Make a Tea Cosy For Your Enamelware

A tea cosy for all your favourite enamel cups is the seamless introduction to knitting. This little project is the perfect beginner’s activity.

 

Often, knitting involves hours and hours of tedious and finicky handiwork. The beginner will take a number of flawed pieces before they can proudly wear their first item out of the house. Knitting is all about uniform stitching, and so the amateur is likely to drop a stitch here or there which will be obvious on the finished product. The beauty of working on a mug jumper is that the entire project will only take an hour or so. Have a few goes, and voila, you’ll have the confidence to become a pro knitter in no time.

As a brand new knitter, there are some things to keep in mind. The first is that patience is a virtue in this craftwork. The second is that your first piece probably isn’t going to be a masterpiece. Work your way up to the top; slow and steady wins the race. And finally, the steps can be hard to get your head around at first, so it is best to be taught in person. Ask around from parents, grandparents or friends to see if there is someone that can teach you first hand. If this is not possible, consider taking a class, or watching a few online tutorial videos. Pictures and words don’t really convey the movement until you already know what you’re doing.

This makes the perfect first knitting idea because there are no difficult shapes or edges to incorporate. In fact, you don’t even need a pattern really, just work off of your Favourite mug. Stitch a row until it is the height of your mug. Then just keep doing this number of stiches in even rows, leaving a small slit for the mug handle. Stitch up the ends when you’re done and that’s that. Once you learn how, you may want to add a base to the design so that you don’t burn your leg while your tea is resting. For your next one, try including a striped pattern with another colour yarn, and gift it to a friend.

Perhaps one of the main complaints with enamel mugs for drinking coffee and tea is that they can have the tendency to lose heat faster than ceramic mugs. Some people in fact prefer this, because they can cool their coffee relatively quickly and gulp it down at once at the perfect temperature. Those of us that like to slowly sip and savour our beverage may find this a bit of a disappointment. Adding a surrounding tea cosy to keep your drink warm is the perfect solution to this problem, and allows you to enjoy hot coffee with all the other benefits of an enamel mug.

As well as keeping your drinks warm at home, your new little friend can come with you anywhere, from the office to picnics and camping. These latter two find a tea cosy particularly useful to keep the liquid from your thermos hot while it rests in your cup. Beware, if you take your new creation to the office you might cause insane jealousy, or have your next several projects lined up by the end of the day. Be prepared for compliments aplenty when you show off your first knitted tea cosy.

If you would rather work from a pattern, there are plenty available online with a quick search. If you want to pick out a brand New Enamel Mug Colour before beginning, then come visit the Ardena Imports team.

The Classic Enamel Mug Combines Functionality With Art

Enamelling has long been a decorative art, with artefacts dating back to the 9th century. Some of the objects remain in exquisite condition due to the durable finish that is achieved using this powder infused glass technique. Nowadays, we most commonly see enamel used to create sturdy enamel mug designs, cookware, as well as some decorative pieces. It was not until over ten centuries later in the 1800s that crafters realised that enamel would make a fantastic cookware surface. During this time it experienced peak popularity in both consumer products and industrial settings.

 

Despite this recent surge in more practical uses, enamel has for most of its history been known for its contribution to jewellery and other decorative art. Perhaps one of the reasons for its popularity was that it could retain very vibrant colour. By fusing the powdered glass over colour, it promotes a glossy surface that makes the colour look brilliant. We now know enamel as being mainly fused to metal, primarily steel, but this was not always the case. In fact, the Egyptians used to fuse it to stone and pottery. Persians, Greeks, Celts and Chinese are also known for their ancient use of enamel for decoration. 

The introduction of metal enamelling demanded more accurate and advanced technology. In order to set the powder once it has been applied, the object needs to be fired in a kiln or oven. The trick is using a high enough temperature so that the finish sets adequately, but not so high as to melt the base material. Stone and pottery did not prove to be such a problem, as extreme temperatures are preferable. Stone and pottery can withstand temperatures up to around 1500˚C, while steel can only take around 1300˚C.

The Chinese cloisonné technique was extremely popular in the 13th-14th centuries, and is a very distinctive art using vitreous enamel. This often floral design is incredibly fine and intricate, with each compartment of colour being separated by a visible gold or silver wire. Cloisonne was popular right up until the 1800s in China, and is now recognised as a historic Chinese art form. While cookware and industrial pieces were first crafted in the 1800s, it was not until the First World War that the Humble Enamel Mug really boomed in Australia.

Troops heading off to war needed a basic kit that would serve them while they were serving the nation. This included one or two metal enamel mugs that were famously used for tea, coffee and sometimes soup. They were designed to be lightweight so as not to be too heavy to carry in a pack, and also using fewer resources meant that more could be made for the same cost. As a result, thin steel sheets were used. The simplified design shape meant that production was very simple; it was simply a matter of stamping out shapes and moulding them.

 The enamel mugs that we use today for camping or simply having a cup of tea may seem basic, but are steeped in a long and shifting history. The technique has been refined over the centuries so that the surface is smooth and glossy, and that the colours remain bright for a long time. However, the enamelling process does not deliver entirely identical products. Minor surface irregularities are a part of the process, and are considered signs of originality rather than flaws or imperfections. To browse through a large range of Enamelware Products, or to ask our attentive staff more about interesting enamel mug history.

What Do We Really Know About The Humble Enamel Mug?

