Adventures of a Nervous Knitter: Knitting for Kitties

I realized that with everything going on I have yet to post anything about knitting. For my first exclusively knitting post I wanted to share something that I think is a really great initiative started by the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. They sent the call out a month or so ago for people to knit mouse toys for the inhabitants of their shelter waiting for a more permanent home. The call was well received and people from all over the world sent in adorable hand knitted mice and toys for the kitties that live there. Check out this article in the Guardian UK to see a sweet slideshow of the results of their toy-drive. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2011/aug/08/battersea-cats-dogs-home-knitting

I finally got around to knitting my first one, and before I had even finished sewing him up, my cat Lola was waiting rather impatiently to have a crack at him. This toy was even more special because this summer I have been growing catnip in my balcony garden. Catnip is a wonderful plant. You can cut it right back to barely nothing and it will grow again. I have been doing this all summer and have been drying it for just such an occasion. Before sewing up the toy I rolled some of the dried catnip in the stuffing that was going into the little mouse. Lola was beside herself and I have posted some cute pictures below. The toy is now lying in the corner in a soggy mess and the cat is fast asleep after a catnip high.

For any knitters that might be reading this blog I would highly recommend this easy and adorable pattern from Laura Long that you can download from http://a.allaboutyou.com/pattern/52399.pdf
The Battersea is still accepting toys, but I am sure there are many local sheltered cats that would love to have a special handmade gift. Now that Lola is sated I am casting on for another mouse that will be going to a local shelter.

Happy Knitting!
msi