♥ Christmas Pudding Tea Cosy ♥

**I thought I'd repost this past page again as lots of you have been asking about the pattern 

for my Christmas pudding tea cosy. 

The cosy is one that I designed for Lovecrochet several years back and so, 

as some of the yarn may not be available, it may be helpful to add that 

the Bergere de France was a chunky weight yarn 

and all the other yarns used were DK weight. **

♥

I’m sure we’ll all be having a little tipple or two

 to celebrate the festive Season over the next couple of weeks but,

 if you’re anything like me, 

the teapot will never be too far from view 

and the kettle will be on boil constantly to provide those much needed ‘cuppa’s’.

Of course, it goes without saying,

 that the teapot needs to be dressed for the occasion

 – and so what could be better than a Christmas Pudding Tea Cosy !

For my tea cosy I used:

 BERGERE DE FRANCE MAGIC, 2 x balls in CRIQUET, 

CASCADE SUNSEEKER, 1 x ball in WHITE 35,

 a small amount of PAINTBOX COTTON in RACING GREEN 428 and in RED WINE 416.

 (If you prefer full on glittery leaves and berries you could also use the Cascade Sunseeker in red and green.) To add the glitter to the leaves and berries I used small amounts of TWILLEYS GOLDFINGERING in FOREST GREEN 051 and RED 038.

    

I worked with a 5.5mm hook for the main body of the tea cosy and a 3mm hook for the white topping and the leaves and berries.

As a finishing touch I added a tiny gold coin, made with the Twilleys Goldfingering in GOLD 002,  and a 2mm hook, that is tucked away inside the pudding in true Christmas fashion !

My tea cosy is designed to fit a 1500 ml , 10 cup teapot.

To make the sides of the cosy. Make 2:

Row 1: Using the CRIQUET and a 5.5mm hook make a chain of 31. ( If you are making a cosy for a different sized pot your chain needs to be the height of your teapot from the bottom to the top of the lid.)

Row 2: Starting in the second chain from the hook work a row of TR. 30 sts. Chain 2 and turn.

Row 3: Working in to the back loops only work a row of 30 TR, chain 2 and turn.

Rows 4 to 20: Continue working as for Row 3. Finish off. Your piece of crochet should now be the width of the teapot. ( If you are making a cosy for a different sized pot the width of your piece of crochet can be adjusted at this point by working more or less rows.)

Make a second piece as above.

        

Joining the sides of the cosy together:  

Lay one piece on top of the other on a flat surface and using pins mark on each side the space that you need to leave open for the handle and the spout.

For my cosy I left a gap of 10cm for the handle, with a seam of 4cm below the handle and 5cm above the handle.

For the spout I left a gap of 7cm, with a seam of 5cm below the spout and 7cm above the spout.

I used a needle and yarn to sew the seams. Finish off and sew in the ends

Fitting the cosy to the teapot:

Turn the cosy so that the seams are on the inside and slide it on to your teapot. Using double thickness yarn run a gathering thread all around the top of the cosy and then carefully pull it up so that it closes around the top of the lid. Stitch firmly in place.

               

       

To make the white topping for the pudding:

Worked in a continuous round.

Round 1: Using the Cascade Sunseeker in White and a 3mm hook make a Magic Ring and work 8 DC in to the ring.

Round 2: Work 2 DC in to each stitch from Round 1, 16sts.

Round 3: *Work 1 DC in to the first stitch and then two DC in to the next stitch*.  Repeat from * to *all the way around. 24 sts.

Round 4: *Work 1 DC in to the each of the next 2 stitches and then two DC in to  the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. 32 sts.

Round 5: *Work 1 DC in to the each of the next 3 stitches and then two DC in to  the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. 40 sts.

Round 6: *Work 1 DC in to the each of the next 4 stitches and then two DC in to  the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. 48 sts.

Round 7: *Work 1 DC in to the each of the next 5 stitches and then two DC in to  the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. 56 sts.

Round 8: *Work 1 DC in to the each of the next 6 stitches and then two DC in to  the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. 64 sts.

Round 9: *Work 1 DC in to the each of the next 7 stitches and then two DC in to  the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. 72 sts.

Round 10: DC 72

Round 11: *Work 1 DC in to the each of the next 8 stitches and then two DC in to  the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. 80 sts.

Round 12: DC 80

Round 13: *Work 1 DC in to the each of the next 9 stitches and then two DC in to  the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. 88 sts.

Rounds 14 and 15: DC 88

Round 16: *Work 1 DC in to the each of the next 10 stitches and then two DC in to  the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. 96 sts.

