Monday 4 April 2011

Little Mouse Tea Cosy

Hi all,
I've given this pattern out a fair bit since I designed it last year.Someone asked me about it on Rav, so I thought it was only fair to put it up here, as quite a few people have copies of it already.
He is a tiny tea cosy, only 1 cup big. As far as I'm concerned little teapots & cosies are my favourite, probably because I'm the only tea drinker in the house. So when it's just me having a quiet cuppa, the little pots are the best, & admittedly because they are so small they need cosies to keep warm.
Of course if you were to make him in thicker yarn & bigger needles he would maybe fit a 2-3 cup pot as well.
Today I've learnt how to put a graph in pdf form into google docs, & I've learnt to link it (well not really I knew about the linking lol). I'm really loving this "blogging" thing - here's the pattern. 

Justjen's Little Mouse Tea Cosy
Justjen-knits&stitches



This is a small tea cosy to fit a 1 cup + teapot.
The teapot I used measures 34cm circumference, 12cm high.
Cosy measures 36cm circumference x 19cm high.


Materials –
100g grey 8ply/DK yarn.
Small amount white 8ply/DK yarn for tummy.
Small amount pink 8ply/DK yarn for ears & nose.
1 pair 4.00 mm knitting needles
1 pair 3.75 mm knitting needles
2 black 7mm round beads for eyes.
Stuffing
For tail – small amount dark grey 8ply/DK & 4mm crochet hook.

Tension – 21 stitches & 30 rows over 10 x 10cm square using 4mm needles & 8ply/DK.
Please check your tension
Back
Using 4mm needles & grey cast on 35sts.
Garter stitch 5 rows. *
Starting with a K row, st st until work measures 10cm from cast on edge ending with a purl row. #
Next Row (K3, K2tog) to end – 28sts.
St st 5 rows.
Next Row (K3, K2tog) to last 3 sts, K3 – 23sts.
St st 3 rows.
Next Row K2 tog to last st, K1 – 12sts.
Next Row P2 tog to end – 6sts.

Leaving a long thread for sewing up, thread yarn back through these 6 sts with a needle & draw tight.
Fasten off.

Front
Work same as Back up to *.
Starting with a K row work in Stocking st & complete graph in intarsia using a separate ball of yarn for each colour section, twisting colours at colour changes to prevent holes in work.
Graph is HERE
Continue until work measures 10cm from cast on edge ending with a purl row. Continue from # as for Back

Mouse Head
Using 3.75mm needles & grey starting at back of head cast on 12 sts.
Next Row Increase in every st – 24 sts.
St st 5 rows.
Next Row increase 4sts evenly across row – 28sts.
St st 11 rows.
Next Row K3, SKPO, K3, SKPO, K8, K2tog, K3, K2tog, K3 – 24sts
St st 3 rows.
Next Row K3, SKPO, K2, SKPO, K6, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K3 – 20sts.
Purl 1 row.
Next Row SKPO, K1, SKPO, K1, SKPO, K4, K2tog, K1, K2tog, K1, K2tog – 14sts.
Purl 1 row.
Next Row SKPO 3 times, K2, K2tog 3 times – 8sts.
Purl 1 Row.
Next Row K2tog to end – 4sts.
Thread yarn back through sts with needle & pull tightly.
Fasten Off leaving a long thread for sewing.

Front Legs - make 2
Starting at top of leg, using 3.75mm needles & grey cast on 6sts.
Next Row Increase in every stitch – 12sts.
St st 23 rows.
Next Row K2 tog to end – 6 sts.
Thread yarn back through sts & pull tight.
Fasten off.

Hind Legs - make 2

1st Hind Leg
Starting at top of leg, using 3.75mm needles & grey cast on 6sts.
Increase in every st – 12sts.
St st. 3 rows.
Next Row (K1,M1) to last st – increase in last st – 24sts.
St st 5 rows.
Next Row (K3, K2tog) to last 4 sts, K 4 – 20sts
Purl 1 row.
Next Row (K3, K2tog) to end - 16sts.
Purl 1 row.
Next Row (K2, K2tog) to end – 12sts. *
Purl 1 row.
Shape foot -
Next Row cast on 12sts at beginning of row, K to end – 24sts.
St st 5 rows.
Cast off.

