Winter!

Last week, November 11, Remembrance Day in Canada, was so warm, even for November--it was more like late September.  What a nice treat--usually it's cold and rainy.  But then, it turned cold and rainy and yesterday, winter appeared in much of southern Ontario.  On Sunday, I managed to get some photos done before we got too much snow!

Back in late summer I had quite a few inquiries about the animal hooded cowls.  I finally got one woman's order done (no rush, these are Christmas presents....if she can wait that long LOL).  She asked for one kitty and one bear for 6 and 8 year  olds and a kitty for a 16 month old, colours up to me.

 First up, the bear.  Cozy Wool in chocolate brown (267gr).  This bear told me she wanted a pink bow tie, no boring button!

 Next up, a charcoal kitty.  This was three strands of yarn from the stash--Impeccable in black (that I had bought for making more Toothless dragons), vintage Mary Maxim Royale (30% mohair) in black, and Esslinger Wolle "Charme" (20% wool) in charcoal/grey.  A nice subtle effect!  Then, I edged the front and the ears in black curly fun fur (no label).

 I finished the main part of the black kitty first, then did the white one--including the bow, then came back to the black one to finish it off (at the time I made it, I didn't know what I wanted at the neck).  This bow is made from Red Heart "Reflective" in the purple colour (234gr).  A fun way to be cute AND safe!  And every kitty need a bell.

 The white kitty is a strand of white,  I think Impeccable, and a strand of Patons Sequined Lace, and then every third row I added a fun fur.  On the right side rows, I crocheted it in, and on the wrong side rows, I carried along  the front (right) side of the work.  I was running low, and I thought this would be a good way to stretch it out and add some variation, since these rows weren't as dense as the rows it was crocheted in with the other two yarns.

Then I spent a LOT of time with an almost blunt needle, picking out the fun fur so it was mostly on the right side.  Less tickly on the inside, and more fun on the outside.  I didn't have much left, so I wove the fun fur along the outside of the ears--it wasn't enough to crochet it around the edges of the ears, like I did with the black.  Then I trimmed it along the ears, as it seemed too scraggly.  I didn't do a round of single crochet around the face on this one.  Not enough of the white fun fur, and it wouldn't have looked good without it.  (186gr)
The bow--I took quite a bit of time finding the "right" bow pattern.  Not a bow tie, a real looking tied bow.  I was going to just crochet a chain, single crochet back, and tie it into a bow.  But I wanted the tapered tails.  I found this pattern through Ravelry.  Perfect!

Got them delivered, and they were well received!  I still think I might make one for myself if I ever get the chance before spring!

Yarn In:   9074gr
Yarn Out:  687gr + 4982gr = 5669gr
Balance: 3405gr  MORE brought IN then out
Costs: 457.63 /316 days = $1.45/day