Cozy Up in the Conifer Cap

I get a lot of emails from yarn companies and they are a great way to learn about new yarns and new patterns. The Conifer Cap designed by Allison Griffith for Knit Picks recently caught my eye in one of these emails, and I thought you might like it, too.

It’s a pretty, allover cabled cap worked in a heavy worsted weight yarn, in this case Knit Picks’ new Muse Hand Painted Tonal, a gorgeous superwash Merino yarn dyed in Japan. The shifting colors are great for the cabled pattern, which is rated for intermediate knitters.

The pattern is free to download from Knit Picks.

[Photo: Knit Picks.]

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I have two cats, and I have always wanted to make them some kind of cat bed. But I also feel like they would completely ignore it, so I would be better off spending my knitting time on someone who I know will appreciate it (me). If you want to give it a try, though, here are some cute pet beds to knit for cats, small dogs, and maybe even some bigger dogs.

My favorite of the ones I came across in writing this post is the Capiti knit cave that looks like a cat. This one is from Ursule Knits, and from the pattern description it sounds like it is lightly felted by hand to make it stand up, so you need to use wool to make it. It calls for DK weight but I’m sure worsted would work, too.

The Maya Cat Cave is another cute cave-like project. Designed by Lavi V and using super bulky yarn, it’s like a purpose-made sack for your kitty to hang out in. It uses a metal ring (like you might use to make a dreamcatcher) to make the opening sturdy. You can find this one on Ravelry.

If you don’t want to be quite as literal as a cave, this pet bed nest from Monique Rae is another good choice. This one is flat on the bottom with short sides. It uses two strands of worsted weight yarn held together and comes in six sizes for a range of cats and dogs to be cozy in.

This circular cat bed knitting pattern from Ginger Purl is cute and easy to knit if you’re familiar with knitting flat circle. This one is striped, which is a great reminder that cats don’t care what color their bed is, so you might as well use leftover yarn on it.

I am a little skeptical that this pet bed that’s made with roving and arm knitting will look as good once an animal has seen it, but it is a cute and quick project (and you could just use it as a basket that kitty is allowed to get in rather than a dedicated space). The pattern is from Wools by Nicky and includes a video tutorial if you’re new to arm knitting.

If you’d rather knit a blanket for the dog or cat in your life, check out the Ziggy Zag Pet Blanket by Paws and Purls Knits. This pretty reversible blanket comes in five sizes for various pets, and if you make it in washable yarn it’s the perfect thing for your furry friend to cuddle with.

Or if you have a pet who will submit to a hood, I love this hooded pet blanket from Yarnspirations. Using Bernat Blanket yarn, it’s super cozy (and bright!) and pretty easy to knit as it’s all worked in one piece. The pattern only has one size but it’s just a rectangle with a hood so you could probably adjust it pretty easily for the size of your pet.

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Book Review: Knitting with Dog Hair

Knitting News: Knitting More than Your Bit, Knitting for Pets and More

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