Undercover Wine Sleeve — Free Holiday Knit Wine Cozy Pattern by Marly Bird 🍷🌿
Free pattern published July 2026 by Marly Bird. Designing since 2007.
The Undercover Wine Sleeve is a free holiday knit wine bottle cozy pattern designed by Marly Bird. Worked in the round on double-pointed needles using worsted weight yarn, this adventurous beginner pattern features festive two-color stripes, garter stitch borders, and handknitted holly leaves and berries sewn on as embellishments. Fits a standard 750ml wine bottle. 🍷🌿
⚡ Quick Answer:
The Undercover Wine Sleeve is a free adventurous beginner knit pattern. You'll need worsted weight yarn in 5 colors, US 8 (5mm) double-pointed needles, and about 2 evenings to complete the cozy plus the holly embellishments. Cast on 56 sts, work striped stockinette to 9″, decrease for the neck, then knit on the holly leaves and berries. Full free pattern below! 🌿
Hey, bestie 💛 I have been sitting on this pattern idea for a while, and I am SO happy to finally share it. The Undercover Wine Sleeve started as a “what if I made the most extra wine cozy possible” thought… and honestly? It delivered. 😄 We've got festive stripes. We've got a little garter stitch collar. And we've got the tiniest, most adorable knitted holly leaves and berries you've ever seen on a wine bottle.
This is the wine gift you bring to the holiday party when you want everyone to stop mid-conversation and go “wait… did you MAKE that?!” Answer: yes. Yes you did. And it took you two evenings. You're welcome. 🍷🎄
Why You'll Love This Pattern 💖
🎁 It looks incredibly impressive for the skill level. Adventurous beginner is exactly right — you need to be comfortable knitting in the round and doing basic decreases, but that's genuinely it. The holly leaves look like they required some kind of advanced degree. They don't. The pattern walks you through every row.
🧶 One ball of yarn does the whole job. Well… five colors, but you use most of just two. The holly leaves and berries use tiny amounts — this is a stash-buster dream. If you have worsted weight wool scraps in any shade of green and red, you're already set for the embellishments.
🍷 It transforms a $15 bottle into a memorable gift. The handmade factor makes people gasp a little. And since it's knit in the round with simple stripe repeats, it works up rhythmically — the kind of knitting you can do while watching your favorite holiday movie. 🎄
This pattern is for you if you're comfortable knitting in the round on DPNs, have tried color changes before (or want to!), and love a project with a satisfying embellishment finish. You'll come away knowing the jogless stripe technique, how to carry yarn up the inside, and how to knit a simple leaf shape — all genuinely useful skills for future holiday knitting. 💛
💖 What You Will Love
- Impressive results for the effort — looks advanced, knits up in two evenings
- Stash-buster dream — uses most of just two balls; holly embellishments use green + red scraps you probably already have
- Showstopping holiday gift — transforms a $15 bottle into the most-talked-about gift at the party
- Beginner-friendly techniques — knit in the round, basic decreases, color changes — all clearly explained
- Satisfying embellishment finish — holly leaves and berries sewn on separately, so you get two guilt-free knitting sessions
🎓 What You Will Learn
- Knitting in the round on DPNs — casting on and working seamlessly in circular rounds
- Two-color striped stockinette — alternating colors every two rounds for clean, even stripes
- Jogless stripe technique — the trick to eliminating the color jog for perfectly smooth stripes
- Carrying yarn up the inside — keeping floats tidy without cutting yarn at every stripe change
- Knitting a simple leaf shape — yarn-over increases and decrease rows to form the holly leaves flat
- Making a knit berry — a tiny 5-stitch technique that gives you adorable dimensional berries
Quick Pattern Overview
🧶 Craft: Knitting
⭐ Skill Level: Adventurous Beginner — comfortable with knitting in the round, basic decreases (k2tog), and color changes
📏 Finished Size: 11″ x 10″ (27.94 x 25.4 cm) — fits a standard 750ml wine bottle
🧵 Yarn: Worsted weight (#4), 100% superwash merino or similar — approx. 186 yds / 100g for Color A and Color B; just small amounts of Colors C, D, and E for embellishments
🪡 Needles: US 8 (5mm) DPNs for the sleeve body; US 7 (4.5mm) straights or circular for the holly leaves
📐 Gauge: 20 sts = 4″ (10 cm) in stockinette stitch
🎄 Holiday bonus: The holly leaf and berry embellishments are made separately and sewn on — which means you can make the sleeve in an evening and add the holiday details the next day. Two bite-sized knitting sessions = one showstopping gift!
