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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Gaming, Knitting, Little one 2 Comments

Ignore the title. I may be a little giddy and/or sleep deprived!

But! There is a reason for it!

Here’s the Octopus:

Its a wash cloth for Inkling – using the free pattern: Baby Octopus Cloth by Elaine Fitzpatrick. Believe it or not, this pattern and the wool had been picked out before Inkling was born, I just haven’t gotten round to knitting it until now! He’s been eating finger foods and desperately needed something that could scrub all the food off him in the shower!

And now for the pussy:

Free pattern Attachable Rainbow Kitty Ears by Saphy kun. I spotted these on Ravelry a while ago and knew I had to knit Engel a set, particularly for when he’s playing violent computer games and/or doing online gaming with our friends.

They have been used, not sure if it’s because he can’t get them off the headphones (they do have buttons so can be removed) or if he likes having the cat ears on himself…

Also this week, I finally sorted through my wool stash (this occurs every year or so to some extent) this time I’ve segregated it by colour and each ball is bagged with any matching friends of the same kind and dye lot. The lone balls of wool are put together with the other lone balls of wool of that colour group (so they don’t get sad and lonely) and now I can tell at a glance what wool is best for the size of project I’m doing. This will hopefully get me to focus on using up the odds and ends of my stash! And also future yarn purchases – I know what colours I have lots of, and not so much, so hopefully I’ll buy what I need, not what I want!

I don’t believe that either, but I can hope!

Oh, also, whilst I was sorting my wool out, these scampered out:

Yes. More tribbles. A  red subspecies of the pink mutant variant discovered, only two have been captured and sent for further study up North…

Early post this week as my sister is coming to visit and it’s going to be awesome!!! But before the fun and games start, I need to tidy up all the toys everywhere – it’s amazing how much mess two children, three cats and a husband can make in the blink of an eye…

Starting total – 622

Wool used – 11 (2 this week)
Wool bought – 0
Wool given – 5 (I mentioned to Engel I only had one ball of black DK wool, he brought home four more for me! And I didn’t even ask him to!)
Wool gifted – 0

Total – 613

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Knitting, Little one 1 Comment

This is Halloween, this is Halloween, Halloween, Halloween, Halloween!

Can you tell I like Halloween?

I’ve had a lot of fun this week, Felix is now at the right age where she can get stuck into various crafts and make decorations and actually feel part of the whole celebration process. We’ve both also done a fair bit of baking – she wanted to carve pumpkins and I refuse to let food go to waste, so there was pumpkin shaped pumpkin bread rolls and sugar free pumpkin cupcakes (for Engel) and I still have more than half a kilo left of pumpkin puree still…

We all went and did the Manchester Halloweekend trick or treat trail, meeting count Dracula, bride of Frankenstein, a witch, a mummy and a skeleton juggling pineapples…? There was also a haunted maze and giant tentacles on top of the House of Fraser – a few of my gaming friends came along as well and we spent far too much time pretending to pass/fail sanity checks against the eldritch horror breaking free into our realm…

So much fun.

But also a lot of knitting. Again, a few little projects and one big project, which is still ongoing as it’s boring and I keep getting distracted by little projects…

Halloween themed first!

Felix was dressed as a vampire (again) this year, wearing an awesome costume her aunty made her, but Felix wanted Daddy’s toy cat (they have a time share on him, much to Engel’s bemusement) to dress up as a vampire to. So without further ado:

Phineas in his matching vampire costume. It’s a little jumper and separate cloak. During my photoshoot with Phineas, Ziggy decided to join in…

So Count Phineas took revenge:

I have far too much fun…no pattern for this one as I just winged it in the needles.

In other knitting news, there have been babies, so there have been little knitted presents!

This is made using the free pattern Polar Bear by The Knit Cafe Toronto – only I did a mummy and baby brown bear…this was for in laws friends newest grandson.

Then there’s this little fishy, another free pattern – Frida the Fish / Francis the Fish by Lion Brand Yarn – which I’ve now made for the fourth time.

And for the older brother, Pokemon Poke Ball Knit Hat by Vicki Mann (free pattern) curiously, Skully modelled a different pokeball hat in the same post as the previous goldfish given above, funny coincidence!

Alright, that’s all for the post today. Hope to get a good push on the big project done and finally get it off the needles! Let’s see how long it takes for me to procrastinate and/or get distracted…

Starting total – 650

Wool used – 134 (3 this post!)
Wool bought – 49
Wool given – 135
Wool gifted – 59

Total – 637 (Will I get below 600 this year?)

