Saturday, January 29, 2011

Updated Lodestone

Here is the Miss Marple's Shawl after I've done a few repeats of the pattern.

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I am so happy that Piecework Magazine chose this particular pattern as their example of a typical 1940's pattern that Miss Jane Marple might have knit. It is completely characteristic of the era and is easy to complete - if you are experienced with the vintage pattern language.

I created a chart - a type of spreadsheet - for myself to keep track of the rows and the increases and decreases. After all, this pattern has 671 rows! I'm very happy with how this turning out. I can't wait to display it on my bed as my new bed shawl!

And here is a better photo of Holmes and Watson in all their butterscotch furry cuteness. They are about 7 months old.

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If anyone has any tips on how to make them more comfortable in their new environment or more friendly around people, I'd love some advice. They are wonderful boys, but Watson in particular is very shy and skittish and Holmes is quite aloof - very like their namesakes, I think!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those little detectives are cute! :) In time I am sure they'll begin to trust you.
And the shawl is so lovely. I bet it is great fun to work on it. :)

Anonymous said...

Your shawl is turning out lovely, the color is close enough to the cats that the fur shouldn't show.

As for domesticating the cats, time and love is the only thing. We have a cat that came to us a few years old, she spent the first days hiding under a chair trying to claw anyone who came close while hissing like crazy. Her name is now Hiss, she still does 6 years later but she also comes when called, purrs and likes to cuddle. All you can do is pet them, feed them and give them time and space. They will come around sooner or later.

Mette said...

I am looking forward to seeing your finished shawl. Looks great so far.

Melanie said...

What a pair of sweet boys!

When we introduced our third cat he was super-skittish and hid all the time...until we pulled out the treats (we fondly call them Scoobie Snacks). I had some in my hand and held it out to him, not looking at him. He gobbled them up and then bumped my hand for more. Within days he was racing us to bed, jumping up on the couch, and being a regular love-bug.

Enjoy your new babies!

Eileen said...

I love the shawl. Is it the latest edition of the magazine? (I let my subscription lapse.) That's the kind of thing I knit AND wear.

As for your darling boys...love them. Pet, handle, cuddle. Discipline when necessary. (Rinse, lather, repeat.) If you do that until they are a year old, you will have feline angels...or as close as a cat can get to being one, anyway.

You always have to give cats lots of attention; they get bored easily. But they're wonderful pets and companions. Just hang in there. Some take years to feel truly comfortable, and I promise you, it's worth the wait.

Logospilgrim, the quiet professor said...

Oh, goodness... The kitties are adorable! And so is everything you do :-)