I finished the hood/mantle last night and am quite pleased with how it came out. I don’t usually bother with a pattern that doesn’t have a picture attached, but this sounded really neat and so I decided to give it a try anyway. As it turns out, the pattern was quite well written and the hood is easy-as-pie to make. The pattern is here. It states that the hood takes 8 oz of worsted weight yarn. I found a 100 gram ball of Encore did the trick nicely :)
Child’s hood and mantle
When I make this again (and I probably will try a couple more), I’m going to try doing it in the round and eliminating the front seam. I did away with the top seam by just knitting half the row and then folding the hood (right sides together) and doing a three-needle bind-off.
I was surprised at how long this took me - I know, I keep saying this :) - but I am a really pokey knitter. I don’t worry about it much as I don’t knit to set speed records, but it is true. I had the mantle and ribbing parts done when I sat down last night and picked this up at about 6:00 PM but it still took until almost midnight for me to finish it - including weaving the ends.
But I thinks it’s pretty cool! Hopefully it will also be pretty warm :)
I also learned that I’m not fond of working with dark yarn. It’s tough to see and, my god, the cat hair! I realize that everything I make is probably imbued with cat hair but it never showed up as well as it does on the dark red hood. Extra insulation, maybe?
I did a tiny bit on the sock last night too - started the 2x2 rib for the top and hopefully that will be completed soon so I can get the mate started. Now I want to focus on the shawl and get that into shape. Well, the shape’s already established but you know what I mean.
Jade and Goldie have been being rocket-kitties that last few days. Boogety, boogety - all over the apartment - and there’s definitely more play than hostility involved. Goldie will be sleeping somewhere - on the cat tower, the bed or the back of Myria’s chair - and Jade will dash up, take a couple of whacks at him and dash off again. Tag! You’re it! And, of course, Goldie will take off after her like a furry, golden jet. It’s very amusing to watch.
Jade, lurking in the hall by the bookcase
Goldie is just around the corner and she’s waiting for him to poke his nose out :)
I hope to have shawl progress to tell you about tomorrow. Have a good Thursday!
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“Boogety, boogety” made me laugh out loud. I suspect the phrase will now settle into my subconscious and show up somewhere in MY blog a few months down the road. 
Thanks for the link to the pattern. I might have to try one of those hood thingies myself.
Ryan - It comes from the old “WKRP in Cinncinatti” TV show and even the thought of it is enough to make me snicker, Delighted to pass it along :)
everything i make is liberally ‘tweeded’ with cat hair- it may be the catly equivalent of the chiengora i’ve read about made with dog hair- chatgora, maybe?
the little hood is cute and does look warm- if i can get over this hat madness, i am going to try some of the hood and balaclava and ski mask patterns i’ve found online- i like pics too, as i am completely visual (don’t tell me, show me) and usually skip right on over patterns w/o pics-
speed knitting, never! hooray for the sloth i say! i think back on times when people knitted items because they were needed and know my family would have been in real trouble!
stay happy-
Barb - Nice to know someone else is weaving pet leavin’s into their work as well :)
Sloth, my fanny! How many hats have you gotten done now? You go girl!
Ah yes, the cat hair. My multicoloured moggie manages to leave an impression of herself on everything I knit, light or dark.
Pam - Heheh - with Pushkin’s coloring, you’ve got the best of both worlds :)
Now I definitely want to make that hood! Thanks for the pic, because I tend not to make anything without a finished pic.
I also think I’m an incredibly slow knitter, but so far the only person it annoys is me. It wouldn’t bother me except I have soooo many ideas I want to try!
And as far as “fiber donation” by pets, I was okay back when I only had a black lab, I could make or wear anything dark colored. Now between the three of my guys, they cover every color possible, so I can’t win unless I go for the tweed look! hee hee
Now show us some shawl pictures!
Laura - LOL! I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one out there taking their time. Really though, if I go fast, I make mistakes.
Shawl pictures are coming :)
Glad to know you are well and knit-productive again. Jade looks so clever in that photo, you can almost tell what she’s thinking. :)
Erin - Thanks :) I always know what Jade’s thinking - it’s always the same: How can I raise hell today?
Glad you are feeling better… I love the picture of the “hoodie” thing. I usually pass on a pattern with no pictures. This is a gem. What size child do you think it would fit? Love the picture of Jade too. 
