Egon is my very handsome and very hairy cat. Like many long haired cats, Egon has a tendency to shed giant tumbleweeds of soft fluffy down on a daily basis--something not every cat owner might appreciate. A handspinner or knitter, on the other hand, sees the lighter-than-air fluffballs floating by and thinks, "that's softer than angora, warmer than wool and it's from the tidiest animal I know!"
...and so after a recent cat-brushing sesh with Egon I sat down at my spinning wheel and spun up a peachy 2-ply fingering weight yarn from my beloved kitten. Then I began knitting a little friend for him.
Egon is a huge fan of his mini-self!
(Details at the bottom of this post on how you can win a copy now and be the first to knit it!)
If spinning and knitting aren't your forte, but you have feline friends, you will definitely want to pick up the new book, Crafting With Cat Hair. This amazing book covers the best ways to collect and prepare your cat's hair for awesome felting projects, like a felted cat cameo pin, or a miniature needlefelted kitty friend!
If you love cats as much as we do, leave a comment here by December 15th at 5pm PST and we will choose six winners at random to receive a free copy of the Minikitti knitting pattern and a cat-related prize (it won't be the Crafting with Cat Hair book, but it will be good) courtesy of Random House! Winners will be announced here on December 18th. Thanks for visiting!
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| Thanks, Sew Mama Sew, for coordinating Giveaway Day 2011! |
And the winners are...
Susan
If you are a winner and you have not received an email from us, please send us an email with your mailing address so we can send you your prize! fancytiger@gmail.com
It's an adorable kitty voodoo doll!
ReplyDeleteSo that's how it turned out. Adorable!
ReplyDeletecorvus.melloriATgmailDOTcom
I've got a furry cat just waiting to be brushed to make some lovely crafts!
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing! Gotta love Arts & Cats!
ReplyDeleteWOW~ This is such a cool idea! My sister has 2 cats, and NEEDS to make something with all that fur! i'm sending here here straight away!
ReplyDeletemy kittens need knitted kitten mittens...
ReplyDeleteI have 5 cats, so I have been knitting and crocheting with cat hair for years! Doesn't matter what I do, some fur gets weaved into the afghan, hat, scarf, whatever! And it's always the contrasting color of the yarn! HOW DO THEY DO THAT?!?!?
ReplyDeleteI like the little minicat pattern, adorable
ReplyDeleteI love this! My kitty needs a mini version of themselves :)
ReplyDeleteI am so curious about this giveaway! I have 2 kitties who love being brushed...and I knit, but I haven't tried anything like this. :)
ReplyDeletePLEASE PICK ME, PICK MEE!!
ReplyDeleteOne day I was brushing my cat and noticed that gave off a lot of hair,I put it in a jar in case I could think to do something with it (because I love to do crafts) and I saw the jar a few days ago and thought I had must throw it. Now I see this giveaway that is perfect for me!
my cat name is "Pelos" (translated as "hairs")
I will cross the fingers in my hands and feets!!!
Ps. Sorry if my english is wrong =p
ps2.Yes, I'm a cat lover
OMeffinG! I saw Mini-Egon in the office and almost peed my pants! Sooo cute! I'm going to give you some of Ernie's hair to spin (because I'm not such a fast spinner) and then our tiny, tiny cats can chase mice (or not because my cat is a scaredy cat).
ReplyDeleteWe love our tabby, Rosie, but we miss our Tomato, a calico who died this year.
ReplyDeleteMy cat sheds enough to knit a human sweater!
ReplyDeleteThat kitty is simply adorable! I think every friend I have owns a cat and each cat would certainly need a little mini-me to play with. :)
ReplyDeleteso cute. thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteallisonbright{at}gmail{dot}com
I do love my kitty. Her hair always ends up in my knitting one way or another.
ReplyDeleteknitterlydesigns on Ravelry
Ha! So not only did I already buy that book for my Mom for Chrsitmas (shh! don't tell!), but for giveaway day, one of the things I'm giving away is a sheep made from a Fancy Tiger kit! Go figure. And my cat is lurking at my feet waiting to jump into my lap as I type. Very synchronicitous. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the mini knits! Amy @ gasudimack@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteI don't need to be spinning my cat's hair, but that minikitty is super cute!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun project! I just adopted a shorthair cat, so not quite as much fur, but I'm sure she'll be shedding enough as it is this spring.
ReplyDeleteHeehee! Egon Junior is adorable! So cute that Egon likes his "mini-me".
ReplyDeleteWe've got 2 cats, they're short hair but we do have a dog with long fluffy hair. When I brush him I get another puppy!
Thank you for the giveaway. :)
Oh my gosh that tiny kitty is the cutest! I just have to tell you I am wowed by the book because growing up my Granny kept all the cat hair she brushed off her beloved Siamese cat and spun it into yarn and knitted a hat out of it! My frineds thought it was so weird but I thought it was so sweet!
ReplyDeleteMy Devons would flip over that kitty!
