Jenny Arnott's vibrant hot water bottle cover will make a wonderful gift for a friend or loved one, especially if it's teamed with a set of snuggly PJs! The small size is ideal for cosying up to on the sofa during those long winter evenings and the quilted finish gives it a really homely feel. If you're worried that the design is beyond your stitchy skillset, think again, because it essentially follows the oh-so-easy template of an envelope cushion. Don't believe us? Read on – you'll be shocked at its simplicity

hot water bottle cover

1 Lay patterned fabric the wrong side up. Place the hot water bottle on top and draw around it, adding an extra 3cm all the way around. Repeat with wadding and lining so you have three identical back pieces.

2 The front of the cover is made up of two sections. Using the hot water bottle as a template, cut out the top and bottom pieces from patterned fabric, making sure they overlap by at least 6cm in the middle. Ensure they have an extra 3cm margin all around the outside, as before. Cut wadding and lining to match each piece.

3 For both the back and two front sections, pin together the fabric, wadding and lining in a sandwich. Use a ruler and sharp pencil to draw a 3cm diamond grid on top of each pile. Sew over all the lines with a sewing machine to create a quilted effect. Use a contrasting thread so the stitching stands out.

4 To add a trim to the edges of the two front sections, cut two identical rectangles of turquoise fabric, 5cm x 25cm. On each, fold in both long edges by 1cm. Fold in half again and press. Pin to the straight edge of each front piece and stitch in place with matching thread.

5 Lay the back section right side up. Place the two front pieces on top with right sides down, matching the edges. Pin the three pieces together. Sew all around the outside, through all layers of fabric, with a 1cm seam allowance. Clip the curves. Turn the cover the right way out. Make a small bow from pink velvet ribbon and stitch to the middle of the front section.