Crocheted duster vest

On By CarynIn Craft

I obtained a crochet pattern for a vest published in 1969 and decided I needed a duster version for an upcoming chorus show that is featuring 60s songs. I had some fingering weight cotton in my stash and I doubled it, combining three different blue colors with two different grays to get a fade on the garment.

Crocheted duster vest

It was a very easy pattern, just chains of 5 joining the previous row made of chains of 5 with a single crochet. I aimed to make it mid-calf length, but the net pattern now stretches nearly to the floor! It crocheted up fairly quick as well, because it is comprised mostly of air, which also makes it not hot to wear. Yay for netting.

Hello oak pollen

On By CarynIn Flora

Yup, it is definitely Spring. Everything outside is yellow with oak pollen and everyone’s allergies are on high alert.

“Pollen” written in pollen

The picture above is of my usually black metal bench that sits by my front door, under an overhang. It is currently dusty yellow from all the oak pollen, despite having some protection and not being directly under an oak tree. We have Post Oak and Cedar Elm in the yard. The Cedar Elm has already spread its confetti of seeds, so I guess it is now the oak’s turn.

Now someone has pollen on their pants

Spindle size tests

On By CarynIn Craft

I’m still working on the design of my 3D printed spindle. I’ve now had a local printer make up three sizes, and have tested them all with the same fiber blend.

Three spindle sizes with corresponding cops of single spun yarn

We aren’t there quite yet. I need some input from other spinners, and we need to change the printing density to reinforce the neck. The smallest version has never broken, but the hole in the yarn ball is too small. The largest has a great diameter hole in the cop of yarn, but is unwieldy. The middle one is the closest to feeling right, but still needs some adjustments.

Find the cat

On By CarynIn Cats

Welcome to April 1st. Can you spot the cat in this picture?

Find the cat
Hint

That white spot in the sea of Spring green is Mr Tom, my neighbor’s cat. He is the least camouflaged cat of all time. This is him sleeping in the edge of the wood. Sometimes he sleeps a bit farther in, but he is still easy to spot. When the trees are Winter bare, there aren’t many places in the woods where he doesn’t stand out like a feline beacon.

I brushed him!

On By CarynIn Cats

I managed to get five brush strokes across the back of Mr Tom’s Shadow! He still isn’t impressed, but he moves away less each time. Mr Tom loves his brushes, more than treats even, and comes up to me to demand the burrs be removed and his chin be brushed. Shadow comes up to Mr Tom to give him head bumps as I am brushing. That is when I run the brush along his back toward his tail. He moves away, but then comes back to rub against Mr Tom, and subsequently gets another brush. Here is my proof of contact; the picture below shows both white and black hair from the brush.

Black and white cat hair from the brush
Mr Tom and his Shadow getting post brushing treats

The cage in the second picture is for the female who hangs around with Mr Tom and his Shadow. She will only come up after I am out of reach and not looking. She still needs to be fixed.