There is something nostalgic about a tea cozy.
In a world where we’re constantly on the go, we should make more time to slow down. We need to take time to sip tea and chat with friends long enough that we need to keep our tea pot warm under a tea cozy.
Knitting also has the same mindset. Knitters are encouraged to take a breath between stitches, chat with their friends and slowly produce something that a loved one will cherish.
That’s the philosophy behind our Tea Cozy Contest. We want to encourage our friends to take those moments to enjoy the little things in life, like sipping a good cup of tea or a wrapping your tea pot with a handmade cozy.
History of the tea cozy
A tea cozy is defined as a “thick or padded cover a teapot to keep the tea hot.” The first documented tea cozy in writing was in 1867 England; however, it is thought that it might date back to the 1600s when tea was first introduced to England.
One tale says the tea cozy was accidentally invented in Ireland. A farmer leaned across the table, legend says, and his hat fell on top of the tea pot. When he later removed it, the tea was still warm.
A tea cozy is as varied as the tea drinker. Some are knitted like a woolen hat complete with a pom-pom on top; some are made of thick material, often with a decorative pattern; at restaurants some include a metal exterior to protect the inner fabric. The early tea cozy allowed the women of the house to have a creative outlet, while still having the practicality of keeping the tea warm .
The tea cozy, though, would never be used during social teas with the elaborate silver sets because a silver set was meant to be shown, not hidden under a cozy.
How to enter
The tea cozy doesn’t have to be an original pattern but must have been made by the contestant.
In the past, we have been sent photos for our contest that featured a fun array of patterns of tea cozies — from the traditional to the whimsical. We’ve seen tea cozies that have looked like a vase of flowers, one that looked like a bunny, some have pom-poms, some don’t. Find a pattern that makes you smile and create it.
To enter, contestants must email a color, in-focus, clear photograph to pmtealady@aol.com or mail to The Larkin Co., 545 Warm Springs Ave., Martinsburg, WV 25404. Photos will not be returned.
All submissions must include name, mailing address, telephone number, email address and descriptive name of cozy.
Photos will be posted online at The Larkin Tea Co.’s website at www.larkintea.com. Visitors to the site will vote for their favorite. The tea cozy that wins the most votes wins.
Closing date is July 31, 2019. The winner will be notified by phone or email.
For more information, go to https://larkintea.com/tea-cozy-2019/