ReplyDeleteI knew there was a good reason to own a long haired cat, now I know what it is!
ReplyDeleteWhat a funny giveaway. I LOVE cats and have had up to 7 when I had a roommate. Now I just have one sassy boy named Shakespeare, who would have to shed for a year for me to even begin to think about doing what you did. If I win, the pattern will go to my ex-roommate who knits and has 3 of our previous boys: Mozart, Socrates & Rembrandt. My boy will get the kitty prezzie!!
ReplyDeleteYour baby's precious!!
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Katina
kjkoukla(athotmail...
I may just have to do this with my gray floofinator kitty!
ReplyDeleteOoo. I'll like to knit that Minikitti. So cute!
ReplyDeleteI have four cat and could make a whole colony of those!
ReplyDeleteConsidering Tulip wants to be involved with all craft and artmaking, I think perhaps I should involve her more directly.
ReplyDeleteInteresting idea - cats certainly have plenty of fur - I might have to start keeping it after brushing! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeletewalknknit at gmail dot com
I have never heard of knitting with cat hair. Very interesting indeedy!
ReplyDeleteBut you kitty is so cute.
cutekipepeo (at)gmail(dot)com
WOW What a great idea, my cats are awaiting brushing now...
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful gift you give to us.
Kind regards from Germany
Claudia
frauknopf@gmx.de
Fantastic idea - my two kittens just love being groomed too!
ReplyDeleteCat hair! I can't believe it! I have two cats! that's a great idea! i need to buy this book, now! Do you think it would work with dog hair too?
ReplyDeleteI was so excited when I saw this book. With 3 cats I have no shortage of material to work with, meowwwwwww.
ReplyDeleteSo cool. I wonder if it will work with dog hair (soft dog fur I should say)
ReplyDeleteEgon is so amazing! I want to meet him. My cat Luna would love a doppelganger so that she can hide from the dog :P. I love this giveaway, hooray! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHahaha! That's so cute! I have a bengal, and she hardly sheds at all. So I wouldn't have enough hair to make anything. Haha. Fun giveaway, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway! robyn(dot)geddes(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThat is so cute. My cats have short hair so I can't spin it but we do have an angora house bunny. Closeacademyatyahoodotcom
ReplyDeleteHello, That is just about the sweetest thing. The pics of Egon with his 'baby' are just adorable. I would love to win your directions what a fun project. Our Peaches has similar coloring but not quite as long haired. Thanks for the opportunity to win this grand giveaway. Linda
ReplyDeleterodlindafansler at gmail dot com
I'm in love with minikitty. And Egon is super cute. Absolutely adorable!
ReplyDeleteThat little knitted kitty from kitty fur is awesome! My cats don't seem to shed enough to be able to make yarn from their fur (plus, I don't spin...) However, I have a Siberian Husky that sheds this soft downy undercoat by the handful and I've wondered if it could be spun into yarn
ReplyDeleteLove the minikitty. But --- with the spinning this looks like an enormous amount of work for kitty. But, then again I love our kitty, Peaches.
ReplyDeletersgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com
that is so cute! i have often thought that my cat's beautiful cream fur is wasted when i throw it away, so it'd be great to learn what to do with it.
ReplyDeleteI think this is the ultimate in recycling! And my girlfriend would love it!
ReplyDeleteOOOH so cute. I used to collect my cat's hair but I'm a little too allergic to want to spin with it.
ReplyDeleteRecycling ...gotta love it!
ReplyDeletemcintoshsusan(at)hotmail.com
OMG, OMG. I JUST ADORE THIS! Such a great idea!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
kessilari(at)gmail(dot)com
Ohhhh, pick me. The finger puppet is adorable!
ReplyDeleteAdorable!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
That's amazing! But I doubt my little Maurice would be as enthusiastic as Egon ;-). Fun give away, thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe have 3 cats - so lots of cat hair here!!
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
kimberlybreid at hotmail dot com
Minikitti is adorable!! And so is and Egon :) I have 2 cats and they shed quite a bit. Thanks for the fun giveaway!
ReplyDeleteMy cats are my knitting, weaving and spinning assistants, so I am used to working with cat fur. :)
ReplyDeleteMinikitti is adorable!
how did i miss this post!
ReplyDeletekitty crafting!
and i love the minikitty. too fun.
I have seen dog hair projects, but never cat hair....I do love kittens, htis is so cute!
ReplyDeleteI do love cats! Minikitti is so cute!
ReplyDeleteI want to make a mini kitty!!
ReplyDeleteOur cat "Wicket" eats the little hair fluffs before I can grab them... is that weird? P.S. I have no idea how to knit. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteOur cat "Wicket" eats those little hair fluffs before we can grab them... is that weird? P.S. I have no idea how to knit. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI have fur from my white cat. (Hair grows and must be cut; fur doesn't.) I would love to use it in a memento. (tears coming ... got to go)
ReplyDeleteLove Egon! Reminds me of my Poppy.
ReplyDelete