This cat cave/tunnel will help keep your cat cosy and educate her about chemistry at the same time.

I know it looks kinda weird but Lorelei (my dad’s cat) loved it. She went straight in and snuggled up in the oxygen atom.

You will need a 12 mm hook and A LOT of BB Yarn from Lincraft, or something equally massive. Also crocheting with this stuff takes a lot of strength so you might like to try doing a bit of cross-training at the gym.

 

Hydrogen atoms (make two)

First, as we all know, we need to crochet two hydrogen atoms. I’m not sure what colour hydrogen atoms are, or if they even have a colour. I made mine black because that was the only colour the local Lincraft stocked in sufficient quantity.

Round 1: Chain 36 and slip stitch in the first chain to form a ring.

Round 2: sc in the first five stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (42 stitches)

Round 3: sc in the first six stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (48 stitches)

Round 4: sc in the first seven stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (54 stitches)

Round 5: sc in the first eight stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (60 stitches)

Rounds 6 – 13: sc in each stitch (60 stitches) (8 rounds)

Round 14: sc in the first eight stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (54 stitches)

Round 15: sc in the first seven stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (48 stitches)

Round 16: sc in the first six stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (42 stitches)

Round 17: sc in the first five stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (36 stitches)

Round 18: sc in the first four stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (30 stitches)

Now for the covalent bond, switch to another colour, I chose white.

Round 19: sc in each stitch (30 stitches) (outside loops only)

Rounds 20 – 27: sc in each stitch (30 stitches) (8 rounds)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

 

Oxygen atom

Round 1: 6sc in a magic ring (6 stitches)

Round 2: increase in every stitch (12 stitches)

Round 3: sc in the first stitch, increase in the next stitch – repeat (18 stitches)

Round 4: sc in the first two stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (24 stitches)

Round 5: sc in the first three stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (30 stitches)

Round 6: sc in the first four stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (36 stitches)

Round 7: sc in the first five stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (42 stitches)

Round 8: sc in the first six stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (48 stitches)

Round 9: sc in the first seven stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (54 stitches)

Round 10: sc in the first eight stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (60 stitches)

Round 11: sc in the first nine stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (66 stitches)

Rounds 12 – 20: sc in each stitch (66 stitches) (9 rounds)

Round 21: sc in the first nine stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (60 stitches)

Now we are going to join the oxygen atom to the covalent bonds

Round 22: hold one of the covalent bonds next to the oxygen atom and join them by slip stitching 20 stitches, sc 10 just on the oxygen atom, hold the second covalent bond next to the oxygen atom and join using 20 slip stitches, sc 10 just on the oxygen atom (60 stitches)

Now we are going to crochet to close the hole between the two covalent bonds, so, going around that gap in a spiral

Round 23: sc in the first five stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (36 stitches)

Round 24: sc in the first 4 stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (30 stitches)

Round 25: sc in the first 3 stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (24 stitches)

Round 26: sc in the first 2 stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (18 stitches)

Round 27: sc in the first stitch, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat (12 stitches)

Round 28: decrease around until the hole closes, weave in end.