Knitted fluffy pink pig tea cosy

Well, I am slowly making my way down the list of tea cosies I'd like to get made! Here's the latest addition to the Fluffy Duck family, a cute pink pig. The main body of the tea cosy is knitted using my usual basic pattern. To this I have added an oversized snout, large floppy ears and a curly tail. These have been crocheted. The snout is lightly stuffed with polyester stuffing to created a 3D effect. The googly eyes add another fun dimension. I've used a soft fluffy yarn that naturally shades from pale pink through to dark pink. It really is very soft to the touch!
Pink pig, together with other cute animal tea cosies is available in my Etsy shop now.

 

Red tea cosy with pearlised beads

https://www.etsy.com/listing/121907058/wool-red-tea-cosy-with-cream-beads

I've spent the past few months sorting out all my yarn and trying to get to grips with what I have. It's always tempting to buy more yarn, but my current yarn moutain is getting insurmountable!!

Anyway, here's a new tea cosy made with a lovely warm, soft cuddly yarn (wool / acrylic mix) in a delicious berry shade. I've experimented with the pattern quite a bit to try and get 'the ribs' to line up at the top - all very easy until I got to the decreasing part!



https://www.etsy.com/listing/121907058/wool-red-tea-cosy-with-cream-beads

The beads add a 'touch of glamour' - I crocheted these into the first row (after foundation) and then added some at the top too.

Check out my Etsy shop for this and more tea cosies.

Handmade crochet gold teddy bear

A seriously cute little chappie! I am really pleased with this teddy - when I saw the gold biscuity coloured yarn I thought it would make a perfect teddy bear. It's a traditional colour and being an acrylic / wool mix, it is lovely and soft. I enjoy making toys - all the counting in rounds is a bit tricky sometimes but I always have a pen and paper to hand to mark off the rounds as I go. Teddys features are all made from felt or embroidery, sewn securely in place so are safe for children of all ages. For me, the stuffing of toys is always the most difficult - when is 'enough'? I wanted a soft 'huggable finish so didn't stuff too firmly. Available in my Etsy shop now!

Crochet Christmas Tree tea cosy

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that I often have a number of projects 'almost finished' but awaiting sewing up. I don't have that many at present, but am determined to get everything sewn up that is knitted / crocheted before embarking on a new project (famous last words!).
I recently came across a pretty cushion cover in a ripple stitch design and wanted to give it a go. After a bit of trial and error with the stitches, this is the end result! By working into the back stitches only, I created a ridge effect. Once sewn up, I crocheted along random ridges with a fluffy white yarn to give the effect of snow. The large star on the top is a bit of fun, but all in all I am very pleased with my latest tea cosy. Available in my Etsy shop. 

Handmade Booties

Surprisingly, with 3 Fluffy Ducklings these are my first attempt at making booties. I'm not quite sure why I haven't ventured there in the past but for some reason booties have escaped me!
These are quite a traditional design made by crocheting the sole in rounds before building up the rest of the bootie. So far I have made 3 pairs - in white, blue and pink.






Very traditional colours but I thought I would start simply before tweaking the design and colours. With Autumn and Winter not far around the corner in the UK, I am looking to develop some more designs that are like boots. Not quite sure yet, but I'm itching to crack on with something new!
If you'd like me to make a pair, please contact me - all items are available in my Etsy shop

Handmade Irish rose crochet cushion cover

Time for a change from the tea cosies! I've been wanting to try something different for quite some time, but with the 3 Fluffy Ducklings keeping me busy, there's not been much time. Anyway, I've knuckled down and here is the first of what I hope to be several new cushion designs:

To ensure a pretty and delicate finish, I used 4ply yarn. It was quite a change to the fluffy and chunky yarns I have been using lately! I used a cotton and acrylic mix yarn to give a matt, non shiny finish. The irish roses were a bit tricky to start with (manoeuvring the hook around the posts of the double crochet) but I soon got the hang of it. The cushion cover is made using 4 squares which are then crocheted together - I think it looks very effective. I see this cushion in any room of your home - bedroom, living room or even summer house! Find it in my Etsy shop now. 

