I've been working on it a little each night since last weekend and tonight after watching way too much TV (exhausted from drooling over so many cupcakes - see previous post) I finally finished it.
The yarns are all scrap Red Heart regular and their Soft Yarn variation. A couple are variegated. The purple buds on the tree are Manos del Uruguay cotton stria (a gorgeous dyed yarn I bought for a hat a very long time ago - still haven't started that hat...).
The roof is a flower design (I wanted something that would overhang the sides), the walls are single crochet with a small picot stitch at the bottom (sc ch2 sc next st).
It took me a little while to figure out the curtains because I wanted them to be 3-dimensional.
I ended up cutting several lengths of yarn, folding them, then stitching the fold to the tops of the windows. I then gathered the curtains with a different colored tie back.
The tree trunk on the spout was purposeful since it drips when I pour tea and I wanted something dark to hide potential stains on the cozy. Originally I thought of stitching a tree stump with little toadstools growing from it but the space was too small for all of that detail (however it would probably work if this were made out of felt & floss). I was able to sneak in a little toadstool growing in the shade of the tree. That will be my secret spot when I want to curl up and take a nap at work. As my Aunt Quitina pointed out - the tea set provides a civilized break during otherwise hectic days. Good point!
Well there it is. Another item that became a little house without purposeful intent. Initially I was just going to make the prototype in a different color but go figure. I guess these are my thing. I usually make crafts from other people's patterns but this penchant to make little houses is one thing I can truly call my own. :)
Great work - I can see why your teapot is happy :-)
Posted by: HildeC | April 12, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Love it, how adorable! You are very talented!
And, a fellow tea drinker!
Blue Ridge Mountain Girl
Posted by: Blue Ridge Mountain Girl | April 23, 2008 at 04:03 AM
What a cute and charming tea cosy!
It's wonderful to see a cosy made up in crochet...there is not that many out there!
Posted by: sukigirl | April 23, 2008 at 07:16 AM
Oh wow, that's a great tea cozy!
Posted by: Carina | April 29, 2008 at 11:50 PM
Thanks ladies! It works like a charm. Next up is a cozy for my big tea pot at home. Maybe it will look like a toadstool?
Posted by: sue | May 06, 2008 at 10:57 PM
LOVE the casitas - so charming and whimsical! The toadstool cake is awesome because you can eat it, and this is awesome because you can keep it forever.
Posted by: Squeeby | May 12, 2008 at 04:21 PM