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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 5 Comments

Just a short post this week, its been very much all go-go-go lately and I need a chance to catch up on some chill time and rest.

Although I did try that on Sunday and ended up spending all my time furiously crafting and boxing off a few projects. And starting a few too, But those will get shown once I get round to a little photoshoot…

Todays knit was a wedding gift for Mr and Mrs Ratman, who after a very long engagement, decided now was the time to get married. It was an a-meow-sing day, Mrs Ratman looked purr-fect, the weather held, everyone behaved, and no cat fights broke out.

A heart shaped wreath with two kitty silhouettes holding tails. The cats are knit following the free pattern Kittinpin! by Diane Trap and everything else was just wrapped with wool. I’m not kitten when I say this was very last minute – the idea only occurred to me the night before the wedding, hours before I was about to run a Cthulhu scenario.

I like to think I can still strike fear into my players hearts, even when frantically knitting little cats to go on a very cutesy heart shaped wreath.

And with that, till next post, stay safe!

Wool Count

Starting total – 841

Wool used – 18 (Up by two!)
Wool bought – 2
Wool given to me – 5 (3 for mothers day)
Wool gifted to others – 1 (yep, I gave away wool!)
Wool handspun – 6

Total – 836 (Net difference: -5)

Edit: Have had a very rough few days, so if I go AWOL that’s why. Car failed it’s MOT (£1k), boiler condemned (£2k and still no hot water or heating) and I have a suspicion I know what number three may be…

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 4 Comments

When push came to love, I ended up doing a Valentines wreath for February.

I did toy with the idea of a heart shaped wreath full of flowers, so I could make some plant puns about how I was pine-ing fir some good ideas, if you would be-leaf it, but I didn’t.

I wanted to take this wreath to the nest level.

Anf you can’t fall fowl with lovebirds when it comes to romance and the rest of it. The lovebirds are knit following Songbird by Sara Elizabeth Kellner, which is an amazing free pattern that provides the base for any small bird of about that shape. Change some colours, do a little intarsia, and voila, it can be any bird you want it to be.

I have actually sort of knit this pattern before, as an Alice in Wonderlands Hammer bird and Pencil bird for Rabbies unbirthday party during lockdown.

But let’s stop fluttering around and get back to my wreath. Felix wrapped it, and used a lot of my scraps and even some odd balls of wool. The birds themselves knit up pretty quick after I spent ages trying to pick just the right colours, and the branch was a last minute addition – a bit of wire wrapped in yet another scrap of wool. It all came together really well, but not going to lie, the moment I hung that wreath up, I started to debate what my March wreath should be.

Suggestions welcome!

With that, I shall leave you to this swift post as it’s been a crazy busy week and this viking needs to chill out before more madness tomorrow…

Till next post, stay safe.

Starting total – 841

Wool used – 7 (Up by three!)
Wool bought – 2
Wool given to me – 1
Wool gifted to others – 0
Wool handspun – 6

Total – 843 (Net difference: +2)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

Yep, its more clawsome cat puns this week! They’re just too purrfect to resist!

I’m still juggling numerous crafts at the moment, but with the cold snap we’ve recently had, and the one about to start any minute now… I decided to finally finish my warm wooly cat set.

We’ve had the cowl, we’ve had the arm warmers, we now have the hat!

I was going to spread this out over two posts, but didn’t think seeing the same design in the same wool but as a different shape would be all hat interesting fur you all. So we will skip straight to the fun part – the pompom.

So, the hat needed something when I finished knitting it, and the pattern ( Slouchy Cat Hat by Marna Gilligan from her book Cat Knits) recommends a pompom in all the colours used to knit the hat.

Too busy.

Straight up solid colour pompom?

Too boring.

I mentioned this to Felix who immediately told me it should be a cat pompom! At first I was about to say no and then I paw-sed and remembered a certain pattern in a different book that calls for fluffy wool to make a ball like cat…

That pattern happened to be Fluff Balls by Sue Stratford from her book Knitted Cats and Kittens. I changed the fluffy wool for knitting the purple in loop stitch before cutting and letting Felix brush it for extra fluffiness.

