OwlCat Designs

November 1, 2013December 16, 2017

Misteltoe & Holly

Misteltoe & Holly is a bottom up shawl in three sizes, that can be as much a functional yet elegant fashion statement, a neck warmer or a holiday decoration on your mantle. Either way, you will love the look and feel of this for many years.

[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”2/3″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]Pattern is available with full written and charted instructions!

Skills required k2tog, ssk, sk2p, yo, p2tog, k, p. beading (optional, video tutorial available)
NO SHORT ROWS!!!

Yarn
Cascade Yarns Heritage Silk (85% Superwash Merino, 15% Mulberry Silk; 437 yards /400 meters per 100 grams/3.5 ounces). Shown in ‘Pine’ 5608 colorway.
Shawl Large: 2 skeins (646 yds/ 590 meters)
Shawl Medium: 1 skein (390 yds/ 357 meters)
Shoulderette: 1 skein (350 yds/ 320 meters)

Needles
US Size 6 (4.0 mm) circular needle 32”/80 cm or longer
US Size 7 (4.5 mm) circular needle for cast-on edge only

Notions
stitch markers – 2 distinguishable, others optional
darning needle
212 (152/ 112) #6/0 red beads (optional)
60 (48/ 48) #6/0 white or ivory beads (optional)
Crochet hook for beading (optional)

Gauge:
Approximately 18 sts = 4”/10 cm on US #6 (4.0 mm) needles over stockinette, blocked
Note: Gauge is not critical for this project but will affect finished measurements and yardage.

Finished Measurements Large (Medium, Small)
60 (50, 42)”/152 (127, 106) cm wingspan, 22 (17, 17)”/56 (43, 43) cm center back

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All our patterns have been professionally edited and tested.

Available on Ravelry for $6.50

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October 28, 2013December 16, 2017

Hedgerow Jam Hat

This hat is named for the hedgerow bounty we would bring home from our weekend excursions. My Mom would cook the berries into a delicious jam that could sparkle just as red as the raspberries beckoning between the green leaves, or be dark and jewel toned when there were more blackberries in the mix.

Designed to match the Hedgerow Jam cowl, it uses the same design elements but uses different techniques.

Worked in stranded color, the hat becomes nice and dense and is sure to keep your head toasty.

[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”2/3″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]Yarn: Malabrigo Rios (100% Merino, 210 yards/192 meters, 3.5 oz/100gr)
1 skein each color A (Lettuce ) and color B (Jupiter)
(If you made the matching Hedgerow Jam Cowl, you should be able to make this with the leftover yarn.)
Or worsted weight yarn, about 80-90 yds each of 2 colors.

Other samples were knit in KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Worsted Yarn (100% Peruvian Highland Wool, Worsted Weight, (110 yards/50 gram) 1 skein color A (Avocado) and 1 skein color B (Garnet Heather)

Needles: US size 7 (4 ½ mm) 24” (cm) circulars, or size to obtain gauge; US size 9 (5 ½ mm) for Berry Pattern and cast on

Gauge: 20 sts = 4” on US #7 (4 ½ mm) needles over stockinette; 20 sts = 4” on US #9 (5 ½ mm) needles over 2-color ribbing

Notions: 1 buttons (7/8” to 1” dia/ 2cm to 2.5cm dia)

Finished Sizes:
Women’s Medium (to fit a 21”/53 cm head)
Fitted (Slouchy): 20”/51 cm (22”/56 cm) unstretched circumference
Crown height (both styles): approx. 8“/20 cm[/x_text][x_line][x_text]

All our patterns have been professionally edited and tested

Available on Ravelry for $6.00

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October 8, 2013December 16, 2017

Hedgerow Jam

This cowl is named for the hedgerow bounty we would bring home from our weekend excursions. My Mom would cook the berries into a delicious jam that could sparkle just as red as the raspberries beckoning between the green leaves, or be dark and jewel toned when there were more blackberries in the mix.

Worked entirely in Mosaic, and slipped stitch colorwork technique, you will ever only have to use one color at a time, making this the perfect and easy intro to working with two colors!

Wear this cowl open like a long scarf or wrap it twice for more warmth. With all the different ways to button it and wear it, it won’t get boring and will adapt to almost any temperature!

Well funny you asked, 😉 here is the matching hat to use any leftover yarn: available here: Hedgerow Jam hat

[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”2/3″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]Yarn: Malabrigo Rios (100% Merino, 210 yards/192 meters, 3.5 oz/100gr)
2 skeins each color A (Lettuce ) and color B (Jupiter)
(If you make the border just one color, you can get away with using 2 skeins one color and only one of the ‘not border’ color.)
Or worsted weight yarn, about 250-280 yds each of 2 colors second sample shows KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Worsted Yarn (100% Peruvian Highland Wool, Worsted Weight, (110 yards/50 gram) 3 skeins color A (Avocado) and 3 skeins color B (Garnet Heather)

Needles: US size 7 (4 ½ mm) 24” (cm) circulars, or size to obtain gauge; US size 10 (6 mm) for Berry Pattern and cast on

Gauge: 20 st = 4” on US #7 (4.5mm) needles in slip stitch color pattern

Notions: 3 buttons (7/8” to 1” dia/ 2cm to 2.5cm dia)

Finished Size: 50” long and 12” wide (127 cm long and 30 cm wide)[/x_text][x_line][x_text]

All patterns have been professionally edited and tested

Available on Ravelry for $6.50

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September 30, 2013December 16, 2017

Lavender Breeze

Hold on to the soft light of early fall afternoons, warm your hands on a cup of tea and wrap your self in comfort. Hazy colors, you walk the winding paths between the last flowers in your garden as a gentle breeze carries the sound of buzzing bees and the scent of lavender over to where you enjoy the warming rays of the afternoon sun.

