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

Some of you may remember this time last year I was knitting fish for Felix’s birthday party, it was for a game called ‘Feed the Shark’. This year it’s been demanded to make a return but, seeing as this year’s birthday theme is cats, not Octonauts, we’re going for ‘Feed the cat.

And what do cats eat?

Mice!

Haven’t made the cat part to ‘Feed the Cat’ as I need a big bit of cardboard, but the mice are done at least! Though I’m debating more, 55 just don’t seem like enough…

Seeing as I don’t have a photo of the finished game (yet!) I’ll reward you all instead with a photo of Dashie being Queen of the Cat Scratcher, Hoarder of knitted mice!

She looks so regal…

Got a few more little projects, and a small one, on the needles but more in them when they’re done! I may knit a few more mice in between projects mind you, just in case 55 isn’t enough…

Not much to say on the non knitting front, life’s been busy with work and family time (had a good laugh at Portland Basin Museum today)and I may have gotten severely distracted playing Unravel (Yarny is so cute!) but getting there. Even if my boiler decided to die on me whilst I was in the middle of washing my hair…so cold still…

Alright, enough of me whining, wool count time!

Wool count:

Starting total – 622

Wool used – 66 (8 since last post! Hooray for odds and ends!)
Wool bought – 8
Wool given – 6 (1 as a birthday present!)
Wool gifted – 0

Total – 570

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Gaming, Knitting 1 Comment

Look who I’ve now found in my cat mint!

Its Miss Mittens, sister of Miss Moppet and Tom Kitten, Daughter of Tabitha Twitchit!

I really need to move that cat mint…

As with Miss Moppet, I’ve done a variation of the Tom Kitten pattern by Alan Dart with a few tweaks and additions. I’ll be knitting her and her sister little pinafores like the ones they wear in the Tale of Tom Kitten, but they’ll have to wait as I have a few bits to squeeze in and do first! They’re probably also the last Beatrix Potter related knits I’ll be doing for a bit, I have a lot of projects I want to work on and could do with a change of pace!

But don’t worry, I still intend to make them all!

Just a short post this week as I am shattered – it’s been a long week at work, the terrors have been particularly terrifying, I was at the Assemblage 23 gig on Friday (it was down the tiniest, darkest, dingiest alley ever!) which was awesome – particularly the second support act, ‘Rainland’ (formally Analog Angel) – Glasweigian EBM for the win! Makes a homesick Scot happy to hear! And I’ve been running Achtung Cthulhu! this weekend too.

I may have overestimated just how much I could fit into a weekend! A good 10 hour sleep and I’ll be as right as rain again I’m sure! It’s just getting 10 hours of sleep that’s difficult…

Wool count:

Starting total – 622

Wool used – 58 (1 since last post)
Wool bought – 8
Wool given – 6 (1 as a birthday present!)
Wool gifted – 0

Total – 578 

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting, Patterns 1 Comment

Hee hee…I do love a good pun…seriously though, I finished my mystery creation!

*Drum roll*

An octopus hat!

Much like the story behind the aviator hat, Rabbie saw a crocheted octopus hat, and demanded suggested that I should make her one…that was back in March and put on the back burner until now as I couldn’t find anything pattern wise that was remotely doable.

With her birthday coming up, I resolved to just wing a pattern instead. I have to admit, I’m fairly pleased with it! Especially the tentacles!

So cute!

After much debate, I have posted the pattern up as a free pattern! You can find it in the free pattern section, or just click here. Not sure if many people would want to wear an octopus on their head mind you, Rabbie is certainly a one of a kind individual…

Speaking of Rabbie, I’ve just come back from visiting her in Scotland for a birthday bonanza! (More about that on her blog.) In short though, BBQ at other sister’s, murder mystery with this sister, a rather soggy doggy fun day, birthday cake bonanza, Walking With Dinosaurs arena show (so awesome), Kelpies, soft play, trampoline park, back home. That was crammed in between driving up Friday and driving back down Tuesday. No wonder I’m tired!

Oh, another cheer for the Hot Flash Dash on Ravelry:

Knit! Knit! Knit!
The dash will end in a bit!
Purl! Purl! Purl!
You’ve all done really well!

Wool count:

Starting total – 622

Wool used – 57 (1 since last post)
Wool bought – 8
Wool given – 6 (1 as a birthday present!)
Wool gifted – 0

Total – 579 (No change in net total)

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

Now where to start?

