Free Crochet Hot Water Bottle Cover Pattern: Comfort with a Floral Twist

I’m excited to share with you this year’s hot water bottle cover refresh!  My retro-meets-modern design combines an 8-petal flower crochet granny square with a simple envelope construction to create the perfect cozy companion.

It’s a fun, stash-busting crochet project that lets you play with colour combinations and once finished, your cover will keep you warm and snug on chilly evenings.

Every couple of years, I design a new cover to replace my old one, and the Cosmos feels like a fresh, cheerful update for this season. Whether you go bold or soft with your colours, each cover has its own charm — no two will ever look the same!

The full crochet pattern is free below, however, if you prefer to work from a PDF, this pattern is available in my Etsy and Ravelry stores.

Jump to:  Materials  |  Flower Granny Square Instructions  |  Free Crochet Pattern | Pin for Later

Skill Level

Easy (increasing and decreasing to shape the cover, basic crochet stitches, envelope closure)

Measurements

My Cosmos hot water bottle cover fits a standard 2 litre hot water bottle.

Actual size of hot water bottle:  37cm x 20.5cm

Finished size of cover: 38cm x 22cm (positive ease for partially filled hot water bottle)

Flower Granny Square: 20cm x 20cm

Materials

• Chunky/Bulky Yarn (#5):  Yarn A (white) small amount for centre of flower; Yarn B (blue) 149yds/136m;  Yarn C (orange) 149yds/136m
• 6mm Crochet Hook (flower granny square)
• 5mm Hook (rest of the cover)

I use Clover Amour hooks

• Dressmaker Pins

I use these plum head and butterfly pins

• Scissors
• Yarn Needle

Yarn Choices

I used Paintbox Simply Chunky which is yarn I had left over from my chunky stripes throw and this project seemed like a good use of the smaller amounts!

Although it’s 100% acrylic, it does have a cotton texture and my dye lot numbers are soft. 

This yarn is hardwearing and easy to care for at a 30 degrees machine wash – your cover should stay in shape and be usable not just for one colder season but last for many (unless you want a refresh!  Every couple of years I refresh my hot water bottle cover – 2021 it was my owl cover, 2023 it was my cable cover and this year I’ve designed the Cosmos cover).

When I tested the thickness of the yarn, it came in at 7 wraps per inch (wpi) which falls in the middle of #5 chunky weight (chunky/bulky = 6 to 8 wpi).  With this in mind, you can substitute any chunky yarn.  And because you only need smaller amounts of 3 colours, you might have exactly what you need already in your yarn stash.

Gauge

With a 5mm hook

13 stitches and 8 rows of double crochet = 4” x 4”

Stitches You Need to Know

• Single crochet (sc)
• Single crochet 2 together (sc2tog)
• Single crochet back loop only (scblo)
• Double crochet (dc)
• Double crochet 2 together (dc2tog)
• Slip stitch (sl st)

If you need help working any of these stitches, instructions are in my stitch library.

Abbreviations

I have used these common abbreviations in my pattern:

• Beginning (beg)
• Chain/s (ch/s)
• Decrease (decr)
• Each (ea)
• Increase (incr)
• Remaining (rem)
• Repeat (rep)
• Right Hand Side (RHS)
• Right Side (RS)
• Space/s (sp/s)
• Stitch/es (st/s)
• Wrong Side (WS)

How to Crochet the Cosmos Crochet Hot Water Bottle Cover

In this section, I’m setting out the process of crocheting the cover.

After the diagram, the numbered notes correspond to the numbers on the image.

1. The front begins with the flower granny square.  The square is extended at the bottom first and then at the top.  Shaping at the bottom and top are made by working 2 stitches together on either side of the cover. Once extended, chains are made for the bottle/cover neck.  Yarn is not fastened off.
2. The upper back continues by working into the chains.  Increases are made to match the shaping on the front.  Increases are made by working 2 stitches in the first and last stitches. Yarn is fastened off.  The lower back is worked separately from the bottom to the top.  Increases are made to match the front cover.
3. Ribbing around the neck opening is worked to a double height so that it can be folded over around the neck opening.   

Before assembly, you have the option to neaten the edges with Yarn B.  I would recommend you do this as it coordinates the colours and makes it easier to not only work the seam but you’ll be working the seam through one colour (you’ll be seaming through both Yarn A and Yarn B if you don’t).

The edging is a round of single crochet.  This is repeated all around on both front and back.

