The Hat Family

Warmest heads ever!

The hats were a medium success.  Everyone loved them, so that is good.  But the little boys didn’t fit perfectly.  Trace’s (the blue one) is pretty OK except the wrap around thing needs to be longer.  Porters (green one) is really tight.  Grrr…  Dusty’s dad told me later that Porter wears the same size hat as him.  So I guess I should have just made them adult sized.  I found way cute dinosaur buttons for them, and the little boys loved them!  Chad really loved his too, he was quite impressed. Didn’t get a picture of the smallest as he was sleeping.  His likely fit just fine, although that is a big kid too, so it might be tight as well.

I also made some watches for the ladies but have not taken any pictures.  I’ll snap some next time I see any of my watches (if they haven’t broken). 

All in all my Christmas was a success, but next year I am going to try and make many more of my Christmas gifts.  I never make Dusty’s because I guess I want to be sure and finish others’.  But people really love it when you make their gifts, so I hope to do more next year.

Cat Crafts

Problem statement for the new project:  My kitty does not come into the dining room or the living room when my dog is around.  She WILL come in there if the dog is gone.   She won’t stay there long though, even if the dog is gone.  I think that she feels exposed.  There are big windows and no escape, really.  The living room has three enclosed walls, so if you come in one, she can’t run out another.

So…  I am going to try and alter my living space to provide a nice little habitat for my kitty.  If you wonder about what a bad owner I am, you can read MacNDos, where I think I prove to be an OK pet owner.

Let’s start with what I do NOT want in my living room:

1) A large cat-like replica of my cat: http://www.catsplay.com/mol_molly.php3.  Let’s all just imagine if our beds were giant replicas of us.  Or if our houses were giant cut outs of people, since that is what we are.  Would you flop into bed comfortably?  No.  My cat is not an idiot, thank you. 

2) I don’t want this either: http://www.acecatfurniture.com/palace_tree_5801.html.  Kitty condos have their place.  That place is just not in my living room.  It’s small, folks, it’s odd shaped (my living room, that is) and if I had all the space in the world, I might give up a few square feet for Evil to have a condo.  But this would be the friggin centerpiece, and we aren’t going there.

What I AM thinking:

1) Can it just look like furniture? http://www.acecatfurniture.com/litter_cabinet.html.  I do not plan on putting her kitty litter in the living room, but I would like her home to look like it fits in mine.  And, frankly, I am not sure a “home” is what we need.  A tunnel, maybe. Remember, she doesn’t like not having an alternate escape route.  If that cabinet on that page had TWO holes in it.. maybe we’d be talking.

2) I have 12′ ceilings, and if Olive could live in that space = RAD!  She would learn that Beulah can’t touch her.  http://www.sparrowsnightmare.com/living20062.jpg  But how do you do that and not be the crazy cat lady?  I could build some fake support beams, but uh… that’s a renovation D and I can’t handle.  Unless you can think of a way to do this, in which case, I am OPEN for suggestions.  I do have a high book shelf in my office room that I could replicate, and just not put anything on it… hmmm

3) I just want my living room to look like a living room, but I want my cat to be comfortable enough to come inside it.  Is that too much to ask?  A secret door under a couch to the bedroom would be Divine.  In fact, since I have an unused chimney, I am playing with the idea, but can you really ask a chinmey sweep to come to your house and line the inside of an entire chimney pipe with textured rope for a cat to climb to the attic?  It does have a vent in the attic, I belive?  Maybe.  Shit, that’s better than any fire pole any frat boy ever installed. 

Step 100 of this will be building this: http://www.chindys.co.za/gallery/Cattery%202.JPG

Yes, it’s outside.  It’s like a pigeon coop on the outside of your house.  You don’t immediately know how to envision a pigeon coop?  Well, then I can’t help you.  If you are my sister, you can make fun of me now.

So, let the fun begin.  That fun is You coming up with some ideas for ME!

Get started.

Hats Four and Five!

Yeah, I'll steal your car stereo, Jealous?

Chad’s helmet turned out awesome!  I am a bit nervous since I’m pretty sure he has a huge head.  It’s a bit pointy at the top, so there is the possibility it will bunch.  But, not bad, and I think he’ll love it.

Perfectest ever!

 Check my post for the perfectest beanie ever.  This is another rendition.  Meaning, it’s the exact same but in a fluffier yarn.  I hope Des will like it.  It’s not “wear everyday” cute.  But it is definitely “wear in the winter, maybe to a Christmas party” type of a hat.

I’m quite pleased.

I decided against finishing a hat for Thomas.  Carol knit him an adorable felted one, he doesn’t need another hat.  There is something he needs, a few knitted parrots.  So, I’ll get started on that.  But not for Christmas. 

In case you are curious, I will link you to the patterns of all the above when… well, when I feel like it, I guess.

Ixnay on the Elmet-Hay?

Ok….  so, my nephew might have to wear a helmet.  For real, not my knitted one.  I am going to rearrange the order of events that took place in my life and say that because of this, I have decided NOT to knit the helmet for him that I was working on.  Touchy subject and all, and the fact that he would get sweaty if he had a real helmet on over his knitted helmet.  When reality actually happened, the helmet I was knitting got too small due to the cables and my understimation of size compression THEN I found out Thomas might have to wear a helmet.  But, I had already unraveled mine.  So, flip that around in your little brains.

SO… good news is that SOMEONE is still getting a helmet, and that is Chad!  I think next year I’ll write about Christmas presents AFTER Christmas, but until then I’ll run the risk that Chad doesn’t know i have a blog. 

