Wild Tea Cosies: 24 Step-by-step Patterns

Issue 2

Australian designer Loani Prior's tea cosies are quirky, colourful and guaranteed to be a talking point whenever you have visitors for tea. There's nothing subtle about this collection of 24 designs. Each is a riot of colour, texture and shapes, inspired by flowers, fruit, sea creatures, birds and marshmallows. Most are created using a combination of knitting and crochet. If you fancy a break from 'serious' knitting and want to use up a few balls from your stash, this book should inspire you.

Jan 09

Knitting and crochet are enjoying a revival, and there have never been such a range of interesting yarns available. Neither has there been such a range of different types of tea, so why not combine the two for maximum enjoyment? I love the way this book has small pictures of all the tea cosies featured inside on the reverse of the book; I could see exactly what sort of projects I was getting. There are some lush and inventive designs to enjoy too, many echoing the wonders of nature. As the author lives in Queensland you can expect some coral reef-inspired cosies, as well as flowers, food, birds and bobbles. This is not a book however for beginners, for it does not show you how to knit or crochet merely mention what sort of work you will be doing (eg knitting in the round on four needles). But there are plenty of other fine books for beginners and rather fewer (in my opinion) for the more proficient yarncrafter. How many are there on tea cosies? This is the only one I have seen to date which also counts in its favor. For those already initiated into these twin skills there are some handy hints at the front and the instructions are clear, with a full page finished photograph and maybe another one showing another vital interim stage. Another thing I liked was the fact that no actual brand names or range names are used, just the color, size of ball and ply. This means that you don't need to live in Australia to use this book, and that Australians won't be discovering that the range is unobtainable before they make anything. Would that all yarncraft books did this!

Feb 09

A good pot of tea should be a well-dressed pot of tea and with only a basic level of knitting or crocheting skill, you can produce some exciting works of art to impress and flabbergast your friends, give as great original gifts and keep your tea warm. Each of the 24 projects has simple, straightforward instructions and photographs from all angles show the design details. The book is filled with tips, techniques and ideas for adding an individual touch using glamorous wools, feathers and buttons. The projects are perfect for cool young knitters, the hip granny and everyone in between.

Mar 09

Loani, adamant that a good pot of tea is a well-dressed pot of tea, has made sure this fantastic book lives up to its title! With 24 amazing and original designs that include knitting and crochet, this book belongs on the shelves of those who like to go beyond standard patterns. Spice up your teatime with fruit-topped Carmen Miranda, pom-pom covered Party Girl, sumptuous and felted Harlequin Flower, or even a Licorice Allsort lookalike! Each design incorporates a variety of techniques to give lovely results, and those who are already familiar with knitting and crochet will undoubtedly go wild for the book.