I eat ice cream straight from the pint but I don't like how cold my fingers get. Wrapping my pint in a cloth napkin worked for a little while but I thought I deserved something better. Now you can sew a fabric sleeve for yourself. It'll keep your fingers from freezing off while you eat!

In this instructable you will design a pattern and sew one cozy. The pattern can be reused because pints of ice cream are pretty much standardized.

These instructions would also work for making a cozy for to-go coffee cups. Just use a cardboard coffee cup instead of a pint of ice cream to make the pattern. You can use your own fabric cozy and skip the cardboard sleeves at the coffee shop - save the trees!

Step 1: Materials List

Pint of ice cream
Spoon
Writing utensil
Freezer Paper
Scissors (and a rotary cutter if you have one)
Pins
Fabric
Fleece
Thread
Sewing machine

Step 2: Making the Pattern

Eat a pint of ice cream. Wash out the pint.

Step 3: Trace the Cozy

Trace the outline of your cozy around the pint.

Leave some room at the top and bottom. You don't want it right to the top because it'll get ice cream on it every time you eat and you don't want it right to the bottom because if you sew it too tightly, the cozy won't slip all the way onto the pint.

Step 4: Measure

Measure how much of the cardboard overlaps at the seam and write it down.

Step 5: Tear It Apart

Carefully pull the pint apart along the seam where it is glued together. Toss out the cardboard base (the circle at the bottom of the pint).

Step 6: Cut

Cut along the lines you drew.

Step 7: And Now for a Little Math.

Picture 1: Lay the cardboard down on a piece of paper and trace it.

Pints of ice cream usually overlap just a small amount. I want a one-inch overlap because I find it easier to sew. Figure out how much to add to each side by using this amazing formula:

x = measurement you took in step 4 (You wrote this down, right?)
y = how much you need to add to the pattern so your fabric cozy will overlap 1 inch

1 - x = y

Divide y in half and add that much to each side of the cozy.

**Mine overlapped 6/16 of an inch. Using the formula I get 1 - 6/16 = 10/16
Half of 10/16 is 5/16. I added 5/16 of an inch to each side of my cozy.

Pictures 2 - 4: Read the notes on each photo for tips on how to easily add the desired amount in a neat and tidy way.

Picture 5: The finished pattern!

Step 8: Pattern Is Done - Time to Work on Your Cozy!

You now have a pattern! Don't cut up this pattern. Your friends will want one of these and you don't need to go to the trouble of making a new pattern each time.

This time and every time you make a cozy, just trace the pattern onto another piece of paper.

Step 9: Pin the Fabrics

Iron your fabric (don't iron the fleece - it's a pain and there's really no point).

Lay your fabrics and tracing down in this order:

one piece of fabric (right-side-down), a piece of fleece, one piece of fabric (right-side-up), tracing of your pattern.

Pin it all together making sure your pins go through all the layers.

Step 10: Cut

Cut along the lines.

Remove the paper from the fabric (don't unpin it - just carefully tear off the paper).

Step 11: Sew Around the Edges

Set your sewing machine to do a straight line and sew along the edges of the fabric (I go around twice) removing pins as you go.

Step 12: Sew It Into a Ring

Picture 1: Overlap the ends one inch and pin.

Pictures 2-3: Set your machine to zig-zag. Zig-zag over the edges on that side.

Picture 4:Turn over and zig-zag the seam.