Traditional English Tea Cosy



Here is another project inspired by my childhood.  Both my parents loved tea and my mother especially was very particular on how it should be made, always warm the pot, always use leaf tea, and always use a tea cosy.

So a number of my projects as a child involved making tea-cosies for the house or for village fetes.  They are usually two coloured and a good way to use up spare wool.  The one you see here is made from 100% polyester wool, colour A is a bright pink and colour B is purple.

This teacosy is relatively simple to make but does require some simple shaping and to be able to knit with a consistent tension.  It will take about 35 to 40 hours to complete depending on experience.

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.
 Abbreviation
   
 Meaning
     
sts      Stitches      
    Knit (number after it refers to how many stitches to knit)
     
S1 
  Slip one (slip the next stitch on to the other needle with out 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):Print Button

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.  For details on How to make a Pompom

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...

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