WildKittens Giveaway!

This month over on The World of WildCat Designs (my main blog), I'm hosting a month of giveaways, starting with some WildKittens goodies!

Here's what you can win:

One of my PDF knitting patterns for making a sweet pair of Mary Jane style baby shoes - perfect for a newborn baby gift. Sizes available are from 0 to 18 months. (You'll find the different sizes listed in my WildKittens etsy shop.)

...OR this cute patchwork-style handmade baby blanket.

This blanket was the prototype for a pattern I designed and donated to the charity Bliss as an exclusive pattern for members of the Bliss Loves Crafts Craft Club, so it's a real one-off. I called it the Iced Gem Blanket as the soft cotton colours I used to knit it really reminded me of Iced Gem sweeties!



Check out my blog post >> here << for more information about how to enter the prize draw.

Magpie Market

Tomorrow is market day for me, and this will be the first one I've done this year, so I'm raring to go with lots of lovely handmade things! If you love vintage, art and crafty pieces, be sure to pop along to Magpie Market and say hello - we're at the Hub, just down from Edinburgh Castle from 11am til 5pm.

As well as my usual WildCat Designs woolly wares, I'll also be setting up shop with some WildKittens goodies, such as these cute little pink shoes for little pink feet:

Did I mention it's free entry? Complete with a crafty corner run by Granny Green's Big Night Out, a pop-up cafe (cakes aplenty!) and goodie bags for early birds!

Best of all, it's indoors, so if it rains, no problemo!!

Yarnimation

This lovely little animation by Charlotte Blacker is called The Little Red Plane, is aimed at children and features hand knitted characters and scenery!



Find out more here (image via the University of Central Lancs).

Corgi Cuteness!

If you enjoyed the recent Royal Wedding, and have crafty inclinations, this may well appeal to you: a knitted version of the Queen's companions, little Corgi dogs!

Image via The Guardian

You can read the full pattern for free here on the Guradian website, and knit your own little Pembroke Welsh Corgi keepsake. It's an extract from Fiona Goble's "Knit Your Own Royal Wedding", which I thought was a really fun take on the wedding :)

DIY Mobile revisited!

I'm so thrilled...I finally got this to work the way I wanted it to! Sans "whirring" noises! Enjoy :)



For more info, please see my earlier blog post.

Sock Pals!

Here's a couple of fun Easter break projects, suitable for small kids and big kids alike! :D

You can use an old sock (maybe its partner has been eaten by the sock monster?) to make a sock friend:


...or even a sock pet! Choose from snake, sock dog, crocodile and even a doggy draught excluder:


The possiblities are endless, if you have as many socks lying around that are no longer in a pair or have holes in them as I do. Check out the Pet Pooch Gallery too!

Happy Valentine's Day!

What a lovely sentiment! Very appropriate for today, I thought :)

You can find more knitted awesomeness (including the pattern for these utterly adorable lovebirds) over at Mochimochi Land.

Happy St. Andrew's Day!

Happy St. Andrew's Day to all of my fellow Scots out there! In celebration, here are some picks with a distinctly Scottish flavour.


Saltire pendant by Pendant Pixie



Pressed Borage Flower Badge by Nikki Made



Print by Hole in my Pocket



Irn Bru necklace by Bunny's Beads

Magpie Market

I'm currently making things like a crazy person, either for my shops, bricks & mortar stockists - but this week, mainly for Magpie!

(please click image for larger version of flyer)

It's on this Sunday (14th November) and I will be showcasing my latest WildKittens and WildCat Designs creations, along with some knitting books and yarns too.

Do come along, it's the perfect opportunity to see some lovely vintage and handmade pieces with sellers such as Vertiline in Love, Caroline Cloughley and Louise Smurthwaite. The market is free entry and early birds can nab themselves a goodie bag :)

*whispers* Perhaps even a chance to start the dreaded Christmas shopping!

