The Baize Shetland wool was the first Livestock Conservancy Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em fiber I purchased. I bought a 13 oz batt, and have been spinning it at demonstrations and fair booths. I’ve been quite remiss in actually making a fiber page! That is now rectified, and this wonderful fiber has a page in my sampler book.
Shetland wool is a joy to spin, and is definitely on my “will purchase again” list.
Cat hammocks in a catio have different requirements than an indoor cat hammock. They should be UV resistant, especially if the catio has an open roof. They should also let water pass through, which outdoor fabric doesn’t do. They should be comfy… OK, that one goes for inside beds too. I have cycled through an indoor/outdoor sewn fabric hammock with grommets for a rain drain, and a cotton pillow case, which really absorbs rain water and flies off in the slightest breeze. The newest attempt shows promise: a crocheted polyester mat.
I used polyester craft cord, which is a knitted or braided cord used for macrame or crocheting bags. Polyester is more UV resistent, and the crochet work should allow water to pass through. I recommended swatching, then using the gauge obtained to calculate the stitches and rows needed to fit the space. I found that single crochet worked best for sturdiness and not catching toe-beans. The center is worked in rows of single crochet, and because I did not swatch (the horror) I added a border to extend the length.
I have ideas for more crocheted outdoor hammocks, but am showing unusual restraint, waiting to see if this one gets actually used first. I’ll keep you posted.
I started the cat hammock using polyester craft cord. Using the hook size recommended on the label (which is smaller than my test swatches), I made a chain the length I needed for the narrow side of the mat. (Don’t do this, chain length is drastically different than the length after a couple rows. I should have swatched (ironic), obtained gauge and done a chain based on the calculations.) I did my first row of single crochet stitches in the back loop of the chain. There are many ways to insert the hook in a chain for crochet, this is my favorite and uses the bump-like loop on the back of the v-like chain. It makes a very symmetric first row.
I really like to make swatches, which probably puts me in the minority of crocheters and knitters. I like to see how different stitches, yarn, and needle sizes affect the overall fabric. This test involves polyester cord. I want to make more hammocks in the catio, and polyester is more UV resistant than other man-made fibers and even natural fibers, and is mildew resistant. I have made hammocks using outdoor fabric, but they retain water for quite some time after the rain. I’m hoping a crocheted hammock will let the rain pass through and dry quicker. I had some left over polyester macrame cord and did two test swatches, one with a simple single crochet repeat (American terminology), and one with alternating single crochet, chain one, repeats.
Even though I really like the texture and look of the single crochet and chain one fabric, the holes are a little bigger than I think the cats will like when weight is applied. The holes are about toe bean sized, which seems uncomfortable. I do like that this cord has some shape memory, and retains a curve when stretched.
Next for a full-sized version.
I found painted yarn at my local yarn shop! This yarn is self striping by having a precise color repeat. I don’t need my socks to be identical, but I don’t like knitting two socks from the same ball because of tangle and twist issues, so I divided it in two using a scale and a ball winder.
I place the full amount of yarn on a scale to get the total weight, then I wind my yarn into a cake using a Royal wool winder until the scale reads half the original. I cut the yarn, and start a new yarn cake.
It is harder to measure going from skein to cake because the skein is on an umbrella swift and the cake on a ball winder, both clamped to the table, but if you go a little past what you think is half, then weigh the cake, it is easy to wind off back onto the swift.
