COOL TOOLS, CHEAP TRICKS AND MORE is a collection of 3 books on knitting tips and tool making plus 2 patterns.
The Cozy Cottage tea cozy measures 10”X6” and will accommodate a standard 1 quart teapot including the handle and spout. The roof is stuffed with fiberfill to give it shape and extra insulation. The sides are reinforced with craft foam for the same reasons. The piece is a sampler of many stitches and techniques, making it a good practice piece. The weaving, tuck and slip
stitch all use the same punchcard. It also makes an excellent gift.

Any bulky machine can make this including Bonds and other hobby machines. Help notes for hobby machines are included. If your mid-gauge knits worsted weight yarn comfortably, it may be used as well but do remember that there is weaving and tucking in use so if stockinette requires the largest stitch size and knits stiffly, most likely weaving and tuck will be problematic.

BUSY OCTOPUS What is he busy doing? Anything you want. The sample is loom knitting but take a trip to the dollar store and look around. Yours could be babysitting, playing musical instruments, picking flowers, cooking and the list goes on.

YARN, GAUGE, SIZE AND MACHINE
Any machine may be used. The octopus shown is knitted flat. However, those with two beds could knit him in the round so instructions for that are included. Two gauges are given. The bulkier one, using Mary Lue’s Liberty Plus or a similar worsted weight yarn at stitch size 3 works on bulky and mid-gauge machines. An option using fingering to sport weight yarn will work for standard, Passap and Superba machines. Gauge is 4.5 stitches/ 6 rows/” for the worsted weight version, 7 stitches/10 rows/” for the fingering-sport version. For this pattern, matching gauge is not at all critical. Feel free to substitute yarns. Adjust for a firm fabric so that the knitting will hold the stuffing in nicely. The bulky version is given first with the numbers that apply to the standard version in parentheses. If gauge is matched perfectly, tentacle is about 7” long. The octopus sits about 5” tall. 4 ounces or less of yarn required.