Coronation Tea Cosy

Just in time for the King's Coronation I knitted a tea cosy in patriotic colours - red, white and blue.

That should keep the teapot warm while I'm watching the Coronation on TV in a couple of weeks.  Isn't time flying by!

I've also got this Union Flag cross stitch which I made ages ago.  I love it!  You can read more about it on a previous blog post here.

Perhaps French Fancies weren't the best choice of cake!

Love, Liz

Tea cosy time

Now that October has arrived it is time to put the tea cosy on the pot to keep the tea warm.

I looked out some cosies is warm autumn colours.  These are my favourite colours - warm orange, yellows, russet and browns.  A cup of tea and a slice of gingerbread - just what you need on a wet, chilly Scottish autumn morning!

They really do keep the tea pot warm and cosy as well as bringing a splash of colour to the kitchen.  I enjoy knitting them.

Which is your favourite? 

Serving my gingerbread on this vintage china plate - Meadowland by Royal Standard.  Isn't it pretty?

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Love, Liz

Tea at three

I love a nice cup of tea at three o'clock in the afternoon.  A bit of a tradition I suppose.

Mostly I just have a mug of tea, but occasionally I'll get out some vintage china and feel a bit posh!

I got out this gorgeous Royal Vale cup and saucer today just to show off my knitted tea cosy.  I love the way the purple and light green look together.  Matches the china.

Lets not forget the vintage linen - purple flowers and little embroidered corner - perfect.

Hope you are enjoying a cuppa this afternoon.

Love, Liz

Vintage pink tea cosy

I've been busy knitting - guess what - yes, tea cosies!

First of all this lovely pink and purple one - looks great with my vintage Pink Vogue bone china.

Then I opted for a cosy in various shades of green with a bright green pom pom.

Fits in well with this lovely green holly cake tin.

Hope you like them!

Love, Liz

Black and white knit

Just in case you thought I had neglected my knitting - which I have been, slightly, I wanted to show you another of my retro hand-knit tea cosies.

I enjoyed knitting this one - both sides are different, so it made for a more interesting finish.  I've previously knit one in these colours.

Big pom pom on top - I love these!

I don't suppose we need a tea cosy in summer, but it really will keep your teapot warm for that second cuppa.

Have a great weekend.

Love, Liz

Tea for two

A pink and white knitted tea cosy is one of the stars of the show today.

It is joined by two vintage cups and saucers, also pink and white.

I rediscovered this gorgeous vintage embroidered tray cloth in my fabric stash - how on earth could I have forgotten this beauty!

Aren't the colours wonderful.  When I see pieces like this, I often wonder about the woman who made it.  I'll never know, but I often think about how pieces came about.  Were they made to give as gifts or to brighten the maker's own home?

Or, perhaps like my own stitching, they were just made purely for the love of creating - the love of doing something which gives pleasure.  After all the years, these lovely hand crafted pieces still give some of us a lot of joy.

Do you ever wonder about your vintage finds?

Love, Liz

Cream and pink tea

My latest (sewn up) tea cosy in lovely shades of cream and pink, with just a few colour flecks through the wool.

A bit different from my usual bright tea cosies.

Loving gypsophila just now.  Love its other name - baby's breath, just so beautiful.

I think that gypsophila has had a bit of a bad press from the days when it was usually teamed with bright red carnations, even although it is part of the carnation family (I only found that out when I checked the spelling online!).  But it seems to be all over the place now and love it just on its own.

Really enjoyed knitting this tea cosy - I'm right into pastels at the moment.  Enjoy your Friday.

Love, Liz

Cosy Catwalk

Lovely ladies welcome to the Shortbread & Ginger tea cosy catwalk show!  Cue music - "Everything stops for tea", as we welcome to the catwalk this winter's must have accessory - a warm knitted tea cosy!

First to appear is Rusty - cute in beige and warm red, Rusty would be a wonderful addition to any teapot and keep your second cuppa warm while you drink your first.

Next on the catwalk we have Bluey, in blue and grey midtones - an unusual combination that seems to work well.

Bluey and Rusty have joined together to create this stunning creation, which I suppose should be called Busty, but then again, perhaps not!

Cue music - "Tea For Two". 

Adding a touch of class to our show are Lord and Lady Grey, distant cousins of that name synonymous with special tea, the Earl.  Lady Grey is wearing a delicate shade of pink, while his Lordship is right on trend with a modern deep yellow mix.

And finally, to close our show we don't have a bride tea cosy (note to self - might be a good idea to try), but instead we have a gorgeous groom in all shades of grey.  He will add a touch of glamour to any teapot, no matter how homely.  He is a bit two-faced, but the different pattern on each of his sides just adds to his appeal.

This catwalk show would not be complete without an introduction to our wonderful model, Blanche, isn't she beautiful!

Ladies, I hope you have enjoyed the Shortbread & Ginger catwalk show.

Perhaps this blog post should have come with a pom-pom overload warning!

Love, Liz

A tumble of tea cosies

I don't know what the collective noun for tea cosies is, but tumble seemed appropriate in this case!

I emptied out my work bag to see what else was needing to be completed from last year and all of these tea cosy pieces fell out!  I can't believe I put them away without sewing them up.  (Actually I hate sewing up the bits and pieces I've knitted or crocheted.)

So, that will be my job for the rest of the afternoon - putting these blinking things together!  I can't believe that there are even a couple of pom poms in there.

The completed grey and pink tea cosy is one I knit last week while staying at my Son's flat in Glasgow.  It just needs a pom pom and it is complete, at least it is sewn up.

Ah well, once they are done I can start a new project.
Love, Liz

Red, white and blue knitting

I've gone a bit majestic for my latest knitted tea cosy.

Red, white and blue in honour of Her Majesty the Queen.

Quite jolly isn't it?

It is for sale, so email me if you would like details.

Love, Liz
If you love the Hornblower novels, you might like the latest blog post on The Greenockian - espionage, and imprisonment during the Napoleonic Wars!