No knitting to show this week as working on a surprise mystery project! I know what it’s supposed to be, but we’ll all have to wait to see if it turns out the way it’s supposed to! If it does, I’ll post the pattern, if not…oh well…

As for the motorbike part of this blog post, Felix finally got her first taste on daddy’s motorbike at the ripe age of ‘very nearly five!’ I made sure Engel knew very, very, very well what the consequences would be if he wasn’t super careful with my most precious cargo…

But I needn’t have worried. They both came back fine, so fine that she demanded another go right away! So glad I invested in a full set of miniature bike gear (jacket with spine guard, trousers, gloves and helmet) though she looks so tiny in it!

And for those questioning the legality of this decision, in the UK the only restriction for a pillion is that their feet must touch the foot pegs, which, depending on the motorbike, ranges from those with short legs to long legs! It’s also perfectly legal to adjust or modify the foot pegs too!  Engel is now planning all sorts of trips out with her.

I can feel my hair turning grey at the thought…

The only other thing to comment on really is that after much persuasion (bullying? Peer pressure?) I have joined Instagram. I’ll post the photos from my weekly blog posts on it, perhaps some knits in progress and on Thursdays my old blog posts till I’m all caught up.

Don’t be surprised if some of Felix’s creations end up sneaking into it though!

Oh, and the Hot Flash Dash’ cheer for this week?

2, 4, 6, 8!
Your all doing great!
1, 3, 5, 9!
Your projects are looking fine!

Till next week!

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting, Little one 1 Comment

Can you guess who I found sneaking in the cat mint this time? Armed with her handkerchief to try and catch mice?

Here’s the culprit from the back…

And the front! Why it’s Miss Moppet, Tom Kittens sister and daughter of Tabitha Twitchit.

This is the kitten Felix has been wanting me to make the most, whilst she adores the two stories of Tom Kitten, it’s Miss Moppet that first caught her heart and attention. I used the basic body pattern of Tom Kitten, added the paws on again, as well as extra stripes and a little tummy. The bow is of my own creation – basic rectangle bow on top of a keyhole scarf that tapered into wider ends to give that nice bow shape.

The handkerchief is actually based on the free knitting pattern Waffle Check Dishcloth by Rain Coast Knits. It was the most suited pattern I could find to give the not quite checked blue and white appearance of the handkerchief in the book.

Felix was very critical in the making of this particular toy, and was in charge of every step – the choosing of the colours, number and placement of stripes, the bow shape and the handkerchief also.

I’m fairly sure I have memorized the whole story of Miss Moppet I consulted the book that much!

At least I’ll be in for a much easier knitting journey for Moppet and Tom’s sister, Mittens!

In other news, the dash is still going on and I did a little kid week chant that went:

Knit it! Spin it!
You’re all trying really hard!
Craft it! Weave it!
Go and use up every yard!

Not as good as my first but…it’s still a cute chant. Hmm. Need to come up with more…

Have a nice week everyone!

Wool count:

Starting total – 622

Wool used – 56 (2 since last post)
Wool bought – 8 (1 since last post – it called to both myself and Felix!)
Wool given – 5
Wool gifted – 0

Total – 579 (checked my numbers and at some point I made a mistake, hence why the total has gone up!)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Here she is, looking for her kittens amongst the cat mint growing in the garden! She won’t get very far finding them, seeing Tom Kitten is chasing Peter Rabbit and his sister Moppet is currently on the needles. Mittens is still just a small pile of balls of wool…

Continuing the Beatrix Potter knits, this is Tabitha Twitchit by Alan Dart, and this time I cracked. I have followed the pattern, mostly, but started to knit whatever I could in the round to reduce in the mountains of sewing these projects entail.

I also have her little pads on her paws like I did for Tom Kitten, makes her cuter!

If the weather hadn’t killed me so badly she would have been done for last week’s post, but with the heat, it’s just unpleasant holding wool and needles.

Moppet is next on the project list, then Mittens, then probably a short break in the Beatrix Potter knits but as of yet undecided!

As an aside, I joined the Stash Knit Down group on Ravelry some time ago, mostly to encourage my attempts of reducing the stash, and I’ve done a few of the challenges. They are currently doing a ‘Hot Flash Dash’ where people try and use 10,000 yards in a month (by themselves or part of a team) and I opted to be a cheerleader. There’s no way I could do that with my current commitments! I posted my first cheer though the other day:

P-U-R-L!
You are all doing well!
K-N-I-T!
Let’s all craft to victory!

So, turns out, cheerleaders don’t actually cheer on forums, but I got a laugh and trying to come up with some more, if anyone has any inspiration?

Wool count:

Starting total – 622

Wool used – 54 (4 since last post)
Wool bought – 8 (1 since last post – it called to both myself and Felix!)
Wool given – 5
Wool gifted – 0

Total – 578

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Updates 1 Comment

Heatwave.

Any hope of revival?

More thunderstorms.

Please?