Spice up your Saturday!

I'm busy getting ready, but I thought I'd take a moment to invite y'all down to the Summertime Hop tomorrow! Like any Made in the Shade event, it's sure to be a blast.



Featuring: WildKittens + WildCat Designs, tea, cake, craft, design, vintage goodness, a fun photobooth, goodie bags for early birds, Flora the Tombola, music from The Meat Men and much, much, more!

Daydream Hunting

I thought I'd take the time today to share some recent finds that I thought were rather enchanting.

Image: Papier Mache Magazine

Papier Mache Magazine - this is an utterly adorable online mag, dreamed up in Sydney, Australia. It has a light and airy aesthetic, and features toys, kids clothing, whimsical art and other wonderful things.

Image: Pieni

Pieni - a pretty little bilingual online shop, full of carefully selected things lovingly handmade in France. Also check out the blog.

Image: The Little Red Door

The Little Red Door - one of my favourite etsy shops! Cute little houses of clay and beautiful coloured glazes, handmade in Canada.

DIY Mobile

My other half recently found out he was to become an uncle, so naturally we wanted to give something cool to the proud new parents. The idea of a (home made) baby mobile came up, which we both thought was a great idea, especially as we didn't know if the baby was going to be a boy or girl just yet.

When I couldn't find a tutorial for the kind of mobile I had in mind (i.e. one with a motor, so it spins), we resorted to outside-the-box thinking. May it be noted that my other half is rather good at this kind of thing! Hence the idea to buy a pre-existing design and modify it.

This proved to be the easiest way to proceed, so we got a simple, inexpensive one which I could add my own toy shapes to in place of the ones the mobile came with. One of the benefits of this approach was that it provided a stable framework from which to start, and the clip/arm for attaching to the baby's cot. The last thing I wanted was for it to end up looking like a botched DIY attempt made with coathangers!

Well, it has now been gifted so I can share it with you :) Here is a little clip of it in action:



P.S. Do excuse the whirring...apparently my camera always does this!

Easter Bunnies!

It's been a bit quiet around here recently, so apologies for that...but a few inquisitive little rabbit creatures have just hopped past. It must be Easter time!


Amigurumi Bunny Rabbit by Moon's Creations


Red Hares Gocco Print by Dee Beale


Eco-friendly wooden bunny family by Imagination Kids

Little Bruiser

I was more than a little thrilled to discover that one of my WildKittens scarves, the spearmint and chocolate skinny stripe, was recently featured on {KID} Independent, a blog for "your daily dose of indie style for kids."



The story was entitled 'Little Bruiser' - what a great idea for a style challenge! :) That little blue monster guy up in the corner is a sock puppet, (available in pattern form, by the way) from Danger Crafts on etsy - so cute.

Dreamy Mobiles

Wooden mobile by Sleepyheads

I've been thinking about making a mobile for a little while now, and have been keeping an eye out for any particularly cute, colourful and fun ones for inspirational purposes. Here are some of the beauties I found!


Dinosaur Felt Mobile by PinkPerch


Abstract Felt Mobile by Lupin Handmade


Crazy Monkeys Mobile by Susurrum

If you want to have a go at making one yourself, might I suggest this DIY tutorial for a felt butterfly mobile by the lovely Laura of Lupin Handmade.


Butterfly Felt Mobile by Lupin Handmade

Sweet Treats

Tomorrow, I'll be at Dolly Mixtures, a Thursday late night shopping extravaganza. It's sure to be a good one, featuring stalls of handcrafted goodness, clothes swishing, lovely handmade silver jewellery by Alibali Jewellery, gorgeous tasty cakes by Demeter Baking, teapot cocktails, not to mention an Abba live tribute act!



I will be there too, showcasing woolly delights of the WildKittens & WildCat Designs variety :)



Come to join in the fun at Electric Circus, Market Street, Edinburgh on Thursday 4th February, 5pm til late.