Oxford Knit Sighting: The Jam Factory (plus, giveaway)
Edited to add deadline for comments! Comment by March 16 for a chance to win the yarn below.
Oh, hello, people. Obviously, I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus, partly because I am having some nerve problems in my right arm (the nerve! ha.). But if I can’t actually knit, I can dream about knitting…and keep an eye out for other people’s work. [Yes, I am an addict: all roads lead to knitting.] So perhaps that is where this blog is headed for a while: compendium of knitting observations, plus giveaways. [Scroll down, people.]
Yesterday, I came across these fabulous tea cozies in Oxford’s The Jam Factory:
Aren’t they great? According to the sign, they’re made by the owners’ mother:
I can see this being a nice mother’s day gift (UK Mother’s Day is March 10. US readers, you still have some time). They’re selling them with the teapot, even!
Or you can say it with flowers, as one of these two does:
It has never occurred to me to make a tea cozy, but then I have never before lived in a place where one was necessary. In the winter, one really does want hot tea, and a pot really can cool down depressingly quickly.
Mr. Trask got me this knit kit for Christmas, as a bit of a joke, but hey – maybe tea cozies are the new Clapotis. Who knows.
Right! Giveaway time. In keeping with spring and a feeling of abundance, I am letting go of more yarn these days. First up is an old friend:
Neighborhood Fiber Co. Loft in color “Victorian Village.” Make yourself a glorious light scarf. Photo is a little fuzzy, but then so is the yarn.
No one claimed our charity knitting prize (sigh), so it goes on the block for one of the commentors on this post. As always, you’ll be randomly chosen, per our Stash Giveaway rules.
So! How the heck have you been? Ever knit a tea cozy? If so, what are your favo(u)rite patterns?
Knit Like You Mean It. 
Tea cozies! Some of the best ones I’ve seen.
Aren’t they nice? Ornate, but not fussy.
Tea Cozies are so much fun! Functional and cute! There are 861 patterns for them on Ravelry. 2 of my favorites are Cupcake Tea Cozy (Patons) and Tea Cozy by Yasmin. Hot tea!
I have not yet knit a tea cozy but sure do love them. I have my eye on the cozy Pattern in One Skein Wonders. I have knit numerous coffee cup cozies, a cd cozy. a book cozy and am almost done with a hot water bottle cozy. I draw the line at toilet paper and kleenex box cozies. My son wants me to make him a steering wheel cozy and I admit to momentary fantasies of mailbox cozies and then as my dreaming gains momentum like a run away ball of yarn I imagine making a car cozy! Then I go back to my latest dishcloth or much less fantastical project.
OMG those tea cozies are so cute! I’ve never knit one, but those sure make me want to try!
Great tea cosies. I have knit retro 60’s ones and have a couple of books of wild tea cosy patterns. You are being educated into our British ways!
I’ve knitted two tea cosies; the Kureyon Kozy from Knitty and an owl cosy for a swap partner. And I must knit the cricket cosy from p/hop sometime. I’ve also been pondering a TARDIS cosy ever since a friend described tea cosies as being like a time machine for tea…
TARDIS tea cozy! Best idea!
I haven’t knit a tea cozy, but I do need to knit a cozy for the french press I use to make coffee when camping.
Always wanted to knit one…maybe now I’ll be inspired to do so.
Ohh, pretty. I have never knit a tea cozy, but now I am really tempted to try. Got to find a tea pot and pattern and yarn.
Frankly I need to tell you that I like to look at tea cozies but I do not like the idea of knitting one. I love scarves and shawls and everything that is so close to you so you can enjoy the sweet feeling of being surrounded by a noble, warm fiber. I love your yarn though. Beautiful.
I want to knit Kate Davies’ sheep carousel. I knit Sheep Heid so I should have enough yarn leftover for it but I’ve not bought the pattern and my knitting time dropped dramatically with Little Djinn’s arrival 🙂
Good day, Kathleen,
I’ve never knit a tea cozy although I do have some lovely teapots, including one from my grandmother. I rarely make a pot of tea these days, preferring just a cup… You are correct in saying it cools off too quickly. Hope you & the family are well. Thanks for the chance to win more of your beautiful stash!
I have never knit a tea cozy and am not sure I would feel right doing so since the only teapots I own are ones I’ve made myself
I’ve never knit a tea cozy and don’t know that I would feel right covering up one of my handmade teapots 😛
Yay, a post, a post. I hope the nerve business is temporary, and little lady is well.
I have never knit a tea cozy, although those are cuter than anything I could come up with.
Simply the best tea cozies I’ve ever seen. Awesome, didn’t know what I was missing.
I’m late to the party, having just come across this. I want to knit a tea cozy but my sister-in-law made me a felted one out of a sweater that I lent her when she was pregnant. It was my favorite ‘expecting’ sweater but I told her I didn’t want it back. When I got it back – in the form of a tea cozy, felted, beaded, beautiful – I didn’t quite recognize it at first. But I love it and am afraid if I knit one, then I wouldn’t use this one and it keeps the tea super hot!
I love these pictures but I don’t use tea cosies, so I thought I could make a hat and put flowers on the top. I usually see the yarn first, then get the ideas.
I’ve never made a tea cosie but I’m thinking I should since I drink tea all day and night. It would surely look nicer than a dish towel! I love everything that Karida does and the Victorian Village is delish. Good luck with the nerve problem.