Round 17 and 18: DC 96

Round 19: *Work 1 DC in to the each of the next 11 stitches and then two DC in to  the next stitch*. Repeat from * to * all the way around. 104 sts.

Round 20: DC 104.

Round 21: You are now going to add the wavy edging to create the dripped effect of the topping. I chose to work a random shape for mine so used a combination of the stitch patterns below.

Begin with a Sl St and then work a combination of the following:

Pattern  1: Work 2 stitches in to each stitch as follows: HTR + TR, TR + DTR , TTR + TTR, DTR + TR, TR + HTR, Sl St.

Pattern 2: Work 2 stitches in to each stitch as follows: DC + DC,  DC + HTR, HTR + HTR, HTR + TR, TR + TR , TR + HTR, HTR + HTR, HTR + DC , DC + DC, Sl St.

Pattern 3: DC + HTR, TR + DTR, HTR + DC,Sl St.

To make the Holly Leaves:

The leaves are made with 1 x strand of the Paintbox Cotton and 1 x strand of the Twilleys Goldfingering in Green. I used a 3mm hook.

To make the large leaf: Make 4

Using 1 strand of Cascade and 1 x strand of Twilleys Goldfingering,  chain 12.

Starting in the 2^nd chain from the hook work the following stitches along the chain: 2 x DC, 3 x HTR, 2 x TR, 2 x HTR and 2 x DC. You should now be at the top of the chain. Work a Sl ST across the top of the chain and then work the following stitch pattern back down the other side of the chain: 2 x DC, 3 x HTR, 2 x TR, 2 x HTR, 1 x DC.

Work a SL St in to the bottom of the chain and then work a chain of 6 for the stalk. Work 5 x Sl St back along the chain and Sl St back in to the base of the leaf.   

In the next round you will be making the points of the holly leaf.

Point 1: Sl St in to the first stitch, CH2, Sl St back in to the first stitch of the chain and then Sl St back in to the leaf.     

Continuing working along the side of the leaf as follows:

Point 2: DC, CH 2, Sl St back in to 1^st Chain, Sl ST 

Point 3: DC, CH3, Sl St back in to the 1^st chain, Sl ST

Point 4: DC, CH2, Sl St back in to the 1st chain, Sl ST

Point 5: Sl ST, CH 2  Sl St back in to the 1st chain, Sl ST.

Point 6: Sl ST in to the top stitch, CH 3, Sl ST back in to the 1^st chain, Sl ST back in to the top of the leaf.

Now work back down the other side side of the leaf as follows:

Point 7:  Sl ST, CH 2  Sl St back in to the 1st chain, Sl ST.

Point 8: DC, CH2, Sl St back in to the 1st chain, Sl ST

Point 9: DC, CH3, Sl St back in to the 1st chain, Sl ST

Point 10: DC, CH 2, Sl St back in to 1st Chain, Sl ST 

Point 11: Sl ST, CH 2, Sl St back in to 1st Chain, Sl ST  .

Finish off and sew in the ends.

 

To make the Holly Berries: Make 7

  The  berries are made with 1 x strand of the Paintbox Cotton and 1 x strand of Twilleys Goldfingering in red.

Using 1 x strand of PAINTBOX COTTON and 1 x strand of Twilleys in RED make a Magic Ring.

Work 5 DC in to the ring.

Work a round of DC, 5 sts.

Finish off and use the yarn tail to sew around the bottom of the berry, gather up in to a ball shape, finish off and leave a long tail so that you can attach the berries to the tea cosy.

To make the Gold Coin: Make 2 and stitch together.

Round 1: Using the Twilleys Fingering in Gold and a 2mm hook make a Magic Ring and work 4 DC in to the ring.

Round 2: Work 2 DC in to each stitch.

Round 3: *Work 1 DC in to the first stitch and then two DC in to the next stitch*.  Repeat from * to *all the way around. 12 sts.

Round 4: *Work 1 DC in to each of the first 2 stitches and then two DC in to the next stitch*.  Repeat from * to *all the way around. 16 sts.

Round 5: *Work 1 DC in to each of the first 3 stitches and then two DC in to the next stitch*.  Repeat from * to *all the way around. 20 sts. Sl St to join and finish off.

Maker a second circle and stitch the two circles together.

To complete your tea cosy:

 

Using a needle and thread stitch the topping to the pudding in the centre top.

 Position the leaves and stitch in to place with a few stitches. I just put in a few anchoring stitches rather than sewing them on all the way around as I wanted the leaves to stick up a little.

Then sew on the berries.

Finish off by sewing the gold coin in place so that it is just poking out either by the spout or the handle.

Time to put the kettle on I think !     

