Keep the pot hot: free knitting patterns for tea cosies

Whether they keep the teapot hot or not (opinions vary), a hand-knitted tea cosy is perfect for lending an authentically vintage vibe to any tea table. Here are some of the best tea cosy knitting patterns, all from the UK, and all free.

Super Chunky Tea Cosy, from Nixneedles
Solidly stripy, in muted shades – and with a pompom!

Home Sweet Home, by Zoë Halstead, from Let's Knit
A Fair Isle design featuring hearts, houses and 'Home sweet home'

Grannie's Traditional Tea Cosy, from Tea by the Sea
Keren Smith created this pattern based on a vintage tea cosy that her gran knitted, working out how to create the double layer.

Traditional striped tea cosy, from Nixneedles
This pattern is for an 8-10-cup teapot, worked in chunky wool.

Stretchy zigzag tea cosy by Ruth Cross, from Let's Knit magazine
You'll need to register to download this PDF pattern (which doesn't mention the sewn-on sequins this one's been decorated with – obviously you can embellish any tea cosy, or other knitted item, in whatever way you choose).









Here's another Made it! blog post on where to find free knitting patterns

Finding free knitting patterns

We all like something for nothing, and that includes craft necessities like knitting patterns. I've blogged on some of my favourite places to find free knitting patterns over on my work portfolio and I've just written a feature on free baby knitting patterns for Saga. I'm not one to go gooey over babies, puppies or kittens but even I have to admit that these ribbon-tie baby bootees designed by Susie Johns are so cute!

The sites I've included in the Saga feature cover knitting designers, knitting shops and yarn manufacturers. They all offer more free patterns than I could include. Here's the list:

Erika Knight

Debbie Bliss

LoveKnitting.com

Let's Knit magazine

KnitRowan.com

McAree Brothers

and a couple of extras:

Hobbycraft

WoolandtheGang.com

Laughing Hens

One of my other favourite sources is the local library. I love it for the extended choice. You can take the books out on loan – books you'd never consider buying (who has an unlimited budget?), browse at your leisure, take a photo of the patterns you want, or scan the page, then return the book – all for free. Even the fastest knitter – who certainly isn't me – would struggle to knit the pattern before the end of the loan period! 

Sewing for myself: the Sorbetto top from Colette Patterns

There are, of course, lots of free sewing patterns online, but one of the most popular must be the Sorbetto top from Colette Patterns. It's a simple loose-cut sleeveless top with two pattern pieces, bias binding around the neckline and armholes and a front pleat detail. It's supplied as a 'patchwork PDF' that you stick together to make the pattern. The instructions are easy to follow, the pattern pieces are easy to put together, and it's very quick to make. And here's my finished top.