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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting, Little one 1 Comment

I realised when looking through the archives that I never posted Felix’s baby blanket that I made whilst I was pregnant:

It’s knit using the pattern ‘Embroidered baby blanket’ from Kitty Knits: Projects for Cats and their People (a Christmas gift from Rabbie long, long ago that keeps getting loved and used) by Donna Druchunas.

Donna actually got in touch with me via Ravelry when I posted it! I was really happy she complimented it.

Anyhow, the purple blanket was made over three years ago, and now this one:

Was finished just last week. It’s a lot brighter in real life, more of a lime green. Felix chose the wool, so I shall blame her, though it was nice knitting something so bright with the days being so dark and grey!

So, what does this mean? It means Felix has a brother on the way, and in the spirit of fairness, I made them the same baby blanket. (I will not deny that I actually really like this pattern – simple enough for baby brain, complex enough you don’t have the urge to throw it out the window). It also means that there will be more baby knits no doubt in the near future.

That’s all for today’s post!

Wool count:

Starting total – 650

Wool used – 14 (3 since last post)
Wool bought – 0
Wool given – 46

Total – 682

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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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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting, Uncategorized 4 Comments

As mentioned since the end of October, I’ve been Christmas knitting. Some I’ve shown, like knitted shrugs and pokemon hats, the rest I’ve been keeping a secret. But seeing as Christmas is now past, I can show you all what I’ve been making!

This post is really image heavy, you’ve been warned!

So, first, the bags!

Its a free chart called Spirit Cat Knitting Charts by Melanie Nordberg

Its a free chart called Spirit Falcon Knitting Chart by Melanie Nordberg.

Its a free chart called Spirit Owl Charts by Melanie Nordberg.

Its a free chart called Spirit Deer Knitting Chart by Melanie Nordberg.

Its a free chart called Spirit Wolf Charts by Melanie Nordberg.

And now, little wash cloths! (Yes, I did make everyone a wash cloth and give them soap, all wrapped up in their designated houses bag above. There was, I hasten to add, other bought presents!)

Free pattern Batty Dishcloth by Dee Frey.

Free pattern Halloween Cat Dishcloth by Kelly Daniels

Free pattern Whooo Loves Ya, Baby? Cloth by Elaine Fitzpatrick

Free pattern Mint Swirl Cloth by Sarah Florent (I tweaked the colour changes to create the pokeball effect!)

Free pattern Dragonfly Dishcloth by April Moreland

Free pattern Soccer Ball FaceCloth – Dishcloth by Barbara Bradford

Free pattern Louie the Lobster Cloth by Tricotine

Free pattern A Cheep Cloth by Elaine Fitzpatrick

Free pattern Dinosaur Washcloth by Elaine Fitzpatrick

Free pattern Pineapple Dishcloth (Knit) by Lily / Sugar’n Cream (and yes, this one was for my mum!)

Hope you all had as fun a Christmas as we all did!

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

To show you this quick little leaving present for someone at my work:

It’s based on the hat worn by Jayne Cobb in an episode of the cult hit TV series Firefly. I’m pleased to say she was happy with it! No pattern given as it’s something I whipped up from my head…

In other not knitting news, I had my sewing lessons again and made more cushions! (Waiting for the rest of the class to get confident with the machines before I move in to more fun things) so here’s my latest upcycled T-shirt cushion!

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It’s probably one of my favourite T-shirts that Engel doesn’t wear anymore (it’s so baggy it’s like a tent, and that was before he lost weight!) So now, it’s an awesome cushion.

And since I had time…

Well, let me explain this one, from the beginning. The beginning by the way, is some point in 2011.

This is the result of a string of disasters.

I wanted to knit my other half the big bad wolf jumper, (from the book Domiknitrix by Jennifer Stafford) so bought some wool and cast on.

Halfway through, I ran out of wool and found it to have been discontinued. I managed to find something similar so…rip rip rip went my first attempt, and I cast on again using the new wool.

Sigh.

I knit all the pieces, sewed them together and had him try it on. I’d sewed the arms too tight, so yank yank yank out came my sewing and back I sewed again.

Grr.

It fit. Perfectly. Just the right amount of drape so as not to be snug, but not so much as to be baggy.

It was worn every day for a week before I got it off him and into the washing machine…where it did something very weird. It got both wider and shorter.

Argh!

He put it on once it was a dry and it looked like a super baggy belly top…not his look at all!

OK, that did give me a chuckle.

After sitting in the naughty knitting corner for a year, I rather haphazardly turned it into a cushion. It was ok, but… I kind of sewed the cushion into the cover. So… not so easy to wash.

Grr!

So today I pulled it apart again and turned it into a much nicer, neater cushion!

And that is the rather long tale of why my big bad wolf jumper is now a cushion…

There you have it for today’s post.

