Have you been knitting gifts for the holidays? I wasn’t doing so well with that this year. I’ve had years when I knit mitts, and years when I knit scarves, but this year, I’ve been a bit stumped and a bit crushed for time.

But a few weeks ago, I needed a new tea cozy myself and found this old Patons’ pattern in my pattern stash. I thought it would be a perfect quick knit and stashbuster:It calls for a yarn called Beehive Craft Yarn, which I think is gone from this world. (I remember using it a long time ago for doll hair. It was a very thick acrylic yarn, at least three ply.) Instead, I used some Bernat Felting for these two, which I had in my stash. I had the idea that I’d felt it once it was done, but I like the look of it just as it is, and the size is perfect. I was a bit worried about the yarn being a single ply and not spun, but it worked out just fine. This is a quick and easy project – I can knit one in an evening, even when I’m worn out from battling Mages and fighting Slayers. (!)

The idea was that the green one would be a gift, but as you can see, I have two teapots and it wasn’t long before it was put to work right here. (You might also notice that the cables are done differently on the two cozies. The green one has cables the way they’re supposed to be. It doesn’t make a huge amount of difference, but the top is slightly easier to work when the cables twist the right way.)

It also wasn’t long before I was back in my stash, inspired for the holidays. I’ve made more of these tea cozies with Bernat Roving and with Patons Classic Wool Roving. The Bernat Roving is for people who might be inclined to chuck the tea cozy into the washing machine – it’s 80% acrylic. One ball does it in most cases.

Some of these tea cozies are heading to their destinations with a box of the recipient’s favourite tea or a box of shortbread – or both! Those being hand-delivered will arrive with fresh baking. (Yup, my mom will get one with her scones.) I’m quite happy with my army of tea cozies – they’re both useful and attractive. Besides, doesn’t everyone need a nice hot cup of tea?

Have you made any gifts this year? If so, what?