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Yarn & Materials
I originally designed the Undercover Wine Sleeve using Chic Sheep by Marly Bird™ (100% washable merino wool, 186 yds / 170m, worsted weight #4) — my own yarn line. Chic Sheep has since been discontinued, but the good news is that any 100% superwash merino or wool blend in worsted weight will give you beautiful results. See the substitution section below!
The colors I used were: Color A #5327 Mai Tai (warm orange-red) · Color B #5254 Sunset (bright orange) · Color C #5633 Velvet (deep green) · Color D #5632 Polo (olive green) · Color E #5390 Lipstick (red). You can absolutely use any five colors you love — the stripe pattern and leaf shapes look beautiful in any holiday palette.
Yarn Substitutions
For Colors A and B (the main body — you'll use most of each ball), look for a 100% superwash wool or merino wool blend in worsted weight (#4), approximately 186-220 yds per 100g. My top picks:
- Cascade 220 Superwash — 100% superwash wool, 220 yds / 100g. Excellent stitch definition, beautiful color range, and machine washable. One of my favorite Chic Sheep subs.
- KnitPicks Swish Worsted — 100% superwash merino, soft and affordable, gorgeous solid colors. Machine washable and beautifully pigmented.
- Malabrigo Rios — 100% superwash merino, hand-dyed, incredibly soft. A treat-yourself substitute with stunning colorways.
- Berroco Ultra Wool — 100% superwash wool, 219 yds / 100g, crisp stitch definition and great color saturation.
For Colors C, D, and E (just small amounts for the holly leaves and berries!) — any worsted weight scraps in deep green, olive green, and red will do perfectly. This is a great opportunity to use up those single skeins you've been holding onto. 🌿
Needles & Notions
- US 8 (5mm) set of 5 double-pointed needles, or size needed for gauge (sleeve body)
- US 7 (4.5mm) straight or 24″ circular needles (holly leaves — worked flat)
- Stitch marker
- Tapestry needle (for sewing embellishments and weaving ends)
Undercover Wine Sleeve || Pattern Details
Skill Level
Adventurous Beginner
Measurements
To Fit: Average wine bottle (standard 750ml)
Finished Measurements: 11″ x 10″ (27.94 x 25.4 cm)
Gauge
20 sts = 4″ (10 cm) in stockinette stitch
Materials
Yarn: Red Heart Yarn Chic Sheep by Marly Bird™ (100% washable merino wool, 186 yds / 170 m, 3.5 oz/100 g), CYCA 4 worsted — or approved substitute (see above)
| Color | Colorway | Amount |
| Color A | #5327 Mai Tai | 1 ball |
| Color B | #5254 Sunset | 1 ball |
| Color C | #5633 Velvet | Just a bit |
| Color D | #5632 Polo | Just a bit |
| Color E | #5390 Lipstick | Just a bit |
Needles:
- US 8 (5mm) set of 5 double-pointed needles, or size required for gauge
- US 7 (4.5mm) straight or 24″ circular needles
Notions:
Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
| Beg | Begin(ning) |
| K | Knit |
| K2tog | Knit 2 together |
| P | Purl |
| P2tog | Purl 2 together |
| Psso | Pass slip stitch over |
| Sl | Slip |
| Sl1wyif | Slip next stitch purlwise with yarn in front of work |
| St(s) | Stitch(es) |
| Yo | Yarn over |
Pattern Stitches
Stockinette Stitch in the round: All rounds: Knit. Repeat for pattern.
Garter Stitch in the round: Round 1: Purl. Round 2: Knit. Repeat rounds 1 and 2 for pattern.
