Tea Cozies!

Exuberant and fun is what these one-of-a-kind tea cozies are.

Roisin named this the "Wild Berries Tea Cozy" - Roisin was being creative with Katriona's local Handspun, hand-dyed for the berries, and Manos Artesanas "Florcitas" for the rest.

This one is the "Crowning Glory Tea Cozy" - Roisin used Manos Artesanas "Dancing Queen" and Diamond Luxury Chunky for the gold and brown.

We don't know about your blackberry bushes, but this is what Roisin's look like, a BIG mess, but juicy and fruity hopefully.  This "Blackberry Festival Tea Cozy" is a combined effort: Roisin for knitting, Lynda for felting.
Diamond Luxury Collection Galway chunky was used for the green, mohair "Hommage"  On-Line, Blackberries two different yarns, and Shepherd's Own for prickly bramble I-cord, by Lynda.  You have to see it to fully appreciate it--and the others!

Anyone interested in Tea Cozy Workshop??  It would be a fun day, with a useful result!

Colourful Hat

Yet another variation on Holli Yeoh's pattern from Noro Magazine, Premiere issue.  Galway Chunky for the brown and mustard colours, and Manos Artesanas Dancing Queen for the bright coloured part.

A head shot of The Hat.

And this may look familiar....Roisin made a tea cozy last week that matches this hat. I can see a Mad Hatters' Tea Cozy party coming up....

The Tea Will Be Cozy

Crowning Glory Tea Cozy, by Roisin.  She used Manos Artesanas "Dancing Queen" 75% Mohair, 25% wool, and Galway Chunky 100% wool. 

This Is Not A Hat

Now, just to mess with your head, here's photos of the blackberry hat which isn't one, but is a tea cozy, being worn as a hat. And which looks remarkably like the blackberry hat featured in the previous post. But isn't. This is Bill, Lynda's partner, wearing the blackberry tea cozy, before Lynda felts it. Would this explain why Bill is wearing the tea cozy/hat in the bathroom (in the bathtub, I think)?


 No, I didn't think so, either. 

Maybe Bill, a knitter also, knits in the bathroom?

Will we ever know?

Roisin's Blackberry Surprise Cozy Hat

Roisin started Holli Yeoh's hat pattern from p.68 (and also shown on the front cover) in the premier issue of Noro Mag (available at GBOW) and, instead of a hat, Roisin turned it into a tea cozy for Blackberry Festival.  

And here it is...Roisin's Blackberry Tea Cozy, pre-felting.

Of course Roisin did not follow the Holli Yeoh pattern completely.  She had to shape it differently at the top and do less rows, and other things....Roisin commented, "sometimes my fingers just do what my mind sees and when that happens.....it's feels too good to stop! AND...stopping to write it down just won't happen. So....I will make a Blackberry Hat following the same pattern (and sticking to it) - Blackberry Tea Cozy is 'One of a Kind', or a 'Roisin Surprise Cozy'. Lynda's input will be next - she's the felting expert.
The menu is:  Slightly felted, with the feltable yarns squishing up and the non-feltables popping up, to make the berries more bumpy berry-like and the mohair with nylon more visible and fuzzy.  We'll see what turns up on the plate.
And then we get to add some brown stuff to look like branches and twigs.  Can't figure out how to make it prickly." 

Ideas, anyone?

Tea Cozy Classes?

As well as being a fan of knitting dish cloths and spa cloths, I also like knitting tea cozies, for similar reasons. They are small(ish) projects, fun, and gratification comes quickly. I'm knitting one that will be felted, and this led to conversations at the store with Roisin, Lynda, Marlaine and Elly about the possibility of offering tea cozy classes. 


Tea cozies can be made in just about any kind of yarn, can use all sorts of knitting and crocheting techniques and stitches, and can be as fanciful or traditional as you like. 


What do you think? Have a look at a few pictures from my two tea cozy books to spark your imagination. And let us know if tea cozy classes would be of interest! 


This one is an old-fashioned yet very practical style--the yarn that is pulled tight to form the folds makes the cozy thick and warm--and can look fresh and fun in up-to-date colours.

But how about this one? Not traditional at all, very whimsical, but still practical, as it is felted, and so nice and thick.

Or this? A great way to learn to knit loops and make something for that friend who loves sheep.

Or if crocheting is what you like, how about this pretty, colourful effort? And Marlaine says it is easy to do. 

And if you don't like them as tea cozies, sew up the spout and handle slits and, voila!, you have hats.