Easter Stitch Marker Sale!

Yey for bunnies and chocolate eggs :D.  For one day only, there's 20% off all stitch markers in my etsy store!

Just use the code OWLPRINTPANDAEASTER at the checkout for your discount :)

Dandelion Hat!

Yey!  It's finally published!  After convincing my lovely man to take some wee photos of this amazing hat, and all the lovely test knitters finishing their brilliant versions, it is time :D

D'ye like it?? 

Pattern Information & Construction Notes:
This is a slouchy style hat, knit in the round using mosaic colourwork detail. Knit from ribbed brim, on smaller needles for snug fit, through patterned body on the larger needles up to the crown in two colours. You could also use the jogless stripe technique to ensure seamless transition between colours.

Instructions are provided for four sizes.

Finished Measurements:
Adult (Toddler, Child, Large Adult) finished size to fit 20”(16”,18”,22”) circumference heads. The standard length of this slouchy hat is approximately 10” (8”,10”,10”), though directions are included should you wish to vary this.

Yarn: 
Two complimentary shades of 4ply/sport yarn are required, approximately 200 yards of main colour and 100 yards of alternate colour will be required for the adult size. Allow 250/120 for larger size.

Hat shown is knit in Fyberspates Scrumptious 4ply/sport, main colour (MC) oatmeal, alternate colour (AC) gold. This is a gorgeous silky smooth, shiny yarn. Though the hat would work equally well on another 4ply or sportweight yarn.

Needles: 
3.5mm (US 4) Double Pointed needles (or your preferred circular knitting method). You may wish to use 3.25mm or 3mm needles for the ridged brim to ensure snug fit.

Gauge: 
This is a lovey silky slouchy hat, so don’t worry too much about gauge. If you really really want exact gauge, the shown hat has 30 stitches and 40 rows in 4” in the wave stitch used for the body.

You can grab the pattern here on Ravelry, or here on Etsy :)

Edinburgh Yarn Festival

Whew!!  What a crazy day!  From arriving at 8am, I don't think I had a chance to look at my watch until around 4pm.  The queue down the street was so long, all those poor people waiting out in the rain!

The hall was lovely, but so busy with people!  I think people were getting lost just wandering around in the crowd :D

I had such a brilliant day, met two lovely podcaster ladies who I've spoken to online - it's so nice to put a face to a name!!   (and a voice in these cases!) with Aimee from KnitSpinCake and Louise from CaithnessCraft.  Hillarious situations arising where I can hear people I know, but have no idea who I'm looking for!    I was rather excited through the whole day, and after narrowly dodging knocking my charm-hanging tree over to hug Louise, loudly invented the 'Dangerhug'.  Cause odd things pop into your head when you get over-excited... clearly...

Many, many, many great conversations with lovely ladies from ravelry, a man buying charms for miniature sculptures he makes (how cool!), questions for interviews and visits from friends with much-needed food packages - there was a 30 minute wait for cups of tea in the cafe :o

I know a few people couldn't find me at the festival yesterday!!  So I have spent the day re-organizing and photographing over 60 different sets of stitch markers to pop them up on etsy!

Feel free to pick and mix, just contact me on etsy with your 5 charms and the numbers I've given them on etsy, and I shall make up a little baggie for you!!  It's 80p postage to the UK.

Some of my favourites:

Were you at the festival?

What did you buy?!

Hand Dyeing Handspun & Potting Plants

Good morning Lovelies!  Aren't you always more motivated when the sun is shining?

After reading "Start Spinning" in one sitting on Friday, I received this gem in the post yesterday and may have read it all in one go again...  It's just incredible!  Lots of lovely photos, lots of step by step instructions, personal hints, tips and stories dotted in between.

So after getting to grips with my new spinning wheel, braiding all the fibre I could find and spinning my first yarn, I tried my hand at dyeing it!

There was lots of vinegar and blue & purple food colouring involved; I may have ended up looking like I had murdered all the smurfs at once in some sort of smurphy apocalypse, the kitchen narrowly escaping the same fate.

