Handmade hedgehog tea cosy

I've finally dug out my sewing machine - almost 6 months after we moved in (better late that never I suppose!) and have just completed my latest tea cosy - in the shape of a hedgehog.

I bought the material a while ago, with a view to making a hedgehog - but as with everything at the moment, I don't know where the time has gone! The material is lovely and soft as it covered in brown 'fringes' that create the effect of the hedgehog spines. The tea cosy is insulated with 200g polyester wadding and lined with a matching brown cotton. It was a bit of a fiddle to get right - and to ensure there were no raw edges showing, but perseverance has paid off and I am really pleased with the result.

For the facial features, I used felt. This is mainly because it doesn't fray and I could simply sew it on top of the brown fringed fabric without having to worry about raw edges etc. I then added a felt nose and felt eyes, all made from black felt. 

Available now in my Etsy shop! 

Handmade blue mix tea cosy with black cats

Time for a simpler tea cosy I thought... So here is a basic tea cosy adorned with 2 black cats on each side. The tea cosy is made using 2 strands of dk yarn (a mid blue and pale blue to create a textured effect) and knitted in panels - stocking stitch and moss stitch.
I knitted the black cats afterwards using a single strand of dk yarn in garter stitch. It was a bit of a fiddle to get the features right, but I think you'll agree they've turned out pretty well. I also added a pink 'ribbon' - a single strand of yarn which I made into a bow and then sewed securely. Had I used ribbon, I was unsure as to how well it would wash.... Tea cosies need to be washable!
The tea cosy is available in my Etsy shop now!

Handmade Frog tea cosy

I've been meaning to make a tea cosy like a Frog for quite some time - and here it is! The frog tea cosy is a basic crochet tea cosy with the frog's head made seperately. Once I'd sewn up the tea cosy, I added the frog's head - which I stuffed with polyester stuffing and embroidered a black mouth using a chain stitch. The eyes were also sewn on seperately together with the 'arms' and 'legs'.
As always I used two strands of dk yarn (you could always use chunky as this gives the same thickness), which means the tea is lovely and hot.
Available in my Etsy shop now!

Handmade cup cake tea cosy

Well, here's my latest creation - the cup cake tea cosy.
As I said in previous posts, being at home with the children has inspired me to make some cake themed tea cosies. Cup cakes are very popular at the moment and this design is very cute. I used a combination of yarns to create different effects. The 'case' of the cup cake is knitted in 2x2 rib using a smooth white dk yarn (used double of course!). The icing is knitted in a contrasting pink bubbly yarn to resemble the icing. A simple red cherry sits on top.
I am very pleased with the way this tea cosy has turned out, and will definitely be making it again soon. I would like to experiment with different colour ways and yarns. The tea cosy is available in my Etsy shop now!

Handmade owl tea cosy

Owls are always very popular and here's my latest owl tea cosy.
It's crocheted using a chunky wool/mohair/acrylic yarn so is lovely and warm. The bobble stitch used makes the tea cosy quite thick.
I've made several owl tea cosies and it's amazing how different they look depending on the yarn I use. Usually I use 2 strands of double knitting yarn - one plain and one fluffy. This mohair/wool yarn gives a less fluffy finish but is still soft and feather-like. Available in my Etsy shop now!

Handmade Cornishware style blue and cream striped tea cosy

Prior to our recent move, we lived in Church Gresley for several years and often visited the TG Green factory. Until a few years ago, this was the home of Cornishware. Needless to say I have plenty of the gorgeous blue and cream crockery. I recently stumbled across some lovely cornflower blue yarn which matches my Cornishware perfectly... So here it is, my tribute to Cornishware in a handknitted tea cosy.
The tea cosy is fairly simple in design and knitted using 2 strands of double knitting yarn in a 4 row stripe pattern. I have left gaps in the side for the spout and handle so it will fit almost any tea cosy. Available now in my Etsy shop!
I love the simplicity of the design - I think I'll be making it again but in different colourways!

Handmade battenburg tea cosy

As I said previously, I've been busy working on some new designs over the last few months. It's always easy to stick to what you know but I just had to try something new! Having entertained the children with lots of baking over the summer holidays, I was inspired to make 'cake' themed tea cosies. Here's the first - a tea cosy shaped like a battenburg cake! Handknitted using double thickness yarn it's sure to keep your tea nice and hot. Available in my Etsy shop now!

Handmade sheep tea cosy

Well, where did August go? I can't believe it's September already! After a mighty busy July, my Etsy shop has been a little bereft of tea cosies. Over the passed few weeks I've been busy making more to put in my shop. Some are new versions of one's I have previously sold together with a couple of new ideas. As with a lot of my 'projects' I love to knit/crochet/sew the main article but the sewing up always puts me off!
Anyway, here is my new handmade sheep tea cosy - available in my Etsy shop now!