Assembly instructions are included in the written instructions – I didn’t want to repeat myself 🙂

Ready to take your granny squares to the next level? You’ll find plenty of inspiration in my granny square cardigan patterns roundup.

Pattern Notes

• Instructions for the flower square are separate to the instructions for the pattern.
• Chain 1 does not count as a stitch.
• Flower square chain 3 counts as a double crochet.
• Rest of cover chain 2 counts as a double crochet.
• The flower granny square is worked with a 6mm hook.
• The rest of the cover is worked with a 5mm hook.
• Lower Back row 1, work in back bumps of chain.
• Repeated instructions are worked between *
• Stitches worked in the same stitch are shown like this [   ]
• Rounds are joined with a slip stitch.
• The top of each cosmos petal in the granny square is the space between the posts of the top two double crochet stitches (not the stitches but between the posts)
• When seaming the sides and bottom of the cover, make sure you are working through the three layers of the envelope closure.
• Weave in ends as you go.

Cosmos Flower Granny Square Instructions (US terms)

Below you’ll find photos, written instructions, and exactly what you’re doing in each round.

With Yarn A and 6mm hook

Ch4, sl st to 1^st ch to join, ch3

Round 1: 15dc into centre of ring, join (16dc)

Fasten off and weave in ends

(creates the centre of the flower)

Join Yarn B in any st

Round 2: *sc in next 2 sts, ch7, working back down ch, sc in 2^nd ch from hook, sc in next 5 chs, * rep around, sl st through 1^st sc of round

(sets up petals)

Continuing with Yarn B

Round 3: sc in next sc, working up petal, *sc in 1^st st, hdc in next st, dc in next 3 sts, 3dc in last st, working back down petal, 3dc in next st, dc in next 3 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next st, sc in next st, * rep around, sl st through next st to join

Fasten off

(shapes petals)

With Yarn C, place a slip knot on hook

Working on WS and using 1^st sc of petals from round 3 (top left photo above)

Round 4: * insert hook on inner side of 2 adjoining petals, sc, ch4, * rep around, sl st through 1^st sc of round

(makes a chain on the back of the flower to work the granny stitch in the following round)

Continuing with Yarn C and working on RS around ch4 from prev round

Round 5: ch3, [2dc, ch1] around 1^st ch4, [3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1] around 2^nd ch4, [3dc, ch1] around 3^rd ch4, [3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1] around 4^th ch4,  [3dc, ch1] around 5^th ch4, [3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1] around 6^th ch, [3dc, ch1] around 7^th ch,  [3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1] around 8^th ch4, sl st to beg ch3 to join, sl st to ch-1 sp

(uses chains from previous round to work a granny stitch round)

Round 6

Ch3, [2dc, ch1] in 1^st ch1-sp

[3dc, ch1] in ea following ch-1 sp, [3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1] in ea ch-2 corner sp around, sl st to beg ch3 to join, sl st to ch-1 sp

(Granny stitch round)

Continuing with Yarn C

Top of each petal is the space between posts of 2 top dc

Round 7: [2dc, ch1] in 1^st ch-1 sp

in ea ch-2 corner sp, 1dc, yarn over, insert hook through top st of petal and into ch-2 sp, yarn over, pull through to complete the dc, 1dc, ch2, 1dc in same corner sp, insert hook through same top st of petal and into ch-2 sp, yarn over, pull through to complete the dc, 1dc in same corner sp

apart from 1^st ch-1 sp, in ea ch-1 sp, [3dc, ch1]

(secures top of 4 Cosmos petals to corner spaces while working granny stitch)

Continuing with Yarn C

Top of each petal is the space between posts of 2 top dc

Round 8:  ch3, dc in next 2 sts, *dc in ch1-sp, dc in next 3 sts, [3dc, ch2, 3dc] in corner sp, dc in next 3 sts, dc in ch1-sp, dc in next 3 sts, dc in ch1-sp, dc in next st, yarn over, insert hook in top st of petal and through dc, yarn over, pull through (dc made), dc in next st, dc in ch-1 sp, dc in next 3 sts, * rep around, join with sl st to beg ch3

Fasten off

(secures remaining petals to central 3dc group of granny stitch while working double crochet)

Granny square complete

If you’d like to try more flower-inspired motifs, check out my free flower granny square pattern roundup for more beautiful designs.

