The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: aliceinwonderland on June 18, 2012, 01:37:33 am
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My grandma taught me to knit when I was a little kid (as opposed to being a slightly bigger kid now), and then I didn't knit a thing for years. On Saturday, as it was cold and miserable, being winter down here, I decided to test my skills, and see if I could knit fair isle with multiple colours of wool, and then turn it into a 3d animal - with great success!
I knitted a little mouse (with a fair isle pattern around the middle), added some ears and a tail, stuffed it with little pom poms made of scraps of wool, added some catnip and a little bell, sewed it all up and gave it to my cat.
She LOVES it. At first she didn't really know what to do with it, but after a minute or two she was doing her best to kill it, whilst purring like a tractor. I gave it to her last night, and she still hasn't destroyed it, so it seems that my knitting has held up! Expecting to get home from work to find wool and catnip all over the carpet though....
For anyone who's interested, the pattern is here (http://yellowpinkandsparkly.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/fair-isle-mice-pattern.html (http://yellowpinkandsparkly.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/fair-isle-mice-pattern.html)) , and it's super easy. I'd never done a complex fair isle knit or knitted something to become 3D, and it worked perfectly. Happy knitting!
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That is so cute.
I have recently started to knit again and am trying loads of things I never really learned to do. (Making lots of mistakes, but they can usually be darned! :D) Fair Isle is on my list to try... so thanks for the link, I might make that mouse my first Fair Isle knit ever!
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That's very cute ;D Lucky cat :thumbsup:
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Its very good. I find knitting addictive. The cat is obviously convinced by it. I can see she is keeping her eye on it in case it runs away ;D
Sally
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What a good idea. Mouse looks fun, cat looks happy. Is she a Birman?
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I was addicted to knitting when my children were small, especially dolly clothes for my elder daughter (now 34 :o ) and remember sitting up half the night to finish an outfit for "Maybe" her favourite doll.
I also knitted all their jumpers, socks even coats etc. I feel I should take it up again but lack the motivation :(
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Sylvia, I am sure if you started again you would really get back into it. There are some lovely wools out there and everything is so easy to get online.
I like to watch the TV but feel I am wasting my time if I am not kintting, crocheting etc. I can't say that everything has been a success but mostly it is.
Sally
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I can knit but dont like the needles going up my nose, sleeves, slipping on the floor etc. I love to crochet . That is so cute and love your cat, well done
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That's a great idea. Love your cat too. :love:
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Just read your thread to everyone in the house and we all like that a lot. I used to knit bootees and matching hats for my dollies when I was little and crochet 'beddies' (bed covers) and I loved it. Wish I'd kept them all, my kids have had a go at knitting but it doesn't beat lego unfortunately.
Maybe I should start again and they may learn by example.
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I've got knitting on the go but not done any for a few weeks. I'm now inspired to get going again. Maybe not tonight though. ;)
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What a good idea. Mouse looks fun, cat looks happy. Is she a Birman?
She's a birman cross chinchilla (the cat breed, not the rodent), with tortie points. She's now about 6 years old but we all still call her 'the kitten', even though her name is Delilah. Very pretty and she knows it, but she forgets that she's meant to be a grown-up cat now. She's a big fan of chasing lizards and skinks and carrying them around in her mouth, with the tail sticking out. She's also obsessed with our dogs - a 12 year old golden retriever and a 11 year old lab - but she's not quite brave enough to make friends. She tries, gets nice and close, and then has a mini panic attack, hisses (very rude!) and runs away. I was sitting (knitting) in the living room with the dogs the other day and Delilah desperately wanted to be involved. She came in and sat up on the back of the sofa, as far away from the dogs as possible. Then Sally, the black labrador, came across to say hello. Delilah didn't move, or make a noise, but her eyes opened as far as they could go. Just had to take a photo. She hung around for a few minutes and then made a mad dash for the door. Silly kitty!
I'm glad you all enjoyed my mouse! I'm currently going through a housewife-skills fixation - have made copious amounts of jam, have been knitting things for everyone, and just bought a couple of 50's dress patterns to I can try my hand at that. The Royal Melbourne Show (the big agricultural show for the whole region) is on in September, so I thought I might knit/sew/bake and submit a few things - never entered a show before, but I have dreams of winning blue ribbons! I'll keep you updated on my progress!
Cheers!
Alice
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thats a lovely pic of Delilah
Sally