Tea Cozy Instructions

Sew a convenient cozy for your tea pot.

Keep your tea hot by tucking your tea pot into a snugly tea cozy. Tea cozies are typically shaped like a dome that is placed over the top of the pot. A dome version needs to be removed when pouring or adding more tea and must be custom made to fit each individual tea pot. These tea cozy instructions are for a more convenient version that wraps two panels around the pot and is adjustable to fit a variety of tea pot sizes. This cozy does not need to be removed to pour the tea.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 yard fabric
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• 1/4 inch quilt batting
• Straight pins
• Disappearing ink pen
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Hand sewing needle and thread
• Ruler
• 1/2 inch wide ribbon, 2 yards
• Safety pin
• Tea pot

Instructions

1. Cut four rectangles from your desired tea cozy fabric, 8 inches wide by 10 inches long. Cut two rectangles of quilt batting, 8 inches wide by 10 inches long.

2. Place two fabric rectangles together with the right sides facing each other. Lay a quilt batting rectangle on top and match the edges. Pin all four edges together through all layers, for one panel. Repeat with the remaining fabric and batting rectangles for the other panel.

3. Lay one panel on your work table with the long edges running horizontally and the fabric side of the pinned layers on top. The horizontal edges are the top and bottom edges of the panel. Measure 1 inch down from the top edge on each short end and mark with a disappearing ink pen. Repeat by marking 1 inch up from the bottom edge. Space two marks, 3 inches apart on the long bottom edge of the panel. Repeat with the other panel.

4. Sew along the top edge of the panel, using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Repeat along the bottom edge, leaving an opening between the 3 inch marks. Sew the short edges, starting at the top pen mark and sewing to the bottom mark on each edge. This will leave a 1/2 inch gap between the stitching on the top edge and the stitching on the short edges. Repeat with the other panel.

5. Turn the panels right side out through the openings along the bottom edges. Iron the panels and hand sew the 3 inch bottom openings closed.

6. Lay a ruler across the panel, a 1/2 inch below the top edge. Using the ruler as a straight edge, draw a line across the panel, using the disappearing ink pen. Repeat with a line a 1/2 inch above the bottom edge. Top stitch through all layers, on the drawn lines. This will create a casing on the top and bottom edges. Repeat with the other panel.

7. Lay both horizontal panels, side-by-side, on your work surface. Cut two lengths of 1/2 inch wide ribbon, 36 inches long. Attach a safety pin to one end of one ribbon. Insert the safety pin through the top, right-hand casing opening. Guide the ribbon out the left-hand side of the panel and into the right-hand side of the next panel. End with the ribbon coming out the left-hand side of the second panel. Attach the pin to the remaining ribbon and guide it through the bottom casings in the same way.

8. Adjust the ends of the ribbon so the same amount is extended from each end of the casings. Insert the spout of your tea pot through the gap between the panels. Wrap the panels on each side of the tea pot, bringing the ends of the panel together at the handle.

9. Tie the top ribbons together, in a bow above the handle, gathering the casing around the lid. Tie the bottom ribbons together, in a bow below the handle, gathering the casing around the bottom edge of the tea pot.