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Thursday, September 6, 2007
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   Thursday, September 6, 2007

Country Chickens Novelty Tea Cosy and Egg Cosy Knitting Pattern
An unusual novelty tea cosy and egg cosy featuring small stuffed chickens. These cosies would fit right into a country cottage kitchen with the free-range hens roaming around the top. Ideal for keeping the teapot and boiled eggs warm too, children really enjoy them. Taking less than an hour to make they do make a lovely surprise on Good Friday and Easter Sunday when you present someone a hard boiled egg for their breakfast that still has a hen sitting on top of it.
Don’t be fooled into thinking this tea cosy and egg cosy with hens must be difficult to make, because they are really very quick and easy with minimal shaping.
To make the three country hens, tea cosy you will need…
5.5 mm, UK size 5 or US size 9 knitting needles,
3.25 mm, UK size 10 or US size 4 knitting needles,
50g White double knitting wool,
50g Lemon double knitting wool,
25g Dark Brown double knitting wool
25g Red double knitting wool
Other oddments of hen coloured double knitting wool and scraps of felt for the beak.
Knit the Front and Back of the tea cosy to match
Using the white wool and the lemon wool as double thickness yarn and size 5 knitting needles, cast on 28 stitches and work 38 rows in straight garter stitch (Knit each row)
Leave the stitches on a spare needle until later.
Shaping the top…
Using white and lemon wool as a double yarn proceed to knit across the tea cosy front and then tea cosy back as follows...
Shaping the top Row 1: *K5, K2 tog* repeat to end
Next and every alternate row Knit.
Row 3: *K4, K2 tog* repeat to end.
Row 5: *K3, K2 tog* repeat to end.
Row 7: *K2, K2 tog* repeat to end.
Row 9: *K1, K2 tog* repeat to end.
Row 11: *K2 tog* repeat to end.
Thread the end of the yarn through the remaining stitches and through the loop of the yarn itself and draw up the knitting tightly and Finnish off.
With the front and back right sides together, sew about 9.5cm from the finishing off point down the side seam towards the cast on edge.
At the bottom of each side seam, sew about 3cm upwards. The holes are left for the teapot handle and spout.
Knitting the hens…
Using a hen coloured double knitting wool and with size 10 needles, cast on 16 stitches and work 16 rows in stocking stitch (knit a row, purl a row)
Cast off.
To make up the hen…
Fold the square of knitting in half diagonally (with the right sides of the work facing) to form a triangle. Sew along one edge, turn and stuff lightly and neatly over-sew up the opening. With the thread still attached, sew small running stitches half way along the folded side of the triangle. Then insert the needle into the middle of this side and come out at the opposite corner, passing the yarn through on the inside of the hen. Draw up the stitching tightly to the hen’s tail and head a bird like shape, and finish off.
The Hen’s Comb (The red crest on the top of its head)…
With red double knitting wool and sized 10 knitting needles, cast on 7 stitches.
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: K1 *Bring the wool round the needle tot he front of the work and K2 tog* repeat to end.
Row 3: Purl
Cast off.
To make up the Comb…
Fold the red knitting in half so that the holes form a little scallop edging. Over-sew the long straight edges together and sew into position on the hen’s head.
Finishing off…
Finish off the hen by sewing an eye on either side of its head in dark brown wool. Cut a diamond shape from black felt, fold in half to create a triangle and sew into place. With red wool sew a couple of loops just below the beck for the hen’s wattles.
Make three hens in this way for the top of the tea cosy.
The Nest…
Using dark brown knitting wool and size 5 knitting needles cast on 60 stitches and then cast off.
Sew this long length of knitting to the tea cosy to form four loops, a bit like a flower. These loops make the hen’s nest.
Sew the three hens into position on the nest at the top of the tea cosy.

To Make The Egg Cosy…
With lemon and white double knitting wool and size 5 knitting needles, cast on 27 stitches and work 12 rows in garter stitch.
Shaping the Egg Cosy Top…
Row 1: *K1 K2tog* repeat to end.
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: *K2 tog* repeat to end.
Thread the end of the yarn through the remaining stitches and through the loop of the yarn itself and draw up the knitting tightly and Finnish off.
With the front and back right sides together, sew up the seam.
The Egg Cosy Nest…
Using dark brown knitting wool and size 5 knitting needles cast on 20 stitches and then cast off.
Stitch in a ring at the top of the egg cosy. Finally make a hen to sew at the top of the cosy.
More of S. Roberts craft ideas can be found at http://busy-crafting.blogspot.com/. For Christmas crafts visit http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk/ where you can also send a free letter to your child from Santa Claus. SantasPostbag is in association with http://www.bigboystoyz.com together keeping Christmas Magical.


