Tuesday 2 September 2008

Tea Cosy pattern freebie


Here is the pattern for the tea cosy I made my friend. She asked me to knit her a tea cosy which was green and didn't have a bobble on the top! After searching among patterns, I couldn't find anything suitable so decided to create my own. The knitted fabric is lovely and thick and the lid is detachable. Here it is:



Size: to fit large tea pot. My tea pot measures approx 52cm round widest part and approx 34 cm round base.

Needles: 1 pair 5.5mm (straight)

Yarn: 1 strand of each of the following:

Sirdar Click chunky
Patons Studio Mohair (dk)

Other materials: 4 beads or buttons
Row counter


Abbreviations:
inc = increase (by knitting into front and back of stitch)
k = knit
p = purl
rep = repeat
sts = stitches
tbl = through back of loop
tog = together



Sides (make 2)

Using 1 strand of each of the yarns together, cast on 24sts

Rows 1 & 2: Knit
Row 3: k3, inc 1, k4, inc 1, k6, inc 1, k4, inc 1, k3 (28 sts)
Row 4: k3, p to last 3 sts, k3
Row 5: k3, inc 1, k5, inc 1, k8, inc 1, k5, inc 1, k3 (32 sts)
Row 6: As row 4
Row 7: k3, inc 1, k6, inc 1, k10, inc 1, k6, inc 1, k3 (36 sts)
Row 8: As row 4
Row 9: k3, inc 1, k7, inc 1, k12, inc 1, k7, inc 1, k3 (40 sts)
Row 10: As row 4
Row 11: knit
Row 12: As row 4
Rows 13 & 14: rep last 2 rows
Rows 15 & 16: knit
Rows 17 & 18: Rep rows 11 & 12
Row 19: k3, k2tog tbl, k to last 5 sts, k2tog, k3 (38 sts)
Row 20: knit
Row 21: As row 19 (36 sts)
Row 22: As row 4
Row 23: As row 19 (34 sts)
Row 24: knit
Row 25: knit
Row 26: As row 4
Next 4 rows: knit
Cast off

Lid (make 1)
Using 1 strand of each of the yarns together, cast on 15 sts
Knit 2 rows
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: k2, p to last 2 sts, k2
Repeat last 2 rows three times more
Next row: k6, cast off 3 sts, k6
Next row: k2, p4, cast on 3 sts, p4, k2
Rep rows 3 & 4 four times more
Knit 2 rows
Cast off
Make a loop on each of the 4 corners of the lid to fit over bead/button

To make up:
Using 2 sides of tea cosy and with wrong sides facing, sew row ends together for approx 3cm from cast on and cast off edges. Sew in ends. Turn right side out and place on tea pot with cast on edge at top. Place knitted lid on tea pot and mark positions to sew beads (or buttons). The knitted lid should be slightly stretched when loops are placed over the beads. Attach beads securely. Fit loops over the beads to secure lid in place.






Any queries, comments, errata, please email me. Address on right.

29 comments:

suse-the-slow-knitta said...

it looks great, very art deco!

Amy said...

Thanks - I hadn't thought of it as art deco but I suppose there is something a bit 1920's about it!

Unknown said...

This is so gorgeous and unique. I've never seen a tea cozy like this one before. Beautiful work.

sorcha.ni said...

Loved the teacosy so much I knitted it up over the weekend as a present for my Dad. I have yet to sew it together, but as soon as I have, I'll send you a picture.

I have spotted a mistake though. When knitting the sides, it says cast on 24 stitches, but the first increase row (row 3) to get to the end of the row only uses 20 stitches.

I wound up knitting the sides with 20 stitches and ignoring the stitch count at the end of the rows and it worked out lovely.

Again - thanks a million for the pattern!

sorcha.ni said...

Ooops - sorry for the multiple posting!

Amy said...

Wow - thanks Sarah! I have double checked the pattern but I can't see what you mean in row 3. There are definitely 24 stitches - unless I have overlooked something!? Glad it's worked out ok though and can't wait to see your photo!

sorcha.ni said...

I have just figured it out - it's my usual problem of not reading the instructions properly! (silly me!)

I was doing an invisible increase (picking up and knitting through the loop between stitches) for my m1, where your instructions say m1 = knit into front and back of stitch. That explains how I lost those 4 stitches along the way. Ooops! :-)

One of these days I'll learn to read the pattern notes at the top before diving straight in...

Apologies for the confusion, and thanks again for the pattern!

