A Pod!
A CatPod, to be more precise.
Boo Kitten seems to be a little suspicious of it right now, but I’m hoping that once she curls herself up in there she will find it comfy and cozy.
I really should have gotten a pre-felting photo of it for before/after effect, but as you can probably guess, it was like a great big crazy floppy thing.
Felting is always kind of a crap shoot when you are using a bunch of different kinds of yarns, but I did a little math and planned the decreases anticipating about 30% lengthwise shrinkage, to bring it back to a roughly spherical shape.
Worked out pretty well I think!
Was kind of hoping that it would be firm enough after felting for the opening to not require reinforcing, but it needed a little help, so I repurposed a 7 inch diameter embroidery hoop to provide structural support.
Voila!
project notes:
size 13 needles
cast on 66 stitches
stitch pattern: knit 1, purl 1 rib (perfect for practicing the Norwegian Purl technique!)
knit about 3 inches in pattern
increase 11 stitches in next round (77 stitches)
knit about 3 inches in pattern
increase 11 stitches in next round (88 stitches)
knit about 3 inches in pattern
increase 11 stitches in next round (99 stitches)
knit 3 inches in pattern
increase 11 stitches in next round (110 stitches)
knit 5 inches in pattern
decrease 11 stitches in next round (99 stitches)
knit 4 rows in pattern
decrease 11 stitches in next round (88 stitches)
knit 4 rows in pattern
decrease 11 stitches in next round (77 stitches)
knit 4 rows in pattern
decrease 11 stitches in next round (66 stitches)
knit 3 rows in pattern
decrease 11 stitches in next round (55 stitches)
knit 3 rows in pattern
decrease 11 stitches in next round (44 stitches)
knit 3 rows in pattern
decrease 11 stitches in next round (33 stitches)
knit 2 rows in pattern
decrease 11 stitches in next round (22 stitches)
knit 2 rows in pattern
decrease 11 stitches in next round (11 stitches)
cast off remaining stitches, secure ends
felt felt felt felt felt!
final dimensions: 7″ diameter opening, 33 inch circumference, 14″ length