A mat for a cat

Cat mat

Yarn: Patons Shetland Chunky Tweeds (72% acrylic, 25% wool, 3% viscose; bulky)
Color: Dark forest green
Needles: US 10s
Stitches: 48

Working from a suggestion I saw at another site, I came up with this knitted rectangle for feline repose. It's one foot wide and two feet long with one inch of ribbing on each end. The rest is in garter stitch. As you can see, I still have issues with casting on and binding off. I did both too tightly. One of these days I'll get it right.

It could stand to be wider, but 48 stitches took up most of the straight needles' length. If I make this again, it would be wiser to knit on circs. I think it turned out okay, but I'm not as fond of it as many of the other things I've made.

I had to pack during lunchtime, at which point I got a bag and tossed a lot more knitting stuff than I will likely need into it. I am notorious for overpacking. Do I take clothes for warmer or colder weather? Spring temperatures in the midwest can shift dramatically, so it's hard to say what it will be like the rest of the week.

I have procured a laptop from the college for my time on the road, so I will try to post daily updates here and at my film blog. (I have a press pass for the festival, so the idea is to compose reports from each day at the event.) The schedule doesn't look to be as brutal as in past years, so I might be able to write and get some sleep. That would be nice.

I've felt rushed all day, so it will be nice to finish taping the show, get to tonight's promo screening, and then finally hit the road for two and a half hours of driving (thereabouts) to Indianapolis. I don't relish that much driving at night and checking in around midnight, but it leaves me with two to two and a half hours of driving on Wednesday. That will afford me plenty of time to visit the local yarn shop, get a haircut, and, I don't know, knit, write, and/or relax.