Tea Time!

I likes me a good, hot cup o' tea.
I used to sugar it up real good in my younger years, but in my dotage, I've taken to drinking it straight. Like a big girl.
And I love it.
Always have.
Oolong, Earl Gray, Chai, Orange Pekoe, Rooibos (which some will say is a different plant from tea)Herbal of all kinds..(NOT jasmine however. To me, it's like drinking perfume. Guess I'm not totally grown up.)
I have many teapots collected over the years. I've given and I've taken them and I have a favorite.
It's a hand blown Swedish crystal pot, complete with infuser and warmer. Completely wonderful yet fragile. Pulled out for important occasions.
A lovely utilitarian one that is used daily is one given to me from Old Friend's mother. She knew my affection for the hot liquid and she generously gifted me one day long ago...
One problem.
I like it really hot.
And in the chill of winter, it cools off quickly.
I purchased a tea cozy in the 70's when I was young and still heavily sugaring my tea. The little cozy is rather primitive in an early crafting stage of someone on the east coast thirty years ago.
I recently stumbled (a good word for wading through my 'collections') across it and was convinced that by now, I could make a stab at creating a new grown up one for my new grown up taste.
And I'll share it with you....

A good grown up material.
Tapestry Upholstery.
Followed the design by making a sort of onion spire shape. Four of them.
Also repurposed an old mattress pad for my insulation.
Cut four of those as well. A little smaller than the tapestry.
.
Sew the insulation to the back of the pieces.
Right on the edge.

Found a sweet lining. Cut four of these as well.
Sew this wrong sides together.
Trim close to stitching.
Zig Zag edges and trim again.

Stitch through all layers to form a quilty look.
I followed the shape of the piece at progressive intervals, but you could outline a design on a print you use or just use a cross pattern. The goal is have it look quilted.

Placed a small bit of grosgrain ribbon for a nifty little pull. You know, so you can dramatically pull off the cozy and say, 'Ta Da'!! when you serve tea to some unfamiliar with the ways of a cozy. Guaranteed to impress.
You could use a variety of other ribbon like trims as well. More Wow power.
I pinned the ribbon in the seam allowance near the top of the cozy.
Sew each panel to another. Zig Zag edges here as well. If I was making this for someone other than unworthy me, I would bind these edges.
Being as this is a prototype, I skimped. My bad.

Was I ready for how fun this was and how these could be a good addition to my Phantom Etsy shop?
Pretty cute, huh?
And gift ideas for other old ladies that like their tea hot, hot.
Also, for you young yayhoots, coffee mugs/pots would like to keep warm in winter too, yes?
And platters of food? Veggie bowls waiting for others to finish?
Oh yeah...I hear your brains clicking....

Enjoy!
I'm off to make some tea!!