REQ: basic teacozy knitting pattern?

[Susan Profit]

In article <4nvpdu$e...@dfw-ixnews9.ix.netcom.com>,
Martha Beth Lewis <mar...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>In <1996May21.1...@galileo.cc.rochester.edu>
>ar...@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Jill Rachel Stuart) writes:
>I was thinking maybe someone has a
>>pattern for such an item handy.

(I've cross posted this to rec.crafts.textiles.yarn since you are
specifically requesting a knit tea cosy pattern, although many of them are
also embroidered after knitting or quilted.)

You need to do a measure around the largest circumference of the teapot,
but also if you are not knitting a peekaboo top like I did, you need to
measure from the top of the knob to the table at the teapot's widest spot.
Then knit up something to match the dimensions in a color or pattern that
you choose.

Some are intarsia knit to imitate cottages with gardens, some are
embroidered after knitting, one I have seen done in light grey and dark
looked like an elephant. Some are knit in two layers and have a batting of
wool or polyester stuffed and quilted between them. Or the stuffed kind is
great to do silk ribbon embroidery on. It's one of those things that are
simple to do and easy to let your creative side loose on so they are often
given to kids as beginner's projects.

Several patterns run a ribbon around the bottom, but mom thought that was
just too fussy fiddly for words, so she had me add a large coat snap at
the bottom opening around the handle.

> As an experienced knitter, you can probably make your own
> pattern up. I'd advise making it in two pieces with side
> seams and sew up the seams such that you leave room for the
> spout to protrude thru one seam and the handle thru the
> other.
> Martha Beth

Yep. My mother requested it be really good at keeping things warm, so I
did a Celtic knotwork interlaced cable in wool, and knit a topper
that was circular so the knob on the tea pot sticks out.

Instead of knitting in in two sections, I did it as one length with a hole
for the spout at the midpoint row. Basically, since her diameter was 11.5
inches, I cast on the number of stitches to reach from the tabletop to the
peekaboo topper, knit the cable pattern for 5.75 inches, knit 1/4 of the
stitches in the row, cast off half the stitches in the row, knit the
remaining 1/4 of the stitches. Then for the next row, I knit the 1/4
stitches, cast back on the half row that I'd bound off on the row before,
knit the remaining 1/4 row and for the next row continued with the
interlaced cables for the remaining 5.75 inches. I sewed this length to
the circular topper, and added the snap at the bottom.

She wants the next one to be done as one of the knit, stuffed and silk
ribbon flowered embroidered kind to use for company.

@}->- ;) Tinne :D Laughter Heals :) -<-{@
We are beginners at more than we are experts of.