Columbine 2

The second cat in purple, a little better than the previous one of the same name, I think

Borage 2

My first curled up cat! Not a perfect design but I know what to alter the next time I try it.

Close-up of the face

Misty, Katy, Rosie, Poppy and Fuzzy!

I was so thrilled today to receive this lovely photo of Rosie, Poppy and Fuzzy in their new home in Edinburgh, looking out over the wonderful view towards Arthur's Seat, and being watched over by Misty - one of the two other beautiful cats in the house!

(For those who are interested in learning more about Arthur's Seat please click here! )

A lovely photo of Misty in the garden - what a sweetie!

...and here is the other gorgeous cat who lives in the same house : Katy!

Sweet Cicely

September 2008: Two 'firsts' for this 8 inch high green and white cat, made with my favourite yarn! First of all, the only cat I've made with eyebrows - an addition suggested by my friend, Ann - and, secondly, the front paws are chunkier. I think both are an improvement - I'd be interested to hear any opinions. Also, having made several cats recently with a rather sad and wistful expression, I decided on a happier face for this one!

A close-up to show the eyebrows. The whiskers have practically disappeared into the yellow background!

The yarn which I used for this cat

Sweet cicely flowers

Columbine

This time a pale purple one, just over 7 inches high, September 2008.

How I love this yarn (must get down to Shaws and buy some more before it's all gone)!

Close up of a ball of this lovely silky yarn

Pretty Columbine flowers

Borage

My latest blue-and-a-contrasting-colour cat! 8 inches high, August 2008. I might replace these photos with better ones soon as the blue has come out a little dark, also the whiskers don't show up too well (if you click on the photos to enlarge them you can see them better). I wish I could find something else to use other than this opaque 0.3mm nylon thread. It sews in easily but doesn't show up clearly - and gets bent if I'm not very careful, especially when storing the cats. Suggestions anyone?

Close-up

A few days ago: the body in progress on the sofa...

...and a couple of days later, nearly finished!

Borage flower

Peony

Two cats from August 2008, including my first lying-down one! The sitting cat is 8 inches high.

Here I am outside "Shaws" of Neath the other day with some of the 'Peony' yarn, which is amazingly cheap at only 99 pence a ball! It's the nicest and softest I have used so far and interesting too, with the little flecks of contrasting colour.

A lovely peony flower

My Hooks

Until very recently, and for almost 40 years (impossible!!), I crocheted using the hooks from this case.

It's a bit worse-for-wear now, and some of the hooks are missing, but I'll never get rid of it because my mother gave it to me. However, just a few weeks ago I decided to invest in some new hooks as I'd read about some of the lovely new coloured ones.

First of all I bought these (above) from Ebay: Susan Bates Crystalites - translucent acrylic crochet hooks. I love them - they are really lightweight and the colours are so pretty. They remind me of boiled sweets! They were so cheap too - an unbelievable £3.72 including the postage from America!!! (US $7.15)

I also decided to buy some (probably more durable) aluminium hooks. I couldn't find a set of coloured ones on Ebay, so I bought these from KCG Trading Limited, the trading company of the Knitting & Crochet Guild in the UK. These Susan Bates Silvalume Crochet Hooks were nearly £10 (including postage) and excellent quality. I'm really thrilled with them; indeed both sets, and am now a fan of the Susan Bates hooks! I've only used one acrylic hook and two aluminium ones so far - but give me time...!!

Cornflower

Two bright blue cats: the first arrived in March, 2008...

..and the second (5 inches high), in July 2008

A vivid blue cornflower

Rosie

One of my very first crocheted cats from way back in February, 2008. 5 inches high, so quite small (as you can see where she is sitting in my hand); embroidered eyes and a collar with a 'bell' instead of the later ribbon and bow which I now prefer. The legs were quite 'bendy' but now I like to make them rather stiff. I do lots of things differently now of course, like adding claws and filling in ears, and bringing the tail to a point. Also, I don't use this silver thread for whiskers any more because they frayed, despite coating the ends with varnish.

Rosie left home to live in Scotland in May 2008!

Iris

Just one Iris so far from May 2008, and with the round 'teddy bear' eyes - I still have so many of them to use up! She's 7 inches high...

...and here she is in her new home in Tamerton Foliot, in the South West of England, with gorgeous Marmite to look after her! August 27th 2008.

Iris flower

Fuzzy

Two experiments in May 2008 using very spiky yarn! 5 inches high with glass eyes and embroidered mouths. Green-eyed Fuzzy went to a happy life in Edinburgh in May. I couldn't think of a suitable flower's name although I have seen pictures of spiky white flowers since then, but I don't know what they are called. I'll find out before I make another spiky feline!

Jasmine

Only one Jasmine so far, from May 2008, another of the thin, early cats, (5 and a 1/2 inches high) and the first one to be named after one of the wonderful 'real' cats I used to share my life with (though she wasn't yellow!) All the early cats had embroidered eyes, which used to take absolutely ages to do. I like the effect, though intend to stick to the glass and plastic eyes from now on.

She was to have gone to live in Edinburgh but, sadly, I noticed a slightly grubby mark on her back which I couldn't remove, so Speedwell went in her place.

Close-up

Jasmine flowers

Poppy

Nearly 6 inches high with a crocheted nose, Poppy came into being in May 2008 and went to a loving home in Edinburgh soon afterwards!

Poppy 2; 6 inches high also with a crocheted nose as with all my more recent cats, July 2008

Poppy flowers

Ivy

Another of my 'early' cats (April 2008) which were all thin with rather spindly legs and felt, embroidered, eyes and a felt nose and embroidered mouth. This one is 5 inches high.

Close - up

Ivy 2, much chunkier, with a crocheted nose and round eyes, June 2008