Pair of handmade Father Christmas hat egg cosies

To go with my Father Christmas tea cosy, I've been wanting to make some little egg cosies in the festive theme... and here they are!
It took quite a bit of trial and error (and not to say patience!) to get the conical shape of the hat, but I got there in the end.
The red part of the hats are made from red acrylic yarn in a double crochet stitch. The 'fur' effect is courtesy of fluffy white yarn.
Of course, these need not be in red and white. I enjoy making these so will be making more in different colour combinations. All are available in my Etsy shop now!

Handmade black and white fluffy owl

Another owl tea cosy! This one is made with a hairy / fluffy black and white mix yarn. The long 'hairs' make the owl lovely and soft to the touch. I'm making one more owl (a brown feathery one) before I switch to something new... Once I'm in the swing with one pattern, I find it easier to make a couple - one after the other. It doesn't get boring because the different yarns make each owl different. All tea cosies are available in my Etsy shop!

Handmade feathery owl tea cosy

Another new owl tea cosy! I made this one using a feathery yarn in a mix of green / brown and gold - it looks very much like feathers and is beautifully soft to the touch. The pattern is the same as the brown fluffy owl. Available in my Etsy shop now!

Handmade Fluffy Chicken tea cosy

With Spring well and truly here, I thought it time to start on some new tea cosies inspired by the new season on Spring. First up, to coincide with Easter is a Fluffy Chicken tea cosy. Crocheted using thick fluffy yarn, this tea cosy is lovely and soft - a real 'hug' for your teapot!
This tea cosy slips over your teapot, encasing the handle and spout - thus ensuring maximum heat retention.

The fluffy yarn really adds texture and interest to the tea cosy - although it wasn't the easiest to crochet! The stitches were difficult to see due to the fluffy texture of the yarn, but it was well worth the effort.
Available in my Etsy shop now!

Handmade brown fluffy owl tea cosy

After selling all my owl tea cosies in the run up to Christmas, I thought it was time to make another one! This owl cosy is made to my usual pattern - the main body is crocheted in a bobble stitch to provide thickness and warmth, and the eyes are worked in rounds and attached to the body seperately.

Handmade brown fluffy owl tea cosy

This owl is made from a lovely warm, deep chestnut brown fluffy yarn, together with a toning strand of acrylic yarn. This ensures the tea cosy will keep your tea lovely and hot!
Available now in my Etsy shop!

Handmade pincushions - ideal stocking fillers

With Christmas well and truly on my mind, I have set to making a range of stocking fillers that are priced around £5 ($8). All are crocheted using new yarn and are firmly stuffed with polyester filling. My first pincushion was a tomato - my 3 year old daughter asked if it was going to be a pumpkin... so naturally I had to make a pumpkin! Then, following my sweet tooth, I made a doughnut, cupcake and bakewell tart.

Hope you like them - all are available in my Etsy shop now!

Handmade Christmas Pudding tea cosy

It's never too early to think about Christmas! This tea cosy is made to resemble a Christmas Pudding - complete with cream (or brandy sauce / custard) dripping down the side. I crocheted the 'pudding' using two strands of DK yarn - one in mid brown and one in dark brown to creature some texture to the pudding. The cream topping is crocheted seperately and then hand sewn in place. I then finished off the tea cosy by adding 3 knitted holly leaves and 3 knitted red berries.
Crochet tea cosies are brilliant as you make them 'in the round' - this minimises the time needed to sew them up... And as you know, this is not a favourite job of mine!
The Christmas Pudding tea cosy is available in my Etsy shop now..

An abundance of flowers!

I've been busy recently with some custom orders. Here's the first one that I have finished...

It's a basic cream crochet tea cosy to which I have added 21 cerise pink crochet flowers. The leaves on the flowers all link together to give a 'trellis' effect.

I am really pleased with the result. The flowers and leaves are all made 'in the round' and use techniques that I haven't used before. The tea cosy is really thick and warm so is sure to keep the tea hot for longer... A must for me at the moment as I seem to 'forget' I have made the pot of tea!

As this is a custom order, this flower tea cosy is not yet available in my Etsy store. However if you would like a tea cosy like this, just contact me and it can be arranged!