Show Topics
I used less than half a skein of each colour, and this wool is super cheap and very warm. So you can make an awesome tea cosy easily in a weekend (even a beginner!) for about £2. Awesome.
I used.... New Lanark Aran. I forget what the colours were... i think one was blueberry. Anyway, they are 100% wool. Careful not to wash and felt! Proper wool is awesome for tea cosies to keep your tea extra warm in this stupid cold weather.
CO 52
Rows 1 - 4: K2, P2 (to end of row) in colour 1.
Rows 5 - 8: K2, P2 (to end of row) in colour 2.
keep doing this in alternate stripes of whatever you fancy!
i did 12 stripes at 4 rows each (48 rows)
Row 49: K2tog, P2tog (repeat to end of row)
don't bind off, leave it on a spare needle or a stitch marker and put to one side.
Do another piece in exactly the same way (including row 49)
then.... the clever bit...
take the two pieces and drawstring them together. Just use a darning needle threaded with the colour of the final stripe (so it looks all neat and tidy). Pick up all the stitches from the first piece then with wrong sides together (doesn't really matter which is wrong side, you decide based on which is messy!) pick up all the stitches from the second piece you made.
then pull tight in a drawstring and sew over to secure it.
then seam the sides with spaces for handle and spout (do this
as works best for you, tea pots vary).
to make it look super duper try to get the stripes to match up. i found it easiest to do this by starting at the bottom and working up; left a nice clean bottom edge.
then make a beautiful pom pom and fix to the top! i like to make pom poms with both the colours used, makes it look all clever when it isn't really!
you can always sew on cute little things after like buttons or little birds or bees... or even little tea bags! i wouldn't that advise the latter; perfect waste of a tea bag.
this patter also can be adapted to make a coffee pot/cafetiere warmer. Just don't cast on as many and make it longer.