Starting total – 697

Wool used – 100 ( 3 this week)
Wool bought – 13
Wool given – 7

Total – 617

 

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

I think that’s an apt name for this:

It’s based on the Free Ravelry Downloadable Pattern Vortex Shawl by Kristina McCurley and made with the yummy wool I blogged about last post.

The name comes from the current computer game Engel is playing ‘No Man’s Sky’ where you got from planet to planet, discovering, cataloguing and mining for resources as far as I can tell…to a relaxing soundtrack…great for switching off in the evening, and what I’ve been watching as I worked in my shawl…

Not the most attractive photo if it, but the best colour match to real life, and it gives you an idea of the shape too. The merino/yak was lovely to knit with, and loved by certain four legged critters…

Salem wasn’t caught in the act of stealing it, three seconds after I put it on the floor to photograph…of course not…

I also wore it yesterday at a wedding banquet, where I shamefully had to call it quits after the fifth of eight courses…seeing as it started with an entire roast suckling pig between eight of us, I don’t think I did too bad. Oh, and for those curious, the heads in the fridge, I couldn’t let such a yummy treat go to waste!

Not much else to say really, life’s been ticking along, I had some family visit, been spending a fair bit if time with Felix, working on her crafty skills – pom pom caterpillars today! And pom pom monsters. She wanted to make a pom pom Cthuhlu, but decided the tentacles would be too difficult to make from pom poms alone…

So cute!

Wool count:

Starting total – 697

Wool used – 92
Wool bought – 10
Wool given – 4

Total – 619

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Gaming, Knitting, Uncategorized No Comments

Cthuhlu phtang!

This time last year I posted about how awesome my friends are. How they all donned on cat ears and played Cathuhlu all just for my birthday.

They out did themselves this year, and I have to say, my friends are more than awesome, they’re amazing!

I mean seriously, look at this cake!

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It’s the Necronomicon, as a cake!

It’s not the first amazing cake that particular friend of mine has made for my birthday, two years ago, it was this tentacular beauty!

Tentacle Cake 2~2

In case you haven’t all guessed, I’m obsessed with Cthuhlu. I’ve read all of H. P. Lovecrafts mythos stories, own numerous RPGs (Call of Cathuhlu, Delta Green, The Laundry, as well as numerous source books) I even created my own knitted Cthuhlu pattern!

It also happens to be my literally just now finished project:

Cthuhlu mittens!

This is based on the free Ravelry download Cthulhu Mittens by Lyle Stafford. I changed mine so that I can, let’s say, rather than pet Crumble with mittens:

I could…

Scritch her with my fingers instead!

I sense more mittens in my future as I had a lot of fun with these, but there are other projects to be done first…so many projects, so little time…

In other news, I went to the pop up knitting show in Port Sunlight (as it was pouring with rain, good ol’ British weather!) And accidentally bought myself a very nice little ball of wool that was positively singing to be a shawl. So that is what it shall be.

And that is what will be in my needles next!

Starting total – 697

Wool used – 91
Wool bought – 10
Wool given – 4

Total – 620

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting, Little one No Comments

Perhaps a side profile?

Pattern is ‘Parka Barker’ from Woolly Woofers by Debbie Bliss – a book I picked up for Rabbie…sorry Rabs! I’m just testing it, honest!

Let me explajn. Like small children everywhere, Felix likes to take her toys wherever she goes. I generally let her (just one though! And something small!) but there are times I say no. Like no, we’re not taking all two hundred of your cuddly toys. No, we’re not taking a soft toy into the swimming pool. No, we can’t take your fishing net to soft play.

No, we can’t carry (insert name of soft toy) outside, it’s raining.

So Felix asked ‘could they play in the rain and not get wet if they had a coat? Can you make them a coat?’ – who was I to refuse? (But just the one coat!) Engel suggested using a dog coat pattern, so smaller needles and fewer stitches later, a cute cat coat!

Blame Felix for the color choices – at least the blue matches Ramen (the cats) eyes!

Second one on needles now for Maki – Ramen’s little toy cat brother…I know, I said just one, but they’re adorably cute…

Speaking of adorable, Felix has decided what she wants to be when she grows up.

A vampire.

I suspect a costume will be getting put together soon…

Wool count

Starting total – 697

Wool used – 85 (just 1 since last post)
Wool bought – 9
Wool given – 4

Total – 625

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Cats, Knitting 2 Comments

Apologies for the lack of post last week, my grandfather passed away and I was, understandably not that inclined to be online.

It also didn’t help that last week was spent in Ireland, visiting the other half of my family tree. Distance does not make for an easy time arranging funeral details.

But it’s done, and was, in my opinion, a pleasant cremation.

I have been knitting, as I always do, especially when stressed!

The pattern is ‘Bag of Troodons’ by Tina Barrett and is from the book ‘Knitted dinosaurs’.

Close up of the bag. It was a birthday present for my nephew who is dinosaur mad. But…

Dashie has a soft spot for them too…

I also made a bolero for my neice, to go with a Monster High dress my sis (her other aunt) made her. Now, seeing as she lives far away, and taking a picture of a bolero flat is a tad pointless, my giant panda Tofu is modelling it for me.

