Sunday, November 9, 2014

Year of Projects 4: Pointelle 01

KNIT. SOCK. LOVE. : BFF • Clandestine • Cusp • German Stockings • Gothic Spire • Hedera • In and Out • Lissajous • Marilinda • Mona • Monkey • Pointelle • Rhombus • Sake • Stalagmite • Stricken • Thelonious • Twisted Flower • Wedge

In her book Knit. Sock. Love. designer Cookie A. organizes her patterns into three categories - columns, tessellations and diagonals. The column patterns are created by repeating one element over and over again in a vertical column; like the vertical columns of cables in BFF or Marilinda, or the vertical repeats of eyelet patterns in Hedera or Mona. The tessellation patterns are arrangements of one or more shapes in a geometric pattern; think Monkey, Rhombus and even Gothic Spire.  And last but not least are diagonals where the patterns travel back and forth, or around or even off in one direction. Perhaps because travelling stitch patterns often involve very intense charts, I hadn't attempted one of these patterns yet.

But it's time to put that right by casting on Pointelle.  Too bad I left my first sock in my desk drawer at work; I've just got this one old photo that shows very little progress. There'll be a lot more to see next week!

Just because I don't have my sock knitting, it doesn't mean I've been entirely idle though. A few weeks ago I dug out several hundred grams of a rustic wool that I bought for pennies on the dollar at auction. Months ago I made a sweater from it, but it was much too scratchy, and after repeat soaks to remove the mothball smell it felted. A couple of weeks ago I made a couple of pairs of Duffers from it. It's perfect for this pattern, but there's a lot more yarn than I could ever use up making slippers.

But then the cat laid claim to the yarn. While I worked on my slippers she was endlessly trying to lay on them or cuddle with them. When I'm at work she pulls the yarn from my knitting bag and sleeps with her face buried in the yarn cake. So I'm giving in to her insistence and crocheting a cat bed for her. The bottom - three flat circles - is complete. Next I need to crochet sides, then assemble it all together and felt it. So far the cat approves. In fact, she seems a bit glued to the WIP. I wouldn't be at all surprised if she spends the entire day there, not budging. She hasn't moved an inch in the last couple of hours, except to lay her head down and snooze face down into the wool.



11 comments:

Gracey is not my name.... said...

Oh the kitty wants the wool....that is awesome.....can't wait to see the socks...I have that book too...

Wanderingcatstudio said...

Funny how the "sheepier" the yarn, the more the cats love it. (Though my Peno is a little partial to alpaca)

Anonymous said...

That is just so funny and cute at the same time, it's like she's making sure your doing it right! My dogs bring my knitting to me if I leave a room without it. Looking forward to seeing the sock next week, it's like we got a teaser photo :)

Stefanie said...

Cookie is a genius. I need to make a bigger dent in her book. I bought a pair of 0's but think I need smaller to make her small fit my chicken feet.

Anonymous said...

cute slippers and cute cat.. I love that you are making her a bed x

Lucy Bowen said...

It looks as though your cat loves it the way it is!! Love the duffers and can't wait to see your progress with Cookie A.

Anonymous said...

That is a RIOT!

I guess kitty knows what she likes.

When Shelby was here, she commandeered my knitting basket. There wasn't any yarn in it and for the duration of her stay,she slept there every day.

Her owner was a little PEEVED. LOL She had made a kitty bed for her that she wouldn't use, but she sure did like that wicker basket. LOL

Sam I Am...... said...

Your sock knitting has reached the calculus stage as opposed to the simple math stage that I'm in. LOL! It's interesting and if anyone can do it, you can. I love the color and so far it looks good from here.
I love how your cat (beautiful kitty BTW)communicated to you like that. What a perfect use for that yarn. I have really got to make a bed for Grace. She was supposed to get one last year for Christmas. I really like that yarn but I can see where it might be scratchy but cats love "scratchy"! Have a great week.

Michelle said...

I LOVE the duffers! They look like a perfect covering for bare feet on wooden floors during a drafty day.

Leyla - Silk and Wool said...

I really like your slippers, they look so comfy ! Great use for a felted sweater - I wish I'd thought of this when I felted a blanket and a vest by mistake in a span of a few weeks.

Iris said...

Cats are so funny about wool, aren't they? One of my cats has taken to lying in the basket with the cotton yarn for my crochet blanket EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. I'm not too happy about it because there is now cat hair all over the yarn!! Looking forward to seeing the cat bed finished - if your cat sleeps in it I might follow your example. :)

Also, the slippers look great, and I'm looking forward to the newest sock creation!