Knitted Traditional English Tea Cosy
Picture a cozy English cottage on a crisp morning, with the scent of freshly brewed tea wafting through the air. Now, imagine a charming tea cosy adorning a teapot, keeping the tea warm and inviting. This tea cosy is not just any ordinary one - it is a beautifully knitted traditional English tea cosy, crafted with intricate patterns and warm, earthy colors. The craftsmanship is evident in every stitch, showcasing the skill and dedication of the artisan who created it. The tea cosy exudes a sense of nostalgia and comfort, harkening back to a time when afternoon tea was a cherished ritual. It adds a touch of elegance to the tea table, making the experience of pouring a cup of tea even more special. The traditional English tea cosy is not just a practical accessory, but a piece of art that brings joy and warmth to any tea lover's heart.
Requirements:
50g Double Knitting Wool (Colour A)
50g Double Knitting Wool (Colour B)
1 x 4mm Knitting Needles
1 x 5mm Knitting Needles (if you tend to cast on tightly)
(This pattern is usually knitted with two different coloured yarns, however if you wish to make it in one colour you will still require two balls of yarn to make the pattern (or you would need to knitted from both ends of the ball simultaneously).
Instructions:
Abbreviations and Meaning
sts Stitches
K Knit (number after it refers to how many stitches to knit)
S1 Slip one (slip the next stitch on to the other needle without knitting it.)
K2tog Knit two together (knit next two stitches together as if they were a single stitch (decreasing a stitch)
PSSO Pass slip stitch over next stitch to decrease a stitch
To make sides of tea cosy (need 2 alike):
Using 4mm needles and colour A cast on 112 stitches.
Knit 2 rows.
Join in colour B and start pattern as follows:
Row 1 (right side row): K2 in colour A, [twist yarns together, K9 in colour B twist yarns together pulling yarn A tight across back of work, twist yarns together, K9 in colour A twist yarns together pulling yarn B tight across back of work] repeat 6 times, K2 in colour B.
Row 2 (wrong side row): K2 in colour B, [twist yarns together, K9 in colour A twist yarns together pulling yarn B tight across back of work, twist yarns together, K9 in colour B twist yarns together pulling yarn A tight across back of work] repeat 6 times, K2 in colour A.
These 2 rows form the pattern, it is essential to keep the wool as tight as you can at the back of the work to maintain the wave effect shown in photographs below.
Continue in pattern until work measures 15cm (or the height of the teapot to shaping at top) ending with a wrong side row.
To shape top
Continue to work in pattern,twisting yarn at each colour change and pulling yarns tight at back of work through out shaping.
Row 1: K2 in colour A, [using colour B S1, K1, psso, K5, K2tog, using colour A S1, K1, psso, K5, K2tog] repeat 6 times K2 in colour B
Row 2: K2 in colour B, [using colour A K7, using colour B K7] repeat 6 times K2 in colour A
Row 3: K2 in colour A, [using colour B S1, K1, psso, K3, K2tog, using colour A S1, K1, psso, K3, K2tog] repeat 6 times K2 in colour B
Row 4: K2 in colour B, [using colour A K5, using colour B K5] repeat 6 times K2 in colour A
Row 5: K2 in colour A, [using colour B S1, K1, psso, K1, K2tog, using colour A S1, K1, psso, K1, K2tog] repeat 6 times K2 in colour B
Row 6: K2 in colour B, [using colour A K3, using colour B K3] repeat 6 times K2 in colour A
Row 7: K2 in colour A, [using colour B S1, K2tog, psso using colour A S1, K2tog, psso] repeat 6 times K2 in colour B
Row 8: K2 in colour B, [using colour A K1, using colour B K1] repeat 6 times K2 in colour A. Secure off colour B and remove. (16 sts)
Row 9: Using colour A K2tog 8 times.
Cut yarn leaving enough yarn to sew up sides. Using a sewing needle thread yarn through the stitches on the needles, pull tight and secure.
To make Pompom:
Using the yarn A and B, make a small Pompoms.
The Pompoms shown here were created on cardboard discs. Dimension of inner circle = 2.5cm. Dimension of Outer circle = 5.5cm.
To make Up:
Join top of tea cosy together. If available fit around tea pot and mark the points at which the spout and the handle will need to fit through the tea cosy. Remove from tea pot and join the sides together, leaving gaps where marked for the spout and handle. Secure ends and sew in. Securely attach Pompom to the top of the teacosy.
Hints and Tips:
When knitted correctly the tension in the wool being carried behind the work makes it difficult to move the stitches on the needle, however the stitches you are currently working remain relatively easy to work.
For best results I find it easiest to carry both yarns to the end of the row and twist them together before resuming the new row. This locks the work from the previous row into place and prevents it working loose as you work the next row.
If like me you think this tea cosy would look great in stocking stitch, it doesn't. There is now enough rigidity in the stocking stitch to maintain the pattern and the wave pattern simply collapses. Still working on a way around that.