embroidery design following your machine’s settings.

5. Remove stabilizer (tear or trim) and press from the back with a pressing cloth.

🧵 Tip from Emily Carter, machine-embroidery instructor

Use slightly denser quilting behind large embroidery so the fabric doesn’t “bubble” around the mouse. If your batting is thick, reduce design speed a little – it gives cleaner outlines.

6. Cut outer, lining & batting ✂️

1. Place the body paper pattern on the quilted, embroidered piece.

2. Make sure the design is centered and straight, then cut around the pattern.

3. Cut the quilted bottom circle using the circle pattern.

4. From lining fabric, cut:

   • 1 body piece

   • 1 bottom circle

5. From batting (if you want extra insulation in the base) cut one bottom circle.

Now you have:

• 1 quilted outer body

• 1 quilted outer base

• 1 lining body

• 1 lining base (+ optional batting circle)

7. Sew the outer cover 🪡

7.1. Side seam

1. Fold the quilted body right sides together, matching short edges.

2. Sew the side seam with 1 cm (⅜″) allowance.

3. Press the seam open or to one side and topstitch on both sides if you want it flat and strong.

7.2. Attach the bottom

1. Quarter-mark the bottom circle (fold in half, then half again; mark folds).

2. Quarter-mark the bottom edge of your cylinder (match side seam to one mark, opposite side to another).

3. With right sides together, pin or clip the circle to the cylinder, matching quarter marks.

4. Sew slowly around the circle, keeping the cylinder on top and easing the fabric with your fingers.

5. Trim seam allowance a little and clip wedges into it so the circle sits smoothly.

🧵 Tip from Laura Green, bag-making designer

If circles scare you, sew with a shorter stitch length (2.0–2.2 mm) and stop every few centimeters with the needle down to adjust the fabric. This prevents tucks and gives a neat round base.

8. Sew the lining 🩵

Repeat the same steps:

1. Sew the lining side seam, leaving a small gap (6–7 cm) if you want to turn the cover through the lining later.

2. Attach the lining bottom circle to form a cylinder.

3. If you cut an extra batting circle, place it under the lining base before sewing for extra insulation.

Do not turn the lining right side out yet – it should stay wrong side out.

9. Join lining and outer 🌟

1. Turn the quilted outer right side out.

2. Keep the lining wrong side out and slide the outer cover inside the lining, so right sides are touching.

3. Align the top edges and side seams; pin all around.

4. Sew the full circle at the top edge with 1 cm allowance.

5. Turn the whole cover right side out through the gap in the lining seam.

6. Sew the gap closed (by hand or machine).

7. Push the lining inside the cover and press the top edge carefully.

8. Topstitch 2–3 mm from the top edge to keep layers in place.

🧵 Tip from Olivia Brooks, garment sewer

Use steam and a wooden clapper or ruler to press the top edge really crisp. A sharp edge instantly makes the cover look professional and helps it slide on and off the thermos smoothly.

10. Optional extras: cuff & handle 🎀

Quilted cuff or binding

• Add a contrasting bias-bound edge or a folded cuff in a Christmas print.

• For a cuff, cut a strip the same width as the top edge + seam allowance, sew into a ring, fold in half and attach like knit neckband before closing the lining.

Handle or strap

Looking at bottle-holder tutorials and thermos cup wallets, many makers add side handles or cross-body straps for carrying.

1. Cut a strip of cotton webbing or quilted fabric (about 3–4 cm wide, 20–25 cm long).

2. Stitch both ends between outer and lining at the top before you sew the top seam.

3. For an adjustable strap, add D-rings or a snap hook.

11. Inspiration & what we can learn from similar projects 🔍

Sewists all over the world make quilted covers for hot-water bottles and bottles – and their solutions are very useful when designing a thermos sleeve.

a) Quilting style & scrap use

• Tutorials for quilted hot-water-bottle covers often use patchwork HST blocks or improv strips to build the quilted outer first and then cut the bottle shape.

• This approach is perfect if you want to frame the Mouse holds a Christmas ball design with coordinating scraps in reds, creams and golds.

Idea: Patchwork top + plain area for embroidery in the center front.

b) Shape & closure

• Some covers are envelope-style with a back flap; others are simple sleeves sewn as a cylinder with an elastic or drawstring top.

• For a thermos, a straight cylindrical sleeve is faster and fits most bottles, while an envelope style is better for flat hot-water bottles.

For your project: The cylinder with separate base (as in many water-bottle holders) holds the thermos firmly and keeps the mouse embroidery always visible.

c) Insulation level

• Improv hot-water-bottle covers usually use medium-weight cotton batting only – enough for warmth but still easy to sew through.

• For outdoor winter use, you can add thin thermal fleece (Insul-Bright or similar) as an extra layer between outer and lining.

🧵 Tip from Marcus Hill, outdoor-gear sewist

If you use metallic or thermal fleece, place it shiny side towards the thermos to reflect heat back and keep drinks warm longer, but avoid very thick layers – they make the sleeve hard to slide on.

d) Fabric choice & style

• Many bottle and mug cozies mix neutral linen with colorful bindings and buttons for a modern rustic look.

• For this cute mouse, warm cream or light beige outer fabric makes the design pop, while Nordic or Fair-Isle style prints on the cuff or lining echo the winter setting.

e) Practical details

• Bottle-holder tutorials often add pockets, zipper compartments or key clips on the outside.

• For a thermos cover, a small flat pocket (for tea bags, sugar or a napkin) stitched on the back panel is very practical and doesn’t interfere with the embroidery on the front.

12. Final styling ideas 📸✨

• Pair the thermos cover with matching mug rug or mitten embroidery for Instagram-ready winter photos.

• Use the same mouse design on a hat, mittens or a tote bag to create a tiny capsule collection.

• For shop photos, always show steam from a mug, snowy background and the mouse clearly in focus – just like in your reference image.