In the fall of 2005, Gary and Sandy Sojka, of Bend-in-the-Creek Farm in Middleburg, Pennsylvania, requested twelve tea cozies to use as holiday gifts for friends.  The cozies were to be made using wool from the Tunis sheep that the Sojkas raise.  Accordingly, I researched and thought about different designs, given the FHF rule that each item made is unique in some way.The pattern for the first cozy was adapted from “The Bachelor’s Tea Cozy”, instructions for which were first published in Weldon’s Practical Knitter (Twenty-First Series), pp. 9-10, then collected in Weldon’s Practical Needlework starting in 1888.  This piece appeared in Vol. 7, and was published in a facsimile edition in 2002 by Interweave Press, Inc., Loveland, CO.  Since knitting terminology, yarn descriptions, and needle sizes have changed significantly over the years, this tea cozy is a “best guess” at design, and does resemble the illustration in the book.  The stitch used appears to be a form of “Brioche Stitch” rib.  All but one of the subsequent cozies were constructed in the same way:  with patterned outside panels, garter stitch inside panels, and a knit cord tie at the “neck”.  The one exception to this was one which didn’t have a necktie. 

Bubble Stitch

Brioche Stitch

Loop Stitch

Fisherman Rib

Mistake Stitch Rib

Puff Stitch

Tweed Stitch

Purl Twist Diagonal

Trellis Stitch

Triple Twisted Rib

Wheatear Rib

Woven Tile