Continued from yesterday’s post

A few weeks ago I was talking with my mother-in-law about yarn arts. As the weather cools there’s less to do outside (and less motivation to be out in the cold and wet weather!) so it’s the customary time of the year for at-home craft projects. My mom-in-law is a master crocheter and I am a novice knitter, so we’ve both spent many an evening with some yarn and a hook or pair of needles clicking away. She was listing some possible projects that people had asked of her, and I chimed in that I could use a tea cozy to keep the tea in my teapot warm for longer. At the time I considered it a reasonable thing to mention, thinking that it would be an easy Christmas present for her to give me.

Imagine my surprise last week when I got home after work and my mom-in-law was there, gesturing me into the kitchen. I found my teapot on the counter, covered in the most beautiful cozy I’ve ever seen! She’d picked out a yarn that matched the teapot, and found a pattern that was just stunning. I told her, awestruck, that it reminded me of a chrysanthemum with all its layered petals. She laughed a little and confessed that it had actually been an extremely quick and simple project for her, and had been the perfect warm-up for the crocheting season. (And by the way, it works GREAT at keeping my tea hot!)

Here are the final gift ideas that I came up with:

Tea Cozy
There are many ways to make a tea cozy, including crocheting, knitting, and sewing. My mom-in-law used this pattern, but a simple google search for “free tea cozy pattern” and whatever your medium of choice (“crochet” “knit” “sew”) should yield many delightful results.

Tea Light Cup Warmer
For those who are more comfortable in the shop using a drill than by the fire with a hook or needles, this tea light cup warmer is a great option! Made from a wooden board, aluminum rod, and a sheet of aluminum the author of this DIY lists the total cost of components at less than $10 (assuming, of course, that you already own a drill!).

Tea Gift Basket
When all else fails, it takes very little creative energy to put a couple mugs and a few small samples of your favorite teas in a pretty basket (bonus points if the mugs and basket are from a thrift store!), wrap it in cellophane, and add a bow. Or, to stick with our up-cycling and eco-friendly theme, try buying discounted semi-sheer fabric at a craft store and use that instead of cellophane. It instantly adds a touch of class and can be re-used for years.

These are just a few ideas that I have either given, received, or seen. Have you ever given or received any interesting tea-related gifts? I would love to hear more ideas!

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