Lavender Breeze a top down shawl knit in fingering weight yarn was originally released as a Mystery KAL in the summer of 2013.

Written and Charted instructions.

[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”2/3″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]Yarn: KnitPicks Palette (Fingering weight yarn) in Iris Heather (lilac) 2 skeins (Color A), Celadon Heather (green)1 skein (Color B), and Clematis Heather (purple) 1 skein(color C)

Yardage: Color A: 400yds / 366m; Color B: 120yds / 110m; Color C: 210yds / 192m

Needles: US 6 / 4mm circular, 32” min
Needle one size larger for some of the patterns used
spare circular needle for Provisional cast on

Gauge: Approx 20 sts = 4”/10cm over stockinette st after blocking
Gauge for this project is approximate

Finished size: 60”/155 cm wingspan and 25”/65 cm center back.
(This is the main size, there are 2 spots where it can be made smaller)

Beads (optional):
light beading – beads only in the Set Up Chart and along the bottom lace border: approx. 260 beads.(this is what I did and love it)
Full beading – beads in all the main sections of the shawl: approx. 930 beads
This shawl will look lovely with or without beads.

Skills required: Provisional cast on (tutorial), k, p, k2tog, ssk, yo, s2kpsso, working stitches tbl, Bind off.

Technique videos availabe on my YouTube channel[/x_text][x_line][x_text]

All patterns have been professionally edited and tested.

Available on Ravelry for $7

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September 15, 2013December 16, 2017

Book Club Cowl

Oxford chic and studied, a look you can now pull off easily, even if your not into books! Or you only have time to read magazines at the coffee shop.

Using a clever slip stitch pattern to produce a smart plaid fabric, this cowl shows you are smart about your work and know how to be stylish with ease. In fact no real colorwork is required of you to make this, you will only ever use one yarn at a time, no fiddling with carrying along a second color!

So what will it be, Macchiato or Machiavelli?

[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”2/3″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]Yarn: Sweet Georgia Trinity Worsted: 70% Merino, 20% Cashmere, 10% Silk (200 yards/183 meters, 115 grams /4.06 ounces), 1 skein color A (Boysenberry) and 1 skein color B (Pistachio)

Needles:
US Size 8 (5 mm) 16 or 20” circular needle, or size to obtain gauge
US Size 10 ½ (6.5mm) for cast-on only

Notions: 1 stitch marker

Gauge: 20 st = 4″ on US #8 (5mm) needles in plaid pattern

Finished Sizes: 20”, 22”, and 24” circumference, approx. 8” high for all sizes[/x_text][x_line][x_text]All patterns are professionally tested and edited.
Available on Ravelry for $6.00
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August 15, 2013December 16, 2017

Sweet Harmony

[x_section style=”margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px; padding: 20px 0px 45px 0px; “][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_custom_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h3″ accent=”true” class=”center-text “]Rolling Hitch[/x_custom_headline][x_gap size=”10px”][/x_column][/x_row][x_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” bg_color=”” style=”margin: 0px auto 0px auto; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_column bg_color=”” type=”1/3″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]Have you ever made that pretty top from a magazine just to never wear it because it just doesn’t fit right? Somehow it seems too short in the front, but you did everything right and you didn’t even wash it yet? That used to be me before I discovered how easy it is to fix using simple short rows (optional) to fit your bust without turning into a belly shirt or buckle under your arms!

Fitted Shell Sweet Harmony hails from times past, alluding to the great stars of the silver-screen, when fashion was fitted and feminine. The magic lies in the easy to do, yet oh so sophisticated looking details, a little bow pattern accenting the center and neckline line, seed stitch edging and shaping fit for Ingrid Bergman.

Accommodating for larger busts with optional short row shaping, and two widths for the straps, this shell is a staple you’ll want for your closet, wearable as much in the office as for play![/x_text][x_line][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”2/3″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]Yarn
Cascade Ultra Pima, (100% Pima, (110 yards/50 gram) DK weight yarn,
Main color A 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4 skeins, 1 skein contrast color B
Shown in main color A, Sage # 4423 and contrast color B, Burgundy # 4417

Needles:
US Size 4 (3 ½ mm) 24” circulars
Needle one size larger for cast on

Gauge
22 st and 28 rows = 4” (10cm) on US #4 (3 ½ mm) needles in stockinette st (or size to obtain gauge)
Take time to check gauge!