Video Tutorials
Notes
- Sleeve pattern is worked in the round
- Colors change every two rounds and carry color up on the inside
- Use jogless stripe technique when changing colors — see the Designer Tip in the Notes section above for float-management guidance
- Holly leaves and berries are made flat and sewn onto the finished sleeve
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Undercover Wine Sleeve || Pattern Instructions
Bottom Edge
With Color A, and larger double-pointed needles, cast on 56 sts.
Place marker for the beginning of the round if needed.
Rounds 1–4: Work in Garter stitch pattern (see Pattern Stitches above).
Neck Edge
Continue with color sequence.
Round 1: *K2tog; repeat from * around — 28 sts.
Round 2: Knit
Round 3: Purl
Round 4: Knit
Round 5: Purl
Bind off all sts knitwise.
Finishing
Weave in all loose ends.
After blocking and drying, sew the holly leaves and berries onto the finished sleeve (see Holly Leaves & Berries section below). Arrange them near the top of the cozy for the most festive effect. 🌿
Holly Leaves & Berries Pattern
These little embellishments are what make the Undercover Wine Sleeve truly special. 🌿 Each one is knitted flat — make one larger leaf (Color C), one smaller leaf (Color D), and three berries (Color E), then sew them together into a sprig on the finished cozy.
LARGER LEAF
With Color C, and smaller needles, cast on 3 sts
Rows 1-3: Knit
Row 4: K1, yo, k1, yo, k1 — 5 sts.
Row 5: K1, p to last st, k1
Row 6: K2, yo, k1, yo, k2 — 7 sts.
Row 7: K1, p to last st, k1
Row 8: K3, yo, k1, yo, k3 — 9 sts.
Row 9: K1, p to last st, k1
Row 10: K4, yo, k1, yo, k4 — 11 sts.
Row 11: Bind off 3 sts, p to last st, k1 — 8 sts.
Row 12: Bind off 3 sts, (1 st on needle) k1, yo, k1, yo, k2 — 7 sts.
Row 13: K1, p to last st, k1
Row 14: K3, yo, k1, yo, k3 — 9 sts.
Row 15: K1, p to last st, k1
Row 16: K4, yo, k1, yo, k4 — 11 sts.
Row 17: K1, p to last st, k1
Row 18: K5, yo, k1, yo, k5 — 13 sts.
Row 19: Bind off 4 sts, p to last st, k1 — 9 sts.
Row 20: Bind off 4 sts, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2 — 7 sts.
Row 21: K1, p to last st, k1
Row 22: K3, yo, k1, yo, k3 — 9 sts.
Row 23: K1, p2, p3tog, p2, k1 –7 sts.
Row 24: K2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k2 –5 sts.
Row 25: K1, p3tog, k1 –3 sts.
Row 26: K3tog.
Fasten off.
Leave a long tail to use for sewing to sleeve.
SMALLER LEAF
With Color D, and smaller needles, cast on 3 sts
Rows 1-3: Knit
Row 4: K1, yo, k1, yo, k1 — 5 sts.
Row 5: K1, p to last st, k1.
Row 6: K2, yo, k1, yo, k2 — 7 sts.
Row 7: K1, p to last st, k1.
Row 8: K3, yo, k1, yo, k3 — 9 sts.
Row 9: K1, p to last st, k1.
Row 10: K4, yo, k1, yo, k4 — 11 sts.
Row 11: Bind off 3 sts, p to last st, k1 — 8 sts.
Row 12: Bind off 4 sts, (1 st on needle) k2tog, k1 — 3 sts.
Row 13: Sl1wyif, p2tog, psso — 1 st.
Fasten off.
Leave a long tail to use for sewing to sleeve.
BERRIES (make 3)
With Color E, and smaller needles, cast on 1 st, leave a long tail!
Row 1: [(K1, yo) twice, k1] all in 1 st — 5 sts.
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: Sl 2 stitches as if to knit (one at a time), k3tog, pass 2 slipped sts over knit st.
Fasten off.
Leave a long tail to use for sewing to sleeve.
Tie both ends together to form a berry.
