Small Teapot Cozy

Christmas time had arrived and I found a very cute & funky orange tea pot which I wanted to give as a gift, but it needed dressing up. Knitting needles to the rescue and a ball of Fritidsgarn wool that just happened to be the perfect orange, and the mandarin orange cozy was born! Very fast and easy to do. The pattern is for a small (one to two cup) tea pot, about 4 to 4.5 inches high and the body about 4 to 4.5 inches wide.
The second cozy, I just had to do another, is crowned with a flower I for the top. This flower is one that I made up using left over hand dyed Fleece Artist sock yarn, the same leaf pattern as for the orange. Do a search on Ravelry, or most anywhere on the net, and you will have many flower patterns to choose from, if you aren't as adventurous as I was to knit one free form. Have fun and be creative!
Materials:
1 50 gr skein Fritidgarn wool
1 pair 5mm needles
Small amounts of green yarn for leaves and accompanying appropriate needles, 3 double points (for ex. If you had a worsted wt yarn, you could use 4mm needles)
Darning needle, scissors etc
Using 5mm needles and Fritidsgarn, cast on 18 sts. Knit 2 rows
Increase row: Knit 3, *m1, k2* repeat from * to * until there are 3 sts left on your left needle, m1, knit 3. 25 sts.
Knit until there are a total of 12 garter st ridges and begin decreases on next row.
Knit 1, *K2tog k2* repeat from * to * until the last 4 sts, K2tog twice. 18 sts
Knit 2 rows.
Next row, *k4, k2tog* repeating from * to * to end of row.
Knit 2 rows.
Next row *k3, k2tog* repeating form * to * to end of row.
Knit 1 row
Next row: *k2, k2tog* repeating form * to * to end of row.
Knit 1 row
Next row: *k1, k2tog* repeating form * to * to end of row.
Knit 1 row.
Next row, k2tog across all sts, 3 remaining. Do not cast off, break yarn, leaving a tail and put sts on a holder or spare needle.
Knit another half exactly the same.
When the 2nd half is finished, thread one of the yarn tails through the sts on holder and needle and draw tight. Sew in end to inside of cozy. Use the other end to darn part way down the seam of the two sides to where the handle of the teapot would be. On the opposite side, sew up the seam to where the spout would be. Close the 2 bottom seams to where the bottom of the spout and handle are. Set aside.
Make leaves
This pattern for knitting a leaf is unique to me, I got it from www.ravelry.com by searching in patterns for leaves. Here it is:
Using green yarn and needles of the appropriate size, cast on 3 sts on one of the dpn’s and make an i-cord of about ¼ to ½ inch. When you’re at the last row, add 3 extra sts by using cable cast on – 6 sts
Divide these 6 sts on 2 needles, 3 on ea.
You will be knitting in the round but on only 2 needles. Sounds a bit odd, but it works!
Round 1: on first needle, k1, yo , k1, yo, k1 – repeat this for 2nd needle (5 sts on ea needle)
Round 2: knit all sts
--Heather Tunnah