♥

 

♥ Polar  Bears ♥

A couple of Christmas' ago I designed these little Christmas Polar Bears

 and they have since become firm favourites in our Christmas decoration collection.

Each bear stands approx. 13 cm tall and the pattern includes all the

 instructions you need to make the bears, the scarf, the balloon, 

the holly sprig and the gold star.

  

You can find the pattern here lovecrochet.comhttps://www.lovecrafts.com/en-gb/p/christmas-polar-bears-crochet-pattern-by-kate-eastwood

♥

Then , one evening last year I spent a lovely couple of hours 

working on a completely unnecessary project that just had to be done .....

...... and here it is .... One bear in a Christmas Pudding Suit !

If you fancy having a go at the Bears and decide, like me, 

that you absolutely have to have one dressed as a Pudd here is the bonus pattern for you !

♥

For the pudding: Using brown DK yarn and a 3mm hook chain 20. work 24 rows of DC, 

chaining 1 and turning at the end of each row.

To make the first armhole: In the next row DC 3, Chain 6, 

skip 6 stitches and rejoin back to the row. DC 10.

Work 18 more rows of DC. Finish off.

To join the seam and make the second armhole: Place the 2 short edges together 

and Sl St 10 DC together. Finish off. 

Leave a gap of 6 stitches. Rejoin your yarn and Sl St the last 3 stitches together. Finish off.

Turn inside out and place on the bear. 

Run a gathering thread around the top and bottom and pull up. 

Before finishing off add the stuffing to make the shape of the pudding.

For the topping: Using white DK yarn and a 3mm hook chain 26.

Row 1: *DC 3, increase in the next stitch.* Repeat from * to * to the end of the row, finishing with 1 DC.

Rows 2 and 3: DC 31.

Row 4: *Increase in the first stitch, DC 4* Repeat from * to * to the end of the row.

Row 5: To make the drip effect around the bottom of the topping I worked a random combination of the following cluster stitches to the end of the row. 

Begin by DC 4, then skip a stitch and work all of the following in to the next stitch: Drip 1: HTR + TR + TR + HTR, skip a stitch and Sl St back in to the next stitch. The two differnet sized drips are worked in exactly the same way by skipping a stitch then working all of the stitches in the next stitch, skipping a stitch and then a Sl St back in the next stitch.

Drip 2: TR + TR + DTR + TR + TR

Drip 3: DTR + DTR + TTR + DTR + DTR

Finish off.

Run a gathering thread around the top and place the topping around the bears neck and stitch at the back.

I worked two extra holly leaves from the pattern and stitched these in to place.

♥

 

 ♥ Autumn Crochet ♥ 

Over the past few years my Autumn crochet makes seems to have increased somewhat

 and so I thought I'd put together a post sharing a few of my favourites.

Firstly - Pumpkins !

I just love everything about them, 

from their shape to the huge array of colours 

to the fun you can have crocheting them, the list is endless.

 

These little yarny pumpkins are perfect as table or mantle piece decorations

 - but be warned - 

they are seriously addictive 

and once you've made one

 you'll suddenly find yourself surrounded by a little pumpkin patch !

These ones are some that I designed for www.lovecraftscrochet.com last year 

and you can find the free patterns here

And if you fancy a bit of teeny crochet you could have a go at hooking up some of these mini pumpkin keyrings. ( Pattern in the link above)

 

And then of course, you could go to the complete other extreme and go LARGE !

The same pattern can be used for pumpkins of all different sizes, 

from thin cotton yarn to big and chunky, 

just choose the hook size accordingly and off you go.

 ♥

Then, when you're all pumpkinned out, 

 there's another whole world awaiting of crocheted Autumn leaves.

From the simplest of garlands made of bunches of oak leaves and acorns, 

(pattern here )

 to ones abundant with golden leaves and pine cones 

(pattern here)

the only limit is your imagination.

 

(pattern here)

This Autumn Garland (below) is one that I designed for Simply Crochet's 2019 Calendar, 

the idea behind it being an Autumn walk in the woods 

where your feet are landing on a soft carpet of leaves 

and when you look hard enough,

hidden in amongst the leaves, are lots of tiny bright toadstools, 

poking through to the see the daylight.

The pattern for this wreath is available here

Lastly, if you still have some orange yarn left over, 

how about a little Pumpkin Mouse to keep an eye on all those crochet pumpkins !

He is such a quick thing to make, as like the other pumpkin patterns, his body is simply a rectangle of crochet, gathered top and bottom and stuffed with toy stuffing. His head and ears are worked from a Magic Ring and his arms and tail are simply crochet chains.

If you fancy having a go the pattern is here.

Happy Autumn crocheting !

 ♥