pirate kitty

My days this week are spent playing with Felix, running errands and making a new toy, Pirate kitty for our little friend who has a birthday this coming Saturday with a pirate theme.
Nights are spent working furiously towards my fast approaching deadline for Interweave Knits next spring issue. I don't like knitting on work projects with Felix around because I tend to make a lot of mistakes that have to be ripped out. So, I've been knitting from 9 pm until 3 or 4 in the morning. After one in the morning I usually get a second wind, and as long as I don't have to think too hard I can knit without falling asleep in my chair. The pattern writing part has to happen much earlier in the night.


Pirate kitty without her hat and eye patch, you can see her earring made from an I-cord in two shades of gold crochet cotton.
Felix and I looked at Jack Sparrow’s costume for some sash and jewelry inspiration. Her eyes and nose are from my vintage button collection.


Pirate kitty with her hat and eye patch, Johnny pitched in and built the hat with felt fused to a plastic form. He painted the skull and crossbones.
While digging through my drawers looking for scraps to use for the costume I realized that I have A LOT of knit swatches that will make fantastic doll clothes. I’m excited about making more dolls and dressing them up in knitted skirts. Most of my finished skirts have swatches that are miniature versions of their grown up selves.

boots kitty

The pattern for this little stuffie is from the delightful book Sock and Glove by Miyako Kanamori. I can't recommend it enough. The photography is lovely, the styling simple and charming and the instructions clear and easy to execute. Maybe because I've been knitting so much and knitting is so slow and involved this was a fun diversion (when I should have been working...oops).

I had my sewing machine serviced recently and have been dreaming up projects but decided to break myself back into the sewing game gently with a sock toy. I have to admit that there was a tense moment where I said aloud "now I remember why I hate sewing!" but it passed quickly.
Felix was very sweet and I have to tell this short story. He was yelling for me in his usual manner "MOM I NEED YOU". I ignored him as I was busy sewing. After the third or fourth time of him screaming MOM I NEED YOU, he finished his sentence with MOM I NEED YOU TO BE HAPPY, and then he ran into the room I was in and said "Mommy, I love the kitty you're making".