Tag Archives: Cats

Oct25

FO: Cat Journal

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As promised, here is the finished cat journal. Above, it is held closed by thin elastic. Aesthetically, it could be prettier, but I do like the idea that as the journal is used and filled with fun stuff the elastic will stretch to hold everything in safely.

The pages are letter-sized copy paper folded in half, dyed with tea or coffee or spices, or painted with watercolours.

Here’s what they looked like before putting them in the book.

This is the fabric I used for the lining of the cover. It’s a rather amusing puppy-themed one that looks like a newspaper.

That was fun! I have already cut the canvas and lining for another one, this time with a sewing theme.

Jan25

Crazy cat bag has a baby!

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I had a second walk after dinner (with Tai Chi Man this time) and, as it was only 9pm  when we got back, there was enough time to make a little drawstring bag to go with the tote. I have a selection of different coloured ribbons from my farmer’s market days (can’t believe that was two years ago, crocheting my fingers off to make stuff for the stall).

I used the instructions from my Weekend Sewing book, but didn’t use the exact dimensions of the bags in the book as I wanted it to work with the fabric print.

Love it, love it, love it! My family has had to put up with me showing them my handiwork today.

I also spent the last four days working on a crochet commission – the Double Layered Braided Cowl. It uses Half Double Crochet in the third loop to push the top loops of the stitches to the front, hence the interesting texture – one set of four shorter strips, which are braided and have single crochet sections added to each end, and one set of four longer strips, braided and constructed the same way. Then the two sections are joined and a button tab and buttonhole tab added. It looks impressive, and more complicated than it actually is.

So you see I haven’t broken my yarn ban, because I didn’t have to buy this yarn – my manager at work provided the yarn and printout of the pattern, and I got some paid crocheting time. No button yet, but I’ll take it to work in the morning and she can choose an appropriate sized button and I’ll sew it on in my break.

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And now I must turn in so I get my 8 hours of beauty sleep (yes, I do need it)!

Jan25

Crazy cat bag V1.1

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A blissful home day today, with the only other occupant a sleeping teen! A neighbourhood walk, a bit of laundry, some kitchen and bathroom cleaning, and I felt like the ‘work’ was done. So off I went to my sewing room and whipped up another cat bag. (I noticed that there was some more co-ordinating fabric at the store – can I resist?)

This one differs a little from the first one. It’s about the same size, approximately 18 inches square, but the handles are six inches shorter to fit better as a shoulder bag which doesn’t dangle too far. Also, I incorporated the handles in the top seam when joining the outer fabric and lining, and it makes for a much tidier finish, with the raw ends hidden.

Instead of one pink pocket inside, there are two large kitty pockets, about 10 inches square. I think this will become a favourite bag very quickly, not just for yarny projects but for anything bulky that I need to carry.

I found some cute little ‘handmade’ plaques in a drawer, one of which I sewed on my friend’s bag (because I haven’t given it to her yet) and one on mine.

Future sewing plans include making one or more drawstring bags with this cat fabric. And I will soon be able to show you the crochet project I’ve been working on this week as a commission.

Well, I can’t sit around here yakking all day, I have to make soup for dinner. I hope that where you are, you’re warm and happy and enjoying your crafting.

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Jan21

Crazy cat bag

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A refreshing change from the crochet posts – sewing!

I had a thought to make something for a friend’s birthday and spotted this crazy cat fabric at work the other day. It’s perfect! (She is a crazy cat lady, after all.) I bought two metres so I could make TWO bags, one for her and one for me.

I had a quick look in the clearance aisle and found some bright pink fairly heavy fabric for the lining, and added some pink webbing for handles.

The cat fabric is striped in such a way that all I had to do was cut across following one of the printed lines, neatly dividing it so that I can make a second bag out of the second half of the width. I added a pocket to the inside and squared off the bottom corners. I’m rather proud of how the bottom of the bag came out.

Certainly not a professional job, and I will do certain things differently the next time, like shorten the handles a bit and incorporate the ends of the webbing into the top seam, but I think my friend will like it.