FO Friday: Bat Baby is Here !

Halloween Tarot

Well, it's only been forever since I last created and published a design of my own - it was the Cabled Hot Water Bottle Cosy which I made for my MIL. Today I am proud to say that I wrestled with the Muse, and have survived - and a new, somewhat seasonal, design is the result.

My BIL The Cornishman has serious photography skillz, and is taking some posh pictures for me, but I am impatient and couldn't wait to tell you guys all about it, even if only using my own dodgy snaps ....

Here is the Bat Tea Cosy !

I do kinda wish bats were in a more easily photographable color .... but I think he is super-cute: his eyes can be beads, or embroidered (as are his fangs). Made from black DK yarn, and scraps of red, grey and white DK yarn, he is knitted in pieces and sewn together: he consists of stocking stitch for his body, and garter stitch wings; his nose is a bobble.

His head is knitted holding the yarn doubled, so that the toy stuffing does not show; his ears are also knitted double to make sure they have the wherewithal to stand up.

A sweet button holds his wings closed across his tummy; when you undo it, look what is revealed ! Either an appropriately seasonal message:

Or, if you use Chart B instead:

Of course, you could embroider a message on his heart as well.

My Eviller Twin kindly proof-read and turned my words into a PDF pattern, which is available not only from my Folksy shop, but through my Ravelry store - where for this weekend only there is a 10% to celebrate my baby Bat Tea Cosy's birth (applied automatically at checkout).

And I do always heart the projects people make from my patterns ....

Bronze or Pottery

Today it is my 8th wedding anniversary, so I'm feeling quite celebratory that we've reached it: there have been a couple or three very tough times in there; we're both incredibly stubborn, which, although that can be detrimental to a relationship, can also mean that one doesn't walk out at the first hint of trouble.

Hypocrisy, you think ? After all, my first marriage failed: but you can't keep someone where they don't want to be, especially when they turned into a person totally different from the one you married, and refuse all help for their mental and substance abuse problems.

Anyway, never mind all that old poop, I'm happy to be talking about my current DH. He isn't, of course - he says I shouldn't write about him and give my biassed opinions about him since I'm not him, and it isn't fair as he can't put his point of view. He rarely reads this blog - he's an IT Luddite, he doesn't even have an email address - so I'm pretty much safe.

At the same time, I don't really do maudlin sentimentality - certainly not when I'm sober - so I'll just say that he's brilliant at cooking and fixing, a great Dad (most of the time) and even better at Other Stuff (I'm English enough to leave it enticingly at that); he can be very supportive and he usually knows when not to say anything rather than saying the wrong thing. He says he's romantic, but does nothing to prove it. In my opinion.

He kicks my butt when I need it, gives me unpleasant reality checks when I need it - and these are the things that make me occasionally contemplate divorce, or murder. Most likely murder, though, as it's cheaper. Then he smiles at me and I forgive him - again. Destructo Boy is also demonstrating that he has inherited this ability to charm his way out of trouble ....

Since the 8th anniversary is bronze or pottery, I found this lovely heart-shaped bowl:



Beautifully handmade by Susan, I got it through her Folksy shop, Caractacus Pots.

Here's a photo to show the color and glaze:



And here is what I have done with it - filled it with Hershey's Caramel Kisses mixed with Reese's Peanutbutter Cups:



It's also oven-proof, so it can be used practically and not just ornamentally after all the candy is gone ....how's that for a definition of marriage. Plus, it's additional ammo to throw at him - and I do mean literally - during our next argument.