How to Make a Tea Cozy

Here is how to make your own tea cozy. It would make a wonderful present for Christmas or a special birthday.

Gather your materials. You need:

paper for pattern, pencil, and ruler
felted woolen fabric
some calico for the lining
wool felt (I got my collection from Magic Cabin Catalog.)
matching and contrasting thread
buttons and beads

First make a pattern out of a brown paper bag or some tracing paper. You can probably find a plate which you can use to draw the curves or the corners. Try to make your pattern symmetrical, but it's fine if it isn't perfect. This size fits a large, fat teapot with extra room. Adjust to fit your own teapot.



Cut two thicknesses of the felted wool fabric, adding 5/8 of an inch all the way around the pattern, (or whatever seam width your sewing foot is set to....)



Now have some fun choosing some felt for the flower design on your tea cozy. I used a flowered calico for my lining, and decided to use felt which picked up the colors in it. It is not a practical choice. Brown is the ideal color for hiding tea stains on the lining. However, I didn't feel like being practical today.



To trace circles for the flowers, you could use a little demi-tasse or some other round form like this little matreshka doll to trace around. I don't really like to use perfect circles, though. I think oblongs have more personality. Cut out your main flowers.



Cut some flower centers out of a contrasting color, some stems of different lengths, (these stems are about as thick as a pencil,) and some raindrop-shaped leaves. I also cut out a couple of oblong pieces of ground.



I made three flowers and pinned and sewed them onto the right side of one of the pieces of tea cozy with my machine. Notice that I did not center the middles of the flowers. I feel it gives my design more movement. You could also hand stitch your flowers. I used red thread for a lively contrast.

Pin the right sides of the wool pieces together.

Sew with matching thread on the curve only. Do not sew the flat bottom edge of the tea cozy.

Notch the curve carefully.

Now cut two thicknesses of the calico, right on the edge of the pattern.



Pin and sew with the right sides together. Again, do not sew across the flat bottom edge.

Notch the curve carefully.

This is how the lining goes inside the wool.

But to sew it together, you have to put the right sides facing. The red wool is inside the calico in the picture below. Pin along the flat edge and sew, leaving an opening of about 4 or 5 inches, so that you can turn it inside out.

Now pull the wool out through the opening.

Sew the opening closed with little tiny stitches, and iron with the lining in position.

Pick out some buttons for decorating the flowers.




Sew the buttons through the lining layer, to hold the lining in place.



Choose a beautiful button or bead to sew on top for a handle, if you wish.

Sew the bead on through the lining layer.

Now put on the kettle. It's time for some hot tea! Would you join me for a cup?


If I am missing any details you need for making the tea cozy, please let me know!

Copyright 2009 Beth Curtin. I would love to see lots of people enjoy using my pattern to make special gifts, but help me protect my creations. Don't use my pattern for commercial purposes.