Has anyone done Kate Davies Owls Sweater?

[knittynoodle]

And if so, how hard is it really?

Ravelry rates it below medium but I have never made more than a hat or booties. The real low down before I part with £3.95 to buy it would really help me out!!!

Ta muchly!

[pootlepootle]

I've done it and found it really quite easy. Only slight problem with it is getting the fit right. I made it for my eldest daughter who at 11 only has very small curves. it would have been difficult if i had to deal with more complicated ins and outs of the body if it was for me as i'm more lumpy and bumpy!

the other slight problem is that with the owls you can see the mistakes if you've made them. one of dd's owls has misshapen ears which I can see every time she wears it! i'm not sure anyone else can.

if you can knit and purl you should be ok but it would be worth having a pre-run with a few owls.

best of luck with it - you'll be fine.

[PopcornMouse]

Hi knitty :)

If you search "owls" and "cables" on rav, you'll find the same chart that the designer used available for free. You can swatch them and see how difficult you find them before forking out £4!

Link - www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#view=captioned_thumbs&query=owls%20&availability=free&pa=cables&sort=best

[knittynoodle]

And this is why I love mumsnet! Thanks guys. Here goes!

[Stitchthis]

Weird! I was looking at this pattern last night. Thanks for the link!!!

[kiery]

I've done this sweater and found it quite easy.

I had never knitted using circular needles and found that the hardest thing. After a couple of rounds it was fine though and it seemed to knit really fast.

If you are worried about the owls just keep checking after every round and you can always go back and sort it - I did. I found the fit really good but I am very curvy.

I've had some great comments about my jumper and so will you. Happy knitting.

[LittleChiefRunnyCustard]

Me too. Finished it last week and it has hardly been off my back since. I still need to sew all the buttons on (I've done the ones on the back!) and take a photo for my ravelry page.

I'm thinking about doing Ms Davies' Warriston next.

[TwoJackRussellsandababy]

I've just started, but the baby is making this another long haul. Still looking forward to getting a big chunk of this done on the weekends when his dad is looking after him :)

[Catsmamma]

here's another free link but it is for a hat.

i am making this right now, having bought some new circular needles, a set with different points and cables.

[Catsmamma]

and the jumper for free

i might do this too!

[Catsmamma]

oh i take that back....it's posted as free all over, but not free when you click! Cheeky!

[tribpot]

I think it was free when the person wrote the original page, but then subsequently the creator started charging for the pattern - the page should really have been updated.

I love the Kindle cover as a way of practising the stitch! I would have to draw the line at owl cowl though just because it sounds ridiculous

[PrincessOfWails]

Phew - was about to be really annoyed because I recently paid for the pattern! I haven't made mine yet, but I have made one for my little DS. It was very quick! I used one circular throughout, using magic loop method (which I learnt before Christmas coz I'm crappy with 4 needles!).
I have the wool ready for knitting mine, but I'm holding back because I'm scared waiting for my breastfeeding boobs to settle.

[Pleiades45]

This thread caught my eye so I had a look at ravelry and downloaded the free pattern for the hat. It took an evening to make, it's the first hat I've ever made and the first time I've used the magic loop technique.

[PrincessOfWails]

I've only recently discovered magic loop but it's great! I'm trying to make a pair of socks now.

[coldcomfortHeart]

I found Kate Davies' blog last night and it's so inspirational, knitting and life. Her designs are mind-bogglingly lovely- I asked if she had a beginner's level design and she said the owls are her easiest. Not sure if I'm brave enough, but it's been added to my mountain of wish lists. Her Rams and Yowes blanket is AMAZING.

Ds had a hat knitted for him using the owl cable and it's my favourite thing he has- gets complimented on it all the time. it's getting small now so maybe I'll start with that!

[coldcomfortHeart]

And what is magic loop? is it a technique or an actual knitting implement?

[Pleiades45]

It's a technique, knitting with a long circular needle. I found a youtube tutorial by knitpicks that was very good in explaining it. The owls are very easy, if you have ever done a basic cable then you can do this. I think I'm going to buy the jumper pattern now.

[littleomar]

Yes and I am wearing it! It fits fine- I kept trying it on to get waist and length right and put inc and decreases at the sides instead of the middle. some people on rav have used different sizes for body and sleeves to get the fit right. It is really easy and a lovely garment especially in this weather

[tribpot]

- I had watched this and then forgotten about it so was struggling to work out how to do a particular hat when it called for circular needles but was too short to go all the way around comfortably.

[ouryve]

It's an fairly easy sweater, but it's really heavy by the time you get to the yoke. Mine is in extended hibernation because my poor hands just oculdn't cope any more and I've since put on a stone, so if I finished it now, it wouldn't even fit. I'm about halfway through knitting the actual owls!

[coldcomfortHeart]

Thanks for the magic loop info, you've got to love the internet and you tube, it's fantastic for knitting.

[tribpot]

coldcomfort - I know! I've been rediscovering knitting recently and the number of times I've just Googled/YouTubed and there is all the info I could possibly need - fantastic. There are stitches which are actually quite straight forward but which are almost impossible to describe in words, or without extensive frame-by-frame photographs.

[fruitscone]

That owl hat is lovely. I have googled that wool but don't know what kind of wool that is. Is it double knit? Could I use any double knit for it? Or what would be best? Thanks.

[fruitscone]

sorry should have said the wool on the pattern is called Nashua Creative Focus. Seems to be American I think?

[TwoJackRussellsandababy]

fruitscone,

I had a wee look at this for you on Ravelry, the pattern calls for a worsted weight, which is a bit heavier than UK double knitting, so you might want to source worsted weight yarn or do a swatch to make sure that you get the right gauge, otherwise it might end up the wrong size when you are done.

HTH