This is a fun party to throw for your friends that are into needlework. Make your invitations with fun old time graphics. Inside your invitation, include instructions for an easy quick square that everyone can make and ask that they make two. These you will make into a afghan for a small needy child or baby. Get out all of your pattern books and ask your friends to bring their newest patterns to share. Free patterns can be found on the internet and printed out cheaply.
If you don't have enough teacups, they can be bought at yard sales or thrift stores or you can just ask that each lady bring her own favorite cup from home. In the room that you want to have your tea party in, have plenty of comfy chairs and sofas for your friends to lounge on. Set out your pattern books. You will want to have some background music, something like classical music with nature sounds or some soothing music. Decorate the room with small tussy mussie's at each place setting. By the side of each place, set out a small pad for taking notes or copying directions.
As party favors, you could make each lady a crochet hook caddy out of a pencil bag or box. For the crochet hook bag, you will need one zippered bag for pencils that goes inside a three ringed binder and some lace. With some hot glue, glue the lace right below the zipper. To decorate a pencil box you can use paint or foam shapes to glue on. Pencil bags can be bought at the dollar store and pencil boxes can be bought really cheap when school supplies go on sale.
You will need a tea pot to keep the water hot in. You can wrap the tea pot in a towel at the table to keep the water hot. Set out a small bowl with sugar cubes and one with lemon slices. Set the table with a nice lace table cloth. You can use an old lace panel from your window it you have one on hand. You will want to serve some comfort teas. Celestial Seasonings make some great teas that are fruit and spice. It is nice to have two or three to choose from. Set them out in small bowls. I always use small clear glass bowls as they will match with any color scheme or theme tea party. Get out your favorite teacups and set up for a tea. Each place should be set with a small plate for goodies and a napkin. You can also set out a small plate for tea bags if you want. If you are providing the tea cups, set them out beforehand also. You will want to have easy finger foods for this party. Cookies and small cupcakes would be nice. If you want to have more substantial food you can make finger sandwiches out of thinly sliced deli meat. I would stay away from fillings like egg salad as these have a tendency to be messy.
Have everyone bring their latest project to work on. Sit back and relax. If you want to play some games, you might make a scramble word game out of crochet words like double crochet or treble crochet and maybe award a small prize like a pattern for the winner. Or you could crochet a long chain and have the ladies guess how many chains there are. For other entertainment, you might want to make a tape of you reading some poetry or passages from a good book. Share the latest stories with your friends and have a great time.
By Debra from Colorado Springs, CO