2nd Hind Leg.
Work as for 1st hind leg to * .
Next row (purl row) cast on 12 sts at beginning of row. Purl across all sts – 24sts.
St st 6 rows.
Cast off.

Ears make 2
Using 3.75mm needles & grey cast on 5sts. Increase in every st – 10sts.
St st 7 rows grey then change to 4 rows pink.
Next row: K2tog to end – 5sts.
Cast off.

Making Up
Sew in ends not needed for assembly.
Place front & back of cosy together, right sides out, using a flat seam sew up
from bottom for 2cm.

Sew from cast off edge at top of cosy, down both sides aprox 6cm each side. Adjust this to fit your own teapot’s spout & handle positions.

At back of head, with right side out, run a gathering stitch at cast on edge, pulling tight to make back of head – secure.
Continue from here, sew head seam using a flat seam, from this point and also from the nose end, leaving a gap in the middle of head seam for stuffing. (head seam sits along the bottom of head).
Stuff firmly, but be careful not to overstuff the nose, or you’ll loose the “mousey look”.

Ears – I could have knitted the ears with more shaping, but because they are so small, I found the shaping & the sewn seam quite messy for my liking. I preferred to knit them fairly straight, then gather the edges down to give a seamless look around the edge of the ear. With right sides out, fold in half, and as you sew the side seams of each ear gather your stitches to bring the top edges down to make them more curved. Sew each ear in position (see photo for placement).

Sew beads on for eyes, (a long doll needle is ideal) bury your wool at the head seam (where head will be sewn onto body so it will be hidden). Sew one bead in position then go across to 2nd bead, this way you can give the head a little more shaping by pulling the face in a bit with the 2 beads. Take needle back down to head seam, fasten off & bury yarn.

Embroider nose with pink yarn.
Sew head to cosy, this is easier if you put the cosy on the teapot for placement.

Front legs – with right sides out join seam & stuff, stuffing very lightly near top of leg. Join to cosy at shoulder aprox halfway between head & opening for spout/handle.

Back legs – with right sides out fold leg in half & sew from top of leg down to beginning of foot. Fold foot section back on to itself so the wrong side is facing out - photo 1.
Sew along top of foot and turn right side out again, now continue sewing leg to foot. – photo 2, this is the inside of the leg & the seam will be hidden by the body.


   




        






You will still have the sole of the foot open. Stuff leg & foot lightly & sew up seam on sole. Sew to front of body in front of side seam.

Tail - to give him a tail, using dark grey 8ply/DK & 4mm crochet hook, ch 26, miss 1st ch, dc (sc – US) in each ch to end, fasten off. Sew tail curving up back of cosy.

Optional.
While I do line some of my cosies, this one is tiny, & a snug fit already for the pot mentioned, so I think it will be too bulky.
If you wish you can crochet (dc) (sc – US) around spout & handle openings to neaten.

Please let me know if I have made any mistakes, or if there is something you don’t understand.

Hope you enjoy the pattern.

© Jennifer Stacey 2010
For personal use, not to be sold for profit.

22 comments:

  1. thanks Jennifer, for the pattern.
    I havent seen it on ravelry but i havent looked for it. i love him very much.
    i have tryd your ripple cosy pattern but it was all the time to big, even wen i used smaller needles, so i have made something else.
    but i will make one soon.
    greetings

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  2. ps. you can see it on my blog

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  3. Hi Meik, re the ripple cosy, I read the comment on your blog, but I couldn't find the photo.
    Did you do a tension swatch?
    I've made a few now with 8ply & 4mm hook, I have again checked the tension for 8ply yarn, & it is true. I'd be interested to know if even the smaller size is too big for you? I know of at least one project on Rav with a photo & it seemed to be OK.
    When you start the cosy the width looks way too large to begin with,but as you crochet more of the ripple pattern,the ripples take up the width, & it does crochet up smaller. I've found the cosy will also be wider(only slightly though),if you don't crochet in the back of each stitch as stated in the pattern, but that only makes a minor difference in size. I'd be interested to know if you did a tension swatch, if so & it still doesn't work for you even after checking the tension & using 8ply/dk I'm happy to take the pattern down, or only leave the smaller size in the pattern explaining why. I'll go back & see if I can find your photo - glad to help
    Jenny

