A tale of a tea pot...

Have you ever started one of those projects that you think will only take an hour or two but actually ends up taking a whole day? Well let me tell you the tale of just one of those projects...
We drink lots of tea in our house and we have always had a LARGE teapot.

The current one is a lovely red, to match my kitchen, but we have never, ever been able to find a tea-cosy big enough, so made do with an old tea towel wrapped around it. So I decided to make my own pattern and run one up in a couple of hours.

I started by cutting up lots of red, brown and cream fabric and then joining it together to make a piece big enough to cut out the two sides.

I had to re-jiggle it a bit as I decided to make an opening for the handle and spout because it was rather and odd shape. Once I had made the lining and tested it on the pot I cut out the wadding, again from my scrap drawer.

Next came my first favourite bit; bobble trim! Gotta love the bobbles as I pinned them around the edge!

I machined it all together and then put the lining in. Then I came across a problem; it wouldn't turn round the correct way because of the spout and handle spaces I had left so there was now a bit of unpicking needed.

Now I could turn it through! Quick bit of re-stitching and then I was able to re-join the bottom edges by hand.

It was looking pretty good but some quilting was needed. Out came the trusty button jars, full of all my delicious vintage and modern, plastic and mother of pearl buttons. It needed lots before finally....
Ta  Dah....

...finally my huge pot has a super smart cosy!
Would you like a different view?

Look at the perky little spout emerging from the bobbles!

And just lovely vintage buttoness close-up. Mmmmm!
All made from scraps I had and my only spend was £1.29 on the bobbles.
But my two hour project has taken me a whole day!