We want Cheese !!!!

In my household, the black and white furball is the diary master and will taste anything from milk to toast.  He loves cheese too and really doesn't matter what type lol

While I am getting bored knitting in flat all the time, I tried to switch to something that interested me and mindlessly started knitting in rounds.  Then, the tabby furball stared at me all night and the idea of a cat toy was underway.  Doing a quick research on Ravelry database, I find that the cheese patterns were published a few times but all are seamed.  As I looked at the shape, I asked myself, "Does it need to be seamed?" My answer was no.  I was sure it could be done in one string and seamless, and there went my knitting trial and making up samples.

The first thing was to get the shape right: elongated triangle with an arc edge.  That was not too difficult.

Second thing was to build up the 3D object: knitting in rounds and modular knitting were what I was looking for.

Finally needed to tried out the stitches to see how it looked and there came the sample.

For an interesting surface texture, I added some knit / purl pattern to resemble the holes in cheese.

I think it took about two to three days to make up all that and wrote out the pattern.  Knit test took another two weeks or so.  The best part of all that was that knit testers' little furballs all loved the cheese :D  I don't think it is all about the catnip in the toys, more like the love and attention spend on making it for them.  The furballs know :D

A Piece of ……. Cheese is now available in my Ravelry store

Happy Knitting :)

How cool is your cat?!

Cool Cat is my latest knitted cat toys pattern inspired by the self entertainment writing between me and my friend, Cornwall. What could be cooler than my magical cat in the story, Oscar, laying on his back, putting on his sunglasses and sun tanning.

It is a seamless design with the tail sewn on. It is a good knitting work out for advance beginners to practice knitting in rounds (instead of the old boring scarf with 4 row pattern repeat :p) The cast on and bind off as well will be challenging but not to the point of mission impossible for advance beginner level; and since everything is in small scale, so it is much easier to handle compared to trying out in larger projects like hats or mittens.

This is my first pattern tested by volunteer testers :) and they were very helpful. Through the testing, I found that the most tricky and challenging part is the final bind off which involves transition from 3 needles bind off to Kitchener stitch. Most testers read the Round's instruction too fast and completed the work with 3 needles bind off from ear to ear. There is nothing wrong with it. I can see it is logical and easy to keep on doing the same bind off to the end, but the 3 needles bind off leaves a ridge / seam that could be improved by switching to Kitchener stitch. The transition from front to back will look totally seamless.

So I add a mini photo tutorial to assist the knitters to complete the bind off and learn a new trick :D All the resources on the other knitting techniques used in this pattern, they will be very easy to search on the internet.

As you are familiar with the pattern, you can use variegated yarns or intarsia to customize the look according to the intent recipient (above, right is my Moo Moo :D). I particularly enjoy posing the cat tail at the back as we all cat lovers know how expressive the cat tails are.

From the cat's prospective, Cool Cat has a big tummy to hold a lot of catnip for hours and hours of enjoyment.

The pattern is now available for sale at in my Ravelry store
Happy Knitting :)