cozy tea?

When I drink tea, I like it made correctly, as taught by my Great Aunt Gallie on a visit to England in 1971. Great Aunt Gallie passed away many years ago, but the knowledge she shared with me guides me every time I make a pot of tea. The basics are very simple. You start with fresh cold water which you bring  to a boil. While the water heats, pre-heat the teapot by filling it with hot water. Empty the teapot, put in 2 teabags (or loose tea) and fill with boiling water. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes, remove the tea bags and enjoy. The tea-pot should be covered to keep the heat in, and you can enjoy nice hot tea right to the last drop.

I have a couple of tea cozies. One is a printed fabric elephant from England that has been a fixture in my kitchen seemingly forever. It’s been repaired and the lining is stained, but it still works perfectly. The second cozy is made from a quilted fabric sample that I used as a doll blanket when I was a little girl. When I found the sample in my studio, I wanted to make something with it. Due to the small size of the material, my choices were somewhat limited. However, a tea cozy was possible and certainly something I would use. It’s a bit small, but it works.

I made tea cozies out of felted sweaters for a couple of friends. Wool is lovely to work with. I’ve lined the cozies with attractive cotton prints, and embellished them with applique and embroidery. Only serious tea drinkers can appreciate how well they function. I’ve decided that I need a felted cozy and I’ve just started work on one. I’ll post it when it’s done.