Hands up if you love a cuppa! Drinking tea is almost a compulsory part of being British, isn’t it?! I love a cuppa and can’t start my day without one. There’s just something about the ceremony of a pot of tea… So my blog wouldn’t be complete without a Free Tea Cosy Pattern, now would it?!

We get a lot of questions about the best choice of wadding for a tea cosy so we’ll be talking about that too…

When I was making up the samples of this I tried a couple of different tabs for the top and I couldn’t decide which to go for – so I’ve included both!

There’s a cute little folded grab handle, or a hanging loop – you decide!

The contrast band at the bottom is an easy way to elevate the visual interest of this tea cosy, and to use up some pretty coordinating fat quarters.

Equally, you could just use the lining pattern piece for both the outer and lining of the tea cosy if you wanted to simplify.

Sewing Skill Level: Beginner

Finished Tea Cosy Dimensions: approx 35cm wide x 25cm high

Approximate sewing time: a couple of hours

You will need

• The Tea Cosy Pattern which can be requested here
• Insulated Thermal Wadding: 1m of 50.8cm wide Insul-Bright
• Outer Main : 1 fat quarter quilting cotton  [We used: Dashwood Studio Hedgerow collection – Mirrored birds]
• Lining, Outer Contrast Band & Loop or Grab Tab: 50cm quilting cotton  [We used: Dashwood Studio: Hedgerow Collection – Geometric]
• Thread (we used: Gutermann colour 38)

Sewing Equipment You Will Need:

• Sewing machine
• Fabric Scissors OR rotary cutter, mat & ruler
• Tape Measure or ruler
• Pins or Clips

Make Life Easier With

• Pinking Shears or rotary cutter pinking blade 
• Tailors Pressing Ham
• Applique Scissors

Important notes:

• 1cm seam allowance throughout, unless directed.
• For steps using machine sewing, straight stitch, backstitching at the start & end using stitch length 2.5 unless otherwise stated.
• When top stitching – use a 3-3.5mm length & stitch approx 3mm from the seam
• Prepare your fabrics as per manufacturer’s care advice
• WST = Wrong Sides Together
• RST = Right Sides Together
• Read through the instructions fully before starting 
• Disclaimer:
  
  • Heat and steam will build up within the finished tea cosy, care should be observed when removing it and handling the teapot. To prevent mildew formation, turn tea cosies inside out to release condensation and excess moisture between uses.
  • Insul-Bright is heat resistant not heatproof.
  • Insul-Bright must not be used in the microwave
  • Insul-Bright may dull blades or scissors that cut it

What’s the best choice of wadding for a tea cosy?

In truth, you can use any kind of wadding in a tea cosy but I can highly recommend using thermal wadding like Insul-Bright. It’s clever stuff as it keeps hot things hot, and cold things cold!

I’ve used Insul-Bright in all of my tea cosies and can confirm that it definitely keeps a pot of tea at a hotter temperature for longer

1.    Print & Assemble The Tea Cosy Sewing Pattern

• If you’ve not already got the free tea cosy pattern, you can request it here
• Print the pattern on A4 Paper and tape the pages of the pattern together like the diagram below matching the circles

This pattern has been designed to print on A4 paper. Use the 1” or 2cm test squares to check the sizing. If the sizing is incorrect check your print settings. Depending on the device used, select ‘actual size’ or deselect the ‘fit to page’ option

2. Cut Out The Fabrics

Using the pattern pieces cut out the following:

• Lining: Cut 2 x lining fabric and 2 x Insul-Bright
• Outer Contrast: Cut 2 x Outer Contrast Fabric
• Outer Main: Cut 2 x Outer fabric
• Hanging Loop or Grab Tab : Cut one of either the hanging loop OR the Grab Tab from contrast fabric

3. Make the Grab Tab or Hanging Loop

You have a choice of top accent to make –

1. A grab tab
2. A hanging loop

Pick your fave option! But you only need to cut and make one…

Option 1: Make the Grab Tab

• Fold the Grab Tab piece in half and press
• Find the centre point along the folded edge and finger press
• Bring the 2 outer corners at the folded edge to meet the centre crease line and press to make a point at the fold

Option 2: Make the Hanging Loop

• Place the loop piece right side down, fold over and press 1cm of fabric along the two long sides
• Fold the loop in half lengthways with the raw edges inside and press
• Sew along the 2 sides of the loop, 2mm from the edge
• Fold the loop in half and baste 1cm from the raw edges

4. Assemble The Outer Panels

• One at a time, clip or pin the Outer Main and Outer Contrast pieces together, right sides facing along the straight edge
• Press the seam allowances open

• Fold one of the outer panels in half and mark the centre top
• Clip the hanging loop (or grab tab) at the centre top of the prepared outer panel, raw edges aligned, loop (or tab) facing downwards and baste in place

• Line up the 2 prepared outer panels right sides together and clip/ pin around the curved edge
• Sew the 2 panels together, leaving the bottom open
• Using pinking shears trim the seam allowance around the curved edge to 2mm from the seam line. Or cut the seam allowance to 1cm then clip small V shaped notches in the seam allowance at 1.5cm intervals. They should be 5mm wide narrowing to a point stopping just before the seam line

• Turn out the right way and press the seam allowances open. A Tailors Pressing Ham can make pressing curves much easier

5. Assemble the lining panels

• Clip 1 piece of Insul-bright onto the wrong side of each lining panel

• Baste all the way round each panel with a 5mm seam allowance, stitch length 4 or 5 to hold the Insul-Bright in place

• Sew the lining panels right sides together along the curved edge, leaving the bottom open
• Clip around the curved edge 
• Cut the seam allowance to 0.5cm with pinking shears/ rotary blade OR clip small V shaped notches in the seam allowance at 1.5cm intervals. They should be 5mm wide narrowing to a point stopping just before the seam line.

 6. Assemble the tea cosy

• Take the tea cosy outer and place inside the lining, right sides together taking care to line up the side seams
• Clip round the bottom edge of the tea cosy, opening the seam allowances at the side seams

• Sew around the bottom of the tea cosy leaving a 10cm turning gap
• Reduce the bulk at the bottom of the tea cosy by trimming away the Insul-Bright from the bottom seam. Applique Scissors can make this easier

• Turn the tea cosy out the right way and clip the opening closed
• Top stitch all the way round the bottom of the tea cosy 5mm from the edge