Thursday 14 March 2013

~Thrify Handknitted Pressies & Tea Cosy Pattern~

I thought I'd do a 'Ta Da' post for this titchy tea cosy I've knitted for my sister-in-law's birthday at the end of March. It fits snugly on it's teapot-for-one which I found on my vintage travels.  How come I always love (and want to keep) the things I knit for other people?!?
This project has been knitted from my wool stash of odds, ends and the never-even-started projects. Having done a bit of blog reading tonight,  I would wholeheartedly like to join Tina at Tea and Woolly Socks in her No More Buying Yarn Stash Busting Campaign.
So here's the tea cosy...


It's a made-up pattern; the main body is knitted in Louisa Harding Fleuris, colour Meteor - a 70% Bamboo 30% Wool yarn. Using your stash makes you choose colour combinations that maybe you wouldn't normally, if you get my meaning.  I think that it is a good thing. 
The pattern; I knit this in chunky wool on 6mm needles.
The main body basketweave pattern was done in 2 halves by casting on 40sts, or a multiple of 4 sts, 
Row 1 Cable 4 fwd to end
Row 2 Purl 
Row 3 K2, then Cable 4 back to last 2 sts, K2
Row 4 Purl

Then for shaping I just make it up as I go along. Usually it's K2 tog across the knit rows only, then draw remaining stitches up. The roses hide this bit anyway! The roses and leaves are from the tea cosy book I have posted about before, Really Wild Tea Cosies by Loani Prior.




11 comments:

  1. Its really lovely Sally. You have made a great job of it. I have just finished knitting a bunny's jumper!!

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  2. I love your tea cosy! Such lovely colours. I am on a yarn buying ban at the moment - I have far too much of it!
    Claire

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  3. Its realy pretty. I'm sure it will be a much loved present.

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  4. It looks like those colours have been put together beautifully - I don't think anything in my stash would have such a nice effect! Jane x

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  5. Love it! Think I'll give this pattern a try!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  6. How pretty! I bet she loved it!
    I'm glad I'm not the only one who wants to keep all my makes! ;-)
    Carly
    x

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  7. Love it - such a pretty design x

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  8. That's just lovely Sally, I know what you mean about sometimes making things you want to hang on to, I do it all the time but I find myself making 2 of most things now in order to do that!
    Hey I saw the cake book at half price in Morrisons, your battenberg looks fab. x

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  9. It's lovely, congratulations

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  10. I love this! Wish I could figure out the cable thingy...oh well!
    Great Blog! Pop over for a visit.

    Aloha from Vicki

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Please feel welcome to get in touch or leave a comment - I really appreciate it. Sally x