Cosy Cottage 6-Cup Cabled Teapot Cosy

A warm, chunky teapot cosy worked in soft bulky wool, featuring three vertical cable panels separated by purl "ditches" for a snug, textured hug around your teapot. Worked flat in two matching panels, then seamed with openings left for the spout and handle. Sized to fit a standard 6-cup (approx. 1.5 litre) round teapot.

Materials

• Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Wool Mix Chunky (bulky weight; 100% mix wool blend, approx. 130 m / 100 g per ball). 1 ball (approx. 90–100 m used). Choose a warm colour such as Rich Berry Red or Slate Grey.
• Needles: 6.0 mm (metric) straight or circular needles, or size needed to obtain tension.
• Notions: Cable needle, tapestry/darning needle for seaming, stitch markers, tape measure, scissors.

Tension (Gauge)

• 14 sts and 20 rows = 10 cm (4 in) over stocking stitch on 6.0 mm needles, after light blocking.
• This equals 1.4 sts per cm.
• Cable panels will draw in slightly; measure over the stocking-stitch edge areas.

Size

• To fit: Standard 6-cup round teapot (approx. 24 cm circumference at the belly, 13–14 cm tall).
• Finished cosy (each panel, flat): width approx. 20 cm, height approx. 14 cm to crown.
• Two seamed panels give an internal circumference of approx. 38–40 cm, allowing gentle loft and easy fit over spout and handle.

Abbreviations (UK)

• k – knit
• p – purl
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• k2tog – knit two together (right-leaning decrease)
• ssk – slip, slip, knit the two slipped sts together (left-leaning decrease)
• C6F – Cable 6 Front: slip next 3 sts onto cable needle, hold at front, k3, then k3 from cable needle
• RS / WS – right side / wrong side
• rep – repeat
• rem – remaining

Pattern Notes

• The cosy is made as two identical panels worked flat, then seamed along both sides. The seams are left partly open to accommodate the spout and the handle.
• Each panel contains three 6-stitch cable panels worked over a purl-ribbed background.
• C6F is worked every 8th row on the RS to create the twisted rope cables.
• Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise with yarn at back to create a tidy chain edge for seaming — this is included in the counts below (edge sts are the 2 knit sts at each end).
• Read RS rows right-to-left, WS rows left-to-right.

PANEL (make 2 identical)

Cast on

Cast on 28 sts.

Stitch layout check: 2 (edge) + 6 (cable) + 3 (purl) + 6 (cable) + 3 (purl) + 6 (cable) + 2 (edge) = 28 sts ✓

Ribbed hem

Row 1 (RS): k2, [p1, k1] to last 2 sts, k2. (28 sts) Row 2 (WS): k2, [k1, p1] to last 2 sts, k2. Rep Rows 1–2 once more. (4 rows of moss-edged rib worked)

Establish cable pattern

Set-up and work the 8-row cable repeat as follows.

Row 1 (RS): k2, k6, p3, k6, p3, k6, k2. Check: 2+6+3+6+3+6+2 = 28 ✓ Row 2 (WS): k2, p6, k3, p6, k3, p6, k2. Row 3 (RS): k2, k6, p3, k6, p3, k6, k2. Row 4 (WS): as Row 2. Row 5 (RS): k2, k6, p3, k6, p3, k6, k2. Row 6 (WS): as Row 2. Row 7 (RS — cable row): k2, C6F, p3, C6F, p3, C6F, k2. Row 8 (WS): as Row 2.

Work Rows 1–8 of the cable repeat twice total (16 rows), then work Rows 1–4 once more (4 rows).

Rows worked so far on panel: 4 (rib) + 16 + 4 = 24 rows. Body height ≈ 24 rows ÷ 20 rows per 10 cm = 12 cm ✓ (before crown).

You should now be on a WS row just completed; the next row is a RS row.

Crown shaping

The crown decreases the 28 sts down to 10 sts, gathered closed to form the dome.

Decrease Row 1 (RS): k2, [ssk, k2, k2tog], p3, [ssk, k2, k2tog], p3, [ssk, k2, k2tog], k2. Each cable panel: 6 → 4 sts. Total: 2 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 2 = 22 sts (28 − 6 = 22 ✓).

Row 2 (WS): k2, p4, k3, p4, k3, p4, k2. (22 sts)

Decrease Row 3 (RS): k2, [ssk, k2tog], p3, [ssk, k2tog], p3, [ssk, k2tog], k2. Each cable panel: 4 → 2 sts. Total: 2 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 16 sts (22 − 6 = 16 ✓).

Row 4 (WS): k2, p2, k3, p2, k3, p2, k2. (16 sts)

Decrease Row 5 (RS): k2, k2tog, [p3tog is not used — see note], continuing as: k2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2. To keep it simple, work Row 5 as: k1, [k2tog] across to last st, k1. 16 sts: k1 (1) + k2tog ×7 (14 sts → 7) + k1 (1) = 9 sts (1 + 7 + 1 = 9 ✓).

Row 6 (WS): p across. (9 sts)

Finish the panel

Cut yarn leaving a 20 cm tail. Thread tail through a tapestry needle, slip the remaining 9 sts off the needle and through the tail, pull snug to gather the crown, and secure with a couple of small stitches. Do not cut the crown tails yet — you will use them to join the dome.

Make the second panel identically.

Finishing / Making Up

1. Block both panels lightly to 20 cm wide × 14 cm tall, opening out the cables. Allow to dry fully.

2. Join the crown: Place the two panels wrong-sides together with cables matching. Use the crown tails to stitch the two gathered tops firmly together so the dome sits centred.

3. Side seams with openings: Lay the panels flat, right sides together, aligning the ribbed hems.

   • Seam A (from hem upward): Starting at the bottom hem, use mattress stitch through the slipped chain edges to seam up 4 cm, then leave a 6 cm opening (for the handle), then seam the remaining distance up to the crown.
   • Seam B (opposite side): Starting at the bottom hem, seam up 4 cm, then leave a 5 cm opening (for the spout), then seam the remaining distance up to the crown.
   • Tip: Test-fit over your teapot before finalising the openings — adjust the opening heights to match your pot's spout and handle positions.

4. Weave in all remaining ends on the wrong side.

5. Optional top loop: Using a double strand, make a small crochet chain or knitted i-cord loop (approx. 5 cm) at the very crown for easy lifting; secure firmly.

6. Final block the seamed cosy over the teapot (with the pot cool and dry) to set the shape.

Fit Check Summary

• Each panel: 28 sts cast on, 24 body rows (12 cm) + 6 crown rows = 30 rows total.
• Crown decrease sequence: 28 → 22 → 16 → 9 sts, gathered. ✓
• Seamed circumference: 2 × 20 cm = 40 cm flat, hugging a ~24 cm teapot with cosy loft and stretch. ✓

Enjoy your snug, cabled teapot cosy — perfect for keeping six cups' worth of tea beautifully warm.