Cat Toys

I have a fairly large collection of wine corks. I've been collecting them for 2.5 years, planning to make a cork board (over 50% done!) with all the real cork ones and using the rest for cork-based holiday decorations. Given the quality of wine you get on a grad student's budget, I have a lot of plastic corks! In addition to the holiday ornaments (that I haven't made), I decided to make a cork-filled cat toy to actually do something with the collection.

Also it is a good idea to photograph the cat toys before you give them to the cats and they bat them under all the furniture with the dust buffaloes and lose them. Someday there may be a picture of the mouse here. Someday.

Pattern: Korkmauser (Ravelry mine)

Yarn: Red Heart With Love in Tan and Lettuce

Needles: US4/3.5mm

Timeframe: October 26, 2014

Mods: No whiskers, 2 colors because that's the yarn I had, 4-stitch I-cord tail.

Problems: I only have four US4 DPNs. 5 would work a lot better. Cats stole the toy and hid it before I could get a picture. Oops!

I also have a growing collection of prescription pill bottles. They fit paperclips (as stitch markers and cable needles) and tapestry needles really well, so I have some of them in bags with extra knitting supplies. They also hold beads that come in non-lasting packaging. However, I've still got a lot more than I need for such purposes. I decided to make a second cat toy, this time filling it with a prescription pill bottle filled with rice. It makes a nice rattling sound as the cats bat it across the floor. They seem to enjoy it!

Pattern: Korkmauser (Ravelry mine)

Yarn: Red Heart With Love in Tan

Needles: US4/3.5mm

Timeframe: October 26 - November 1, 2014

Mods: No whiskers, larger to cover the bottle, 4-stitch I-cord tail. More like a rat than a mouse.

Problems: I only have four US4 DPNs. 5 would work a lot better. No photography problems this time, I learned my lesson!