They’re Catnip to a Cat

Delight yourself by weaving some monk’s belt, and then share the joy with the cats in your family by making them a set of special toys.

About this Project

Designer Margaret Anderson weaves a lot of monk’s belt (a variation of overshot in which two blocks alternate throughout). Varying the sizes of the blocks creates designs with more interest than a simple checkerboard. Simply changing the pattern-weft color gives each section of fabric a new look and makes her heart soar! She has devoted a table loom entirely to monk’s belt for small items: tea cases, cards, ornaments—and these little cat toys. Only one pattern-weft color is used for each of the mice shown here, but including different colors within the fabric for a single mouse would make weaving it even more fun!

Contents

• Monk’s Belt Cat Toys Project Instructions PDF

Details

Structure
Monk’s belt.

Equipment
4-shaft loom, 8" weaving width; 10- or 15-dent reed; 2 shuttles; sewing machine.

Yarns
Warp: 20/2 pearl cotton (8,400 yd/lb), Natural, 484 yd (1 oz).
Tabby weft: 20/2 pearl cotton (8,400 yd/lb), Natural, 300 yd (³⁄₅ oz).
Pattern weft: 5/2 pearl cotton (2,100 yd/lb), red, 40 yd per 7" section; Wildflower embroidery floss (36 yd/skein), used doubled, variegated purple and variegated green, 3 skeins per 7" section (280 total yd pattern weft)

Dimensions
Width in the reed: 11" in an 8-dent reed or 10⁹⁄₁₀" in a 10-dent reed.
Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 67".
Finished size: (after wet-finishing and construction) twelve small mice about 3" long each.

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