P.S. in other news Engel has taken up brewing and is trying to convince me to knit some fermentation vessel cosies, it may be sleep deprivation, or the sheer lack of interest in my other project, but they sound tempting. I could knit them to look like little wooden barrels, or have cute little motifs knitted into them…

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Gaming, Knitting, Little one 3 Comments

Hi all! Been enjoying my bank holiday weekend by doing more birthday stuff! Meeting up with some friends and gaming with other friends as well, even managed to sneak in a trip to my LYS and found a ball of wool that was whispering…just one! And once I get through my queue of knits I know exactly what it’s going to be!

Now if only I could say the same for the rest of the wool I have…

On that note, on to my finished knitting! Still ploughing on with the Hungry Caterpillar sets, and this week I have made:

Muffins! Ok, they’re really actually a modified version of the free pattern: Divine Cupcakes by Maiya Becker – I worked K2P2 rib on the cake bottom to make the cupcake wrapper (increasing an extra two sts in the base to do so) then doubled the number of knit rows called for in the frosting to make it taller.

Oddly enough, I really wanted to make these so was glad to finally get them on the needles! I worked the free pattern: knitted watermelon by Elaine Simper double stranded to give a more textured/mottled appearance particularly in the watermelon flesh.

Oops, appears Ziggy decided to photobomb me here! (Actually that reminds me of an amusing fact, one of the reasons we got Ziggy was Engel wanted a boy kitty. Took Ziggy to the vets to be vaccinated and the vet rather worriedly informed me, in a hushed voice so Felix wouldn’t overhear, that she was very sorry but he was a she. I couldn’t stop laughing for nearly 20 minutes…)

Anyhow.

And on Sunday he ate through a nice big leaf. Again, double stranded for more colour variation and I used the free cloth pattern: Leaf Cloth Trio by Theresa L. Jones, I used Leaf 3 as I like that it both curved and had veins.

When I was working on the leaves, Felix asked me yet again to knit the caterpillar egg from the beginning of the book, to which it responded that no, it would be so small it would be lost instantly. She then countered my argument by stating the egg could be sewn onto its own little leaf, then it won’t get lost.

I worry that she’s out smarting me and she’s not even four. Not that it’s difficult to do that, but still.

So without further ado:

A little egg on a little leaf. The leaf is made using yet another free pattern: Woodland Wreath, Leaves by Frankie Brown. The egg is simply a little bobble I knitted up and sewn on afterwards.

Alright, that’s enough typing for now, I have butterflies, cocoons and fish to get knitting.

Wool count:

Starting total – 650

Wool used – 80 (7 since last post)
Wool bought – 34
Wool given – 131
Wool gifted – 59

Total – 675

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Knitting, Uncategorized 1 Comment

First of all, apologies on missing my blog post last week – been having lots of family down visiting, and also a new addition!

Everyone, meet Ziggy:

 

Now onto the knitted food!

Oranges:

Pattern used was Advent Tree: Tangerine by Alan Dart. (Knitting 15 of those was a challenge in staying awake!)

Chocolate cake (with a cherry on top)

Used free knitting pattern Let Them Knit Cake by Hannah Kaminsky, and Cherry by Linda Dawkins. (I used fuzzy wool for the frosting, to give it a bit more texture)

Ice cream

Used free pattern Scooped by Marcie Nishioka (Felix decided she didn’t want a pink one like in the book, and instead wanted her favourite ice cream flavour – mint choc chip!)

Pickles (yes, really, pickles)

Used free pattern Fuzzy Short Row Pickle by Ana Clerc (I was amazed this pattern existed, but apparently it’s a German tradition to hide them in Christmas trees…?)

Swiss cheese slice

Very heavily modified the free pattern Swiss Cheese Scarf by Winnie Shih (My mods have been noted down on the project page on my Ravelry account)

Phew, lots of knitting! And still lots more to do to finish the Hungry Caterpillar sets…

In other news, been doing a massive clean up before the next round of family fun! There was a very near disaster though with Engel hoovering…much like the one documented here:

True story…killed the hoover too…but I got my wool back!

Man these comics are old…now I feel old…oh well! Back to knitting, it’s salami next.

Wool count:

Starting total – 650

Wool used – 67 (2 since last post)
Wool bought – 33
Wool given – 49
Wool gifted – 59

Total – 606

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Knitting, Little one 2 Comments

I can’t believe it’s been three weeks already, since my last post, since Inkling arrived, and that it’s taken so long to finish my current knitting project!

That said, this project rapidly grew in number…let me start from the beginning.

We got a fishtank, last summer, and it’s essentially cat TV, the cats will watch it for hours, and Felix kept dragging blankets off the sofa to sit next to the cats to also watch the fish tank…so I decided the fishtank needed a mat in front of it.

The ‘Kitty Placemat’ in ‘Kitty Knits: Projects for Cats and their People’ by Donna Druchunas to be precise, just bigger. (I’ve used the fish motif before) Showed it to Engel who pointed out that the actual cat bowls could do with little matching mats as well, with spares so they can get washed.

