Craft Book Challenge (CBC)

I've joined the Craft Book Challenge.

In a nut shell....
Each month you make a project
from one of your craft books.
Doesn't have to be big project
and it's no big deal if you do miss a month.
It's a fun idea started by Liesl
(check it out by clicking the button in sidebar).

It's a great way to inspire everyone to take
those books off the shelf and make something.

When I crocheted my tea cosy

I needed some flowers

to embellish the top so

 I chose three different roses from

100 Flowers to Knit & Crochet

by Lesley Stanfield

This one is my favourite, it's called Ruffled  Rose.

Check out the back of it.
The last 2 rows naturally fold over to form
a really nice finish.

The red one is called Flared Rose,

the orange one is Centifolia Rose.
They are both made by crocheting a
long strip and then rolling it up.

I originally wanted to make
peppermint leaves since that is my
favourite tea but
I liked the look of roses better and
you can also make tea from rose hips.

My newest teacosy

Here is a bit of a lop-sided picture

of my latest tea cosy

 

I made three flowers to go on the top

There is a bit of a story on how this cosy came about.

Back in 2009 I found this brown, green and orange cosy

at a garage sale.

 

 

At that time I had never seen a cosy like

this and wondered it I could make one like it.

I could figure out most of the pattern but

I really couldn't figure out how the ridges were made.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when

I decided to look again on Ravlery

and there I found a bunch of cosies that

were made from an Australian booklet.

 

A sweet Ravelry member explained how

the stitch was made.

Turns out it is a puff stitch which

is made around the back post

of another puff stitch.

It causes this lovely edge that 

stands out nicely from the flat dc.

Here is a shot of my cosy from the

other side which shows the ridges better.

 

I have to say this was a fun project from start to finish.

Instructions for making a scrappy teacosy

 

 Please note that I am going to totally

revamp this pattern.

 When I first made this teacosy I didn't keep

notes as I really didn't expect that anyone 

would want to make it.

So I made a second cosy and wrote up general instructions.

Now that I look at it 4 years later I realize that it would

work better to start at the top and also

to give line by line detailed instructions.
 

With that said 

if you haven't started it yet you might want to 

wait for the newer version.

I will put the link to the newer version here

and eventually close this post down.

Thanks for understanding.

added....July 2012

Back in February I made the top cosy and was asked 

if I could post the pattern (my apologizes for taking so long).

I made a second one for a larger pot (above)

and diligently wrote down each row and each stitch count.

But because there are so many different shapes 

and sizes of teapots

I thought it would be much more helpful if

I explained the steps involved

instead of giving you a list of numbers.

That way you can make a cosy that fits

your pot instead of mine.

 

 This cosy is made, starting at the bottom.

It's important to keep trying your cosy on
your pot as you work on it 

so that you can make the necessary increases/decreases.

I flipped my teapot upside down on my lap

while I worked to make things easier for me. 

At first, as you work the first few rows

the cosy will not want to stay on the pot.

I found that it helped to temporarily tie the opening 

(under the handle) closed with some yarn.

As you get further into the cosy

it will stay on easier. 

I untied it when I got nearer to the top 

of the spout.

When you are finished the cosy
you will go back and add a buttoned closure
to this opening

so that it hugs the bottom of the pot snuggly

but still allows the cosy to

be easily slipped on and off the pot.

(If you prefer you can add extra chains in section one

so that the closure can be worked at that stage.)

Teacosy:

I worked my cosy in hdc but feel free to

experiment with other stitches.

I worked 2 rows of each colour for the body

and I ended rows with 2 chains for turning.
I do not tell you where to add the increases/decreases,
trust me.... your pot will let you know.

There are 4 sections to the body.
The size of each section will vary with different pots.

The cosy in the picture below is shown upside down so the hole you see at the top is actually the
bottom of the cosy.
This was the second cosy that I made. Note that in this picture I have used the second option
in the instructions where I have added a tab (it's temporarily pinned to form a closed circle.)

