Tea Cosy Trio Knitting Pattern: Small, Medium, and Large Designs with Customizable Decorations

Tea Cosy Trio

This knitting pattern is for 3 tea cosies. A small cherry cake tea cosy (2 cup or personal teapot), medium rainbow hearts tea cosy (4-6 cup teapot, this will fit the majority of standard teapots), and large loopy flowers tea cosy (big 8 cup teapot). All the decorations are made separately and can be applied to any of the bodies so you can easily pick a body and decoration pattern to mix and match - to make the cosy design you like in the size you want. They knit up quickly and are worked flat on two needles. A photo tutorial for making the loopy flowers is included. The cosy bodies are knitted in aran weight yarn, the yarn is worked doubled (with 2 strands of the main colour held together throughout) so you will need to have two working balls of your main yarn. Decorations are made in small amounts of double knitting (DK) yarn, a great way to use up leftover wool from other projects!

Copyright Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com

Abbrevations:

k: knit p: purl ss: stocking stitch (stocking stitch, stockinette: knit and purl alternate rows) sl: slip a stitch psso: pass slipped stitch over k2tog: knit two together p2tog: purl two together DPNs: double-pointed needles

Needles

Straight needles 3.75 mm (for large cosy only) 4 mm 6 mm Double-pointed needles (for making icord on medium cosy only) 4 mm Tapestry needle for sewing up Copyright ? Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com

Yarn

Hayfield (Sirdar) Bonus Aran (80% acrylic, 20% wool) Small cosy: shade 872 Barley, allow 50g Medium cosy: shade 827 Sapphire, allow 75g Large cosy: shade 934 Green Heather, allow 100g Decorations: any DK yarn (leftover yarn from other projects is ideal) Small: 15g of cream coloured DK, small amount of red DK Medium: 10 different colours of DK for the hearts, approx. 30g in total. Small amount of light grey coloured aran or chunky for making icord. Large: Small amount of white, hot pink and pale yellow DK Gauge for all cosy bodies: (knit a swatch using two strands together as in pattern) ches and 18 rows to 10 cm by 10 cm in stocking stitch (stockinette

Copyright Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com

Small Cherry Cake Tea Cosy (2 cup or personal teapot size)

To fit teapots with circumference up to 40cm, height up to 15 cm. The cosy is flexible so these measurements are an approximate guide. Yarn for body: use two strands of aran shade Barley (brown) held together throughout. Allow 50g for decoration: 15g of cream coloured DK, small amount of red Dr Copyright @ Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com

Body (make 2)

Using your two strands of body colour and 6 mm needles, cast on 18 stitches Rows 1-2: Knit Row 3:Purl Row 4: kfb, k to last stitch, kfb (20) Row 5:Purl Row 6: kfb, k to last stitch, kfb (22) Rows 7-17: starting with a purl row, work these 11 rows in ss Row 18: sl 1, k1, psso, knit to last two stitches, k2tog (20) Rows 19-23: starting with a purl row, work in ss Row 24: k2tog three times, knit to last 6 stitches, k2tog 3 times (14) Row 25: k2tog twice, knit to last 4 stitches, k2tog twice (10) Bind off Make second half of body the same.

Decoration

Frosting: Using 4 mm needles and cream DK, cast on 150 sts. Starting with a knit row, work 6 rows in ss. Bind off all stitches. This gives you a long strip which curls up at the edge. (Note: If you want to use this decoration for the larger cosy sizes, CO 200 sts for medium and 250 for large) Cherry: Using 4 mm needles and red DK, cast on 4 sts. Rows 1 and 2: kfb in every stitch Rows 3-6: starting with a purl row, work in ss Rows 7-8: k2tog to end Bind off Assemble cherry by rolling up a small amount of polyester toy filling into a ball and stuffing it into the piece, then stitch up around the filling to form a ball. You can use a polystyrene bead for the filling if you prefer.

Make up body:

Sew the top and side of the cosy sections together, allowing a 9 cm opening in the seam on each side for the spout and handle to pass through. Copyright Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com

Apply decoration:

Arrange the cream strip of frosting in a spiral around the top of the cosy, taking care not to block the slit openings at the sides and stitch into place. Then sew the cherry in place on top in the middle.

Medium Rainbow Hearts Tea Cosy (4-6 cup fits most standard teapots)

To fit teapots with circumference up to 50cm, height up to 18 cm. The cosy is flexible so these measurements are an approximate guide. Yarn for body: use two strands of aran shade Sapphire (blue) held together throughout.Allow 75g Yarn for decoration: DK yarn, 10 different colours are used in the pictured cosy, allow approximately 30g in total. Small amount of chunky or aran weight yarn for making the icord bow. Copyright ? Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com

Body (make 2):

ur two strands of body colour and 6 mm needles, cast on 24 stitche Rows 1-2: Knit Row 3: kfb, k to last stitch, kfb (26) Row 4: purl Row 5: kfb, k to last stitch, kfb (28) Row 6: purl Row 7: kfb, k to last stitch, kfb (30) Rows 8-18: starting with a purl row, work these rows in ss Row 19: sl1, k1, psso, knit to last 2 stitches, k2tog (28) Row 20: purl Row 21: sl1, k1, psso, knit to last 2 stitches, k2tog (26) Rows 22-28: starting with a purl row, work these rows in ss Row 29: k2tog three times, knit to last 6 stitches, k2 tog three times (20) Row 30: p2tog three times, purl to last 6 stitches, p2tog three times (14) Bind off Make second half of body the same

Heart appliques:

Appliqués pictured are double-sided to make them more 3D. If you prefer to do less knitting and save time and yarn you can make one side only since the back will not be seen once they are stitched onto the cosy.

