Autumn

Summer seems to have come to an abrupt end here. The mornings have a distinct chill, the evenings are drawing in and Halloween goodies are popping up all round us! We love all things Halloween and have collected some of the most ghoulish and scary* knits to share with you. There’s enough time to get these projects finished before the big day, so fire up your kettle and get a brew on, you’ve got work to do.

Start simple is always excellent advice to follow, and we have with this Halloween wreath! It’s a great way to let Trick or Treaters know they’re welcome and a fun project to get you back into the swing of things if your knitting and crochet needles have been collecting dust over the summer.

Warm weather cosies

So we may have day dreamed of warmer times and large glasses of iced tea beading with condesation in the sun, but summer is no time to give up on a warm cuppa. And even on the warmest of days, you don’t want your pot to go cold before you’ve finished! We’ve found some exciting summer tea cosy projects to keep your tea warm and your kitchen table seasonal.

How about a Beehive Tea Cosy? We think this would be delightful to keep your Chamomile temperate. If you like to add a spoonful of honey then why not have your very own beehive as well? You can find the pattern for free here.

If a beehive isn’t quite tropical enough, then we suggest turning your hand to a pineapple tea cosy. Lemon Green Tea would be the perfect friend to this equatorial warmer and just the right tipple to plough through this pattern.

Yellow isn’t everyone’s colour so you could mix it up with a splash of ALL THE COLOURS. This ripple pattern is crying out for you to combine all the clashing combos until your eyes give up the goat. Maybe sip on the Decaf whilst knitting though, you’re eyes could want a bit of rest at any moment.

Just think, by the time you’ve finished these it will be time to start digging out your trusty old scarf and glove patterns. Brrrrrrr…

 

 

April showers bring tea cosy flowers…

Here at Cosy we’re just a tiny bit obsessed with Spring. Like most Brits, we get very excited at the slightest hint of blue sky and we’ve certainly been teased with little slices of that lately. Of course, it wouldn’t be Spring if it wasn’t punctuated by the odd rainstorm. This week I’ve got a beauty of a tea cosy to share with you that’s sure to bring a little bit of Spring to your kitchen, even if it is looking dreary outside.

 
This really is a lovely pattern from Jen at Justjen-Knitsandstitches. It’s bright, colourful and decorated with the prettiest crotchet flowers. You’ve got the option to make a tiny cosy to fit a 1-cup teapot, or a larger one if you prefer. Either way it’s bound to put a spring in your step… *ahem*.

As this cosy is knitted in two parts and sewn together, it’s a good pattern if you’re not a fan of knitting in the round. Jen has decorated it with buttons in the center of pink crochet flowers. She’s added some adorable ladybird and bumble bee buttons which make for a lovely garden scene and some texture and fun to the design.

As always, be sure to let us know how you get on in the comments or on Twitter and if you’ve knitted any cosies lately send us a picture! We love to see your work.

It’s the spookiest time of year…

Perhaps you’ve noticed a certain…spooky atmosphere over the past few days. A glowing pumpkin peeking out of a darkened window, a tendency to be a tad…jumpier than usual, or maybe even a chill in the air. All these eerie signs can only mean, it’s Halloween again folks!

For most people, Halloween is a time of year to dress up, carve pumpkins and go out trick or treating and to parties. Not me! I’m a cold weather loving girl who’s always been a tiny bit afraid of the dark. I like to see Halloween as the start of a few months of cosy nights in by the fire with a blanket, a good book, and of course, a big mug of tea.

 

Just the right level of scary…picture by Knitty or Nice

If like me the prospect of leaving your house this Halloween doesn’t leave you feeling especially enthused, then this lovely knitted scarf pattern by Knitty or Nice is for you. It’s cosy enough to keep you warm until Spring and is scary enough that you won’t feel *too* bad about staying in and knitting while everyone else runs around frightening the pants off each other.

If you haven’t had quite enough scary knitting for one year, then check out this fab pumpkin pattern we posted last year, or this creepy cosy.

Psst..just a reminder that you can always get in touch via our Twitter. Let us know how you like to spend your Halloween, we’d love to hear from you!

