“My dad would love this!”
“He’s a real footy fan and loves a good cup of tea – although he might want his cosy in Charlton Athletic colours…” Louise Smith, Production Assistant Knitting crazy! Knitting mad! OK, that might not be quite how the song goes, but we are really crazy about this cosy. The main parts are knitted using simple stocking stitch with a few purl rows thrown in. The snazzy wig is made with loop stitch – easy peasy once you get your head around it. Plus, there’s a fun spot of colourwork in the emblem and scarf. We can think of a few fans in the office who’ve got their eyes on this project – which footy fanatic will you be knitting a cosy for? Note Divide White ball of yarn into two balls so that the yarn can be used double thickness and knitted up as a single strand. Only use the yarn held double if the pattern says to do so.
MAIN COSY
(MAKE 2)
Cast on 28 sts using 5 mm needles and Yarn A held DOUBLE.
Row 1 *K1, P1; rep from * to end.
Row 2 *P1, K1; rep from * to end. Starting with a knit row, work in st st for 24 rows.
Dec 1 st at each end of the next and following alternate 4 rows, ending on a dec row. [18 sts]
Decrease 1 st at each end of the next 3 rows. [12 sts]
Row 39 *K2tog; rep from * to end. [6 sts] Cast off.
With right sides together, sew 11cm from the centre-top, down the side seam towards the cast-on edge. Make the other side to match.
At the bottom of each side seam, sew 1.5cm upwards. The holes are left for the teapot’s handle and spout.
Put this part of the Tea Cosy onto the teapot, it’s easier to sew things into place when the Tea Cosy is on a teapot.
CHEST
Cast on 9 sts using 4mm needles and Yarn D.
Row 1 Kfb, K7, kfb. [11 sts]
Row 2 and every foll alt row Purl. Row 3 Kfb, K9, kfb. [13 sts]
Row 5 Knit.
Row 7 Skpo, K9, k2tog. [11 sts]
Row 9 Skpo, K7, k2tog. [9 sts]
Row 11 Skpo, K5, k2tog. [7 sts]
Row 13 Skpo, K3, k2tog. [5 sts]
Row 15 Skpo, K1, k2tog. [3 sts]
Row 17 Sk2po. [1 st]
Fasten off. Pin and sew the Chest to the centre-top of the Cosy, with the point at the centre-front.
Note The back of the Chest (up to the first decrease row) should be on the back panel of the Cosy.
NECKBAND
Cast on 45 sts using 4mm needles and Yarn C.
Row 1 K20, k2togtbl, K1, k2tog, K20. [43 sts]
Break off Yarn C and join Yarn A.
Row 2 P19, p2tog, P1, p2tog, P19. [41 sts] Cast off.
With cast-off edge nearest the Chest, pin the centre of the Neckband to the lower point of the Chest and bring the sides of the Neckband up around the Chest to meet at the back. Sew into place.
HEAD
Cast on 8 sts using 4mm needles and Yarn D.
Row 1 *Kfb; rep from * to end. [16 sts] Row 2 and every foll alt row Purl.
Row 3 *K1, kfb; rep from * to end. [24 sts] Row 5 *K2, kfb; rep from * to end.
[32 sts]
Row 7 *K3, kfb; rep from * to end.
[40 sts]
Row 9 *K4, kfb; rep from * to end.
[48 sts]
Starting with a purl row, work in st st for 13 rows.
DECREASE HEAD
Row 1 *K4, k2tog; rep from * to end. [40 sts]
Row 2 and every foll alt row Purl. Row 3 *K3, k2tog; rep from * to end. [32 sts]
Row 5 *K2, k2tog; rep from * to end. [24 sts]
Row 7 *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end. [16 sts]
Row 9 *K2tog; rep from * to end.
Cut off and thread the end of the yarn through the remaining sts and through the loop of the yarn itself, draw up the knitting tightly and fasten off.
With right sides tog, sew the row ends tog, turn RS out and stuff evenly.
It’s easier if you sew everything to the Head before you sew the Head to the Main Cosy.
