Make a Tea Cozy

I never knew how handy a tea cozy could be until I made myself one and used it. It really does keep my tea nice and hot. The insulated lining has a lot to do with that! The tea cozy I’m making here is made from fabric given to me by my friend, Patty, and its destined to sit over my personal tea pot.

Here is a basic rundown of how I made it.

I used about 1/2 yard of fabric, 1/2 yard of lining and 1/2 yard of an insulated lining. There are lots of insulated lining out there, just find one you like.

Measure your tea pot from front to back. Mine measured 21 inches.

Divide that measurement in half. Add 2 inches. This is your final measurement for the height.

Next, measure your tea pot from side to side. Mine measured 14 inches. Start at the table, go over the pot, across the handle on the lid and down to the table again. Divide this measurement in half and add three inches. This is your final measurement for the width.

These measurements supply room for seams and sewing.

My final measurements were: 12.5 inches in height and 10 inches in width. I just drew my semicircle on paper using these measurements then cut out the fabric. I cut out two of each: the fashion fabric, the lining and the insulated batting.

Next I sewed piping to the right side of one of the fashion fabric pieces and batting.

Next, I sewed the other layers of batting and fashion fabric together. I had layers in this order; batting and fabric with the piping sewed on, another layer of fashion fabric and finally a layer of batting. I put a little handle at the top. It is made from a square piece of fabric folded into a triangle and then the points folded down to make a square. I stitched all around the outside, using the stitching where I sewed the piping as a guide.

I really like the finished look of the piping:

I turned it and pressed it lightly. Then I sewed the lining pieces together and pulled them over the tea cozy, right sides together. Leaving about a 6 inch opening at the top of the lining, I sewed the bottoms of the tea cozy and the lining together.

Then, I pulled the whole thing through the hole I left in the top of the lining. I slip stitched the hole in the lining.

It was pretty much done at that point, but I wanted the layers to lay flat, so I used a decorative stitch around the bottom of the tea cozy, through all the layers.