And here is a shot showing the opening for the spout.
The cosy is shown right side up.
Notice for this teapot that the opening for the spout starts really low.

Body:

1. Bottom section: This is worked in rows leaving an opening only for the handle.
The instructions don't include the tab under the handle, you can add that when the cosy
is finished. (Or you can add more chains and work the tab).

Make as many loose chains necessary to go from the the edge of the handle around the pot to the other edge of the handle. I found that my yarn stretched so I took that into consideration.

Add 2 more chains for turning.

Work rows of hdc turning at handle.

Your last row should just touch the bottom of the spout.

2. This section is worked leaving both the handle and the spout open.

You will now work 2 sides separately. 

Each side will be worked in rows between the handle and the spout.

Work on one side first...making as many rows necessary to reach the height of 

the top of the spout (on most teapots you will reach the top of the spout before the handle

....but not always).

When you are finished side one break yarn.

(If you finish on your first row of a colour then leave a longer tail (long enough to make a full row of hdc around the pot.
If you finished on your second of a colour then just leave the usual tail length. 

You'll see why in section 3).

Join new yarn to second side and finish that side to same height as first. Break off yarn as usual.

3. This section is worked with an opening only for the handle.

You probably only have to work a couple of rows for this section.

Join new yarn to the first stitch on side one (handle side)...or use dropped yarn.

Work across side one to the spout, then make enough chains to go across the top of the spout, then join to second side ( I made a slip stitch in first st, ch 2 then put my first hdc into sl st)

Continue crocheting across second side turning at handle.

Continue working rows back and forth until you reach the height of the top of the handle.

4.This section is worked in rounds not rows.
Crochet across until you reach the handle top, make enough chains to go across the handle
then continue working in rounds

You should be making quite a few decreases in this part...

to give you an idea; I went from 68 st to 55 st over 5 rows.

I ended just under the ridge of the top opening. You might have to end with sc for the last row

if necessary.

Lid: 

This is basically a circle with a hole in the centre for the knob

I worked the entire lid in dc.

I chained 16 joining with sl st.

Remember that you are making a dome so you really are just making less increases

to the normal pattern of a flat circle.

Finishing up.
If you haven't added a tab for under the handle you should add it now.
I just attached the yarn to the bottom edge and chained enough stitches
so that I could form a small tab below the handle.
I made a space for the button by making a few slip stitches.

I also crocheted a row of slip stitches along the edges of the openings for the spout and handle
just to clean up the edges.
I used the loose tails of the rows instead of using a new piece of yarn so that it wasn't
edged in a single colour.

Please let me know if something confuses you

and I'll try to clarify it.

As usual I ask that you do not reproduce this pattern

or claim it as your own.

Please feel free to link to my page.

A spring teacosy called Rosey

Spring-like weather has finally arrived

so it's only fitting that flowers

should adorn my newest teacosy.

Crocheted red roses sit on top of

a knitted grassy green body.

The next time friends visit I'll spread out

one of my vintage cloths,

pop some peppermint leaves into

Rosey and set out a few of my Gramma's 

lovely teacups and saucers.

And of course there will be 

some cranberry scones.

The lovely free pattern can be found here.

Good bye February

Positives from this month.

-I finally tried 2 new projects

(embroidery and stamp carving)

and I'm dying to do more.

-I set myself a challenge and completed it

even on those days 

that I didn't feel like it.

-I made some projects that have been

on my to-do list for a long time.

-I used up a LOT of scrap supplies.

-I came up with a couple patterns

plus loads of ideas.

-I've always seen my 'slowness' of

completing a craft as a negative.

I now realize that it gives me

time to change the pattern around if I want 

or to redo a part that I'm not happy with.

I'd like to do this again next
year but I would change a 
few things to make it a

little easier on myself.
The most important would be
to line up all the project ideas
(plus a few extras)
and their supplies
well ahead of time.
 This would help if the
unexpected happened...
like when my sewing machine
broke down or when
I underestimated how 
amazing the Olympics would be!


