Cat "Welcome Mat"- Part 2 of 2

The back side of the completed project, drying...

  

                                                             ...and the front.

                                                    Using variegated thread...

                                                          ...in 'like' colors...

                                       ...I machine stitched a spiral into the felt...

                                
                                 ...starting from the center and working my way out.

                                                The finished "Welcome Mat"! :)

Cat "Welcome Mat"- Part 1 of 2

Laying out variegated tencel and wool-blend roving...

...in a circular fashion...

              ...and covering one side of the project with an additional layer of roving.

                                             Layers of wool from my stash...

                                                     ...(in random colors)...

                                           ...are applied to the 'non-design' side... 

                                          ...until the mat is the proper thickness.

                                                  The project is wetted out...

                                                    ...and felting is begun.

                                       My daughter's cat has a domed litter box...

                                  ...and I was asked to create a 'welcome mat"...

                                            ...(to help keep errant kitty litter pellets...

                                      ...from being tracked throughout her house).

                                                Next time: the finished mat.

Re-Purposed "Tee-Shirt Yarn" Project

Cutting the body of a tee-shirt...

                                                    ...into 1-inch wide pieces...

                                       ...then opening up the 'still attached' edge...

                                ...and cutting the fabric into one long, continuous strip.

                                                 By merely stretching the strip...

                             ...and allowing the cut edges to curl into the middle...

                                         ...the fabric becomes ready-to-knit yarn!

                                        Of course I had to try some in orange!! :)

                                       Knitting the yarn using long, metal needles.

                                              The sturdy, finished cat mat (front)...

                                                              ...and back.

                                                Erykah enjoying her new gift...

                                    ...and a close up of its dense, spongy texture!

           Because there are always stacks of cast-off tees in my house (four daughters)...

               ...and because I recently found an easy-to-follow tutorial online...

               ...I decided to convert a couple of 'college dorm event' tee-shirts...

                                                  ...into homemade yarn!

                                  I don't much like the 'feel' of the finished piece...

                                   ...(it has an assertively synthetic character...

                           ...and it certainly wouldn't be suitable for wearables)...

      ...but it's a fun way to breathe new life into garments which have 'seen better days'! :)