Tea: What is White Tea?
Like all teas, white tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves are picked and harvested before the leaves open fully, when the buds are still covered by fine white hair. This gives the tea its name.. White tea is scarcer than the other traditional teas, but many tea drinkers prefer white tea over all others.
The leaves are steamed or fried to inactivate oxidation, and then dried. White tea therefore retains the high concentrations of catechins which are present in fresh tea leaves. The buds may also be shielded from sunlight during growth to reduce formation of chlorophyll. White tea is a specialty of the Chinese province Fujian in Southern China.
White tea is similar to green tea, in that it has undergone very little processing and no oxidation. But there is a very noticeable difference in taste. The flavor is described as light, sweet and sometimes smoky.
The best way to infuse white tea is to use a high quality tea pot or infuser and then steep white tea in purified water that is below the boiling point. Use of high quality purified, oxygenated water will add to the flavor of the tea.
White tea is excellent for your health. White tea is full of anti-oxidants that help ensure a healthy lifestyle. There is also much less caffeine in white tea than in other teas. (15mg per serving, compared to 40mg for black tea, and 20mg for green). Studies have also shown that white tea contains more active cancer-fighting antioxidants than even green tea.
A 2004 study at Pace University determined that white tea can help the body’s immune system fight off viruses and dangerous infection-causing bacteria. The same study concluded that fluoride-rich white tea helps prevent the growth of dental plaque, the chief cause of tooth decay.
There are many varieties of white tea, with beautiful and descriptive names such as: white Persian melon, white ginger, golden moon, silver needle and white cloud. White teas are produced mainly in China and Japan, but the Darjeeling region of India (noted for its high quality Black Teas) also produces fine white teas.
White tea has a long history in China. In hard or troubled times, very poor Chinese people would serve guests boiled water if they could not afford tea. Host and guest would refer to the water as "white tea" and act as if the tradition of serving guests tea had been carried out as usual. (This usage is related to plain boiled water being called "white boiled water" in Chinese.)
This was especially true in China during World War II and the Japanese Occupation as well as during the later Great Leap Forward (during which over 20 Million Chinese starved because of relocation) and the Cultural Revolution. But as soon as better times returned the Chinese saw real white tea reappear.
White tea is growing in popularity outside of Asia. Until recently white tea was virtually unknown in the United States. But recently the popularity of white tea has increased. Today, many tea drinkers from chefs to medical researchers are praising white tea’s delicate flavor and purported health benefits. Market researchers predict consumers will soon discover the tea, turning white tea into a very popular drink.
White tea has an exceptional taste that is smooth and silky with a hint of smokiness that has a remarkable effect on the tea drinker’s pallet.
One nice feature of white tea is its compatibility with other flavors and it is easily combined with memorable flavors like melon, licorice and ginger for truly exceptional drinks served hot or iced.

Jon Stout is Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information about tea, white tea and wholesale tea go to www.goldenmoontea.com


Wicked But Guilt-Free Chocolate Recipes For All Chocolate Lovers
Today we all know that we need to "eat healthy". However eating healthy does not mean you can't also indulge your longings for chocolate. Let's be honest - for chocolate lovers, to give up chocolate is a big ask!
There is just something about scrumptious, gooey chocolate treats that all chocolate lovers long for. A delicious professional looking chocolate cake or dessert is hard to resist.
Chocolate treats are a great way to celebrate a special occasion, to say "I Love You", or just to indulge yourself.
It is even being reported now that chocolate is in fact good for us! It's full of good antioxidants, especially the high cocoa kind.
Even if you need to lose weight, the best way to lose weight is not to eat so little that you are constantly hungry. It is also important that you allow yourself some of your favorite food as a treat from time to time. If you do these things you are far more likely to be able to stick to your diet program.
If you are not dieting maybe you just long to be able to make those fantastic desserts and cakes you see when you eat out.
Well you really can have it all. It is possible to have your chocolate cake, chocolate desserts and chocolate biscuits and still be healthy! You can even become the envy of your friends, impress your mother-in-law and even your boss. They will think you have trained as a chef! No more "bought" desserts for your next dinner party. When they ask, "Where did you buy it?", you will be able to say, "Oh, I made it!"
How is that possible?
You can do it by having access to easy, quick, delicious and health conscious recipes.
I have discovered an incredible site that is every chocolate lover's dream.
Kirsty Leigh has developed her very own system that anyone can easily follow. It enables you to churn out quick, mouthwatering but health conscious chocolate creations in your own kitchen at record speed.
We all own numerous recipe books but how often do the recipes actually come out looking like the pictures?
Kirsty has solved all that. She offers a database of 100,000 recipes! What's more, it is updated weekly and even has live personal support.
Kirsty has tried and tested her recipes and methods so that you can produce all natural, healthy home cooking that turns out just like something made by an international gourmet chef.
How do you ensure faultless results every time? Easy! Just follow Kirsty's videos. They show you step by step how it's done.
Simply great for the learner cook, but also the experienced cook will learn easy new ways to produce stunning desserts, cakes and biscuits to be proud of.
Kirsty also offers advice on how to use her recipes and methods to start your own profitable chocolate business. Imagine actually selling your home baking and have others lining up to order from you for their next dinner party!
How much is going to cost you to have access to wicked but guilt free chocolate recipes? Well the answer is very little, less than a meal out and what's more, its a one-time fee! I found it hard to believe. If you are a chocolate lover like me, check this one out now. You won't be disappointed.


Chris Williams
Chris Williams is a writer and researcher of digital information.
Chris recommends anyone who is a serious chocoholic should check out the excellent information on this website today. Find out much more about delicious chocolate treats and desserts.
Begin Your Chocolate Indulgence Here