The thought of tea might bring to mind British high tea, stately Asian tea plantations or just the cup that's by your shoulder as you grab a few minutes for your knitting. All of these traditions are celebrated in Jan Gottelier's book Knitting and Tea: 25 Classic Knits and the Teas that Inspired Them.
The book takes readers to Sri Lanka and England, sharing stories and recipes involving tea (the drink and the event) as well as sharing patterns appropriate for wearing at tea or other occasions, be they fancy or laid back.
Travel, Tea and Knitting
Much like Gottelier's previous book, Indigo Knits, this book is part travelogue, part lesson in the history and proper enjoyment of tea, and part knitting book.
Part of the book is set in Sri Lanka, where Gottelier's husband and photographer Patrick Gottelier spent part of his youth on a tea plantation, while the second part is set in their home of England. Each chapter deals with a particular type of tea and offers patterns often related to a theme such as attending a tea, going to a cricket match or lounging in the garden.
There are also recipes for teatime treats like strawberry tea, coffee and walnut cake and mini meringues.
These extra touches help set the scene for the patterns, and while none of this information is absolutely necessary to your enjoyment of the patterns, it is a fun little diversion, particularly if you're enjoying some of your favorite tea as you read through the book.
The Patterns
Knitting and Tea has 25 patterns, most of them for tops and jackets for women, though there are also two men's sweaters, a vest for boys, an argyle cardigan for girls and the requisite tea cozies, cake-shaped cushions, gloves and other accessories that will help you take tea in style.
Most of the patterns fall in the easy or intermediate range, with nine marked easy, two easy/intermediate and 13 intermediate. Just one, a pair of argyle socks, is called advanced. The "easy" label doesn't mean all those patterns are for beginners, though, one is the cabled men's sweater featured on the cover.
The patterns provide a wide range of sizes, with most of the women's patterns offering six sizes in the range of around 32 inches to 52 inches for bust measurements.
Some of my favorite patterns include the Ceylon Cardigan, a relatively easy design embellished with floral embroidery; the Flowerdew Evening Tank, a lacy number embellished with loops around the collar; the aforementioned argyle socks; a striped beret worked in pastels and a silk/angora blend yarn; and the cute, cabled Snug Hooded Wrap.
The patterns definitely have the feel of the places (and the teas) that inspired them, so if you're a fan of teatime in the traditional sense and the British imperial aesthetic, you'll enjoy this book and the projects in it. It feels like a look back in time as well as book that offers cute patterns for your more refined moments.
Publication date: February 2009.