It’s a free online pattern – Ribbed Lace Bolero by Kelly Maher. I also made a black one trimmed in pink rib, but didn’t get a chance to photograph it. So you can look at a photo of Tofu in this one again, but showing her better side.

Lastly, I’m once again knitting flat rat bookmarks – I blogged these guys November 20th 2013 – scary how time flies!

I’ll probably knit these for a while till my heads back in gear, or I get distracted!

Wool count:

Starting total – 697

Wool used – 79 (6 since last post)
Wool bought – 9
Wool given – 4

Total – 631

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

Hi all,

I’m offering a free pattern as an apology for a lack of update last week – not that much happened (well, above the normal level of madness!) But just failed to actually post anything.

I do however have a few offerings this week to make up for it!

First of all, the pattern for the fox bag holder / purse I posted last time is now available in the ‘free pattern’s section – or you can skip straight to it here.

Yeah! Been a while since I published a pattern!

What else?

This!

It’s a shawl based on the pattern ‘Peruvian Cat Lace Scarf’ by Donna Druchunas from the book ‘Kitty Knits: Projects for cats and their people’ – I love this book, and have made a number of the patterns now.

So, the story behind this one:

Decided to make a shawl rather than a scarf as I felt that the recipient would use it more. (She’s mad about cats, so using this lace pattern for the shawl was ideal)

Managed to make the full sized shawl (3ft from point to top) in five days, having cast on Monday evening and finished it with 15 minutes to spare before setting off for the birthday dinner it was being handed at…

I was also juggling full time work, being a mum, and trying to keep the house tidy enough to live in! But not bad if I say so myself!

Tempted to make one for me (in black) and Felix (my two year old) is demanding one in blue. Or purple. Or blue and purple…

But that’s just one week of knitting, what about the other? Well, I have a toy in progress that’s taking quite a bit of time, but more on that when it’s done, and j finished my fluffy wool projects.

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There’s…43 sets of cat ears and matching tails there. It’s a rather messy photo, but also the best way to show the sheer quantity of them.

Worryingly, I still have a load of fluffy wool – nothing to make a set of ears and tail with, but at least it’s manageable! In time, I’ll turn the rest into fluffy mice or fish as cat toys, but right now? I’m satisfied with the dent I’ve put in my wool stash.

I just need to work out what to do with 43 sets of cat ears and tails. Should probably attend a craft fair, or maybe a mandatory wearing of cat ears birthday party for Felix in September…

Any suggestions?

Starting total – 697 balls

Wool used – 73 (5 since last post)
Wool bought – 9
Wool given – 4

Total – 637

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

Twenty four balls of wool used, twenty four balls of wool knit, we take a ball, we knit it all, twenty four balls of wool used up!

Only six hundred and sixty ball of wool to go!

Insanity aside, it’s been busy since my last post. I’m now in the process of changing jobs, my love for Rockband being awakened, knitting, work itself, a massive spring clean and lastly I spent a week’s break in Wales with Engel and Felix.

A brief summary is thus:

Three railways – one diesel (Welsh highland heritage), two steam (Ffestiniog and Talyllyn) – all narrowguage, three beaches, two harbours, one failed attempt at crabbing (Felix dropped her crab line into the sea), several successful rock pooling attempts (caught four fish, a dozen crabs and a live clam), a swimming pool, rabbit farm and sea zoo, plus a brief look at where they make seasalt.

It’s been busy.

But good.

I doubt anyone is really interested (except Rabbie) on a blow by blow account of my trip, so my summary I hope will suffice.

Onto the knitting!

Another little knitted extra for person at my work who is pregnant with a little girl.

Something Felix, my little one, adored when she was tiny was a little Scamp snuggly (I think alike people call them lovelys?) A little fabric square with an animal head.

Hopefully this one will be loved too!

Worked top down from the head and then onto the blanket from the centre out, finishing with a picot bind off. Seeing as my cat Crumble refused to move as I was finishing it, I took a photo of it on her.

And a firm favourite – pattern is Cat-ears Hat by Donna Druchunas, from ‘Kitty Knits: Projects for cats and their people’ – a very used and loved Christmas present from Rabbie, many, many moons ago!

“But that hasn’t used up twenty four balls of wool” I hear you say, why no, it hasn’t. The two projects above used up four. The other twenty is from cat ears and tails as I blitz my way through my fluffy/fuzzy wool collection.

Engel has been helping me on this crusade by knitting the cat tails with as small knitting machine we got Felix.

She’s made a few too.

It really is that easy to use.

I’ll take a photo of them all when I finish, there’s still fluffy/fuzzy wool left (I suspect it’s breeding, and related to Tribbles)

Well, that’s all for today, still sorting out the post holiday stuff that needs doing…

Starting total – 697 balls
Wool used – 46 (24 balls used up this week!)
Wool bought – 9

Total – 660

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