A Rainbow of Owls

Did you know that a group of owls is called a parliament? That sounds very serious, so I would prefer to call mine a rainbow of owls.  

This is a new venture, as I decided to have a go at a sewing pattern. I did intend my blog to be a mixture of everything, but I have rather got hung up on the knitting.  I decided to start with something fairly simple, but even for my little owl the process of making the pattern, has been a learning curve. Have I mentioned that I am a little bit computer phobic? One of the ideas of having a blog was to face my computer fears. So the process of drawing and scanning the pattern pieces, and then making logical written instructions, with photographs to help, has been difficult. 

But I love my little group of owls. I'm not sure if they are meant to be or toy or an ornament.  Definitely not a toy for anyone very young, because of the button eyes, but I think a lot of bigger kids might like a row of colourful owls on their windowsill. Or it could just be a little pincushion.

You can find the pattern in my Etsy Shop.

Vintage Patterns

I think people can be basically divided into two types: Type A, those who spend their time getting rid of things, and Type B who like to keep everything, just in case it will come in handy some day. Unfortunately my mother is one of the first type, and I am one of the second. Or perhaps that is lucky! I promise you that when we visit she has been known to fill the back of the car with bags of stuff without even telling us. Mind you perhaps that means she is a bit of a Type B, as she has kept some of her stuff a long time.

Last time I visited she did give me these lovely old pattern books.  I am not sure even how old the first book of patterns is. I think it could be pre-war. Although it is a bit yellowed with age, it is jam-packed with knitting patterns, or as it calls them "recipes".

The other book she gave me dates from the 1970's, and it made me nostalgic. I had not seen since I was a teenager, but do remember knitting several of the patterns.  I definitely made a teacosy, as well as some of the coathanger covers, and have a feeling that either me or my sister had a go at the doll.

Perhaps most knitters and sewers have a pile of old patterns stashed away?

Cherry Beret and Puppy Paws

Cherry Beret

I've been having bit of a go at doing a hat, and although it is still a work in progress I thought I would put on a picture of the first version of the Cherry Beret. I am quite pleased with it, but I'm going to have another go making it slightly deeper, and maybe with a rib around the edge. The cherries are not my own design, but taken from Lesley Stanfield's "100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet". What might appeal is it is knitted on 2 needles.

 

Puppy Paws

I've designed a second version of my daisy pump pattern, that might appeal to boys as well as girls. It is basically an all knit version of the pattern, with a tiny bit of chain stitch to make them look like puppy paws.