So I went from one, to five. Engel pointed out the fishtank should have a spare as well (fishtank mat is twice the size of placemat)

So one to six, ok. He then pointed out that when we get cat number 3 (Salem was his cat, and he wants his own little cat buddy again) it’ll need a placement and a spare.

So that’s one to eight.

Eight! And I agreed! Clearly baby brain got the best of me!

Look awesome though, don’t they?

Now onto the next project! Which will be getting fitted in between feeds, sleep deprivation, energetic three year old, demanding newborn, housework, arts and crafts, cooking, baking…

I can see where those three weeks went…

Wool count!

Starting total – 650

Wool used – 50 (2 since last post – it was only the edging I had left to do when Inkling arrived!)
Wool bought – 33
Wool given – 49
Wool gifted – 59

Total – 623

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Knitting, Little one 1 Comment

Something that appeared shortly after Felix was born was a very old cat hand puppet. Turns out, this puppet was given to Engel when he himself was tiny. There was three apparently, two natural coloured and a green one, but as far as anyone can determine, there’s now just the one left.

As such, I was asked to create a few more, ones that could be taken out without fear of losing the last, original puppet. After some discussion, it was decided it didn’t have to be the exact same pattern, just close to it.

Couldn’t find anything so I dug out my notepad and set to work recreating the cat hand puppet. But since I hate sewing, it was going to be knit in the round. And have the ears incorporated into the actual head. and the tail would be made from picked up stitches to cut down even more on sewing.

Took three versions, but I give you: Cat hand puppets!

The original is on the right, mine is on the left.

And a better photo of my version, which you can get as a free pattern!

I’m looking forward to seeing more cat hand puppets out there!

Interestingly, the original appears to be knit on 3.25mm needles and with three strands of embroidery cotton. Front, back and each ear (fronts and backs) are all knit separately and sewn together, with a little looped tail. It really would have been a labour of love to make. Mine is a chunkier (4mm) and simpler version, so that many can be made to replace the inevitably lost ones.

I actually really enjoyed getting to have a good look at someone elses old, old project, and recreating the pattern – if even only very loosely in this case. In future, I’d like to do it again, but produce a true recreation. We’ll have to see if time will allow and if inspiration strikes though!

Till next week, enjoy the cuteness for now!

Starting total – 650

Wool used – 39 (3 this week!)
Wool bought – 0
Wool given – 49
Wool gifted – 16

Total – 644

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Knitting, Little one, Uncategorized 2 Comments

First of all, Happy Easter for all those who celebrate it – for me it’s an excuse for lots of yummy chocolate!

So, onto the post. I was given the Super-Scary Mochimochi book for mother’s day (it’s awesome) as I’ve been making quite a few Anna Hrachovecs patterns lately. Like a little child I looked through it going I’ll make myself this one then this one and, oh, I need at least three of those…

Then the following conversation took place:

Engel: It’s been a while since you made me something
Me: It’s only been a few months.
Engel: Feels longer…
Me: Look, I’ll check Ravelry and get you an exact date. (Cue frantic typing) Ah. I made you armwarmers last.
Engel: Much appreciated armwarmers.
Me: In December 2015.
Engel: (somehow holding up the Super-Scary Mochimochi book that had been on my lap mere  a seconds before, on the sarcophacat page) Can i haz?
Me: Let’s go pick out some wool…

Here’s the finished result (Felix helped wrapped him, all the while telling me I was going to make her a smaller one, in blue)

And here it is naked! Couldn’t resist a photo of the actual knitted item. Unlike the pattern I was made to knit him legs – both Engel and Felix insisted the extra limbs were necessary because ‘How else will he walk?’

It’s a mummified cat!

Which, by the way, should not be casually mentioned when knitting at work to fellow colleagues who now think I’m insane rather than just a little mad.

But come on, who doesn’t want a cute mummified cat? It’s proven a useful teaching aid about the process of mummification and canopic jars to Felix!

Starting total – 650

Wool used – 32 (Just one this week – I’ve been very busy with work and getting Felix’s new room sorted out so the baby can have her old one)
Wool bought – 0
Wool given – 49 (Felix felt I needed a treat, so she and daddy got me three balls of wool, aww!)
Wool gifted – 16

Total – 651 (Just one more to use up to get back to the starting total!!!!!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Knitting, Little one 2 Comments

Let’s start with that pesky crocodile!

Photographic evidence of him prowling around the farms livestock… Felix has actually been having a ball playing with him as part of her farm, though she now insists that I need to knit some tiny ducks to keep him company in the pond.