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  4. hello Jenny, no did not of all those things.
    i just messure when i was crocheing (if thats a word)so you`ve got me, i`m not dissiplind when i`m working.
    and no i haven`t made a picture cose i have to made one first.
    shame shame shame........ on me......
    but i have find out (for someone how`s not taking massurements serriusly)that the magic loop is fantastic to knit whit.
    and i will work on your patterns more precisly
    greetings miek

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  5. Sorry I thought you had a photo of it, I was going to look to see how I could help.
    Good luck with the next one miek 2,if you give it another try lol.
    I'm thinking I might put some helpful hints at the beginning of the pattern, because it does at first appear to be too big, especially if you haven't done ripple stitch before & people may not realise it will come in as you crochet more rows. You have a lovely blog as well
    Cheers Jenny

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  6. hi Jenny,
    yes, i`m going to make the ripple cosy, cose i realy like it.
    greetings

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  7. Just found your wonderful blog and I love the mouse tea cosy, but I especially love the cat one! I also live in Brisbane!

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  8. Thanks so much Typstatting, yay another Brisbane girl, looks like we have a bit in common - Jenny.

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  9. Thanks Julie, we need to keep having fun. I love your pin cushions!!

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  10. AnonymousMay 03, 2011

    Hi Jenny, I'm not usually a fan of tea cosies but when I saw this mouse last Saturday I found it too cute to resist! If I use doubled yarn to make it for a 1/2L teapot (how many cups is that) what tension would you recommend?
    Audrey

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  11. Hi Audrey, I'm glad you like him. I make quite a few cosies with 2 strands 8ply/dk. The cow & frog are knitted like this. I use 5.5mm needles with double yarn & around the same number of stitches as the mouse, but they are quite large & fit a 6 cup teapot. This size teapot holds well over 1 litre.
    For your 1/2 litre teapot, you could try 5mm needles for the body, & 4mm or 4.5mm for all the pieces that require 3.75mm needles, you'll have to use double yarn for these as well.(In most of my patterns I use 3.25mm needles for the filled pieces, but when I made the Mouse, I had quite bad arthritis in my hands that's why I used 3.75mm. I'm not sure what your teapot looks like,some smaller ones are still quite broad,so you might have to fit it as you go. Knitting a tension swatch with both 5 & 5.5mm needles might help you calculate the size. - good luck with it - Jenny.

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  12. Just a thought Audrey, if you find your 8ply doubled knits up too big, try using a single strand of 10ply, it may be a better size & finish for yout teapot cheers Jenny.

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  13. AnonymousMay 05, 2011

    Thanks Jenny, it's now on my to-do list!
    Audrey

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  14. Thank you so much for this tea cosy. It's perfect.

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  15. AnonymousMay 08, 2012

    Hi Jenny

    I have tried to print your Little Mouse Tea Cosy Pattern and all i get is a blank everytime. Please could you email it to me on moonmist4ever at hotmail dot com.

    Thanks
    Jen

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jen, just sent you the pattern in pdf form. Was it the pattern or the graph you couldn't print? The pattern you have to select all & copy to a word doc, wish I could put pdf's straight on the blog it would be easier for me. Has anyone else had trouble printing the graph? Let me know, I may have it on the wrong setting. I'm on my laptop most of the time, but I'll go to the other computer tomorrow and see if I can print it - ta Jen.

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  16. AnonymousMay 08, 2013


    I can not get the graft. Can you send it. The one for the little mouse tea cozy.

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    Replies
    1. Sure, if you can contact me on my email address - sewcrazejen@yahoo.com.au and let me know your email address I'll send it to you - Jen.

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  17. I too cannot print this, any chance of the pdf to an email address?
    I'm at shawnnylouise@hotmail.co.uk

    thanks
    shaun

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  18. Sending it to you now Shaun, let me knoow if you don't receive it - Jen xx

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  19. I have only just found your wonderful mouse teacosy I can't print the pattern could you please send me it in pdf form. I would be very grateful.Many thanks Jan.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jan, sorry I haven't been around. If you select all, copy and paste it into a word document it should print. You haven't sent me you email, if that doesn't work, send your email and I will send it. Jen.

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I love reading your comments, and I'm very happy to help you with any questions about my patterns. The comments are moderated only to stop spam mail coming through, so your comment will be published as soon as I get a chance to check them - thanks Jen.