Subsequently, I have worn this hat twice as Felix claimed it as hers and it has barely left her head since…

Even though I have lost my hat, I’m feline happy with the final result, and having finished this winter set. But what to work on next? So many crafts, so many possible projects, not enough time…

I mean, I only have a nalbinding project or three I want to start, another spinning project I want to begin, a tablet weave partially warped on my loom, one knitting project on the needles and three more already lined up, a sewing project involving 12 bags, a hand sewing project involving mine and the kids viking kit…

Plus some needle felting and natural dying, oh, and a weaving experiment…

…yeah, I need a lot more time…

Until next post, stay safe.

Starting total – 841

Wool used – 4 (Up by two!)
Wool bought – 2
Wool given to me – 1
Wool gifted to others – 0
Wool handspun – 6

Total – 846 (Net difference: +5)

Yep, still feeling im-paw-sible that I’m going to make a good dent in the stash this year…

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

It feels like it’s taken fur-ever but I am finally getting back to my old self. And, I’m not kitten here, I have actual knitting content!

Can you guess by my hiss-terical puns what it might be?

Yep, a cat, and not any cat, this is a birthday gift for OwlLady, and it’s knit to match the colouring of her old cat Taz. I used the pattern Doorstop Cat by Sue Stratford from her book ‘Knitted Cats and Kittens’. It’s a tabby cat in the pattern, but a little intarsia can turn a tabby into a tuxedo kitty.

In other news, I’ve finished my current spinning project – quite a thick yarn using natural brown fleece and all my failed nettle dye experiments and a bit of leftover beetroot and coffee fleece.

I think it’s come out pretty paw-some for my intended plans – to make a basket/bag using nalbinding to put all my viking bits in that are for display, rather than thieving other people’s table space…

There is but one small flaw in this otherwise purr-fect plan… My stash has just increased by six.

Well, seven actually as I was gifted some wool from one of the fellow vikings at our weekly meet. But I have plans that should help chip away at the stash!

Now I just need time…

Which feels somewhat im-paws-ible…

Starting total – 841

Wool used – 2
Wool bought – 2
Wool given to me – 1
Wool gifted to others – 0
Wool handspun – 6

Total – 848 (Net difference: +7)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

As I mentioned at the star-t of the year, I’m doing a lot of non knitting crafts at the moment, so content may be a bit scarce. The thing is though, I quite enjoy coming up with various sunny puns to inflict upon you all, and I like the routine of having a little time to look back and reflect.

Although a lot of my posts do come across as cut and sun.

Ok, ok, I’ll get on to it. I don’t have knitting to share this week, I have however picked up a project I started a few years ago – my window wreaths. I want to have one for every month of the year, and January is one of my missing ones. I had lots of possible ideas, and a few maybes and possibilities but…

It was a proper frosty morning, I was corralling the terrors to the car, when Felix just slammed on the breaks and went, ‘look Mummy, it’s so pretty’.

So I did, and we all just paused and spent longer than we should admiring the intricate crystal of ice and frost, trapped in a spiders web, glistening and sparkling in the artificial light if the house.

It is not as beautiful, or intricate as that spiders web, but I think I caught the sparkles and simplicity of it all. The kids both very much love this wreath, and even when I had just started the web part, where enthusiastically picking out beads to be ‘caught’ in it.

Now to decide what my February wreath should look like…

Its been a very quiet week, both this and last, as I’m recovering at the moment. Just about back in my feet though and itching to get cracking on with all my projects – to which there are many, many, many…

And with that, I bid you farewell. Stay safe, take care, and my next post should be back to its more normal knitting chaos.

Starting total – 841

Wool used – 2
Wool bought – 2 (Yep, I know, but there are just certain wools I need in my stash that I use all the time, and black DK is one of those)
Wool given to me – 0
Wool gifted to others – 0
Wool handspun – 0

Total – 841 (Net difference: 0)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 3 Comments

Now I know I said I was gonna take root and leaf things for a bit, but I had to branch out from that plan and share this completed project!