Abby said...

This is a great pattern and easy to make!! I love it! I am a real beginner at knitting. This is the first thing I've actually made and it turned out great! Thanks so much.

Unknown said...

Beautiful and so functional!
One day I would like to try to make it as I have one of those 'pirex glass' teapots. Your top is perfect for stirring the brew or adding water!
I think you are very talented.
from a new knitter, radchef.

Desiree said...

After much surfing, your cozy was the only one that I really liked. If you want to see my finished product (mostly finished), check out my blog. By the way, I put a link on there to here, so others could make this fine product too if they wanted. Hope that this was OK.

helen said...

hi..looks like a fab pattern but am confused by 'one strand' ...does that mean i have to split/untwist the fibres of the wool..am guessing this is a US term as not one i have come accross in UK...thanks

helen said...

can you explain single strand...do i have to split the yarn or is it simply one piece of each...thx

Amy said...

Helen,
Thanks for your comment. It just means work with both yarns together. You do not have to split the yarns. Hope this is clear! I'm not sure how 'official' terminology would describe it. Let me know if you're not sure what I mean.

meema said...

this is really cute love it just had a prob not being able to print pattern off not always by pc so wanted a paper copy but only did first page second page just printed the adds on the page. but keep up the good work loved the cosy

Claudi said...

Hi!
I would like to knit this wonderful and great teacosy, but I'm not able to print the pattern in any way. Is there any textversion of it?

Greetings from Germany
Claudia

Jacquie said...

thanks so much for the free pattern! Here is my finished product!

http://mysewcalledlife.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/saturday-2/

Anonymous said...

Hello! Thank you for the brilliant pattern. I have made the two sides and am just doing the lid now. I can't work out how to cast on 3 stitches half-way through the row though. Do you add them on to the right-hand needle with the yarn on or the left? So far I have 2 holes instead of one, so I must be doing something wrong!

Anonymous said...

This is sooo cool! I'm making it for my friend Wally who just discovered Green Tea. I'm making one for me too!

Unknown said...

Hi,
I reall like the tea cozy.
I'm a beginner at knitting. Can you please clarify if this pattern is to knit with 2 different yarn at the same time?

Thanks
Jean

Katy said...

Been looking for a special tea cozy for some time. This looks perfect for us. Especially because you can take the lid off. Thanks so much!

Katy said...

Been looking for a special tea cozy for some time. This looks perfect for us. Especially because you can take the lid off. Thanks so much!

Katy said...

wow! your teapot is almost identical in shape to mine! that is so awesome. I have GOT to make this cute tea cozy for my mom for the winter solstice!
Cheers,
Katy
PS that's our christmas - we're not christian.

Katy said...

Hi! Me again. I was wondering if I could substitute a different brand of yarn? Thanks.
Cheers,
Katy

LizKS48 said...

Hi Amy,
I tried your email but got a return that it couldn't be delivered using lollipopknits@hotmail.co.uk
I'm writing to you about this pattern you posted on Sept. 2, 2008 called Tea Cosy pattern freebie.
I'm having a problem understanding what you mean by "....cast off 3 sts" and "....cast on 3 sts"
Do you mean decrease 3 sts and increase 3 sts? If not, I'm not sure how you would cast off 3 sts in the
middle of a row. I know how to increase in row 12 though. Not sure why you would decrease in one
row and then the next row add them back. Would you please explain to me what you mean?
Row 11: k6, cast off 3 sts, k6
Row 12: k2, p4, cast on 3 sts, p4, k2
Thanks so much, love the pattern! Hope you can help me so I can make it. :)
Elizabeth

hennie said...

Thanks for a great pattern, so easy to follow. I'e made two in the last 2 days.
http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/Hennie/99785379/Cosy_with_top__1__medium.JPG
http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/Hennie/99785687/DSCI0515_medium.JPG

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amy said...

Thanks, William. Hope it goes well and look forward to seeing your finished tea cosy! Never too early to start knitting for Christmas!

Unknown said...

Hello,

I wanted ask how to make a loop in four corners?

Thanks

Geeta

Amy said...

Hi Geeta,

The way I do it is to make a loop of an appropriate size using the yarn and secure it to the knitted piece. Then I use the yarn and keep wrapping it around the original loop over and over again to make it a bit more sturdy. Then secure the end of the yarn.
Not sure if that makes sense? It would be easier to show with photos so I may try and post some to explain.
Amy