My partner was very confused as to why all our cleaning products were hanging from yarn over the sink (in case you are confused too, this is supposed to smooth out the wiggly bits of yarn).

Anyway, this dried here overnight, and this morning I took some lovely photos on my windowsill for you :p  I love that windowsill.  I love Edinburgh to pieces, but it does kill my kitchen plants with lack of sunshine over winter :/

So we got some daffodils to brighten up my dead window garden!   And to show off my new yarn beside as a photo prop.  yey.

Look at the lovely mess I made (and have since cleaned up).  I kind of wish I could put my desk under this window, but I don't know how sensible it is to have your workspace in the kitchen :/

I'd snack all day and all my work would smell of dinner.  Disaster.   Oh,  I've uploaded the yarny photos to my stash on ravelry too :).


What are your favourite dyeing methods?  I shall have to try them!!


:D x



p.s. Remember you can follow updates on Bloglovin'!

First Spinning Project... Here we go!

Officially addicted to this spinning malarkey.  After spending last weekend happily braiding all my fibre together (why is this so addictive??),  I arrived home from my exam yesterday to this lovely spinning book waiting on my doormat for me.

(Quite literally on the doormat.  My letter box is stupidly small - see the photos in my DIY draught excluder tutorial for proof - and since I live in a nice top floor flat and have a lovely postman who I chatted to, he now leaves books under my doormat for me so I don't have to go collecting them all the time).

Anyhoo, I sat down with a cup of coffee & some biscuits and read the entire book.  Such a nice afternoon, I've not had time to just sit and read a book for so long.

Looking through the methods of spinning to see which is closest to mine, it turns out I have made up a magical way of spinning which isn't listed (though I'm sure it already exists).  Having only started last week with no teaching I just fed the fibre in whichever way felt easiest.   It works for me, and I'm happy with my first project, so I think I'll just stick to it :)

Happy is actually an understatement, I am insanely proud of my first bobbin-full of yarn -looky here!!

I wanted DK, and think I have managed! (mostly).  It does maybe go up to worsted and down to fingering in places, but not too much at all!  Very pleased.  Proud of self.  *pats self on back*

I've unwrapped the larger bobbin (75g) into a skein ready for dyeing, using my arm - no scientific measures spared here - and estimate it to be aroooouuund 230 yards (210m), this sounding like DK to you?

I'm expecting a book on dyeing the yarn to arrive today, so I shall keep you all updated!!!

UPDATE:  I've dyed this now!  See it here :)

:D



p.s. Remember you can follow updates on Bloglovin'!

Knit the Queue addition!

Hello Lovelies!

I have had an insanely boring day filled with essays and bits and pieces I've been meaning to do for aaagees.

Sad thing is that the essays still aren't finished :(  Boo and humbug.

On the bright side, I've finally put up the photos of my lonely tree shawl!!

I even had a quick chat with the pattern designer, Sylvia, last week!  So you could have a nosey at that too :p  she is very nice indeed :)

Have you been productive this weekend?  You could try to knit your queue in 2012 too :o, join the ravelry group here!

My poor wee hands are cold.

Much love!
Amanda :) x

Cozy Knitted Bow Headband (earwarmer)!

Hello all!

Check out this AWESOME chunky knitted bow headband / earwarmer.  I do loves it.

If you wanna make one for yourself, you can check it out here on Ravelry

Have you any new things you've spotted that you just cant wait to make / buy?  

I'm loving these two headbands, also found on ravelry by different designers, though I'm just scared to make the one on the left as I think it looks far too similar to the scarf I began to make last week!  White one is purty :)

I'm very excited, because I'm off to Amsterdam for a week tomorrow!!  Has anyone been there before?  Any 'must-see' places for me to visit?

I'll be taking a little knitting project with me, so be prepared to see far too many pictures of Amsterdam, and me wearing an awesome new knitted item :p