Craft a Cure for Cancer

Toys to Treasure

'Craft cure for Cancer' has now raised over $62,000 for the Cancer Council, through the efforts of hundreds of generous craftspeople, who donate their beautiful handmade creations. We then sell the goods at markets and exhibitions; we only sell at venues where we are welcomed with no out of pocket expenses. 100% of the money raised is donated.

Check out our Cancer Council donation page at 

http://i-will.cancervic.org.au/event/craftacure.

Our next fundraiser is 'Toys to Treasure'.

You can help us Craft a Cure for Cancer by making and donating a handmade soft toy for our pre Christmas market stalls.

We'll be selling toys at the Warratina Lavender Open Garden Weekend, on 30th November and 1st December. For details of the event, go to https://warratinalavender.com.au/event/open-garden-weekend/.

Also, our toys will be on sale at the Park Orchards Market in November and December, 

https://www.facebook.com/Park-Orchards-Market-932245130229780/.

Please post your toy donation to Craft a Cure for Cancer, PO Box 109, East Ringwood, Victoria, Australia, 3135.

Using your craft skills to fundraise for the Cancer Council is a great way to help fund research and support programs, and ultimately find a cure.

If you'd like to hold your own fundraiser under the 'Craft a Cure' banner, go to http://i-will.cancervic.org.au/event/craftacure, and click on 'Start Fundraising'. 

Congratulations Kaye Whitney, winner of the $250 cash prize for the best tea cosy, in the Tea Cosy Competition 2019.

Yes!! It is a tea cosy; you need to look closely to see the handle and spout of the teapot. All of the children who live in the shoe are engaged in different activities....A very impressive tea cosy!!
There were several other tea cosies that impressed the judges, including a beautiful felted and embroidered cottage, and a wicked witch.

Tea Cosy Competition 2019

This is an annual fundraiser for the Cancer Council

Best tea cosy, $250 cash prize

Please join with us as we Craft a cure for cancer, by making a tea cosy for our exhibition in July. You could win the prize for the Best tea cosy. 

Then bring your friends along to the Warratina Lavender Farm in July  to see your tea cosy in our Exhibition. There'll be a display of 40 beautiful quilts; as well as lots of varied craft items for sale. For tea cosy lovers, this is the biggest tea cosy display you'll see; and it's your big chance to buy the tea cosy of your dreams. 

All money raised is donated to the Cancer Council. We've raised over $50,000 so far. Please help us in our quest to Craft a Cure for Cancer.
To enter the competition, make a tea cosy, and send it to the address at the bottom of the page.

Pin a note on the tea cosy with your name and phone number, so we can contact you if you are a prize winner.  

All entries for the competition must be received by Friday, 5th July, 2019.

If you'd like to donate a tea cosy, soft toy, or other craft item to our fundraiser,  and are not interested in winning a prize, please send it to us by Friday 12th July. As well as tea cosies, small soft toys are a favourite with our customers, and are a very welcome donation.

All items received will be on display and for sale at Warratina Lavender Farm,

105 Quayle Road, Wandin Yallock, from 13th to 21st July 2019.

For some creative ideas and free patterns, check out www.facebook.com/teacosycompetition, andhttp://teacosycompetition.blogspot.com .

To make a donation to the Tea Cosy Competition fundraising effort for the Cancer Council, go to http://i-will.cancervic.org.au/event/craftacure.

Please note that the tea cosies or other items that you send to us cannot be returned. They will be displayed and sold at Warratina Lavender Farm, to raise money for the Cancer Council. 
Any that remain unsold after the display will be  sold at Lorenti Café, Park Rd, Park Orchards, or at markets and other events from time to time.  
All money raised will be donated to the Cancer Council.

Post your entries to 'Tea Cosy Competition', PO Box 109, East Ringwood, 3135, Victoria, Australia.

or

• Entries can be left with Annemarie at the tea rooms, Warratina Lavender Farm, 105 Quayle Road, Wandin Yallock.
• Entries can be left with Chris and Sandie at Lorenti Cafe, Park Rd, Park Orchards (near the corner of Hopetoun Rd).

People's Choice winners

The cat was the 'People's Choice', with the chicken coming in second, and the dog, third. In the end the votes for the three were very close. The dog had been the early leader, but was overtaken by the chicken and cat in the last few days. 

The animals are the winners!

2018 Tea Cosy Competition

Winner, Irene Gregory

The little cat is a tea cosy; it's so tiny that Irene had to make a special tea pot for it, as she couldn't buy one that was small enough.

Second prize, Barb Watkins

Third prize, Tristen Haigh

Some photos from the display at Warratina Lavender Farm

The 2018 Tea Cosy Exhibition is approaching fast....
Please note our new fundraising page is at https://craftacure.everydayhero.com/au/teacosy-competition.

For all the details on how to enter the Tea Cosy Competition for 2018, click on the ' Tea Cosy Competition Information' tab, above. Or scroll down past the owl pattern, the information is below that.
Here's the updated version of the dog tea cosy pattern. Enjoy. Please help us in our fundraising effort for the Cancer Council...we're crafting for a cure for cancer.

‘Alfie the Spoodle Puppy’

 Tea Cosy

You’ll need 4x50g balls of Passioknit Cassowary, in White.

One pair of 6 mm knitting needles.

(For a less fluffy effect, use 2x50g balls of Cossowary, or other fluffy yarn; plus 2x50g balls of white 8ply wool or acrylic.)

2x double pointed 6mm needles, used for knitting the I-cord for the tail.
2 safety eyes.
A black flock nose.

