Pattern of the Month

Instructions

The pattern includes a tea-cosy in the shape of a Christmas Pudding, and a tea-pot stand in the shape of a plate.

Cosy

Using wool double, with No 7 hook and using the brown and tan wools together (to make a tweedy effect), make 4 chain and join into a ring with a slip stitch. Work 8dc into ring.

1st round: (2dc into each dc) 8 times [16 dc]
Mark the end of the round with a coloured thread.
[Editor's note: You just weave a piece of coloured thread between the last and first sts of each round such that you can just pull it out when you have finished.]
2nd round: (2dc in 1dc; 1dc in next dc) 8 times [24 dc]
3rd round: 1dc in next dc all round.
4th round: (2dc in 1dc; 1dc in next 2 dc) 8 times [32 dc]
5th round: (2dc in 1dc; 1dc in next 3dc) 8 times [40 dc]
6th round: (2dc in 1dc; 1dc in next 4dc) 8 times [48 dc]
7th and 8th rounds: 1dc in next dc all round.
9th round: (2dc in 1dc; 1dc in next 5dc) 8 times [56 dc]
10th and 11th rounds: 1dc in next dc all round.

Start opening for handle by turning the work and working backwards and forwards in rows.

12th row: with wrong side facing 1dc in next dc all across to back to start of round [56 dc]. Turn with 1ch.
13th row: (2dc in 1dc; 1dc in next 6dc) 8 times [64 dc]. Turn with 1ch.

Start opening for spout, working each side of cosy separately.
[Editor's note: I have altered the pattern here and started the spout opening 3 rows higher than intended in the original. Even with this alteration, the cosy fits only a conventional teapot, where the spout comes from the base of the pot. It does not fit my deco teapot design where the spout is high up the pot, on a level with the handle.]

††
14th row: with wrong side facing 1dc in next dc 32 times [32 dc]. Turn with 1ch.
15th row: with right side facing 1dc in next dc 32 times. Turn with 1ch.
16th row: with wrong side facing 1dc in next dc 32 times. Turn with 1ch.
17th row: with right side facing 1dc in next dc 32 times. Turn with 1ch.
18th row: with wrong side facing 1dc in next 15 dc; 2 dc into next dc; 1dc in next 16 dc [33 dc]. Turn with 1ch.
19th row: with right side facing 1dc in next dc 33 times. Turn with 1ch.
20th row: with wrong side facing 1dc in next 16 dc; 2 dc into next dc; 1dc in next 16 dc [34 dc]. Turn with 1ch.
21st row: with right side facing 1dc in next dc 34 times. Turn with 1ch.
22nd row: with wrong side facing 1dc in next 16 dc; 2 dc into next dc; 1dc in next 17 dc [35 dc]. Break wool.
††

[Editor's note: Here's a picture of the cosy with one side worked, showing the coloured thread marking the early rounds.]

Rejoin wool at spout end to work the other side of the cosy. With right side facing, repeat from †† to ††. Join spout opening with one slip stitch. 1ch; turn the work.

With right side facing, return to working in rounds. Work 3 rounds of dc, joining handle opening in first round.

Turn the work, and crochet one round of slip stitches. Fasten off.

Icing

With number 7 hook and white bouclé wool used single, work as for first 6 increase rounds of the plate, [56dc].

Next round: * 1dc in next dc; 4 tr in next dc; 1dc into each of the next 3dc; repeat from * 9 times. Fasten off.

[Editor's note: I extemporised with the crochet here. You can form "realistic" icing/snow either with extra rows of long and short crochet stitches, or by adding embroidery when you stitch the icing in place on the cosy.]

Making up:

Stitch icing to top of cosy, and use white bouclé wool to embroider irregular shapes round edge of icing. Using black wool embroider spots on cosy to represent currants as required.
Sew holly decoration to top of pudding.

Sew in all ends.

Plate (not shown)

Using wool double, with No 7 hook and white, make 4 chain and join into a ring with a slip stitch.

1st round: 1ch, 8dc into ring; 1 slip stitch into top of 1st dc.
[Editor's note: Mark the end of the rounds with a coloured thread, as before.]
2nd round: (2dc into each dc) 8 times [16 dc]
3rd round: (2dc in 1dc; 1dc in next dc) 8 times [24 dc]
4th round: (2dc in 1dc; 1dc in next 2 dc) 8 times [32 dc]

Continue increasing in this way, 8 sts in every round, until 8 rounds have been worked from the start [64 dc].
Work 5 rounds without shaping.
Change to number 10 hook and continue with single wool rim:-

Next round: * 2 dc in next dc; repeat from * to end of round [128 dc].
Next round: 1dc in next dc all round.
Next round: 1 dc in each of next 2 dc; * 2 dc in next dc; 1 dc into each of next 20 dc; repeat from * to end of round.

Work 2 rounds without shaping.

Join in red, and work 1 round. Fasten off red wool.

Turn the work and with wrong side facing, using white wool double, work 1 round of slip stitches into last round of dc. Fasten off white wool.

Press plate lightly. Thread a length of white wool through last round of base - that is before the start of the rim - and fasten off securely. This will retain the shape of the plate.

Materials

50g balls each in dark brown and tan double knitting wool, (used double throughout), and one ball of a white bouclé double knitting wool for the icing. Scraps of red and black for stripes on the plate.

Holly sprig decorations in paper or plastic.

One each Nos. 7 (4.5mm) and 10 (3¼mm) crochet hooks.

Crochet abbreviations:

ch = chain
tr = treble crochet
dc = double crochet

Remember these are English crochet instructions where dc is equivalent to US single crochet - see "Terminology" in the side bar.

Tension

4dc to an inch.
Note: these are UK crochet instructions - to work a double crochet: insert hook in next stitch, draw loop through, wool over hook, and draw through both loops.

Size matters

Intended to fit a 2 pint pot (that's UK pints which are each 20 fluid ounces not 16). Check out the diagram with the dimensions of my cosy.

A word on the wool.

I used a vintage tweed DK (used double) which was a perfect "pudding" colour, being a rich brown and having flecks of different colours, so I did not need to use two different colours to work together.
I did not have any bouclé wool, so used a smooth wool; however Stylecraft seem to offer come resonably prices bouclé double knits (eg Carousel or Sirocco).

Disclaimer
(well...almost)

In transposing any patterns it is always a risk that errors will be introduced, in spite of dedicated proof reading.
If you have any problems with this pattern, please and I will try and assist.