HAIR
Cast on 52 sts using 4mm needles and
Yarn A.
Row 1 K17, cast off the next 2 sts, K until there are 12 sts on the RH needle, cast off the next 2 sts, K to end. [48 sts]
Row 2 *K1, ML; rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 3 Knit.
Row 4 K2, *ML K1; rep from * to end. Row 5 Knit.
Repeat Rows 2-4 once more.
DECREASE HAIR
Row 1 *K4, k2tog; rep from * to end. [40 sts]
Row 2 and every foll alt row *K1, ML; rep from * to last 2 sts, K2.
Row 3 *K3, k2tog; rep from * to end. [32 sts]
Row 5 *K2, k2tog; rep from * to end. [24 sts]
Row 7 *K1, k2tog; rep from * to end. [16 sts]
Row 9 *K2tog; rep from * to end. [8 sts]
Cut off and thread the end of the yarn through the remaining sts and through the loop of the yarn itself, draw up the knitting tightly and fasten off.
With right sides tog, sew the row ends tog, turn RS out. With the Hair seam at the back, pull the Hair on the Head like a hat. The cast-on edge of the Hair front should be on the first decrease row of the Head.
Note The two shaped parts on the cast-on edge of the Hair, where you cast off 2 sts, are the sideburns of the hairline and should be evenly spaced at either side of the face. Give them a little pull to make them more pronounced.
Sew the Hair to the Head.
HAIR STRIPES
(MAKE 2)
Cast on 33 sts using 4mm needles and Yarn C.
Row 1 Knit.
Row 2 K1, *ML, K1; rep from * to end. Repeat last 2 rows, once more.
Row 5 Knit.
Cast off.
Pin and sew one of the Hair stripes from the top of one of the sideburns, over the Head, to the top of the other sideburn.
Try to clear a parting in the loops as you pin into place. In a similar way, pin and sew a strip from the centre-front of the Hair to the centre-back of the Hair.
NOSE
Cast on 10 sts using 4mm needles and Yarn D.
Starting with a knit row, work in st st for 3 rows.
Row 4 *P2tog; rep from * to end. [5 sts] Break off and thread the end of the yarn through the remaining sts and through the loop of the yarn itself, draw up the knitting tightly and fasten off. Sew row
ends together, lightly stuff and sew into position on face.
EARS
(MAKE 2)
Cast on 8 sts using 4mm needles and Yarn D.
Row 1 Knit.
Row 2 *P2tog; rep from * to end. [4 sts] Break off and thread the end of the yarn through the remaining sts and through the loop of the yarn itself, draw up the knitting tightly to make a semi-circle. Sew in ends and sew to either side of the Head, in the shaping parts for the Ears.
With black DK yarn, embroider on eyes and mouth using picture as a guide. Sew the Head to the Main Cosy.
ENGLAND EMBLEM
Cast on 9 sts using 3 mm needles and Yarn B.
Starting with a knit row, work in st st through Chart A. Remember to twist the yarn when you change colour to prevent holes.
As an alternative, the emblem can be knitted blank and the details Swiss darned on.
Fasten off and sew in ends.
With cast-on edge uppermost, position and pin the emblem to the top righthand side of the front of the Main Cosy. Sew into place.
SCARF
Cast on 36 sts using 4mm needles and Yarn A.
Row 1 Knit.
Row 2 *K1, ML; rep from * to end.
Break off Yarn A and join Yarn B.
Starting with a knit row, work in st st for 16 rows.
Starting with a knit row, work in st st throughout the 47 rows of Chart B. Remember to twist the yarn when you change colour to prevent holes.
Using Yarn B only, starting with a purl row work in st st for 16 rows.
Break off Yarn B and join Yarn A for fringing.
Row 1 *P1, ML; rep from * to end. Row 2 Knit.
Cast off.
Fold the Scarf in half with right sides tog, lengthways. Sew the row ends tog and turn RS out. Fold the ends flat with the seam at the bottom, and over sew each end. Drape the Scarf around the shoulders and around the back of the Head and stitch into place.