Colour fantastic

As we speed towards summer it’s time to get some more colour and fun into our tea time habits. This felted cosy is the perfect balance of bonkers and practical and we just love it. Who wouldn’t want this combination of stripes, polka dots and brightness on their teapot? And you get to try a new technique along the way – bonus!

(Image courtesy of Knitty.com)

Kristin Nicholas has created possibly the most perfect tea cosy. The knitting itself is very simple. Worked in the round, you just keep going, using only the knit stitch, and changing colours every now and then. In fact, the pattern is so easy, it doesn’t even have spout or handle slots to worry about – which will also prevent any heat escaping, meaning your tea will be even warmer for even longer.

(Image courtesy of Knitty.com)

Once you’ve knitted the cosy, it’s time to get felting. It’s worth mentioning that at this stage your cosy will look huge. Do not panic. When you felt knitted items they shrink. This is why your yarn choice is important. You must use natural fibres for this pattern. Anything artificial or superwash will not felt, so you will be left with an oversized cosy that will flop and sag over your pot and, let’s face it, nobody wants that. Felting is really easy but it feels totally wrong: you put your knitting in the washing machine. Trust me. This time you want the tiny, fuzzy result.

(Image courtesy of Knitty.com)

A little bit of embroidery (with very clear instructions, thanks to the pattern) is the finishing touch, et voila! You have a quirky bit of fun to liven up tea time and your beverages will stay hotter for so much longer. If you aren’t already addicted to felting your knitting, you sure will be after this.

This free pattern can be found on Ravelry and Knitty.

Mummy, I love you!

Psst! Did you know it’s Mothers’ Day on Sunday? I know! How did it come round so fast? Well, if you’re stuck for a present, panic no more. We have a great suggestion for you. It’s quick, it’s stylish and your mum will love it. It is, of course, a tea cosy and it’s simple but delightful.

Worked in garter stitch (with just a few simple decreases) in aran weight yarn, this tea cosy from www.craftown.com will be finished before you know it. Once you’ve cast off, whip up a couple of felt blooms to sew on the top, and bingo! Mum gets a beautiful handmade gift come Sunday, that hasn’t taken you months to make.

So if you’ve got some aran weight yarn kicking about, why not put it to good use? You’ll feel good for clearing out your stash a bit, and you’ll save even more time! We know how we’ll be spending our Saturday…

To make this gift that little bit more special, why not give mum a box of her favourite Cosy Tea, as well? We think a sophisticated brew of Chamomile would be particularly fitting, don’t you?

Whether you are a mum or a child, we hope you all have a wonderful day this Sunday.

We wuv you!

Happy Friday, lovely people! I hope you’ve had a wonderful week, and managed to stay warm in this chilly February weather. Speaking of February, guess what day tomorrow is? That’s right, it’s Valentine’s Day! Whether you are a fan of this celebration or not, you can’t seem to get away from the pink and red lovehearts at the moment. But it’s always good to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us and in honour of that sentiment, we’ve found you a romantic rose-bedecked tea cosy, because after all, sharing a pot of tea is a such a sweet way to say ‘I love you’.

This beautiful design by Louise Fitzpatrick incorporates a simple knitted body with a bevy of gorgeous crocheted flowers sewn to the top. Knitted in classic stocking stitch, the main part of the cosy is very simple, with the first sections worked flat and then joined into the round for the top shaping, leaving gaps for the handle and spout.

The really fun part is making the flowers for the top. Based on a pattern from www.funfreecraftlimited.com, this is great for newbie crocheters. As long as you can chain, slip stitch and double crochet, you can make these roses. And if you use a fun colourful yarn, like Louise did, they come out with the subtle variegations that real flowers have. Genius!

There’s a fair amount of sewing involved with this design, but it’s so worth it – aren’t those buttons delightful? Make sure to give yourself a full afternoon to dedicate to the construction and take your time when you position the flowers. A little bit of effort goes a long way and after all, you want this cosy to show just how much you care about your people.

Happy Valentine’s Day tea fans, we love you all!

May old acquaintance be forgot…

Happy New Year! Don’t worry, I can still say that because we are only in the single digits of January. We hope you all had a beautiful break at the end of 2014, whatever and however you celebrated, and are feeling fresh and rejuvenated for the new year to come.