Also I would start one day early
so that I could take project 
pictures during the sunny hours 
so that at least some of the
colours would be true.


So I would highly recommend
this to anyone who's considering it.
Next year I'd like to sign up for
the official Thing-a-day.

And thanks to my cheering section!!!

Day 24: scrap happy teacosy

I came up with this pattern while

 watching the men's Olympic hockey

games today.

I wanted it to hug my teapot 

and also to leave the knob 

on the lid naked.

It was nice to use up a lot of scrap yarn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No new supplies

Day 10: teacosy made from thrifted hat

When I found this hat yesterday 

at the thrift store I didn't know

what I would do with it

but it was such pretty colours 

that I couldn't resist.

Both the scarf and the hat

were each 69 cents.

Normally I would just wear the

hat but it was a toddler 

size so that was out.

Then I realized that it

would make a perfect teacosy.

First I tried to sew a band of

stitches on either side of 

where I would cut

(this technique has always

worked in the past).

 

But it was so thick it wouldn't

go under the pressure foot so 

I sewed the rows by hand.

The second I started to cut I

knew I was in trouble because

all the stitches started to unravel.

So I put tape on the back to 

temporarily stop more unraveling and

resewed the edges with yarn that

I had unraveled from the flaps.

Then I single crocheted over the edges

to clean up the mess.

I had been thinking of cutting

a hole for the spout but because the

side and top were made in one piece

I knew that I might ruin it.

I have to say that I'm very

chuffed at my new teacosy and

I'm going to be on the lookout

for other suitable hats.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cost 69 cents.
So far this month 69 cents

How I came to love tea and their cosies

You can never have enough cosies
Originally uploaded by sukigirl74

I was first introduced to tea time
and all it's grand traditions
through the English side of my family.
Every summer our family and
my aunt's family would visit my
Great Aunt for two weeks at her
place by the beach.
Twice a day we were summoned
to tea time by the ringing
of an outside bell.

The grownups including my grandmother
would carry the trays of teapots,
teacups and slices of cake.
We children would carry the
trays of cheese and crackers
and pop since we weren't
old enough for tea.

During the rest of the year
we often didn't get to see our relatives
because we were scattered across the country
so these times were very special to us.

The teapots at these gatherings were
covered in knitted, well worn cosies.
They looked like hats that
our mothers
had popped on them,
and unlike us, they accepted
their adornments without struggling.

Years later I visited England,
and saw all the beautiful cosies there...
it brought me back to those wonderful days.
I bought my first teacosy (made of cloth)
and since then have made a point
to indulge in teatime at least once a day.

Related post: My first knitted cosy

Have you seen a teacosy like this before?

DSC02291
Originally uploaded by sukigirl74

Isn't this a beautiful tea cosy!
I really wish that I could take credit
for making it .
I bought it at a small garage sale put on
by a group of lovely older Polish women.
I'd be curious to know how old
it is and if there is a pattern for it
floating out there somewhere.

It is crocheted with loops pulled through
and as you can see,
is made with the most glorious colours!
The flowers are simply made
from loops of yarn tied in the middle
and are laid on a bed of pale green yarn.

If you've seen one like this
I'd love to hear about it.

A Knitted Cosy fit for a teapot

Although this isn't a great picture I
thought I'd post my finished cosy.



I feel fairly happy about it,
I didn't drop any stitches,
it didn't end up half finished
stuck in a drawer somewhere
and it fits my teapot.
Not too shabby.

At first I did make it way too tall
so I managed to rip back a few rows
and make it shorter.

I used 4mm circs and one
skein of Noro Kureyon 163
and this lovely free
pattern by aemmeleia
.
I actually made this for my
sister for Xmas but it may
be too dark for her.
Also, the last time she visited
I asked her if she wanted tea and
she said "oh good god no!"