Pattern Description from Crazy Aunt Purl’s Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair: “My cats love to lay around on my knitting, decorating each project with their own unique cat hair contributions. I thought it was high time I make them their own knitted masterpiece. This project is just miles and miles of stockinette in the round and there is no shaping and no fancy stitches, so it’s perfect for a wine-infused evening with a good movie and yes, even a cat on lap. The very best part of this knitted cat toy is that it involves a trip to the hardware store. I myself have had very good luck with helpful employees of the local hardware store, indeed!”

“Note before you begin: This project is really just a big, knitted cozy for a cardboard tube. The knitted piece you’ll create covers the outside of a large cardboard tube and then folds inside it as well, covering it completely with knitted fabric. Since each cardboard tube can vary tremendously in exact circumference, it’s very important to knit a swatch of fabric before you begin and to measure it carefully. To double-check on size and mathyness, I knitted about four inches of my cat tunnel cover and slipped it on over the tube just to be sure it wasn’t way too big.”

Ingredients:
* Yarn: 3-4 skeins Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick ‘n Quick (varies depending on the length of your cat tunnel)

Hardware:

• One large, sturdy cardboard tube (I used a Quik-Tube (TM) concrete-pouring tube from the contractor supplies aisle of my local hardware store. This patern was created using the 12” diameter tube. The label states clearly that each tube varies + or - 5” in circumference.)
• One sturdy cardboard cutter or hacksaw for trimming the length of your tube
• Needles: Size 13, 29-inch circular needle, large-eye yarn needle for finishing (or crochet hook)
• Accessories: Large-size pom-pom maker (optional)
• Beverage Selection: Mint Juleps, or warm mint tea if it’s cold outside.