So, he is a member of the hat family in the previous post and gets a wonderful new balaclava thingy to wear while hunting.  I was going to try my hand and knitting camoflauge but figured it might end up a bit abstract for his hunting desires.  Also, if he ever wants to rob a bank he can use this for that also. I would highly prefer he robs banks than kills things, but it’s not my life so I just provide the paraphanalia and let him make the decisions, I suppose.  Maybe I’ll tape a dollar to the inside of the hat to see if I can’t get some money lust going.

Back in the Saddle With Hats!

I’ve rescued a few dogs since I last posted, ok, just one.

And now it’s time to craft it up for Christmas!  I stalled this year.  I am not sure what I will get done in the next five weeks.  BUT, the hats are almost done.

I decided that Dusty’s sister’s kids needed hats this year.  They have stinking cute heads, so….. here they are:

 

Porter's

Trace's

 

Broc’s

And no picture yet of Thomas’s.  His is sortof a mix of all of them.  It’s a helmet but has more cabling, and has nice edges.  Problem with his is I am making it up, and you know what that means!  I have to try it on his head everytime I see him. I did figure out that Thoma’s head is 17 inches and my mom’s is 20!  ha ha ha… So I can probably try it on hers and make sure it’s tight.

I think Thomas will get some gloves too.

So now I have to think of what to give other people.  Last year I gave all the women some body sugar and lip balm…. maybe I have to do a guy thing this year.  But what do they like?  Answer:  nothing cool.

I hope to get back into the FolkCargo swing of things.  Have I told you I am loving on miniatures lately?  It’s true.  I am.  So, I hope to make something miniature soon.  It’s lazy AND cute! 

AND

I LOST HARRY.  See below a few posts.  I have no clue where I put him.  BUT, I know he is tucked in a corner somewhere because within the last month I saw him and thought “what the hell is that?” but … now I forgot where he is.  I think it’s just part of his nature.  I’d hide too!!!

Oh MY…

The thing is, it’s hard to craft AND write about crafting!  You have a choice.  You know? I am not telling you that I have not really done either.  I have been gardening and running, so that is good.  So… when I get home tonight, my goal is to a) buy a new bike. b) run 3miles. c) grocery shop so that i have something for lunch tomorrow. d) make something for lunch tomorrow. e) take pictures of the new cute things I made!!!  They are stinking perfect.  I like to call them Fishy, Boo, Pinks, Puffy, and Googly Eyes.   The suspense might kill you, I am aware of that.  And, if I get through the above list in the next three days, I will be amazed!

Wash Mitt Animals

If you like Easter, you might love these…….

 Problem is that I don’t and knitting with pastels is starting to drive me crazy.  They aren’t as soft as I wanted them.  This could have to do with the losseness I am allowing them to have…

They are bath mitt animals!  I couldn’t find any cute patterns online for … OMG, I forgot to mention :  IT’S A BOY!

I told my sister that makes knitting less fun, but I don’t think it’s true.  It does make me have to stretch the creativity a bit, becuase I have never thought about what a truck looks like before, so it’s isn’t necessarily bad that I have to think about it now.

So, the bath mits will come in a bundle, and there will be 4 – 5 different animals.  I am working on a pig, frog, chick, fish… and that’s all… gotta think of a fifth.  Not a kitty, because the grand finale is the bath towel with a hood, complete with ears and tail.  It’s all so cute, you might gag.

Here are some starter pics:

I just couldn’t let it die…

Once upon a time, there was a pig farmer who realized that he had one special pig that he just couldn’t destroy.  Instead of killing him, he named the pig Harry, tucked him in his bedroll, and raised him like a real son. 

We all come to this point in our lives.  I reached this point today.

I buy batches and batches of good stuffed animals at the thrift store and let my dog tear their guts out.  I have seen many a walrus, dolphin, seal, and frog get torn limb by limb in seconds.  I generally wince, knowing how much I loved stuffed animals as a kid and would do anything to protect them. 

I grabbed this one out of the bag, brought it out to the dining room (AKA, the “gladiator ring”) and could not allow it to meet it’s maker.

From the side it looks like a chinchilla crossed with an aardvark……

But, if you look it right in the eye, you begin to understand it just wasn’t brought into this world with the same advantages you and I had.  It has a tusk growing directly out of each eye socket….

But…….. what the hell is it?

AHA!  It’s an ELEPHANT!  And its nose is obscenely long for its rat body. 

I was so impressed with this weird find, instead of giving it to Beulah, I propped it up all around the house and took pictures.  I have now decided it is going to the baby.  You are never too little to learn that “some elephants’ noses are longer and fatter than their entire bodies and look like large penises, and that is OK” lesson.  Shit, I’m 28 and I just learned it tonight!

… Um….. I just realized… it isn’t even an elephant…. lol… it’s a mammoth.  I googled it and found a much better wooly mammoth stuffed animal; the resemblance is striking:

 So, thanks to Aunt Kelsey, this baby is going to learn an even better lesson.  Aunt Kelsey is retarded.

The Pink Elephant in the Room

I remember when I was about 12, I learned to sew in Home Ec.  My mom had a machine and I wanted to make something.  So “we” made this blue stuffed pig.  I dont’ remember doing it, I am pretty sure she did the whole thing.  But, my aunt dumped some old scraps off to me, and this pattern was included.  It is the same pig as we made. 

Pink was the color of the fabric in the bag Carol gave me, so I used it.  I did ask permission as to wheter “a little boy could have a pink toy.”  She said yes. 

So here ’tis!

 Yes, she is missing eyes.  I’ll try those out tonight.

Pro:  Cute.

Con:  I don’t think it’s very sturdy.  The whole thing didn’t thrill me like some things do.   I think that is how sewing patterns are.  You know exactly what you are going to get.  Also, it was small.  I had to blow up the patternto 154% so it was normal sized. 

Stitches:  Like 2.5

BONUS:  I just realized I can put my sox on my pink elephant!  YEY, she looks so good!