23 rounds · filed under dense · 21 of them
Home decor · added 25 Oct 2026
Striped Honeybee Mug Coaster Crochet Pattern
Single crochet builds a firm, flat coaster fabric shaped like a striped honeybee with appliqué wings.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Hook
- 4 mm
- Yarn
- Worsted
- Rounds
- 21
About this pattern
Worked entirely in single crochet, the body comes out dense and flat under your hand, with almost no give between stitches. That tightness is the point: it keeps the oval sitting still on a table instead of curling at the edges, and it gives the black and yellow stripes a crisp, blocky edge instead of a blurred one. Run a finger across a finished stripe and you can feel each row as a distinct ridge, which is what makes the bee pattern read clearly even from across a table.
The finished shape is a rounded oval body with two separate cream wings and a pair of curled antennae stitched on top, so you end up assembling a small flat object rather than shaping a continuous piece. Once it is together, set a mug or a small votive on the body and the stripes stay visible around the edges. Because it lies flat and holds its shape, it also works well as a trivet-style accent on a shelf or windowsill between uses.
The swatch in numbers
- Rounds
- 21
- Parts
- 4
- Level
- Intermediate
- Time
- 4-6 hours
- Hook
- 4 mm
- Yarn
- Worsted
The yarn and the hook
- Worsted weight cotton yarn in yellow, black, cream, and optional dark brown
- 4 mm (US G/6) crochet hook
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- Stitch markers
- Optional fabric-safe stuffing for slight wing shaping
Stitches, spelled out
ch chain; sc single crochetDense; inc increase, work 2 sc in the same stitch; dec decrease, single crochet two stitches together; sl st slip stitch; st stitch; RS right side; WS wrong side; UK equivalent note sc is called double crochet (dc) in UK terminology..
Tension and hand-feel
After the first few rows of the main body, lay the piece flat and check that it measures close to 18 single crochet stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches, since that is the gauge the pattern is built on.
Main Pattern
Main Pattern
Project Details
Project Name Honeybee Mug Coaster Skill Level Easy to confident beginner Finished Size Approximately 6.5 inches x 5 inches (16.5 x 12.7 cm)
Yarn Suggested worsted weight cotton yarn, approximately 70 yards (64 meters) total Hook Recommended 4 mm (US G/6) crochet hook
Gauge Approximately 18 single crochet stitches x 20 rows = 4 inches (10 cm)
Terminology US crochet terms
Special Stitch
Single Crochet Increase: Work two single crochet stitches into the same stitch to widen the shape.
Single Crochet Decrease: Insert hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into the following stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through all loops.
How the texture is built
- Each body row opens with an increase at both ends (Row 2: 8 to 10 sc, Row 4: 10 to 12 sc), which widens the oval evenly from both sides rather than skewing the shape to one edge.
- The body is worked flat in turned rows instead of in the round, which keeps the fabric from curling into a cup shape and lets it sit true against a table surface under a mug.
- The wing piece is built with its own increase-then-decrease sequence (5 to 7 sc, then back to 5 sc) so it forms a closed, rounded shape on its own before it ever touches the body, which is why it can be sewn on afterward rather than crocheted in place.
Putting the pieces together
If you swap the yarn
| Acrylic worsted weight | Keeps the same hook and stitch count but gives softer drape and less stitch definition, so the stripe edges look slightly less crisp than with cotton. |
|---|---|
| DK weight cotton | Produces a smaller, thinner coaster than the stated 6.5 by 5 inch size and needs a smaller hook to keep the fabric from feeling loose. |
| Cotton-blend worsted with a touch of stuffing fiber | Works at the same hook size but allows a bit more loft in the wings if you want them to sit up slightly rather than lie flat. |
Colorways
- Classic honeybee Yellow on the body's base rows, black on the alternating stripe rows, cream for both wings, and black for the two antennae.
- Soft meadow bee Pale yellow in place of golden yellow on the body stripes, dark brown instead of black for the contrast stripes and antennae, and cream left as is for the wings.
Washing and blocking
Hand wash or use a gentle machine cycle inside a protective bag, since cotton yarn holds up to repeated washing better than it does to wringing or twisting.
Lay the coaster flat to air dry rather than hanging it, which keeps the oval body from stretching out of shape while damp.
Store it flat rather than folded so the single crochet rows and sewn-on wings keep their blocked shape between uses.
When it does not look right
- The coaster cups or domes instead of lying flat under a mug.
- This usually means the increases at the row ends are missing or doubled up; check that each marked increase row adds stitches evenly at both edges, and block the finished piece flat with a light mist of water.
- The wings do not sit flat against the body after sewing.
- The wing piece is shaped by its own increase-decrease sequence, so if it puckers, the sewing stitches are likely pulled too tight; loosen the seam and tack it at fewer points along the curved edge.
Questions people ask
What size coaster does this pattern make?
The finished body measures approximately 6.5 by 5 inches, which is sized to sit under a standard mug while still showing the stripe pattern around the edges.
Why is the body worked flat instead of in rounds?
Turned rows keep the single crochet fabric lying true and resistant to curling, which matters for a coaster that needs to stay flat on a table under weight.
Can this pattern be made larger for a mug rug or wall piece?
Yes, the notes mention adding extra stitches between the beginning increases to widen the body, which keeps the same oval shape but scales it up for a mug rug or wall display.
Does the wing need any stuffing?
Stuffing is optional; a small amount of fabric-safe stuffing gives the wing slight dimension, but the piece holds its shape from the increase-decrease rows even without it.
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