Now I know that was a lot of acorny puns all in a row, but I am a devotree to puns!

Oak-y, before I get a sap in the face, on to the knitting!

Every year when I put up our tree, I say it needs a tree skirt, but I’ll make it later. Then I forget. And I put up the tree and go ‘I did say I was going to make a tree skirt…’, then I forget…

Ten years I have done this now and enough was enough. This Christmas I would knit the tree skirt so next Christmas it’s ready for the tree.

So I did. This is more or less knit using Christmas at Hogwarts Tree Skirt by Susanna IC from the book “Knitting Magic: More Patterns From Hogwarts & Beyond”. The original is all white, which is lovely, but I wanted colour. So coloured cables I added. And coloured trees. And fluffy owls. But I had to do this across six repeats.

Never. Again.

Was it worth it? Looking at these cute owls, definitely.

And all the additional beads and sequins for sparkle?

Yeah. It was worth it. The kids love it, and have been wearing it like a caplet, so I think for next year, it might help add that little touch to help bring forth the festive spirit.

Knitting aside, it’s been a quiet start to the year. Things are getting done that have taken years to actually get to, which is helping with a lot of the stress that’s been going on. Hopefully once all that’s behind us, we can emerge like little seedlings in the spring, and bloom into…umm…hmm.

I would definitely not describe any of us as flowers, but calling us weeds seems a tad mean… Let’s go thistles. Nice, tough, hardy thistles, with a beauty in their own right. Just be warned, we prick!

And after that tangent, I shall bid you farewell. Until the next post, stay safe, and if anyone has any better ideas about what kind of flowers can be used as a description for us, or better yet, yourselves, let me know!

Starting total – 841

Wool used – 2
Wool bought – 0
Wool given to me – 0
Wool gifted to others – 0
Wool handspun – 0

Total – 839 (Net difference: -2)

This should increase soon as 1) I need more black acrylic DK for some toy’s and 2) I’ve dusted off the wheel and started spinning again. I must remember how soothing to the soul spinning is…

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 5 Comments

Not gonna lie, 2023 was a hard year. 2024 hasn’t gotten off to a purrfect start either. There’s been a death in the wider family and its very much caused us all to go to ground.

I did manage a trip up North though, and first footed Rabbies door on New Years Day. And whilst quiet, it was a good visit. Both my terrors now have their own Viking kit and I have so much hand sewing to be getting on with its purr-etty insane…but so worth it as they look so cute!!!

But hand sewing doesn’t really lend much content to the blog, which is my next point, its gonna be pretty quiet on here for a little bit. Partly due to content and partly due to the desire to hide under a blanket and try this whole new year thing again at some point in February. Maybe. March looks pretty promising…

Modified version of Kitten Mittens by Marna Gilligan from her book Cat Knits. Made to match my cowl and one day I will make the matching hat too. Purr-omise.

One thing that I will be continuing into 2024, is the puns. I have a feline that a few groans have resounded at that, but I love them, they’re just purr-fect for a little bit of humour!

In other news, poor OwlLady and Timbercat made the fatal mistake of deciding to help me organise and recount my wool stash. I don’t know who was more horrified at the sheer quantity of wool, but I unearthed a few treasures I had forgotten which I am looking forward to using. Soon hopefully. Maybe. More importantly, my total came to 30 less than what I thought I had! Some did sneak off though in OwlLadys bag…and one in Timbercats…

So with that, I shall present my new wool count totals! Stay safe, and may you have the 2024 you desire!

Starting total – 841

Wool used – 0
Wool bought – 0
Wool given to me – 0
Wool gifted to others – 0
Wool handspun – 0

Total – 841 (Net difference: 0)

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

The question being, what was the Christmas knit for 2023?

A bearded axe (the best kind) to represent joining a viking reenactment group!

Ended up knitting this one up sharpish this morning as the year has officially got away from me. I’m gonna let it run and focus on 2024 when I get there. I know for many of us, it’s been a bit of a year.

