Crochet for the Classroom

National Crochet Month revelry has not abated! As suggested by #12 on the list, "Crochet something for your child or child's teacher to be used in the classroom so that everybody sees some crochet at school", here is an angora pencil cup freshly crocheted for my son's teacher. She likes to put interesting things on her desk for students to explore.

She also likes my son's stories. One of them concerns a leprechaun who wanted an angora coat. The teacher asked him to explain the word "angora" to the class. He said that his mom crochets with all kinds of yarns and her favorite is angora because it's super soft and comes from bunnies. He came home glowing because his teacher praised him for using a special new word.

You can see why the pencil cup had to be angora.

Hamster Hemp Hammock

(update on jute yurt follows)

It's a hammock when suspended horizontally, and it kind of hugs the hamster, which I think pleased her. It doubles as a ladder when hung vertically as in the photo, and she put it to use right away. But get this: she might associate it in her wee hamster mind with the yurt because as she experimented climbing up the "ladder", she made a detour to check in on the yurt before climbing up the ladder some more (see photo below).

It has some design elements that could make it salable/publishable. I didn't set out to design hamster accessories professionally so I have to think about whether I want to try submitting designs like this and if so, to whom!

Update on the yurt: Bob and I are so excited! Just when you think National Crochet Month can't get any better, there are signs of nibbling on the jute yurt! This is like when you crochet gifts for people and they either USE them or they store them. Crocheters usally want the recipient to USE the gifts (so that they can make MORE gifts to replace them, right?). When a hamster uses a crocheted gift, it shows its appreciation by nibbling on it and you know it's sincere, not just trying to make you feel good.

As you can see, we tried flipping it over to become a nest-like nook and then added some fluff. It gets lots more action this way. She also loves to find a nut or seed in it here and there.

Jute Yurt

What's the difference between a yurt and a hut? One's a better Scrabble word. What they have in common though is being a hamster magnet.

According to a hamster handbook I just read, jute appeals to them. I happen to have some jute lying around, maybe from the '70's. It smells like earthy hay, it's scratchy and stiff, and sheds all kinds of debris as you crochet it. It also polishes your crochet hook.

Preliminary test results:

1. Bob the tester says, "If you get a hamster and the cage doesn't come with the house, you should crochet a house for it. Hamsters love little houses."

2. It is stiff enough to work as a house. The corners curl a bit.

3. Aisha the hamster explored it right away, hung out in it for long periods (for a hamster), and kept returning to it.

4. The true test is if she nibbles on it lovingly. Also if she furnishes it with fluffy stuff and nuts.