Salty Cat (Scream #9)

I wasn't planning for a new "Scream" so soon after the last one. I was hoping I wouldn't get to Screams 9 and 10 until at least October, but someone always has to go and do something to mess up my plans. The "Screams" are an ongoing embroidery series I started last year as gifts to friends and as a little community building project. We've all felt a lot of things in the last eighteen months, and the "Screams" were a way to put some art around those feelings. Since launching my 365 project, I've added three additional pieces to the series. My goal is to have ten pieces in the completed series. At the rate we're going, it may end up being twelve. 

Today's piece, Salty Cat (Scream #9), came to me over the weekend. I was having a pretty decent week last week, including being recognized at work for an award and hearing from two friends who had really great interviews last week. My parents started the pet adoption process for an adorable dog, which is so very exciting. I made some really great dinners. It was a good week. Then, I happened upon a clip on Twitter from a Fox "news" show that enraged me. I'm not going to link to the clip because I don't want it in my search history, but it featured JD Vance, an author who is running for a Senate seat in Ohio. He was spouting nonsense and ridiculousness as only he can do. He implied that "childless cat ladies" are running the country, and because they're childless, they can't possibly care about the future and the children. Blah, blah, blah, blah.

Vance was referring to the fact that VP Harris never had children (although she's a stepparent), and other prominent progressive leaders don't either (he also referenced AOC and Pete Buttigieg). Really? Seriously? None of these people are actively trying to kill people by spreading disinformation and supporting insurrectionists. If "childless cat ladies" were running the show, we would be in a very different place today. I have been salty about this since last week. 

As your resident childless cat lady, please know that I care more about you and your family, human and fur children included, than he does (and most politicians do). I have zero problems with the fact that I pay taxes that support public education and other programs that benefit children without actually having children go through any of them. I went to public schools from K-12, so I know how important it is. I also volunteer my time, vote for people and legislation that will benefit the greater good, and I have always tried to a good citizen so I can leave this planet better than I found it. I am not the problem.

So Salty Cat was born. Salty Cat (thanks to Jessica for the name) is about to bunny kick her heart around the room, and so some screaming. Since I know how to needle felt, I thought it would be fun to make a felt heart. Needle felting is so satisfying. I'm not great at it, but I'm getting better. My heart could use a little more definition at the top, but it still works. My cat doesn't look as annoyed in thread as she did in the original sketch, but she's still pretty annoyed. She also lost a little of her cat likeness in the thread version, but I still love her. 

Salty Cat is not amused by people like JD Vance. Salty Cat wants you to remember that it's people like him who mean we can't have nice things. Salty Cat wants to remind that childless cat ladies are not the problem. 

Salty Cat looks so much angrier in the sketches.

Details:
Stitches: back stitch, split back stitch, satin stitch, straight stitch, French knot
Thread palette: SS 703, 114 (3 strands), SS 801 (2 strands), SS 701 (1,2,3 strands), DMC 666 (1,3 strands)
Other materials: wool for needle felted heart - my needle felting kit came with stencils, so I used one of the smaller hearts to make the heart. I'm going to need to do some other needle felting this month because it's so much fun.