Sugar Lump Ant Tea Cosy

I’ve been asked a couple of times if I’d ever knit an ant tea cosy. The first time, I laughed it off—who on earth would want an ant on their teapot? But the idea stuck in my head and began to wriggle its way in.

At first, I imagined ants as too wee and spindly to make a compelling cosy; unless they were part of a nest, perhaps, with the teapot forming the ant hill. But then it struck me: the ant didn’t need to be anatomically correct or behave like a real insect. It could be a charming little character in its own right.

So I’ve designed an upright, cheerful ant; arms full, stacking sugar cubes like a warehouse operative with purpose. It’s wonderfully absurd and oddly relatable.

Choosing a colour was a puzzle. Black felt too harsh; tricky to work with and too Halloweeny for my taste. I considered red, but thanks to a garden encounter with some bitey little devils, I decided against. But after a quick Google, I discovered ants can be red, brown, yellow, and even green. Just not blue or purple, despite what Disney's A Bug’s Life led us to believe! Yellow won me over; a warm, sunshiny hue that suits morning tea and summer cheer perfectly.

Structurally, the cosy’s a bit of a balancing act. Upright designs lose support the higher they go, and those sugar cubes; if I’m not careful, could rival the teapot in size and weigh the whole thing down.

Still, I think this is going to be a fun one. Ants love sugar, tea loves sugar, and maybe; just maybe, a sweet little ant tea cosy will turn a few sceptics into newfound ant fans.








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