Welcome back to “Free Pattern Friday”, a fresh new free pattern every week! You’ll find today’s pattern at the very bottom of this page. These patterns are available FREE to use on your tablet or smart phone, or print from this location; they are not, at the moment, downloadable. Please see the FAQ tab above if you have trouble printing.
Today’s offering: the Spotted Daphne! Now, here’s a way to add some summer fun to your picnic basket and bust that stash at the same time. This sweet and colorful tea cozy pattern uses small amounts of left over worsted weight yarn to create a charming, lined topper that really keeps tea hot. And what fun to knit! Stripes, dots and cheerful fields of bright shiny shades make for a joyful summer knit you can enjoy all year long.
Spotted Daphne employs some pretty exciting techniques, too. She’s knit from the bottom up, both flat and in the round, using stranded knitting to make the dots. Then the top is shaped in cheery stripes and crowned with an I-cord loop. Inside, you’ll create the bright lining by picking up stitches and knitting upward. You’ll finish by joining the lining to the shell with a nifty 3-Needle Bind Off. So throw some happy skeins into a bag and cast on a great summer knit!
I hope you haven’t forgotten that it’s Sock Month. I’ve got a new sock pattern today, as promised…Sweet Onions! Invented to keep self-striping socks interesting, Sweet Onions keeps you hopping with an engaging ribbed cable down each side. It’s a fun way to work with variegated yarns, but would be smashing in a solid too. Sweet Onions are worked from the top down and feature a Shadow Wrap short row heel. This weekend (til the end of day on Monday), I’m pleased to offer a free sock pattern of your choice when you purchase Sweet Onions, and because it’s Sock Month, there are lots of new sock patterns to choose from. Use the coupon code ONIONS2 once you’ve added both patterns to your cart.
…and without further ado…here’s today’s free pattern, Spotted Daphne.
I’ve started a Free Pattern Friday Ravelry group where you can post your comments, chat, feedback, modifications and suggestions. I hope to see you there! And how ’bout this? The first of the project bags are available HERE! The Shop is in no way finished; there are many more to come 😉
Spotted Daphne Tea Cozy
A funky stash-buster for the intermediate knitter
You'll Need
YARN:
Ella Rae Classic Worsted (100% wool) 100g/219 yds, or any worsted weight yarn.
- A (Blue) 1 skein,
- B (Off-white) small amounts,
- C (Yellow) small amounts
- D (Green) 60 yds
- E (Bright Pink) 60 yds
- F (Bright Orange) 60 yds
NEEDLES:
- 4.00mm circular needle with min. 40” cable for Magic Loop
- Set of five 4.00mm dpn’s
TOOLS/NOTIONS:
- Removable stitch marker, tapestry needle for weaving in ends
GAUGE: 22 sts & 28 rows = 4” in Stockinette St
FINISHED DIMENSIONS: (Measured flat) 8-1/2″ tall x 8-1/2″ wide. Fits 6-cup globe tea pot.
CONSTRUCTION:
- Lined tea cozy is worked from the bottom up beginning in the round, then worked in rows, then shaped and finished in the round.
- Lining is worked from picked up stitches from bottom to top
- A slip stitch selvedge is maintained on all rows; lining and shell are joined using a three-needle bind off.
- Tea Cozy is designed for Magic Loop
- Color work is charted
Instructions
SHELL: Worked from the bottom upward.
Ribbed Section: This section is working in the round. With C and using the long tail method, CO 88 sts. Divide evenly for Magic Loop. Join for working in the round, placing a marker for BOR. Work 6 rnds k2, p2 ribbing, then .
Polka Dot Section: This section is worked flat, first on one side, then the other. The first stitch on each row is a slipped selvedge stitch and IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE CHART.
- With A, KFB in first st, then k to 1 st before end of Ndl 1, KFB. (2 sts inc.)
- Turn work, slip the first stitch and purl back across the row. These last 2 rows of the Chart.
Continue working flat following the Chart through row 39, slipping the first st of each row, and introducing color B (dots) when indicated. When Chart is complete, break yarn and place sts on a length of waste yarn.
Work the second half of the tea cozy in the same manner, but DO NOT break yarn once Chart is complete.
Resume knitting in the round. [Knit across Ndl . Work this last st on Ndl on Ndl 2, then work the last st on Ndl on Ndl 1. (2 sts dec)] Repeat this section once more to 88 sts in rnd.
Shape Top:
- With D work 1 rnd even, then on next rnd *K9, k2tog* repeat to end of rnd (8 sts dec)
- With B work 1 rnd even, then on next rnd *K8, k2tog* repeat to end of rnd
- Maintaining the established 2 rnd stripe, continue to dec every other rnd having before decreasing until 16 sts remain.
Make Loop:
- Break B and D, join E and work 2 rnds even
- [K2tog around] repeat this once until 4 sts remain
- Slip all 4 sts onto dpn. Without turning, drawing the yarn snugly across the back of the sts, k2, k2tog (3 sts remain)
- Work 5″ in I-cord over 3 sts. Bind off knit-wise. End off, leaving a 12″ tail. [For a tutorial on how to knit I-Cord, CLICK HERE]
LINING
- Turn work inside out.
- With E, pick up and knit 44 sts at top of ribbing on one side of tea cozy. Slipping the first st of every row, work 36 rows even. Break yarn and place sts on a length of waste yarn.
- Repeat for second side but do not break yarn.
- Resume working in the round. Work 2 rnds even.
- To shape top, join D and work as for Shell (without the stripes) until 16 sts remain
- K2tog around (8 sts)
- Break yarn leaving a 12″ tail. Thread through remaining loops, draw up snugly and fasten off.
FINISHING
Close open edges at spout and handle by joining the lining to the outer shell using the 3-Needle Bind Off as follows:
- Using a dpn with RS facing, pick up 18 selvedge sts along spout edge of Shell.
- With another dpn, pick up 18 selvedge sts along spout edge of lining.
- With a third dpn, using D and working from top to bottom, k2tog (one st from each needle) twice, pass first st over (one st bound off), *k2tog, psso* repeat until all sts are bound off, preserving the last loop to begin bind off on second spout edge.
- Repeat for second spout edge, binding off using the preserved loop as the first st and working from bottom to top. End off and weave in ends.
Repeat all of the above for the handle edges.
Close the top loop by threading the tail of the I-cord into a tapestry needle and drawing it down through both the shell and lining layers. Secure lining to shell with a few sts, then finish by tying off a knot or bow.
Weave in ends and wet block to dimensions.
Notes
CLICK HERE for Standard Abbreviations
**Please direct pattern and knitting questions to for fastest results. Please do not post knitting questions in the blog comments. Thanks!
such a cute tea cozy!! I love it, so cheery. And that sock pattern is amazing, I love the subtle cable twist at the sides.
Why, thanks lady!