Today's Terrific Train Trip

This afternoon as I was coming home on the train, I pulled out my Cat Rug to work on the border. I got away early so it was quiet and I had a four-seat booth to myself. Next station though, seemingly hundreds of 8-9 year old girls got on, chattering away excitedly and swarming the carriage. Teachers cooeed and coaxed them into some order and I, in short shift, was surrounded by five darling little blossoms with ten massive eyes who immediately, without any hesitation or shyness, pored over my rug asking questions. All before we got out of the station.
They loved it and asked all kinds of things, then felt it, turned it over and made suggestions about what I could do next (A dog and a gold fish apparently. Why? Because the dog chases the cat and the cat chases the goldfish of course). I told them it was made from old blankets and an old cardigan and the hems of kilts and that in the old days......... still hooking rows as we spoke.
I learned all about their Guinea Pigs and the names of their cats and did I have a cat? (No I don't because we work every day and it wouldn't be fair for it to be locked up, which reply met with solemn, nodding approval and some puzzled self reflection about their myriad animals at home all day, alone).
I said it was easy to make rugs and we talked about how to draw a picture with just a few shade variations. They understand things like high contrast photography and downloading Tabby Cats to use as the colouring-in example. Mobile phone aps were mentioned.
You could see tick, tick, tick with the possibilities. "You could do a face" someone said, so I told them about Chris's 'Husband's Face Rug'.
By the time we arrived at their destination we were all firm friends and we smiled and waved and smiled. They all got out and were ushered into rows to be counted. I could see these five looking for me and then as they saw me, burst into new smiles and waved and I waved and we all smiled and we all waved and smiled until they were gone!

Kitty's Complete Except For The Border

So, The kitten is finished and I'm onto the border. Yay! I had loads of fun dyeing bits and bobs to make out the various details. Mostly it's old blankets. Almost exclusively.
The kitty circle is 53 cm across and the whole is 50-ish cm across.
I am now thoroughly addicted and took it on the train and did some at work too. Business men in suits probably wondered where all of the fluff on their trousers came from. I tried to shield it with my scarf but... that's more because I get shy with the staring.
They're used to me doing things at work by now and cast me affectionate glances (I'm pretty well alone as a crafter there). Happy La!

Moving Right Along...

It's getting there. The orange bit will be the sides of the seat cover. I'm going to put a blue stripe in it though, nearer to the blue background.
I did find a pile of old plaid style (and other) blankets at an Op Shop last Thursday. Really grand 70's style colours, tans and creams. Great also for dyeing, which I did into the wee hours last night. The browns were just the thing.
Photographing is a good way to get a look at what you're (I'm) doing. I hadn't noticed a few things until just now! The left ear, for example. It's finished in as much as there is no gap left, but I can see I may need to edit it a little, to define it better.
I intend to embroider some whiskers last of all.

Moving Right Along

I've trimmed the face on the right side (our right) and altered the eye there too, a bit. Maybe I could do a little more? Hmmm... I'm busting to work on it so I'd better get off here!

Cat Update

I can see that I need to make the background wider on the right hand side. And my One True Love says the eyes are too blue. I will think upon it. Obviously, it's not a realism issue, but is a graphic issue. Soft green might be prettier. Below is the picture I've been referring to. I should have used it for my drawing in the first place, to make a sweeter kitten. But, it's a learning thing.

My New Cat Footstool Cover

This is my first 'rug'. The cat foot-stool cover. I didn't have the ginger tabby colours I'd thought to use, and don't as yet have a pot for dyeing, so after sorting out my woollens, decided to use the tartans (I have heaps).

It's heaps of fun! The eyes are too big, the buttery-palest-yellow (looks more white here) is not quite right. I've since taken my photo's of tabby cats and outlined the highlights, which are different than what I've done so far. I can see how I could have made it friendlier... might not be too late.
The light blue/pink is the background. Those old pink and blue checked blankets are gorgeous!

This is my first attempt, other than a little thing I started 20 years ago, with wool. I've never done the fabric strips and am in Love! Lerve! Luff! I am genuinely as happy as a lark!
I've used varying widths of fabric, varying weights too. I'm not trying terribly hard to maintain consistent loops, more to get the colour down. It's such a pleasure. And the backing is coloured hessian from Spotlight. Nothing special.
Here is the first instalment.

Lovely Cape Woolamai, Down Phillip Island

We went to Cape Woolamai yesterday. Coughing and coughing but all the better for a long walk in the gorgeous winter warmth. It was truly a lovely thing, and ridiculous that we hadn't been up around the cape before.

I always think of my friend Marion. We hitched down here a few times in our teens. The big surfie thing was happening. We spent one weekend sunbaking with the crew, but found it ultimately boring and went back to our exploratory ways soon enough. Came back to Melbourne so brown I wasn't recognised. Marion and I slept in my car there too, in a remember when weekend in our 40's. So funny, me dragging Marion along. "Come On Marion, Let's Just Go Up There And Have A Look!"

 

 The One True in his fishing bling, with all that glory behind him. Actually, that farthest point is where the photo below is taken from.

 

 Interesting how the lava bubbles are so colourful. Teal and tan. Pretty scheme for making things.

 

 From the first point on the walk around the point. I've never been up there before. It's a speccy beach. Dangerous, amazing.

 

 Pink granite rock. There's an old quarry on the other side of the point.

 

 Winter light. Not bad huh? Nice place to be on a sunny winter's day.

 

Grrr!

In spite of having a shocking cold (the One True, who had it last week, prefers to call it the flu), and therefore missing the second ever Victorian Rug Makers get together... I am all set to begin my new rug.
I bought a lap frame and glued the barred strips down, I drew my design onto the linen using the brilliant tulle method (linen feels amazing underhand)... and I've cut some strips...
The problem is, I don't have quite the right colours to do more than a smidge.
On the recommendation of a friend, I bought Landscape dyes. But, it seems the One True has thrown out my old dye pot! Great! AND, he's having a 'wool allergic' moment.
Lucky he's fairly cute or there'd be trouble. OK, he's really good.
I'm always a bit nervous to step out of my comfort zone. Not that this stops me, but I'm particularly nervous to purchase so much expensive stuff and not yet be actually DOING ANYTHING!
Little bit grumpy to have to buy a new pot now, on top of everything else.
I don't think he has the same qualms, and his toys are so much more expensive. Plus, if I may be so bold, far less utilized!