More Holiday Wine Cozy Patterns You'll Love 🍷
If the Undercover Wine Sleeve has you in full holiday hostess-gift mode, I have more free wine cozy patterns right here on the blog for you! Whether you crochet, knit, or love to do both… there's a pattern waiting for you. 💛
- Pour Decisions Crochet Wine Cozy — free adventurous beginner crochet pattern with a lacy body and leather strap closure. The crochet companion to this pattern! 🧵
- All Buttoned Up Knitted Wine Bottle Cover — another free knit wine cozy from me, with simple stitches and six sweet buttons down the front. Easy level, great first wine cozy knit! 🪡
- Knit Wine Cozies — A Festive Trio — three free knit wine bottle cozy patterns in one post, each with a different look and skill level. Perfect if you want to knit a matching set! 🎁
- Holiday Wine Cozy Patterns Roundup — 25+ free and paid holiday wine cozy patterns, crochet and knit! Browse the full collection including patterns from other designers I love. 🍷
Frequently Asked Questions
What yarn can I use instead of Chic Sheep for the Undercover Wine Sleeve?
Since Chic Sheep by Marly Bird has been discontinued, any 100% superwash merino or wool blend in worsted weight (#4) works beautifully. Great options include Cascade 220 Superwash, KnitPicks Swish Worsted, Malabrigo Rios, and Berroco Ultra Wool — all around 186-220 yds per 100g. For Colors C, D, and E (just a tiny bit for the embellishments!), any worsted weight scraps in deep green, olive green, and red work perfectly.
What are the finished measurements of the Undercover Wine Sleeve?
The finished sleeve measures 11″ x 10″ (27.94 x 25.4 cm) and is designed to fit a standard 750ml wine bottle. For a champagne bottle (slightly taller and narrower), add 2-3 inches of length and cast on 4-6 fewer stitches. Sparkling cider bottles are nearly identical in shape to a standard wine bottle and should fit as-written!
How do I do the jogless stripe technique?
The jogless stripe technique eliminates the little “step” that naturally appears when you change colors in the round. When you start the second round of a new color, lift the right leg of the stitch from the round below up onto your left needle, then knit it together with the first stitch of the round. It sounds fiddly but becomes second nature quickly — and the result is perfectly smooth stripes with no visible jog. I have a YouTube video linked in the pattern above that walks through every step!
How do I make the holly leaves look neat?
Two things make the biggest difference: consistent tension on the yarn over rows (the increases — don't pull too tight!) and blocking the leaves before sewing them on. Even a quick damp press with a blocking mat and pins will help the leaves lay completely flat and show off their pretty lobed shape. Let them dry fully before sewing them onto the sleeve, and use the long tail you left to anchor each piece securely.
Can I sell items made from the Undercover Wine Sleeve pattern?
Yes! You're welcome to sell finished wine cozies made from this free pattern. I just ask that you credit “Pattern by Marly Bird” and include a link back to this post when you share them online. Thank you for supporting handmade! 💛
Can I customize the size for a different bottle?
Absolutely! The sleeve is a simple tube, so sizing adjustments are very straightforward. For a larger bottle: increase your cast-on count in increments of 4 (to keep the stripe repeat clean) and add length as needed. For a smaller bottle: reduce the cast-on by 4-8 stitches and knit a shorter body. Just keep your gauge consistent and measure the bottle at its widest point to calculate your stitch count.
Final Thoughts 💛
I am so excited that the Undercover Wine Sleeve is finally out in the world! 🎉 There is something SO satisfying about putting a handknitted wine bottle cozy on a bottle and watching someone's face when they realize those little leaves are actually knitted. That moment never gets old.
If you make one (or twelve — no judgment! 😄), please share it with me. Tag @marlybird on Instagram or Facebook and use #MMMDI (Marly Made Me Do It), #MarlyBird, and #UndercoverWineSleeve so I can find you and cheer you on. I want to see every single set of those holly leaves. 🌿💛
❤️ Your BiCrafty Bestie,
Marly Bird
Categories: Chic Sheep by Marly Bird Patterns, Free Patterns, Knitting, Our Free Patterns, Pattern
