You will need:
1 100g ball of red sparkly double knit yarn.
Gold and green metallic yarns for decorating the tea cosy.
Knitting needles size 4.5mm (UK 7. US 7).
Knitting needles size 4mm (UK 8. US 6) (to make the Christmas trees and bauble).
Method:
Cast on 40 stitches with knitting needles size 4.5mm (UK 7. US 7).
Knit rows of garter stitch (knit stitches, no purl) until the work measures 7 inches (18cm).
Bind off.
Knit two of these.
How to sew the tea cosy:
With right sides together use the red yarn and a knitters needle or embroidery needle to sew the sides seams. Start at the top and sew down 3 inches (7.5cm). Leave a gap. Now sew up 1 inch (2.5cm) from the bottom of the seam. This leaves a gap in the middle of the side seams for the teapot spout and handle. Sew both side seams the same.
Gather the top of the tea cosy using a piece of yarn and a knitters needle. Use a running stitch around the top edges and pull the yarn tight to close the gap on the top. Secure with a knot.
Turn the tea cosy right sides out.
Knit the Christmas trees:
Method:
Cast on 20 stitches using the green metallic yarn and knitting needles 4mm (UK 8. US 6).
Knit 3 rows (garter stitch).
Next row, decrease the stitches. Knit two together at the beginning and the end of the row. (18 stitches).
Repeat knitting 3 rows and then decreasing 2 stitches until you have 6 stitches left.
Next row, knit two together at the beginning and the end of the row. (4 stitches).
Repeat. (2 stitches).
Bind off.
Make another tree using the gold metallic yarn.
Knit the base for the tree:
Knit two bases – one green, one gold.
Cast on 10 stitches using knitting needles size 4mm (UK 8. US 6).
Knit 5 rows (garter stitch).
Bind off.
When sewing the bases on to the tree design, you can sew them on flat or fold them in two before sewing.
Decorate the trees with French knots or similar using the sparkly yarn.
Christmas Bauble
Knit a Christmas bauble for the top of the tea cosy.
Method:
Cast on 20 stitches using the red yarn and knitting needles 4mm (UK 8. US 6).
Knit 12 rows (garter stitch).
Change to gold metallic yarn.
Knit 8 rows.
Bind off, pulling stitches tight to gather the top of the bauble. Leave a long gold tail to make the top loop.
With right sides together, sew the side seams together. Leave a gap on the bottom for stuffing.
Pull the gold tail through the top of the bauble so that it is on the outside ready to make the loop.
Turn right sides out.
Stuff the bauble with red yarn (so that the stuffing doesn’t show through the bauble).
Sew the gap shut.
Sew the gold yarn into the top loop.
Sew the bauble on to the tea cosy.
