Cattastic Crafts

Cattastic Crafts: DIY Project for Cats and Cat People by Mariko  Ishikawa

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Cute book, I adore some of the projects, but other than the sock mice, nothing to give me an idea for my catphew's Christmas present.



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Comment on Franklin Habit's recent post

http://blog.lionbrand.com/2016/05/05/make-two-by-franklin-habit/?utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Make+Two+by+Franklin+Habit+&utm_content=8+Cotton+Patterns+for+the+Kitchen,+Market,+%26+more!&utm_campaign=Weekly+Stitch+May+9+2016

So I very rarely comment on a post someone else had made someplace else.  But I recently read this post by Franklin Habit (knitters probably know who he is, the rest of you just know he writes about knitting and other fibery things) 

I really very, very, very rarely make the same thing twice.  Even when I make afghans - the blocks are usually all different.  The second sock or mitt is a serious hurdle to get over in a project.  Case in point - I started a pair of socks with cuffs designed to fold over a boot top.  Kind of like sock and boot cuff combined.  Let's ignore the fact that most of my socks end at the ankles and these feel like they have miles of leg.  I cast on in January.  Finished my first sock in about 2 weeks.  It is now mid-may - I have only about an inch of the cuff done (I'm hoping to finish by boot wearing weather next fall)  Another example is my beekeeper's quilt.  I've been working on it for literally years.  Sometimes I'll get a spurt and do 6 hexis in a month, but that usually leads to 2 or 3 "dry" months.  

I know knitters/crocheters exist that crank out a ton of the same patterns (some do it for charity projects - I'm just not that charitable. I can do 5 premie hats, just not 5 of the same premie hats) That seems like crafting hell to me.  People, even people I care about will ask me to make something for them- a copy of something I already made - many times I just take off the item in question and give them that one - that's why I can always make more fingerless mitts, I end up giving mine away!

What I am trying to decide now - if this ties into the process vs. project knitter.  I'm pretty sure I've told you previously, I'm definitely a process knitter.  In the mind of a project knitter, once they finish the project does their brain reset so they can do it again? Does the fact that, unlike me, they can crank out the second one faster than the first mean that since the finished objects come faster when they are familiar with the pattern it becomes satisfying??  It's liek trying to figure out an alien mind..... 

Crafting with the Angie

If you're on PINTEREST you know, it can be a huge time suck, and you end up wanting to try a zillion things.  One thing I posted several different links for are solid lotion bars.  ( I first noticed the existence of these by shops advertising on Ravelry)  So, over a double boiler we melted beeswax ( holy crap that's hard to cut up - I really wanted the beads, but Joanne's only sells those online and Michael's doesn't have them - since we decided that morning to do them, we had to buy a block)  we had about 33% more coconut oil than beesewax, and then added some vitamin e oil and a relaxing essential oil ( chamomile, lavendar and frankincense ) ok we picked that because the frankincense amused us.  We first melted the wax, then added the coconut oil.  When everything was melted we took it off the hot water and stirred in the two oils.  Then we used a dollar store ice tray and a mini muffin tin to mold.

 Then we wrapped them in cellophane, and gave them to my mom, sister and SIL.

The ice cube ones are a bit small - but they work great on heels and feet.  like the mini muffin size - may find  a mold next time.

There were other recipes that the base is wax, coconut oil and either shea or cocoa butter in equal parts, then the oil.  Couldn't find the butter, may have to order online because I really want to try that version as well.