Month: November 2023

Tatting

On By CarynIn Craft

So tatting is a craft I have not previously attempted. I have not historically been a lace person, so tatting, which is a type of knotted lace, was not a high priority. Finding myself in Texas, where thick woolens are not required, I’ve come to appreciate the functionality of lace. Mainly, I can craft something that is wearable in the Texas heat. To keep it real, I took a picture of my failed first attempts.

Photo description: Tangle of cotton thread with misshapen circles made of knots.

Not to cast a pall on all the fantastic lace work out there, but they all started with misshapen tangles of thread too. It is hard to learn new things, and the first products are not usually spectacular. It takes time and practice to develop the muscle memory and control for different hand crafts. Enjoying this learning process helps me not abandon the effort in frustration. Although it is not a bad idea to take frequent breaks, because it can be exasperating teaching our hands new skills. I did eventually produce a small chain of loops.

Photo description: Four knotted loops with picots connected with knotted chain, done with two threads.

I used the word “not” eight times in this post, see what I did there?

Wood walk

On By CarynIn Cats, Flora, Fungi

I took some green time and walked through the woods. I can still see the results of the heavy rain we had, the path I cleared years ago had been swept clean by the water, making a path about two feet wide through the leaves.

Photo description: Dirt path through saplings and vines with a scattering of newly fallen leaves.

I saw some nice mushrooms too, another sign we’ve actually received significant moisture.

Photo description: bright white hairy puffball mushroom in brown and yellow fallen leaves.
Photo description: white and cream capped mushrooms in green meadow grass.

I have what I believe is a mulberry tree in the back woods. It is growing under the canopy, so is spindly but keeps making a go of it each year. I was sad to see that something, probably deer, have stripped the bark on one side of the tree.

Photo description: Bark stripped from half of a maybe two inch trunk, two green leaves visible from the same tree.

And of course there were cats. I was able to get a picture of Mr Tom in his glorious winter coat before he wandered off.

Photo description: Flame point long haired cat with full winter ruff sitting in meadow grass.

Crocheted pillow

On By CarynIn Craft

I took my two mosaic crochet experiments and joined them together to make a pillow, because why not? I used a single crochet stitch to join the sides, then stuffed it with poly fill.

Photo description: Crochet hook through two loops of purple, and one loop of white, right before the yarn over and pull through to join the sides which are right side out. Cat in the background.

I put a stitch in the center of the pillow to hold the stuffing in place and give it an even more retro look. It worked well because both sides have a defined center of the pattern.

Photo description: finished pillow with center indent and spiral side showing being held by a calico cat.
Photo description: Pillow with the terrazzo side out sitting in the corner of a couch.

He came for the yarn

On By CarynIn Cats, Craft

Thor the tabby cat is fascinated with all things yarn. We are working on what is appropriate and what is not. The ribbon on the stick is fair game, the ball of yarn leading to my hands is not. He jumped up on my chair to watch some yarn unroll, was being very polite, and fell asleep.

Photo description: Gray tabby cat asleep along my leg, with his paws touching a bundle of tan colored yarn. Calico cat laying on my lap.

I’m experimenting with the overlay mosaic technique, but as a way to introduce texture. By using one color of yarn, and stitching in the round, I produced quite a nice basket weave type structure. I am also using a size G (4.0mm) hook with worsted weight acrylic yarn, which is smaller than recommended to make a stiffer fabric. This pattern uses two single crochets in the back loop then one double crochet in front loop of the previous row. The ruler is to assess the gauge.

Photo description: In the foreground a small swatch of crocheted fabric held against a ruler. In the background a gray tabby yawning next to a calico cat on my lap.

Thor slept through the whole swatching process, and Izzy the calico never noticed he was within an inch of her.

Then there were five

On By CarynIn chickens

Another hen passed. She was looking quite ragged and tired, but didn’t seem distressed. She was with the flock eating and drinking, until she couldn’t. I gave her access to one last grubbly treat, and helped her access water, then let her lay in the coop where she grew up, surrounded by her sister hens. It is a hard call, letting go or assisting. Since she wasn’t in obvious pain, I chose to let her slip away on her own time. I’ve done the final scramble before, with force feeding and medicines and stress, both for me and the hen, and it really isn’t dignified, and completely unnecessary to put her through that in her last days. Hatchery quality hens only have a life span of about 4-7 years, and she was there. May her next life be as peaceful.

Photo description: My five remaining Faverolle hens eating grubblies in the covered run.