Company, eh? More like snacks…

Anyhow, cuteness aside, I just finished another little project:

A pair of ‘magic mittens’ – I’ll get to the story in a moment, details first. The mitten pattern is a free Ravelry download called The World’s Simplest Mittens by tincanknits – and it’s true to its name.  There’s schematics for different sizes of mittens in all different weights, and it’s clear and concise. Definitely a keeper of a pattern. The elephant chart itself is from another free pattern – Elephant Hat – Child Size by Kathleen Taylor.

Story time now. My bosses little one, and Felix’s ‘best friend’ has really bad eczema. And of course, it itches. As a sufferer of eczema myself, I know just how hard it is not to scratch. She’s three. She wakes up looking like she’s been butchered in the mornings from scratching so much.

So, Magic Mittens it is! Lightweight cotton mittens in the colours she picked out with an animal of her choosing on them, and ties that can be double knitted so she won’t be able to pull the blasted things off.

I was made to wear wooly mittens as a child. In summer. These are a much kinder alternative! Fingers crossed they’ll help – if she can stop scratching long enough for her cream to work…

And last but not least: St Gertrude’s Day.

On March 17th, also known as St Patrick’s Day, it happens to be St Gertrude’s Day too. She is the patron saint of cats, gardeners and mental health. When we fostered cats, as we never knew their actual ages let alone dates of birth, it became habit to celebrate all the cats birthday on St Gertrude’s Day. This year, even though we know Dashi’s birthday, we still don’t know Crumble’s (we reckon she’s getting on for eight years old now!) so the tradition continues.

Felix was particularly happy to help celebrate the cats birthday, there was presents and special cat came too – tuna cake with salmon paste ‘frosting’.

I personally think yuck, but Engel happily ate one of the spares and went on the prowl for more. Not that the cats lefts much in the end!

Starting total – 650

Wool used – 25 (1 since last post)
Wool bought – 0
Wool given – 46
Wool gifted – 16

Total – 655 (So close to getting back to that starting total!)

 

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Knitting, Little one 4 Comments

After having knit the baby to be a blanket, Felix asked me to knit her something with the rest of the green wool. Having knit the snake and the baby blanket in said green wool, I was getting a bit fed up of it, but I couldn’t say no to her request.

So after having a look, it was settled on a cat jumper.

Then Engel took an interest and declared she and the baby to be should have matching jumpers. Yes. The dreaded matching jumpers.

Seeing his eager happy face, and then Felix’s excited face (she is too young to understand the horror of matching jumpers, so we can excuse her) I caved in.

I knew there wouldn’t be enough green to do both, but with a few tweaks and some blue…

This is Felix’s creation. It’s based on the free Ravelry pattern ‘Cat’s Meow Pullover‘ by Amy Bahrt. Minus the striped sleeves. And the cat had to be black, not ginger, so that it was a Dashie cat jumper. Dashie is Felix’s cat.

And this is baby to be’s creation. It’s based on the free Ravelry pattern ‘Children’s Bear Sweater’ also by Amy Bahrt. Except I took the bear off and put the cat on instead. And also, no stripy sleeves.

You can tell where I ran out of green, but I had already intended on a blue button flap (another addition of mine to the pattern to make getting it on baby to be easier) so it wasn’t a huge loss.

For playing chicken with wool, I didn’t come out too badly.

But that green is no more, so my next project can’t be green! Mwahahaha!!!!!!

Hmm…Speaking of chickens, I may just make those next…

Wool count:

Starting total – 650

Wool used – 20 (6 since last post)
Wool bought – 0
Wool given – 46

Total – 676

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Knitting, Updates 4 Comments

I don’t know if a lot of people feel the same way, but 2016 was cursed. My family was hit pretty hard, there’s been death, terminal illness and long term ill health. I won’t go into detail on those.

One I will speak of however is Salem, he died in Engels arms on the 21st of December.

(Picking a photo of him just now brought the tears back)

Despite the rest of the menagerie (2 more cats, 2 tarantulas, 1 snake, 3 fish, small child) the house feels a little empty. Explaining death to a 3 year old, whilst an important lesson, was not a delightful experience. I’d have rather gone over where babies come from with her again! (Yep, had that talk a few months ago as well)

So here’s to 2017 being a better year. Fingers crossed.

In knitting news, just one complete project to show:

It’s the last knitted thing for my neice to be, over in America. It’s based on the pattern Little Daisy Cardigan by Sublime Yarns – I made the garter at the bottom deeper and used two colours. Also knit numerous prices together rather than separately to be sewn together afterwards.

Got a more fun, but giant, project on the needles at the moment – more on that when it’s finished!

Lastly, as it’s a new year, I get to reset my wool count and start again – hopefully I’ll have a bit more restraint this year and not buy so much!

Starting total – 650

Wool used – 6
Wool bought – 0
Wool given – 0

Total – 644

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