That old cat

Finn is around 14 years old. (He was a stray, found by a friend of a friend of my daughter, initial age a guestimate.) Lately, his mouth has been bothering him. He quit eating his prescription catfood in favor of the old standby my other cat eats, so I thought he was doing okay. However, a trip to the vet revealed a growth in his mouth that looks like it can be snipped out. He has lost weight, too. The procedure is still several weeks out, so I wanted to fatten him up a bit beforehand. But how to do that?

Kitty cheesecake

While looking online for a solution, I came across "toppings" and "soups" that are supplements for cats. Finn won't eat canned food, so I felt skeptic, but picked up a few samples at the local Pet Supply Plus store to try. He *loves* them! So now I am mixing them with his rx food, and he is feeling much better. (The antibiotic shot he received at the vet probably helped, too.) I had no idea these products existed, but we are both happy with them.

Knitting: I'm ready to start the heels on the pinkish socks.

You can tell by the randomish stripes why I was hesitant to try making these socks match. However, once I started them, it became obvious that they were close to matching anyway. I ripped one back to the toe and aligned the colors. Huzzah!

Winter ponderings

While I have not been weaving, I have been *thinking* about weaving. Tea towels are a popular item for weavers to make. One member bemoaned the fact that she has never woven one, but maybe someday she would. Another member piped up, "Or not." Just because everyone else is weaving something doesn't mean YOU (or I) need to follow the herd. So my thoughts about weaving are going in the direction of what do *I* want to weave.

(For the record, I have woven some hand towels - three different sets - and I think that is all I need to do.)

Crochet: I finished the crocheted Emotional Support Chickens; separate post to follow.
Knitting: The Window Cat is almost done. I made a little progress on the ice dyed socks while waiting in the pick-up line at my granddaughter's school.

Spinning: The maroon merino is all plied; now I just need to skein it and set the twist on all of it.

Yesterday I wore the many-colored "coatigan" to a spin-in. I think I have not posted a pic of it on me. So here it is, in all its glory.

I plan to wear it to this week's weaving guild meeting and next week's spinning guild. Before you know it, spring will be here and the winter woolens will have to be put away for another season.

Spring is sprung

My little cold went away and then seemed to return. I took an at-home Covid test to make sure it was not *that* (negative). Then it occurred to me that what was probably causing the sneezing and sniffling was tree pollen. I am pro-tree, but I suffer a bit for it.

Knitting: Still plugging away on the Habitation throw. I think I am going to start the decrease rows soon.
Weaving: I'm done with the leno pattern repeats on the curtains. All that is left is about 5" of plain weave for the pocket.

No progress on the SampleIt sample this week, nor the pocket loom sample. Instead, I tried to make the spare bedroom studio more welcoming. Some boxes were relocated and some tables shifted, so it is better now. The 24" rigid heddle loom is still in the den, where a certain feline thinks it is a cat hammock.

What I have been up to

While I have not been posting here very often, I have been busy with fiber arts. For example, yesterday I attended a workshop put on the local weaving guild. We practiced finger pickup patterns on rigid heddle looms and hemstitching, then two of the many talented seamstresses in our guild shared their secrets for sewing with handwoven fabric. It didn't occur to me to take any pics - brain fart, I guess - but a good time was had by all despite the snowy weather.

The other guild I belong to, ostensibly for spinning, was a disappointment last year. This year looks more promising. For one thing, we were presented with a challenge: spin yarn for a specific project AND then actually complete the project, by the June meeting. I have been working on spinning fat rug yarn for a runner. It's funny how when one starts spinning, the yarn is fat, but with practice, it slims down. Now I *want* to spin fat yarn and am having difficulties. Referencing Jill Moreno's book Yarnitecture, I wrote up a crib sheet to help me: more take-up, larger whorl, more fiber, less twist, slow feet, fast hands. Also, I bought a jumbo flyer for plying the fat singles.

When I learned to spin, I optimistically purchased a sweatersworth of roving, thinking I would spin it up, then knit it up. Needless to say, that did not happen. Recently, I decided to spin up that roving, aiming for a three-ply worsted yarn, to make this "cardigan" which is actually more like a wrap. At the last weaving guild meeting, a member was wearing one she had knitted. I kept staring at it all through the meeting. This spin-to-knit project is not part of the above mentioned challenge, but will be a challenge nonetheless.

I have an idea for a tapestry project for the frame loom, which is warped and waiting, but couldn't decide on which techniques to use. So I started a practice piece on my Ashford SampleIt rigid heddle loom. Working from Carol K. Russell's The Tapestry Handbook, I've been trying my hand at shading techniques: gradations of dots, basic hatching, gradations using weft blends. The latter was not working out too well for me, so now I have switched to Jean Wilson's Soumak Workbook with the goal of sampling each one she describes. I'm having a little trouble not beating the weft too hard.

The ribbed baby cable socks are still in progress. I try to complete a four-round pattern repeat every day. Maybe they will be done before winter is over.

It's not Thursday, but here is a throw-back, from 2006. It's a Princess Snowball Cat Bed, from Stitch n Bitch. Many times I have contemplated getting rid of it, but invariably one of the pets decides it is the perfect spot for a nap. Since it "sparks joy" for them, I will keep it.

Hope you are keeping warm!

A WIP

And a helpful knitting cat.

The knitting is a Pine Forest Baby Blanket, for my SO's daughter and hubby who are adopting an infant in February. The cat is Beau, the Feline Destroyer of all Things Nice. At least he did not do any damage here.

Weave, wove, woven

I finished my first weaving project, which started out as a test run but now looks like something. My first thought was, I can always use it as a table runner. But while knotting the fringe, I had the piece draped across my bare legs. Mmmm! So warm! So maybe it is a scarf or a small shawl?

Pattern: none.
Yarn: Leftovers from the Pinwheel sweater and Fuzzy Feet and the Mitered Crosses blanket
Loom: Ashford 24" rigid heddle, 7.5 sett
Finished size: 49.5" length (plus fringe), 10" width (more or less)

I obviously have some learning to do. The edges are not even, especially where I got in a hurry. Also, there is one missed warp, which of course stands out like a neon sign in outer space. All in all, I think it is not a bad start, though.

Of course, I had some assistance from the *other* helpful weaving cat in this household. Maybe Finn thinks the scarf/shawl is for him?

Cats of the Internet

Someone started the hashtag #helpfulknittingcats. I had to contribute.

Today I started the hashtag #helpfulweavingcats.

At least Beau is learning to leave the yarn alone... for the most part.

Bunny Hour

I have to tell you, that dog sweater is the cat's pajamas (so to speak). When the air turns arctic, Betsy dons her new outfit and actually stays outside for ten or fifteen minutes instead of seconds. The only problem has been that the whole sweater shifts backwards on her, stretching the neck and putting stress on the seams. So tonight, during Bunny Hour, I added a turtleneck and cuffs.



I have been using Lion Brand Thick 'n Quick, leftover from Sean's Go Go Garter Scarf, but there was not enough for tonight's additions, so I had to switch to the leftovers from Nate's Slipper Socks.



Now the outfit reminds me of those "anatomy of a sock" pictures, where the parts of a sock are knit in different colors.



Betsy doesn't care - she is colorblind. Plus, probably from resignation, she actually posed for me and my camera.

FYI - Bunny Hour is the time in the evening when the bedrooms doors are closed and Hip Hop aka Bunny Guy gets the run of the house for a little while. Oh, and Fern has to be locked away in the Florida room for the duration.



She may look like a big fat raccoon, but she is quick.