Been busy with Scrubbies -- and I don't mean cleaning

I suddenly got on a scrubby kick. I can make one in a couple of hours. I give them away to my friends and suddenly, they want to purchase more as gifts for their friends, or they just want more for themselves. I even had one who accidently put one down her garbage disposal and needed another. 

I had a booth at a craft fair last Christmas and sold them for $5.00 each. I know that is really cheap for the time and effort. However, I am thinking that I knit them because I like making them, not to make money. So anything I make is gravy, right? I would be knitting them anyway, and I am not going to be using them all myself. (By the way, I hate cleaning) 

One skein can make three scrubbies with the leftover used to make scrapy ones. You need to use the specific yarns called scrubby. You can purchase them at Michaels or online in a variety of solid or variegated colors. There are some wonderful colors online that you can't find in the stores. I went wild last year and went wild with  buying scrubby yarns. 

The pattern I use is https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-stitch-round-scrubby. However, there are several varieties on Ravelry. There is a square scrubby that you can probably make in a hour or less (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/square-scrubbies). There are also some fun pattern in the face of an owl, a tomato, a puppy dog, a kitty cat, and a flower. I hope to make some of those one of these days, but this pattern is my "mindless" pattern.

In fact, I discovered that I can complete an entire scrubby on the drive from Littleton to Fort Collins Colorado. My son live in Fort Collins so it works out perfectly. By the time we finish our visit, I have two additional scrubbies, as well as any I knit while I am there. 

And don't forget all the patterns of scrubbies that you crocheters can use as well. I can crochet, but I prefer to knit. I learned to knit and crochet at the same time when I was a preschooler from my mom and grandma, but for some reason, I liked the look of knitting more. I learned to knit making Barbie clothes and knit clothes were less bulky.

You do have to use the specialty yarns made for dishcloths but there are lots of them out there. Michael's has lots of scrubby yarns, many in bright vibrant solid colors and several variegated ones too. You can also order many online as well. I really like the brand called Jubilee Yarn Scrubby Dish Yarn. It has wonderful colors in more muted colors. I don't like the 'sparkle' or 'eyelash' ones, but that is a personal preference. But I warn you. Searching for scrubby yarn is a big rabbit hole to fall into!

So dive in and enjoy yourself!

Horse potholder for Laura

My cousin's daughter got married last weekend. She is quite the horsewoman, so I wanted to make her a special potholder. I texted my cousin Jeff to ask what color Laura's horse is. He texted back that he thinks the horse is a bay; followed by another text saying, no, she's a buckskin. 

What? I just wanted to know if the horse was brown, black, white, spotted, purple?! Bay? Buckskin? I shouldn't have to look up a color on the internet! He only laughed at me and said that is just how horse people talk. 

Anyway, medium to light brown with black mane and tail it is. This is her silhouette.
Buckskin ... really.

 

Deer in Roxborough and Potholder

One wildlife species we have in abundance is deer. So I must memorialize one of the bucks in a potholder. (I am not sure that statement has ever been typed before).

Surprise Cat

 This little kitty is so cute whether black or blue! Kinda looks like she was startled.

Complicated Fox

 I really love this pattern (also free on Pinterest), but a friend of mine said it was too complicated. I can see that, but it was a lot of fun to do. But I still like how it turned out. 

What is an Even Better Symbol of Summer? More Butterflies!

I posted a potholder of a butterfly just before this one, so continuing the theme, two butterflies. I once again used Hipster cotton yarn for the variegated one. This pattern is a free one on Ravelry. The link is below.

 www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/potholder-butterflies

What is a Better Symbol of Summer - a Butterfly

One of the most fun parts of knitting a butterfly potholder is there is no limit to colors! I used Hipster cotton yarn for the background. One piece of advice is select a solid color that does not appear in the range of color of the variegated one. If you do, your design can disappear into the background instead of standing out. Don't ask me how I know.

I can't seem to find where I got this pattern, but it probably came from Pinterest. There are lots and lots of butterfly patterns on Pinterest from simple silhouettes to complicated wings. Have fun. I did.

Bobcat 'Visits' our Kitties

We were blessed with a visit from a bobcat, just outside our downstairs window. We have lived in Roxborough from over 35 years, and this is the first time we have seen a bobcat ourselves. We have seen bears and mountain lions out here, but this is a first. What a beautiful animal. 

Unfortunately, a day or two after this picture was taken, a bobcat killed one of our deer just down the hill. I know it is the way of the world, but it still makes me sad. I don't think it was this bobcat, though. It was much larger. 

I am sure Omi is happy she is on the other side of the glass pane from the bobcat.

A cat is still a cat.

Cute Little Bunny

I am very pleased with how my little bunny turned out. It got snatched up by one of my friends almost as soon as I was done with it.

We occasionally see rabbits here in Roxborough but with the owls, foxes, eagles, bobcats. and mountain lions, they don't see to last very long. Speaking of bobcats, check out my post tomorrow to see the bobcat who visited us just outside our window.

 

Oooo, I Love My Coffee!

 Just above my coffee maker, I hung these two memorizing my love of the caffeinated nectar. They may be potholders, but these two are used as pictures. Every now and then, I turn them around to enjoy the other side. That is the only disadvantage of double knitting that I can find.