A small amount of polyester fibre-fill.
The tea cosy measures 20 cm wide and 16 cm high when laid flat.

Cosy body

Use two strands of Cassowary (or one strand of cassowary plus one strand of 8ply yarn) worked together throughout the project. This will produce a firm thick fabric; perfect for keeping the tea in your pot nice and warm.

Back

With 6mm needles and two strands of yarn, cast on 26 stitches,
Work for 10 cm in garter stitch (knit every row).
 

Start decreasing: Row 1. K2, K2tog, K to the last 4 stitches, K2tog, K2.
                            Row 2.  Knit.
Repeat these 2 rows till 22 sts remain.

Tie a length of coloured yarn around the thread that lies between the 11^th and 12^th stitches. This marks the position where the tail will be attached later.

Continue decreasing as before, until 14 stitches remain.
Next row; (K2, K2tog) x3, K2.  (11 sts)
Next row; K2, K2 tog, K3, K2 tog, K2 (9 sts)
Cast off.

Front

With 6mm needles, and two strands of yarn, cast on 26 stitches.

Knit 2 rows. Mark the positions for paws by tying a length of coloured yarn on the thread between the 9^th and 10^th stitches, and between the 17^th and 18^th stitches.
Continue knitting until the work measures 10 cm.
Start decreasing: Row 1. K2, K2tog, K to the last 4 stitches, K2tog, K2.
                            Row 2.  knit.
Repeat these 2 rows till 22 sts remain.

Tie a length of coloured yarn on to the thread that lies between the 10^th and 11^th stitches. This marks the position where the centre back of the head will be attached later.

Continue decreasing until 14 stitches remain.
Next row; (K2, K2tog) x3, K2.  (11 sts)
Next row; K2, K2 tog, K3, K2 tog, K2 (9 sts)
Cast off.

Stitch the front and back together by joining 2½cm at the base. Leave a 10cm gap each side for the handle and spout, then join across the top.


Head

Using 2strands of yarn together, cast on 20 sts.

Knit 4 rows

Next row, (Increase in next st, K1), repeat to the end of the row. (30 stitches).

Continue, knitting every row without shaping until the work measures 6 cm.

Decrease on each row as follows:

Row 1. K8, K2 tog, K10, K2 tog, K8

Row 2. K8, K2 tog, K8, K2 tog, K8

Row 3. K8, K2 tog, K6, K2 tog, K8

Row 4. K8, K2 together, tie a coloured yarn onto the thread between the 9^th and 10^th stitches. K4,  tie a coloured yarn onto the thread between the 13^th and 14^th stitches, K2 together, K8. These two pieces of yarn mark the position of the eyes.

Row 5. K8, K2 tog, K2, K2 tog, K8

Row 6. K2, K2 tog, knit to the last 4 stitches, K2 tog, K2. (18 stitches)
Repeat this row till 10 sts remain.
K2 tog all along next row, (5 sts)
Cast off. Tie a coloured thread on the middle stitch of the cast off row. This marks the position where the nose is attached.

Fold the head in half, so that the two side edges are together.

With a length of yarn, sew along the outer edges of the work from the nose marker on the cast-off edge, all the way along the side edge. Leave the cast-on edge open. With a 60cm length of plain yarn in a matching colour, sew a running stitch around the cast on edge, leaving it open.

The marker on the cast off edge is the spot to place the nose. The side seam of the work is the lower edge of the head. On the upper side, the eyes and the nose are positioned to form a 4cm equilateral triangle. The markers will help find the approximate spots, but it’s a good idea to make some small adjustments to the positions to give a cute appearance. Attach the nose and eyes.

Using some polyester fibre, stuff the head quite firmly, and close by pulling the ends of the running stitch. Fasten, but don’t cut off the excess yarn. To give the face a bit more shape, with a darning needle, and one piece of yarn at a time, take a small stitch, entering from the back of the head through to the front, next to an eye, on the nose side, and return the needle to the back of the head. Repeat for the other eye. Pull the threads just enough to give the face a friendly expression. Fasten off. The remaining ends of the yarn can then be used to attach the head to the body.

Position the centre back of the head on to the marker on the front side of the body. Squash the head a little with your fingers, and sew onto the body, leaving the top half of the head free.

Tail

Using a pair of double pointed needles, and 2 strands of yarn, cast on 3 sts, and work an I-cord for 8 cm.
In case you need reminding of how to do an I-cord, it goes like this......
knit 3, don't turn your work, just push it across to the other end of the needle, and K3 again. Just repeat this for the length required, and cast off.
Attach to the back of the cosy in the marked spot, or where it looks right to you. The tail will curl a little by itself.

Ears

Using two strands of yarn, cast on 6 sts. Knit one row. Second row, increase one stitch at each end; 8 sts.
Knit 4 rows.
Start decreasing.
In the middle of each row; decrease one stitch per row until 3 sts remain.
Knit 3 rows. Cast off.
To place the ears, first measure 3cm vertically up from the top of the eye. Pin each ear in position, 3-4 cm above the eye; adjust slightly to give a pleasing appearance. The ears are sewn on with the cast-off edge pointing to the outside of the face; when sewn; flip over.

Paws

Cast on 10sts with 2 strands of yarn together, on 6mm needles.
Knit 6 rows.
Cast off.
Join side seams, run a gathering stitch around the top, pull tight; stuff with the tails of the yarns...the paws are little and this is probably enough stuffing. You can add a bit of polyester fibre fill if you think it needs it. Run another gathering stitch around the open end, pull tight to form a ball.
Attach the paws to the front of the cosy at the marked spots.

Copyright © Lorraine Dunbar