Exit hole

On By CarynIn Craft

I built a cat house bench back in August 2018, before I started this blog. The outside cats never really used it. I cleaned out the old straw and evicted the insect residents.

Photo description: 7-year-old storage bench that is really an insulated cat house, entrance on the right side

I decided to cut an exit hole, so there was an escape route. I didn’t want it to be a wind tunnel, so I cut it into the side of the insulated box.

Photo description: same bench but now closed and a new exit cut into the side

I used a saws all to cut and rather lost control as my cuts are diagonal rather than straight. Serendipitously the two cuts are parallel, so that’s a bonus, even if they are crooked.

I put lavender inside to deter bugs, and put down some fresh straw, since I’ve read that when fabric scraps get wet they don’t insulate where straw insulates even when damp.

Photo description: inside of the bench showing new straw and both escape hatches

While I was at it I also caulked in the gaps on the top that were letting in the damp during heavy rains. We’ll see if the modification made any difference to the local colony. Winter is coming, but it is Texas, so it will flirt with fall for a while longer.

Spiral socks

On By CarynIn Craft

I finished the pair of spiral socks that I started in September. The special thing about spiral ribbed socks is that there is no heel, the rib expands to fit the heel without bunching at the ankle like tube socks.

Photo description: finished spiral knit socks made with Heritage Cascade printed fingering weight yarn and size 2.5 needles, 64 stitch cast on, 4×4 offset rib, knit cuff to toe

I was dubious on fit as I was making them, but after blocking they stretched out and they fit as advertised.

Photo description: spiral socks worn

My youngest struggles with sock heel placement, so these socks are much easier to get on. I will now always have a set of these socks on a pair of needles, to outfit her with friendly socks. I did check with a sock knitting machine company, with the idea to speed up production, but knitting machines can’t do the offset ribbing, so they have to be hand knit.

Cat houses

On By CarynIn Cats

I picked up a heated cat house from a friend that no longer needed it and put it up behind the coop. We have cats that come and go from the colony next door, and as winter heads in a warm spot might be appreciated.

Photo description: heated cat house on a table with a heated water bowl

This is really a payment for services for the outside cats. They kill venomous snakes and rodents. I have personally seen a meadow cat carrying off a rat, and my husband saw one with a copperhead. The population of the colony has stabilized with just a few that return as the temps drop.

Star earrings

On By CarynIn Craft, Uncategorized

I wanted a pair of star earrings to wear to chorus events. I started looking at preassembled sets and was dismayed at materials and pricing, so I ordered parts from Fire Mountain Gems and assembled them myself. Since buying in bulk makes the individual item less expensive, I ordered enough for my whole chorus.

Photo description: antique silver plated open star charms on simple silver plated ear wires and threaded into a card with our chorus logo

I picked a simple star charm and an open loop ear wire so assembly was a just matter of using needle nose pliers to open the wire loop, put in the charm, and close the loop again. Here is a tip for opening wire loops, either on ear wires or for jump rings: twist, don’t pull. Rather than pulling the ends of the loop apart and widening the loop, if you twist them, one side forward, one side back, they are much easier to twist back closed.

Photo description: close up of a wire loop that has been twisted open

The thing that took the longest time was getting the cards with earrings into the little 2×3” bag. The sets, with shipping, cost less than $1 per pair plus time. The components are silver-plated, which is fine for costume jewelry. The assembly is simple enough that if someone does have a nickel allergy, the charm can easily be transferred to a pair of titanium or niobium ear wires instead. (Those are just considerably more expensive.)

Poor puppy

On By CarynIn Cats, dog
Photo description: calico cat in a pastel rainbow dog bed, small black dog in a new dark blue bed

Izzy the cat has decided that Missy’s bed is the best in the house, much to Missy’s dismay. So I bought a new round dog bed so she had a safe spot again. It isn’t quite the same as her rainbow round, but when the cat rules, you make the best of it. I was actually hoping Izzy would go to the new bed, but no, there is just something about that rainbow round.