If you can’t function in the morning without a coffee, chances are you need an enamel mug in your life. I have just jumped on the enamel bandwagon and I’ve got to say I won’t be leaving the vehicle for a while. I’m the sort of person that will make a cup of coffee at work and then set it down and get it engrossed in my work while I leave it to cool. Once I finally realise my coffee is probably cool enough to drink, it’s often stone cold and undrinkable.

This all changed after a colleague presented me for an enamel mug. She’d been given a set for Christmas and decided to do the charitable thing and share them around the office. I was dubious at first because I’d never used one but as soon as I brewed my first coffee in it I knew there was no turning back. The enamel kept my coffee warm and at perfect temperature during the morning, allowing me to do work at the same time as sip away happily on my coffee.

Being the coffee nerd I am, I decided to do a little research into enamel and found that it was the Chinese who really favoured the enamel mug back in the 1970 and 80s due to a material scarcity. However, the benefits quickly emerged and it began used all over. This got me thinking what else don’t I know about the Humble Coffee Mug? 

History of the mug  

The humble coffee mug has a long history that dates back to 1000 BCE in the Neolithic Stone Age. The mugs were first crafted from pottery in both China and Japan. Archeologists discovered a similar creation sculpted from bones, however, they quickly ruled out it being a genuine mug, as there was no handle. Instead they were considered cups. It is believed, mugs were originally made from wood, however, of course these have not stood the test of time so remains have not been discovered. 

In terms of the mugs crafted in China and Japan, they were originally hand made. As time went on, the invention of the potter’s wheel made this process a whole lot easier. One the cup shape had been spun, it was simple to add on the handle. One downfall of the ancient mug was the thickness of the cup, which made drinking from it quite difficult. However, this was soon improved with the advancements in metal work. 

Around 2000 BCE, metal mugs were crafted to support hot drinks. They were manufactured using expensive materials including gold, silver, bronze and lead. Then in 600 CE, mugs become more accessible when they were crafted from porcelain in China. With this invention, more people could enjoy a thin-walled mug to enjoy their hot beverages.  

Definition of a mug  

A mug is a type of cup that is renowned for being more solidly built. It is typically used for drinking hot drinks like tea and coffee. Often cylindrical in design, they are crafted from earthenware and must have a handle. In terms of its size, mugs hold double the amount a tea cup can, which is approximately 350 ml. They also have thicker walls than a teacup, which helps to insulate the drink and stop it from cooling down to quickly. To diminish the thermal contact with surfaces, you will notice mugs often have either a extra rim at the bottom or are concave, rather than just being flat. This shape allows mugs to leave their trademark ring shape on the surfaces they touch. 

If you would like to try an enamel mug, jump online and check out the range on offer at Ardena Imports at http://www.ardenaimports.com.au. 

Master the Perfect Cup of Tea with Help From an Enamel Teapot

If you love a good cup of tea, an enamel teapot should be on the top of your shopping list. Owing to the technology, an enamel teapot will keep your tea perfectly warmed so you can serve yourself or guests at a tea party for extended periods of time, without having to get up to make another brew.  

For those of you who can’t go a day without a tea fix, we’ve decided to share some secrets to the perfect cup of tea and break some myths.

How should you store tea?

Tea is often a pantry staple in most households. I have to say, when I visit a home and they offer coffee and don’t have tea, I’m a little shocked. For those happy houses that are in the majority and have teabags in their pantry, it’s very important to store it properly. Tea has the ability to absorb moisture and kitchen smells, which is of course something you want to avoid. The best want to prevent his from happening is to keep your teabags in a sealed tin or jar. This will stop any moisture or kitchen scents running the flavor of your beautiful tea.

How to perfect a cup of tea 

The first step to making the perfect cup of tea is to fill your kettle with fresh cold water. Tea is a big fan of oxygen and needs it to develop the flavor, which is why cold water freshly drawn is ideal. While your kettle is bubbling away, it’s time to get your teapot ready. It’s important to ensure your teapot is nice and clean before you begin brewing the tea. Then when the kettle has reached the boil, pour a little into your teapot and swirl it around the pot.  

The next step depends on the type of tea your are brewing. If it’s black tea you are brewing, you should only pour in freshly boiled water that is not over boiled. Alternatively, if you are preparing green tea, pour the water into the teapot just at the boil.

When it comes to measuring out the tea leaves, one teaspoon per person should be suffice. If you like a stronger brew though, you can strengthen is to your taste. In the instance where you are using teabags, go with the ratio of one teabag per person.

If you are using loose tea leaves, let them brew in the teapot for up to seven minutes before serving. Again, the brewing time does depend on the type of tea leaf being served. For larger tea leaves like Lady Grey and Early Grey, they should be left to sit for approximately 5 minutes. Alternatively, smaller varieties should only take around 4 minutes until they are ready to serve.

If you are serving a teapot with teabags, the tea doesn’t have to brew for as long and should be left for around two to three minutes. In that time the tea will have had long enough to develop its flavor.

With the tea ready to serve, allow your guests to choose whether they would black tea or would like to add milk, lemon or sugar. Sugar is a bit of a controversial addition for some, as many believe it completely changes the taste of the tea. Others like the sweet note and wouldn’t want their tea any other way.
If you want to try making a perfect cup of tea for yourself, ensure you invest in the right equipment. Ardena Imports specialises in High Quality Enamel Teapots that will make your cup of tea taste delicious. 

Visit their online shop at  www.ardenaimports.com.au to purchase your own enamel teapot.