Hi. I’m Hannah.
The Mother of Cats had a nice Christmas Eve when her son came down to help make the traditional lasagna, watch the traditional Christmas movie (Die Hard) and exchange gifts. Mateo (the CoalBear) loves the Mother of Cats’ son!!! Okay, I think it is because Mateo just loves lots of commotion, but he had a great Christmas running in and out of the house and onto the catio. Basically, he specialized in being underfoot and getting in the way most of the time while they were cooking. I stayed in the closet for most of this, but I did come out once they sat down for dinner.
Anyway, let me show you our Christmas presents!!! We got chirping toys; a little squirrel for me, and little birds for Mateo.
The Mother of Cats is handling all the chirping okay, but she does get a little cranky when Mateo plays with his bird under the bed at 4am… Did I mention that Mateo chirps too? There is a lot of chirping going on right now and I for one am wearing out a little…
So… what else has been going on around this place…there has been some cooking, some sewing, some cleaning, and a whole lot of knitting. Let me show you the knitting that has been going on!
The Mother of Cats also made some progress on a few other projects, but nothing is done. These projects are (left to right) the La Prairie cardigan, the Pressed Flowers socks (in purple!!) and a pair of lined cuffs called Fluffy. Hey, Fluffy is a good name for the CoalBear. I think that’s what I’ll call him all next year.
So, here we are at the end of the year. Have a nice New Year everyone. I’ll be hiding in the closet because of the firecrackers, but I hope you have fun on New Year’s Eve.
This is Hannah, signing off.
Notes from the Mother of Cats:
- The Fluffy pattern is free if you would like to make one. I’m filled with ideas about how to modify the pattern to produce an outer layer of knitted lace that shows a colored lining below. I have a lot of lace yarns in the stash…
- The Alpine Bloom hat is still too tall and slouchy. There have been lots of comments about this online and ideas about how to modify the pattern. If I make another hat, I’m going to modify the knitted chart to omit the knitted leaves at the bottom, but I may also try out corrugated ribbing or knit the I-cord trim again to keep the color going in the ribbing.
- Mateo is a really unique little guy. If you pull his tail, he flips over and bunny kicks. He is terrified of Netflix and cowers next to me every time I launch it; it is the big zooming red “N” that scares him, I think. What makes this especially hysterical is the fact that he runs into the room and jumps right up next to me every time he hears me turn on the television just in case I might be starting Netflix. Then there is the chirping… he only meows in emergencies but makes lots of chirping sounds. He likes to sleep under the covers, and there aren’t enough toys in the universe to keep him busy. It’s like owning a very furry monkey with claws…
Yarn, Books & Roses 
Beautiful hat! Great idea to cut out the leaves at the bottom to shorten it. I’d need a tech editor to tackle something like that. The blue I-cord at the bottom is a win. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. May 2024 be filled with positively memorable moments for you, your family, and the kitties. As for the big red N when you turn on Netflix, can you lower the contrast so it doesn’t resemble an attack N? I don’t know if that would work for your doubtless newer tv, although it can be done with my antique flatscreen tv that I use for a monitor.
P.S. I meant lower the tv brightness and not the contrast.
You know, I think that I just need to take a scissors to that chart and I will have the shorter hat! I Had to take to the internet to see if cats are colorblind after your comment. As it turns out, they kind of are and don’t see red well. He’s such a silly boy, it’s probably partly the sound too.
Thank-you, Hannah, for your regular reports throughout the year !
I didn’t know Mateo to be a Maine Coon – that explains, like, A Lot !!! 🙂
I’m hoping your 2024 will have less lows and highs, Marilyn – just because I can’t help feeling that one fairly level pathway – even if not providing the occasional high – would be preferable.
And I wish you many more eye-popping discoveries about your body and its functioning, m’dear !!!
I’m hoping for a good year, too.
Poor Mateo and that big red “N” and that loud gu-gung noise from the Netflix people. Some great programs to enjoy though once you get past the scary bit. The hat looks great, such a shame it’s not a perfect fit. I hope that 2024 brings much happiness to you all and improved health to MoC, 2023 has been a bit of a rollercoaster and it’s time for some smooth sailing in 2024. I hope there aren’t many firecrackers, not something sold here so we are lucky. We may have some neighbours with fireworks but our dog luckily isn’t bothered by them. Happy 2024 all x
I think the sound is part of it. I tried to launch it with the sound muted, and he was still a cowering mess. What a crazy cat he it!
I’m tempted to attack the hat again after chopping off the lower part of the chart. It is a fun knit. Sadly, my neighbors are just crazy with the firecrackers here.
La Prarie is coming on nicely! And Alpine Bloom looks absolutely beautiful.
Also that squirrel toy is so funny. I think it’s the eyes? I love it 😁
I’m happy with the La Prairie and I’m speeding up on the knitting now that I’ve mastered the new techniques with the tiny cables and those bobbles! The squirrel toy is my favorite because… those eyes!!!
This is an up-beat post reflecting fun and progress. May it continue throughout the next year
Your Alpine Bloom hat is beautiful and love the pressed flowers socks you are making. We had lasagna last year for Christmas Eve dinner, this year chicken enchiladas. Fun post today! Wishing you a very blessed and happy new year!
Oh, chicken enchiladas sound pretty darn good, too. I’m tempted to make 2024 the year of many hats, and quite a few might be Alpine Blooms. It is such a fun knit.
Oh that sounds like fun and hats are so quick to make.
Hello friends!! There has been a lot of activity in your house. You must have been very good this year; those toys are so fun!!!
Beautiful knits! I love finishing things with an i-cord; gives such a neat edge. I would like to knit a colorwork hat-so pretty and warm!
Happy New Year!
Mateo and Hannah: we have been the best kitties ever!! We deserve lots and lots of toys.
Mateo: especially if they chirp!
I am a huge fan of i-cord; it is just the nicest finish and I’ve been using it on the bottoms of all of my sweaters lately.
Happy New Year!!
I don’t know anything about knitting or what the inside of your hat looks like, but could you add another couple of inches to be turned up as a big cuff? Just a thought. I love it just the way it is. I’ve no idea what I-cord is but it certainly is a nice finisher.
Netflix does come on really strong, doesn’t it? I wonder if they borrowed that sound idea from the cop show that does it. I don’t remember which one. Law and Order?
My cousin just turned up the ribbing to make a cuff over the bottom of the sweater to make it fit better. I am okay with the slouchy look so I’m just wearing it as knit. 🙂
That show you’re thinking of must be Law and Order. I don’t think that Mateo would like that start either.
The hat looks lovely! Too bad it doesn’t fit better. And I love your idea of the Fluffy cuffs with a lace overlay. That sounds really neat!
The hat is beautiful, and so are your other projects! Hannah and Matteo are so beautiful and so funny 🙂
Thank you. I feel the urge to make another cat coming on… I’m going to have to donate them to the cancer center along with the PICC line covers.
That is a great idea 🙂