But, focusing on the positive, my terrors are happily crafting away, the tree is up and festooned in hand made ornaments, indigestion from too much good food is on the horizon and we have The Nightmare Before Christmas playing away in the background.

It was the most festive I could manage…

Just a short post today, to wish everyone a good festive season no matter what you celebrate. Also keeping it light on the puns as I’m having to be sharp about how easy it is to slide into innuendos when it comes to axes.

To be blunt, or perhaps get to the point, shaft, head, rack, butt are all axe and axe throwing terms…

So, with that fun aside, have a quiet and restful end to 2023, and try and get some rest to prepare for whatever 2024 decides to throw at us next.

Starting total – 880

Wool used – 62 (+3)
Wool bought – 44 (+20)
Wool given to me – 17
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 2

Total – 871 (Net difference: -9)

Yeah, I really fell off the sheep this year. Going to have to keep it an a tight reign for next year, or else I’ll have to consider culling it…

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 2 Comments

First, my apologies for not being around much again, its been a bit crazy at the moment and I’ve been juggling perhaps two or brie things more than I should…

Second, I’m going to let you in on a squeak-rat, the puns are about to get cheesy.

So, to set your mind at cheese, there is knitting in this post, promise, and its to do with Cheese Day. My workplace has a tradition where rather than a formal Christmas lunch together, we bring in cheese, crackers, meats, olives etc and, to quote, ‘Celebrate Baby Cheese-us’.

Last year I knit tiny Christmas tree decoration sized mice, this year I had the cheddar idea of knitting…

Rats! Rats! And more rats! (Free knitting pattern Flat Rat by Susan Glinert Stevens, I have converted mine to knit as one piece from the nose down).

This was un-brie-lievably fun. I got to use up loads of little scraps, as well as a few small balls of wool, and had the little squeakers running amock on actual Cheese Day.

I did try and keep my plan a squeak-rat, but ended up sharing with my Valkyries (knitting coven No2) and Rabbie requested I knit her little versions of her dairy departed pet rats Darktan and Peaches. And my friend OwlLady declared my scrap rat as Patches and hers:

It was a gouda time in all, and I am pleased to have done it. I smashed my goal of 10 rats with a whopping 17, 14 of which made it to cheese day and all of which were claimed in the name of Baby Cheesus… Next year, I think I’ll have the feta idea of aiming a bit smaller.

And with that, I bid you fair well and to stay safe!

Starting total – 880

Wool used – 59 (+6)
Wool bought – 44 (+20)
Wool given to me – 17
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 2

Total – 874 (Net difference: -6)

I should not be left unattended in a wool shop when there is a sale on my favourite jumper wool…

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by RoxyPosted on Posted in Knitting 1 Comment

Gourd you believe it, this is the last of the boo-tiful spooky season knits to share (until next year) with you all. All’s bats are off on guessing the theme!

This all started, out of the boo, when my friend OwlLady gave me a handful of mochimochi teeny tiny ghosts. They were fa-boo-lous by themselves, but after recieving some spook-tacular kumihimo braid from Timbercat, I just new it would need a few additions…

First of all, I enrolled my gourd-geous assistant Felix to needlefelt me some pumpkins. She’s definitely the pumpkin of my eye when she’s stabbing fleece furiously with a sharp needle… This is actually fleece dyed with beetroot from a few summers ago, and some nettle dyed fleece from last year.

Then after that, I whipped up some bats that practically flew off the needles and added them to the garland. Pattern used is a free Ravelry one, Bat by Linda Dawkins, which I have used quite a few times.

But alas, Halloween has passed and I never had the time to add more. That’s how it ghost though. Until next year. But what to knit? Cats? Witches? Witches hats? Broomsticks? Cauldrons? So many ideas!!!

Until next time, stay safe!

Starting total – 880

Wool used – 53 (+1)
Wool bought – 24
Wool given to me – 17
Wool gifted to others – 8
Wool handspun – 2

Total – 860 (Net difference: -20)

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