Cosmos Crochet Hot Water Bottle Cover Instructions (US terms)

Make 1

Flower Granny square (see separate section)

Change to 5mm hook for rem pattern

Extending the bottom of the granny square

Choose which is the top and which is the bottom of the granny square

Rejoin Yarn C on RS at the bottom in ch-2 sp, ch2

Row 1: dc in ea st across working last dc in ch-2 sp, ch2, turn (24 sts)

Row 2: dc in ea st across, ch2, turn (24 sts)

Row 3 (decr): dc2tog, dc to last 2 sts, dc2tog, ch2, turn (22 sts)

Row 4 (decr): rep row 3, ch1, turn (20 sts)

Row 5 (decr): sc2tog, sc to last 2 sts, sc2tog (18 sts)

Fasten off

Extending the top of the granny square

Rejoin yarn C on RS at top of granny square in ch2-sp

Row 1: dc in ea st across, working last dc in ch-2 sp, ch2, turn (24 sts)

Row 2 (decr): dc2tog, dc to last 2 sts, dc2tog, ch2, turn (22 sts)

Row 3 (decr): rep row 2 (20 sts)

Row 4 (decr): rep row 2, ch1, turn (18 sts)

Row 5 (neck opening): sc in 1^st st, sc in next 2 sts, ch2, sk 12 sts, sc in last 3 sts, ch2, turn

DO NOT FASTEN OFF (pattern continues on upper back)

Upper Back

Row 1 (incr): dc in 1^st st, dc in next 2 sts, dc in ea of 12 chs, dc in next 2 sts, 2dc in last st, ch2, turn (20 sts)

Row 2 (incr): dc in 1^st st, dc across to last st, 2dc in last st, ch2, turn (22 sts)

Row 3 (incr): rep row 2 (24 sts)

Row 4 – 11: dc in ea st across, at end of last row, ch1, turn (24 sts)

Row 12: sl st in ea st across

Fasten off

Front and Upper Back complete

Lower Back

With Yarn B

Ch 21

Row 1: sc in 2^nd ch from hook, sc in ea ch across, ch2, turn (20 sts)

Row 2 (incr): dc in 1^st st, dc in ea st across to last st, 2dc in last st, ch2, turn (22 sts)

Row 3 (incr): rep row 2 (24 sts)

Row 4 – 17: dc in ea st across, ch1, turn (24 sts)

Row 18: sl st in ea st across

Fasten off

Lower Back complete

Ribbed Neck

With Yarn B and 5mm hook, working on RS, join yarn at neck edge on RHS

Ch 18

Working back down ch

Sc in 2^nd ch from hook, sc in ea ch to neck edge, sl st in next 2 sts on neck edge, turn

*Working back up sts

Scblo to last st, sc in last st, ch1, turn

Sc in 1^st st, scblo to neck edge, sl st in next 2 sts on neck edge

* rep around

Ribbed Seam

Sl st through 1 loop on ea ribbing edge to close

Fasten off

Fold over ribbed neck

Optional Edging (to neaten and coordinate)

Front, Upper Back, Lower Back

Front and Upper Back

Working on RS with Yarn B and 5mm hook

Join yarn at bottom right (as you look at cover) and work sc evenly around front and upper back placing 3 sc in last st of corners

Join with sl st

Fasten off

Lower Back

Rep edging instructions around the edges of lower back

Fasten off

Assembly

To assemble the cover:

1. Place the front and upper back flat with the wrong side facing outwards.
2. The lower back is placed right side facing outwards at the bottom of the cover, lined up to match the lower front.
3. The upper back is flipped over and lined up to match the upper front. 

Pin in place. 

The seam is made on the right side of the work from the shoulder of the cover to the bottom, along the bottom, and back up to the shoulder on the opposite side. 

With Yarn B, slip stitch evenly to close, making sure you work through all 3 layers of fabric for the envelope closure.

Congratulations!  You have finished your hot water bottle cover.

Copyright Notice

The pattern and photographs of this design are the property of Sharon Goodwin at Jera’s Jamboree.  This pattern and design are subject to copyright and are for personal, non-commercial use only.  You may not share, resell, alter or redistribute this pattern in part or in whole. You may, however, sell any finished items you make.  If you would like to include this pattern in a roundup, you may take one photo and link back to this pattern.

I hope you enjoy crocheting the Cosmos Hot Water Bottle Cover! Its mix of floral texture and cozy stitches making it a lovely seasonal project — or a wonderful handmade gift for someone special.

I always love seeing your finished makes — don’t forget to share in my Jera’s Jamboree Crochet Community so I can admire your creations 🙂

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