Cute cabled owl

So last time I told you I had a new project.  I've decided to make myself a blanket / throw.  Now, I'm not the quickest knitter and not good at keeping my attention on long projects, so I thought it could be a good opportunity to try out some new stitches and techniques if I made it a patchwork design out of different squares. 

I've also had a few people interested in learning how to knit, so I'm also working on a "how to" section for this blog, and I plan to use these squares to help demonstrate different techniques.  It might be a little while in the making, but hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll add some basic techniques like a simple cast on, knit stitch, purl stitch and cast off.  Basically everything you need to know to get knitting!  Then I plan to add to it with other techniques, like the cables used below, so that anyone can use it to learn how to make the items I post about.  So watch out for that appearing over the next few weeks (if you have any particular requests, let me know).

Anyway, less of the grand plans for this blog, and back to this week's post: another owl.  This time, in the form of the first two squares of my blanket.  This is a pattern I've seen a lot online, and it's appeared in a few magazines too.  Mostly knitted in the round...  I've adapted it here to be worked flat and I experimented a bit as to how many I could fit on a square!

Here's the one owl version:

The background to the owl section is worked in reverse stocking stitch, and has five rows of stocking stitch at the start and end of the pattern.  The owl itself is fairly straightforward if you can knit and purl, the only slight complication is the cables but they're easier than you might think!

The pattern for the owl itself:

Row 1 (back of work facing): P8
Row 2 (front of work facing): K8
Row 3: P8
Row 4: C4B, C4F
Row 5 to 11: repeat rows 1 to 3 twice, then row 1 once more
Row 12: as row 4
Row 13: P8
Row 14: K1 P2 K2 P2 K1
Row 15: P1 K2 P2 K2 P1
Row 16 to 17: repeat rows 1 and 2
Row 18: as row 4
Row 19: P8

Note on the abbreviations:  I've used standard knitting abbreviations, so K2 means knit the next two stitches, and P3 means purl the next three stitches. C4B means put two stitches on a cable needle, whilst holding them at the back of the work knit the next two stitches from the main needle, then knit the two stitches on the cable needle.  C4F means the same as C4B, but you instead hold the stitches at the front of the work rather than the back.  Further details will be in the "how to" section that I'm working on, including pictures of how to do it, but for now if you get stuck there's plenty of information out there if you search it or look it up in a book.  Or ask me / an experienced knitter to help!

Now you can have any number of stitches around the owl - the one owl above has eight on either side - but you can increase or decrease that for your needs (I wanted a 10cm square, but it came out a bit narrow).  You can even create a row of owls - the below square has two owls, with three stitches between them and two either side:

They're probably a bit too cramped, but I'm sure once it's sewn into the blanket it will be fine!  Might need to stretch a little though as the cables have narrowed the work - worth keeping in mind if you're planning multiple owls in a row.

I'd be interested to see if anyone has a go at this pattern - please send me a picture if you do!  I'd love to see what else it could be used for - it's such a sweet design.  Also if there are any mistakes or you get stuck do get in touch - I've added a contact me form on the front page of the blog or you could just comment (it should be OK as it's what I used to make the above squares, but you never know!).

Next week I'll be posting about three more squares I'm making (all based around moss stitch and it's variations) and a knitting-related sewing project I've recently finished.  Have a good week!

Definitely an owl!

So, slightly later than intended due to a work day out at the races, I thought I'd share my first crochet animal.  I think this was my second ever crochet project - the first was a bag which once I've finished properly (it still needs a button loop and button adding...) hopefully it will feature.

Anyway, back to this owl.  So here's the owl in full:

The colours may seem a little familiar - that's because it's made from the same magazine kit that Noel was. The main body of the owl was made in a spiral (so less sewing up to do!) started on a magic loop.  It was a little tricky to keep track of where one full round was, but this was nothing compared to the main challenge of this project: the eyelash yarn.  Just as it was a little tricky to knit with, it was worse with crochet!  The problem was the fluff kept obscuring the view of the stitches.  It helped a bit it was used alongside the normal green yarn, but still I don't think I'd recommend it unless you were confident at crochet (saying that though, I'm pretty much a beginner!  Does require a lot of patience though).

The wings were worked as two identical pieces, sewn together and placed either side.  I gave them a bit of a curve to make them look more like wings.  The eyes are crocheted circles with a black button in the middle, and the nose was embroidered on at the end.

All in all, he turned out to be quite cute!  He currently sits alongside Noel, though he does have a little seat in the form of a wooden pencil holder.

Anyway, that's all I have to say on the owl - the next post will be next Thursday, and I'll be talking about my latest long-term knitting project and sharing an owl related design as part of it.