Please help me make a tea cosy!

[Shabba]

Even though I am a novice when it comes to sewing, I intend to try and make a tea cosy for my precious teapot without shelling out for a pattern. I have the fabric and some left over wadding to use for padding/insulation so I'm now in need of some tips on where to start really! I only have just enough fabric so I daren't make even the slightest snip into it until I have a plan of attack so any suggestions on where to start would be most welcome. I haven't quite decided whether to incorporate holes for the spout and handle or whether it would just be easier to make one that covers the whole thing. If anyone can help me out and prevent me from ballsing it up completely I'd me most grateful!

[Graye]

I made an embroidered one as a present for my mother last year. The embroidery bit is complex and I only did it because it was quite a small design but the basic tea cosy pattern they give is really straightforward and gives you all the measurements etc. Personally I would just make one which goes over the spout and handle, too fiddly otherwise!

http://www.advanced-embroidery-designs. ... _cosy.html

[Shabba]

Thanks for that Graye. The embroidery is way beyond me but I've got some nice patterned fabric anyway. What is welting, by the way? Is that something you only need if you're doing the embroidery bit or is it just to stiffen the fabric?

[Graye]

They mean the piping, the covered cord used as a reinforcement between the back and front. It's purely decorative and a bit fiddly to do so if you have pretty fabric I would just leave it out.

[mrsflibble]

a good rule of thumb for a noob is to take a piece of fabric which you know will go over your pot and vcover it to the surface it's resting on, then make sure it covers from spout to handle. i would personally make one with no holes cos they're less fiddy, it's just fairyl straight seams. you can then fold it over and sew basically a rectangle. for a first go i wouldn't go for aesthetics personally, i'd just get the feel of fabric and a machine. use teatowels from the poundshop, they seem to be just the right size for a 6 cup teapot and at 3 to a pack you can't go wrong lol!!

do you need some help knowing how to fix wadding between two cover pieces or are you ok? have you looked ta the homewares section of www.craftster.org?

[Shabba]

I do actually intend to make it out of a teatowel, but it's one that matches the design on the teapot. It probably would be a good idea to make a practice one first out of something cheap though, because I'll be gutted if I mess it up!

That site looks very interesting MrsF. I haven't had a chance to look at it properly as I am actually supposed to be working at the moment (I'm so easily distracted!) but I'll have a good browse later.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[MuddyWitch]

Making a practice one seems like a good plan. It would also give you a spare cosy for when your other one is being laundered. They can take a couple of days to dry because of all the padding.

MW

[Big Al]

Even though I am a novice when it comes to sewing, I intend to try and make a tea cosy for my precious teapot without shelling out for a pattern. I have the fabric and some left over wadding to use for padding/insulation so I'm now in need of some tips on where to start really! I only have just enough fabric so I daren't make even the slightest snip into it until I have a plan of attack so any suggestions on where to start would be most welcome. I haven't quite decided whether to incorporate holes for the spout and handle or whether it would just be easier to make one that covers the whole thing. If anyone can help me out and prevent me from ballsing it up completely I'd me most grateful!

I do quilting in my **spare time** and have a patern for a tea cosy. If you want a copy pm me.

Alan

[Shabba]

Even though I am a novice when it comes to sewing, I intend to try and make a tea cosy for my precious teapot without shelling out for a pattern. I have the fabric and some left over wadding to use for padding/insulation so I'm now in need of some tips on where to start really! I only have just enough fabric so I daren't make even the slightest snip into it until I have a plan of attack so any suggestions on where to start would be most welcome. I haven't quite decided whether to incorporate holes for the spout and handle or whether it would just be easier to make one that covers the whole thing. If anyone can help me out and prevent me from ballsing it up completely I'd me most grateful!

I do quilting in my **spare time** and have a patern for a tea cosy. If you want a copy pm me.

Alan

Thanks for the offer Big Al but I've had a few suggestions now and I think I'll have a stab at one of those as I've read through them and they look simple enough for me to understand!

[Big Al]

Even though I am a novice when it comes to sewing, I intend to try and make a tea cosy for my precious teapot without shelling out for a pattern. I have the fabric and some left over wadding to use for padding/insulation so I'm now in need of some tips on where to start really! I only have just enough fabric so I daren't make even the slightest snip into it until I have a plan of attack so any suggestions on where to start would be most welcome. I haven't quite decided whether to incorporate holes for the spout and handle or whether it would just be easier to make one that covers the whole thing. If anyone can help me out and prevent me from ballsing it up completely I'd me most grateful!

I do quilting in my **spare time** and have a patern for a tea cosy. If you want a copy pm me.

Alan

Thanks for the offer Big Al but I've had a few suggestions now and I think I'll have a stab at one of those as I've read through them and they look simple enough for me to understand!

That's ok,

[matowakan]

Maybe I'm lazy but I always make one that covers the whole thing!