This is a small tea cosy I knitted up for my parents. It's about 25cm across but very stretchy, so it should fit any smallish teapot. The wool is from The Woolshed on Orkney, it's a very tweedy and rustic worsted weight . Being a bit of a maths obsessive, I designed the pattern algorithmically: it's a repeating pattern of four stitches across by four high, I tossed a coin to see whether to knit or purl each of the sixteen stitches. The pattern ended up being fairly close to 2x2 rib, but with a few knits and purls randomly mixed up, I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out...
Yarn Less than one ball (=50 g , about 100m) The Woolshed Worsted Weight North Ronaldsay Wool
Needles One pair 5mm/ US 8 needles.
Gauge 15 stitches x 20 rows = 10 cm x10 cm in stocking stitch.
Dimensions 25 cm across
Notation
k = knit
p = purl
CO = cast on
k2tog = knit two stitches together
k2tog tbl = knit two stitches together through the back of the loops
p2tog = purl two stitches together
p2tog tbl = purl two stitches together through the back of the loops
Directions
Rib Pattern:
Row 1: *P3 K1* repeat to end.
Row 2: K2 *P1 K3* to last 2 stitches, P1 K1.
Row 3: *K1 P1* to end.
Row 4: P2 *K1 P3* to last 2 stitches, K1 P1.
Make two sides, each one as follows:
CO 38 stitches.
Note: The first and last stitches will always be in stocking stitch (knit on right side, purl on wrong side).
Work in rib pattern for 24 rows (= 6 repeats) always working the first and last stiches in stocking stitch.
i.e.
Row 1: k1, work in rib pattern to last stitch, k1
Row 2: p1, work in rib pattern to last stitch, p1
Row 3: k1, work in rib pattern to last stitch, k1
Row 4: p1, work in rib pattern to last stitch, p1
Repeat these four rows 6 times.
Now it gets a little interesting; decrease in pattern as follows:
Decrease row 1: k1 k2tog p1k1 *p3k1* to last 5 stitches, p2 k2tog tbl k1
Decrease row 2: p2 *k1p1* to end of row
Decrease row 3:k1 k2tog *k3 p1* to last 5 stitches, k2 k2tog tbl k1
Decrease row 4: p1 k1 * p3 k1* to last 4 stitches, p4
Decrease row 5: k1 k2tog *p3k1* to last 3 stitches, k2 tog tbl k1
Decrease row 6: p2 *k1p1* to end of row.
Decrease row 7:k1 k2tog k1 p1 *k3 p1* to last 3 stitches, k2tog tbl k1
Decrease row 8: * p3 k1* to last 2 stitches, p2
Decrease row 9:k1 k2tog p1 k1 *p3k1* to last 5 stitches, p2 k2tog tbl k1
Decrease row 10: p2 *k1p1* to end of row
Decrease row 11:k1 k2tog *k3 p1* to last 5 stitches, k2 k2tog tbl k1
Decrease row 12: p1 k1 * p3 k1* to last 4 stitches, p4
Decrease row 13:k1 k2tog *p3k1* to last 3 stitches, k2tog tbl k1
Decrease row 14: p1 p2tog p1 *k1p1* to last 4 stitches, k1 p2tog tbl p1
Decrease row 15: k1 k2tog p1 *k3 p1* to last 6 stitches, k3 k2 tog tbl k1
Decrease row 16: p1 p2tog * p3 k1* to last 5 stitches, p2 p2tog tbl p1
Decrease row 17:k1 k2tog *p3k1* to last 3 stitches, k2tog tbl k1
Decrease row 18: p1 p2tog p1 *k1p1* to last 4 stitches, k1 p2tog tbl p1
Decrease row 19:k1 k2tog p1 *k3 p1* to last 6 stitches, k3 k2tog tbl k1
Decrease row 20: p1 p2tog * p3 k1* to last 5 stitches, p2 p2tog tbl p1
Bind off 10 remaining stitches.
Sew both sides together, and you're done!