Tuesday 20 May 2014

Knit It - Owlet

Hello! Thank you for all your lovely comments on my SFV dress, there are not enough words to say how sweet and kind and just plain wonderful you all are! 

It was while batting with my SFV dress in fact, that I started today's project, as per usual I didn't feel I had enough going on so decided that I needed to add in a knitted project into the mix! This time, it was a very belated birthday present for my friends newest little one, Douggie.


~ Owlet ~
by Kate Davies 
Size: 18 months
Ingredients: 5 mm Circular Needle, 4.5 mm Circular Needle , 4 x 5 mm DPN's,
4 x 4.5 mm DPNs (Double Pointed Needles) & A Cable Needle
Yarn: Worsted Weight Yarn - I doubled up some 4ply Stylecraft Oatmeal


Owlet calls for worsted weight wool which I have struggled to find anywhere here in the UK, I decided to go to my old standby of doubling up my yarn so as I had some yummy Oatmeal coloured 4ply left over from my Brothers Pullover, doubling it up made it about an 8ply (same as DK) and I believe Worsted to be 10ply, but with my slightly baggy tension on circular needles I seem to have gotten away with it.






I bought this pattern not long after joining Ravelry in 2010 and it has been burning a hole in my to-do list since then. The reason for my delay was that I thought it was going to be too difficult I mean look at it those owls they definitely look tricksy, but I could not have been more wrong. After realising I hadn't made little Douggie anything for his birthday, I decided to brave this pattern and quickly discovered it was very simple indeed.

Owlet is knitted entirely in the round, as a new knitter this struck me as a terrifying prospect, I mean no seams where do I hide all my mistakes! But after knitting my fair share of things 'in the round' I can assure you it's the easiest and I would even say the most satisfying way to do stocking stitch. No end of rows to worry about, you can stop mid-round and not loose all your stitches, no purl rows all knit and for some reason, it all seems to knit up soo much quicker than on straight needles! You've got to love that!

Also, the way that this jumper is designed means it is knitted in one piece, you knit your sleeves and body up to a point and then merge the stitches together on one needle and continue knitting to create the owl yoke, it is all rather genius! It also means there are no pesky seams to sew up at the end so as soon as you have cast the blighter off your finished!


Though the owls look tricky they are really easy, they are worked in a very simple cable stitch, which is very quick to remember once you have done a few! I think the most difficult part for me was working the short rows, It baffled me a little, I couldn't understand why I was doing this shaping, but once it was all finished it became clear that it was to create a rise at the neckline on the back of the jumper. Clever!



I only had one problem with this whole pattern and that was I didn't have 5mm DPN's for the sleeves, after you have worked the cuff on the smaller needles you move to the larger 5 mm, but with the tiny amount of stitches I had for each sleeve my very long circular needle was just not going to work. So both of the sleeves have been knitted on 4.5mm DPN's, I did try to make my tension a little looser to compensate I think I have gotten away with it, just, the difference in stitch size is thankfully only really noticeable when you look really closely!


Once all the knitting was done, all that was left to do was to add some eyes to the owls I toyed with the Idea of adding buttons as on the original, but all the buttons in my stash seemed a little too large to work, so I opted for some 4ply wool and some french knots, I think it has worked really well. I just hope its new owner likes it as much as I do! I am actually really tempted to knit myself one, especially as I have just seen that there is an adult sized version called Owls out there just waiting to be knit!


Wendy x

25 comments:

  1. This is lovely! And such a good colour for a child, as it will go with everything. I think your French knots are a much better idea than buttons, which might be a bit risky for a child (and which might be uncomfortable, too). I'm also impressed with how you improvised when you didn't have exactly what the pattern called for.

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    1. Thank you Helena!! Oh you know I never though that not having buttons might be a bit safer for the little fella, but that's very true, I know would have been anxious about my dubious button sewing! x

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  2. This is so freaking awesome!! Lovely job, and I do hope Douggie likes it. I don't knit myself but I might send a link of the adult version to my mum as a hint...

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    1. Thank you Miss Marie!! I would definitely send the link to your mum you never know she might be feeling generous!!

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  3. That is so adorable! I hope it is well received :-) Might just have to add that pattern to my "to knit" list, as I have a certain little missy who is rather partial to owls! x

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    1. Thank you Lucy!! I bet she would love it! x

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  4. Ooh I love this, what a cute wee sweater, I bet he's very happy with the gift! :)

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  5. Love it! I think I need to make one for myself but my wish list is getting very long! :( x

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    1. Thank you Joe! Oh my wish list would require me to live to 100 at least to complete it all, but I can dream! x

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  6. That looks absolutely adorable - the little owls are so cleverly done and I like the way you decided to do the eyes.

    Also: hi! I just found your blog and wanted to say how much I've been enjoying browsing through your posts. I particularly enjoyed the posts of photo sets from the Imperial War Museum - they give such a detailed picture of life at the time, and your extra tid-bits are delightful.

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    1. Thank you Katie!! I am so glad that you enjoyed the history posts, I really love doing them so its nice to know they are well received! x

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  7. Oh this is just adorable! And there's an adult version too?! I've just found my next knitting project! x

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    1. Thank you Laura, yes there is and its just as adorable!! x

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  8. This is so cool! Like you, I've had it in my Ravelry list for ages - this will definitely make me get started on an adult version.

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  9. Utterly adorable! And what a lovely idea...it will be something he can cherish when he grows up! Hope you had a great week...and an even better Bank Holiday weekend my dear!
    May xx
    www.walkinginmay.com

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  10. Absolutely adorable and so unusual. The little band of dinky owls works so well around the neckline and the twinkle of eyes finishes the jumper of perfectly. Feel the need to get the knitting needles out :)

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    1. Thank you! It is certainly a nice little pattern to knit, I'm hoping the adult version will be as much fun!! x

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  11. Oh my, this is utterly adorable! I would wear this in a heartbeat! Shame I can't knit xxx

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  12. Rowan have started doing a worsted weight in a pure wool or an alpaca wool blend. Love this owlet and might have a go at it myself.

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    1. Oh thats wonderful thank you Caroline, I will have to seek some out for my adult version! x

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  13. That is so frickin' adorables! I was going to ask if there was an adult version but then you went ahead and answered my question. Now I just have to find someone who'll knit it for me ;) Beautiful job lovely lady, I bet it went down a storm with Douggie

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