You may have noticed that my last three posts all mentioned the hot weather – I don’t cope well with the heat, Engel less so, Felix less than that and poor Inkling is a degree off melting into an actual puddle.

There has been some respite the past two days with small thunderstorms, but it’s not been enough to let us catch up on sleep and recharge.

And I may have given myself a cold by dancing in the rain, every time it has rained these last few days.

Yes. I’ve been out there, hopping and skipping and cheering.

I’m beyond caring what the neighbors think.

So, why am I telling you all this? Because the heat has actually killed my desire to knit. I’ve been focusing more on reading my Achtung Cthulhu scenario and source books, as well as joining in on the highly competitive crossword and soduko solving antics at work.

I’m not kidding either. It’s getting cut throat – someone had managed to get the crossword done before morning break and there was nearly a mutiny over it. Subsequently at least three copies of the newspaper are now present in the breakout area each morning, to give everyone a chance…

So. No knitting to show this week. Or an updated wool count.

Apologies all, hopefully the cooler weather will get me back to knitting again and I’ll have something to show next week!

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

The next in line of my Beatrix Potter knits – the Twitchit family!

And first of all is the little mischief maker, Tom Kitten, dressed in his finest, but not best fitting, clothes!

Here he is having scrambled up the cat scratched tower, and he’s popped his coat buttons! What a naughty kitten! (I mostly followed the pattern, another Alan Dart creation, but I used the same eyes as given for Flopsy as the ones written looked a bit bulbous. I also, after Engel pestered and pestered, sewed little ‘beans’ onto his paws)

I have plans to make his sister’s Moppet and Mittens, not sure as to what state of dress they wilk be in mind, but first it’s their poor mother Tabitha that’s on the needles.

Unless I get distracted.

Or the weather picks up again and it’s too hot to think of holding wool…which I really hope isn’t the case, we all desperately need a break in the hot weather!

Short post today as other than work and some chores, we’ve been mostly having lazy or art and craft type days cause of the heat.

Wool count:

Starting total – 622

Wool used – 50 (1 since last post)
Wool bought – 7
Wool given – 5
Wool gifted – 0

Total – 581

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting, Little one 2 Comments

They might EGG-splode!

Ok, ok, I know it’s an EGG-stremely bad pun, but it had to be done!

These are a little pair of knitted hand grenade egg cosies, based on the free pattern ‘GRENADE’ by Ali Hogg (Cast kn 42, start from row 15, follow pattern as written) and the purpose of these EGG-celent knits is as a little token gift for my dad for his birthday. I’m sure he’ll appreciate them, at least more than my awful sense of humour!

Though I’m sure he’ll at least get the YOLK! Hee hee! I crack myself up!

Ha! Unintentional egg pun! Thats pretty EGG-citing!

Ok, ok, this post has probably become EGG-scrutiating so I will stop there.

Hope everyone is coping with the hot weather, we haven’t been at all, Engel, Felix and Inkling appear to have given up trying to sleep unless they literally crash out, and I’m fairing only marginally better, but that could be exhaustion (see, I didn’t make a pun there) creeping in and making me deluded.

I wonder if I could blame this post in the heat as well…

Till next week, where hopefully it will be cooler and I’ll feel more inclined to actually knit – it’s a bad sign when the weather has stopped me from my most favourite of hobbies…

Wool count:

Starting total – 622

Wool used – 49 (2 since last post)
Wool bought – 7
Wool given – 5
Wool gifted – 0

Total – 582

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting, Little one 1 Comment

How I wish I was doing just that! It’s gotten so hot at the moment that we’re keeping our time outside to a minimum (I can cope with a fair bit of heat and sun, but Felix and Inkling? Nope) there’s even been amber health warnings issued!

Apologies for the lack of post last week – we had Rabbie, her husband, a good friend of theirs and Felix’s favourite doggy cousin, Missy all staying with us! Lots of fun was had, which Rabbie has covered in a fantastic blog post already, but between that and having no finished project to show you all, I decided to skip a week.

This week though I do have something to show! A birthday present that I was literally casting off at the last minute before heading out to give them!

Its based on the free pattern Wavedeck by Kate Atherley – it’s actually a semi circle but I thought it would showcase the gradient change in the wool off beautifully and I had twice as much as needed…so I made it a full circle.

Which is why my timing was so far off, that and it’s been far too hot to knit with essentially a blanket on my lap…but it’s done and I have another ball of gradient wool, but much nearer the recommended yardage for the pattern, so I see another wavedeck in my future!

But after some smaller knits, at the very least once the heat subsides…

Wool count:

Starting total – 622

Wool used – 47 (1 since last post)
Wool bought – 7 (Bought that lovely ball of gradient wool…)
Wool given – 5
Wool gifted – 0

Total – 584

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