And what could be better to usher in 2015 than a brand new knitting project? Exactly – nothing! Well, we’ve got you covered. This month’s tea cosy is stylish and sophisticated and it might just teach you a new technique or two. Intrigued? You should be.

The Cushy Smocked Tea Cosy is a Patons design from yarnspirations.com. It’s mostly worked in a wide rib but every few rows the smocking technique is used. This is where the needle is inserted at a specific point and a loop is drawn out that will pull parts of the rib into a diamond shape. It sounds a bit abstract and weird, but it’s actually really easy to do, and look how pretty it turns out! Worked flat and then seamed, you can concentrate on the smocking, with just a few simple decreases towards the end to distract you.

For extra squishiness and insulation, this tea cosy is knitted in aran yarn on 4.5mm needles. So even if you’ve never smocked before, you’ll still have a finished object in no time – and really, aren’t they the best kind of knitting projects?

Possibly our favourite part of this design is that it comes with a genius way of making pom-poms. If you’re used to the old-school approach that requires two discs of cardboard, you’ll know it can be slow going and pretty mind-numbing. Well, this pattern suggests simply winding the yarn around your fingers instead, which sounds much quicker, much more satisfying and just, well, better.

And if you’ve really fallen for this design, you could even make yourself a matching throw, with the corresponding pattern which is also free – but it doesn’t sport a pom-pom. Ah well, you can’t win ‘em all…

So whether you’ve made resolutions or not, you can enjoy getting stuck into this beauty of a cosy. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to make a million pom-poms – fuss free!

Drip drip drop!

It’s Friday and that can mean only one thing – it’s time for a free knitting pattern! This week we’ve got something a little different for you. It’s still tea related (obviously) but it’s not quite a tea cosy.

Let me set the scene for you. The teapot is full of steaming water and fresh tea bags. It’s been brewing for a while and after a peek and a stir, you are pretty sure it’s ready. You lift the pot, pour out the perfect golden contents and dribbles run down the spout of your pot and all over the counter/table/floor. It’s frustrating right? Well, it’s also a thing of the past, thanks to this!

Becky Kibblewhite’s Tea Spout Drip Catcher is so simple and yet so inspired. Just a short piece of stocking stitch with a couple of rib rows in the middle, seamed up at the end, this is knitting at its finest; elegant, unfussy and practical.

You can make this any size, any stitch and any colour you like. It uses such small amounts of yarn that you can even use up bits from your stash! Just remember to use a cotton yarn so that it will absorb the drips and you can easily wash it after each use. Some people have even made them for wine bottles! (We like their thinking…)

If you are feeling super organised, why not make a batch of these for friends and family this Christmas? Just imagine the looks on their faces as they go from confused, to tickled, to downright impressed. I’m already planning to knock up a few of these.

The best part about this pattern is that it’s so simple you could whip one up in an afternoon. So if you find yourself at a loose end at all this Bank Holiday weekend, why not get your needles out and have a go at a drip catcher?

Happy Weekend Tea Fans!

 

Tea basket

It’s time for another free knitting pattern – huzzah!

Please forgive the absence of patterns recently, tea-related business has taken over somewhat of late. But now we are back on track and we’ve got some lovely things up our sleeves.

As we trundle along into summer, our thoughts have turned to lazy weekend breakfasts al fresco. We’re dreaming of dusting off the patio furniture and cracking out the melamine plates. And we think this design would be the perfect addition to your breakfast table.

This sweet little basket, designed by Knitvana, is ideal for carrying a selection of teas to your outdoor dining area, with a touch of cutesy style. It will be particularly handy when you’ve got guests to stay or friends over for brunch.

It’s so wee, that this little knit will be quick to finish and you could even use up some of the odds and ends in your stash. Who doesn’t love a good bit of stash busting?

The construction is really simple. It’s made of just two strips, sewn together at angles to create a base and a handle, so even if you are a novice knitter, you can definitely whip up one of these. You could even give it as a gift, with a selection of your favourite teas, for a fellow tea fiend.

So, what are we waiting for? Let’s get knitting! We’d love to see some snaps of your finished baskets.