To make hearts (make 10):

Using 4 mm and your chosen heart colour in DK, cast on 2 sts Row 1: kfb, twice (4) Row 2: purl Row 3: kfb to last st, kfb Row 4: purl Repeat rows 3-4 until you have 14 sts on the needle, finishing with the purl row. Row 5: k2tog, k5, turn (7 sts will be left behind on the needle) Row 6: p2, p2tog, p2 Bind off the 4 remaining stitches, fasten off and break off yarn. Copyright ? Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and kniting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com Reattach your working yarn to the stitches left on the needle (at the inner of the heart) Row 7: k5, k2tog Row 8: p2tog, p2, p2tog (4 sts) Bind off Note: If making double-sided hearts as pictured, make another piece for each heart in the same colour and with right sides facing outwards oversew around the edges to stitch the pieces together. If making heart decorations for other sizes... make 8 for small cosy (2 hearts on each side). For large cosywork thesame asfor medium. To make icord bow: Cast on 2 sts in aran or chunky yarn using (two) 4 mm DPNs Knit the 2 sts, then do not turn the work but slide the stitches down to the other end of the dpn and knit from that side. Carry on in this way (sliding the stitches to the other end of the needle on each row instead of turning) until your icord measures 45 cm long. To make the bow, wrap the icord around itself in an oval shape, leaving enough length to wrap the end around the middle of the oval to form the bow and stitch through to secure.

Make up body:

Sew the top and side of the cosy sections together, allowing an 11 cm opening at the seam on each side for the spout and handle to pass through.

To apply decoration:

Stitch 4 hearts on the top, with the points facing towards the centre. Stitch 3 hearts in a row on each side of the body. Sew the bow to the top of the cosy.

Copyright ? Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com

Large Loopy Flowers Tea Cosy (big 8 cup)

To fit teapots with circumference up to 60cm, height up to 20 cm. The cosy is flexible so these measurements are just an approximate guide. Yarn for body: use two strands of shade Heather Green held together throughout. Yarn for decoration: Small amounts of white, hot pink and pale yellow DK for the flowers. Copyright @ Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com

Body (make 2):

ur two strands of body colour and 6 mm needles, cast on 30 stitche Rows 1-3: Knit Row 4: purl Row 5: kfb, knit to last st, kfb (32) Row 6: purl Row 7: kfb, knit to last st, kfb (34) Row 8: purl Row 9: kfb, knit to last st, kfb (36) Rows 10-22: starting with a purl row, work these rows in ss Row 23: sl1, k1, psso, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog (34) Row 24: purl Row 25: sl1, k1, psso, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog (32) Rows 26-34: starting with a purl row, work these rows in ss Row 35: k2tog 3 times, knit to last 6 sts, k2tog 3 times Row 36: p2tog 3 times, purl to last 6 sts, p2tog 3 times Row 37: Bind off 5 sts, knit to end Row 38: Bind off 5 sts, purl to end Bind off Make second side of body the same To make loopy flowers (make 5):

Petals (knit in one piece as follows) Using white DK and 3.75 mm needles, cast on 19 sts Copyright ? Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com 1. Knit the first stitch, and bind off all the rest of the stitches leaving that first stitch on the needle. Do not fasten off, keep the last loop from your casting off also on the needle. Transfer the 2 sts that will remain back onto the other needle. This forms one petal loop of the flower.

2. Put the working needle through both of those stitches (as if to k2tog), draw yarn through as if knitting but cast this 1 st onto the needle, then continue to cast on for 18 more sts (making 19 new sts). Knit the first stitch, then bind off 18 sts to form the second loop. Transfer the 2 sts of this loop backonto the other needle.

Copyright Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com Repeat section 2 above until you have 5 loops lined up on the needle.

3. Knit all the stitches that sit at the ends of the first loop together, to join this loop at the top, then repeat for the other 4 loops. 5 sts remain on the needle. Break yarn leaving a tail, thread the tail through these stitches and pull up tight to form the flower then secure with a stitch or two and fasten off.

Flower centre (make 5)

Using hot pink DK and 4 mm needles cast on 4 sts Row 1: Kfb in each st (8) Row 2: kfb in each st (16) Rows 3-6: knit Row 7: k2tog to end (8) Row 8: k2tog to end (4) You will get a shape that looks like a little pacman. Now sew the mouth of the pacman shut to make a circular shape. Weave in the ends.

Copyright ? Ellen Kapusniak 2012 For my hand-knitted gift shop, more knitting patterns and knitting blog please visit: www.knittipoliti.com Thread a tapestry needle with pale yellow DK and stitch a few loops or knots into the middle of your pink centre circle. Then sew the centre into the middle of the loopy petals piece.