Felted Kitty Bed

The Holidays are finally over and as I had knitted both boys, the DIL and Grand Kids all a sweater, I decided last week that I needed a new, quick project. While surfing the web for something to catch my attention, I noticed that little Sluggo, our tuxedo cat was comfortably ensconced in his wicker basket, but Big Boy, Spike had no such container in which to snuggle!

BINGO! Bright idea came to me. I would knit and felt a comfy bed for him. I pulled my stash out from under the bed and began to dig through to see what wools I had that might felt nicely.

I had some squishy Maine wool from Bartlett in several different coordinating colors, so I decided I would use it. I then thought I would like to make it really comfy by knitting it with a double strand of yarn. It only took two nights of knitting until I finished my experimental pattern and I meant to felt it the next day, but Spike took an immediate liking to it, so it is now his favorite napping spot on the couch.


Well, since he seems to be taken with it, and the fact that I have four grand kitties, I decided my next few projects would be pet beds. However, I really needed to make the felted ones a wee bit bigger with a taller rim and I felt I should write down the pattern for future use or in case anyone else wanted to make one of these really easy beds.

Rummaging through my stash again, I found some wool I had purchased for a song at Ocean State Job Lots, one of those "better buy it when you see it" stores. They were only $3 a skein and I only needed 4 skeins for the project. Perfect!

Another couple of busy nights in front of the TV produced this beauty destined for Grand Cat, Baby Snakes, who looks just like my Sluggo.

The next day, I felted it in the washer and then had a dilemma. How was I going to shape it while it was drying? I rummaged through the cabinets until I found just the right size aluminum pan......


and draped it over the top, gave it a good stretch all around and let it sit in front of the wood stove to dry.


Voila! I'm now just waiting for it to dry completely before I send it to Baby Snakes.

This is a really quick, fun project for some well deserving pet.

Hugs,

Knitty Giddy