Notions 8 stitch markers total, one for end of round (EOR) in a different color

Finished Garment Sizes
Bust 28, 30 (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44)”
Sized to fit 30, 32 (34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46)” bust, with approx 2” negative ease
Bust 71, 76 (81, 86, 91, 96, 102, 106, 112) cm
Sized to fit 76, 81 (86, 91, 96, 102, 106, 112, 116) cm with approx 5 cm negative ease

A word on sizing: Due to the nature of cotton, which tends to ‘grow’ and stretch a bit over time, the pattern is sized to account for that with negative ease built in. It is suggested to choose a finished garment measurement that is 2” (5cm) less than your actual body measurements.[/x_text][x_line][x_text]

All patterns have been professionally edited and tested.

Available on Ravelry for $7.00

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January 5, 2013December 16, 2017

Rosy & Grey Hat

Great first stranded color project!

Rosy & Grey was inspired by a cold November morning, where before the sun comes up fully, the world is rendered in shades of gray and rose. Melancholy and Beauty all wrapped up into one! And just like the fog sometimes can float up and swirl down, the pattern swirls on the finished hat!

Simple and easy to make, warm but not overly bulky, it’s the perfect hat for those days when you just need a little more warmth but aren’t ready to give up on your style. Worked in the round with an easy 2 color pattern, you can make one of these in an afternoon!

You can choose which way to wear your hat, flipping the rim up for a shorter cap or leaving it as is for more coverage.

[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”2/3″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text]Yarn: KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Worsted Yarn (100% Peruvian Highland Wool, Worsted Weight, 110 yards/50 gram ball) 1 skein color A (Cobblestone or dark grey) and 1 skein color B (Pink Posy Heather or rose heather),
or 50-70 yds each of two contrasting colors, worsted weight yarn

Needles: US Size 8 (5mm) Set of double point needles, or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 18 st = 4” on US #8 (5mm) needles (using k2 color A, k2 color B pattern for gauge swatch)

Finished Sizes: Sizes xs fits head up to 18”, (sm fits head up to 20”, md fits head up to 22”, lg fits head up to 24”), crown of hat is 7.5 inches in all sizes

If in between sizes, make the smaller one, the rib is fairly stretchy.[/x_text][x_line][x_text]

All patterns have been professionally edited and tested.

Available for immediate download on Ravelry for $6

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January 1, 2013

Happy New Year – Happy New You!

Fora of: Happy 2013 everybody! And thanks to all of you for reading my little blog. I honored and blessed that i can provide information that is interesting and relevant to you. Happy New Year!

I just quickly wanted to share some easy tips to start the year off right.
Many of you made great resolutions for the new year. You’re going to exerciseore. Or eat better. Loose weight. Run a 5k. Those are all great goals to have and i commend you for them all.
Hear i want to specifically address eating better and loosing weight( Although i prefer to refer to it as loosing body fat since that really should be the goal) While it ia great ro have longer goal, every bug journey starts with a small step and mound Everest did not get climbed in one day. What i am trying to say is prepare and above all take small steps. If you’re coming from a diet of cheeseburgers and fries (extreme example) and you decide to be super healthy and just eat really great whole food starting January 1, you are setting yourself up for failure. Sorry. But inadvertently you will slip, its a huge change! Then you end up feeling bad and get frustrated and give up as it seems all very hopeless. Do yourself a favor, don’t set yourself up for failure, no one likes to fail. Seriously. What you need to so is approach this differently. Set yourself up for success! And i am going to tell you how. First you need to approach change much more gradual. So its doable and you sent feel deprived. The way we are going to start is by replacing just one meal a day with something homemade. Something real. You know real food, whole food. Something good for you. One meal is doable and if you goof for breakfast, guess what, you still have to more chances for success! I am hoping you are going to plan a bit more than that, as truly your success depends on the planning part as much as your continued intention to change for the better. And here’s the second part of the ‘wisdom’ I’m going to impart onto you: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Period. Most people don’t eat unhealthy because they wanna be unhealthy, but because they get caught up in the run of life and suddenly it’s 8 pm and you’re still out and about and haven’t given dinner much thought. And now you’re starving and here’s hat convenient fast food place, or a diner, family restaurant or whatever place you pass will start looking real good right about now. But if you plan ahead, you know hat there are a few meals in your freezer and or fridge that can be heated up quickly and won’t make you felt crappy after.
So here the re-cap: Start with one meal a day. Plan it. And once that feels more natural and you’re inbthe groove work on fixing a second meal… You will also notice that you start feeling better after the good meals and that will help make you want to keep going down that path. Just don’t beat yourself up over temporary set backs. Thats all they are. Temporary. You can do this. One step at a time. So savour goals and give yourself a break. Rome wasn’t built in a day 🙂 And give yourself credit for wanting to make a change. Give yourself some love for that!
Please look through the blog, there are many recipes that can be either prepared ahead, made while you’re away (slow cooker) or can be frozen ahead of time. I will also work on a weeks worth of meals in the next couple of days that you can use as a guideline or follow. 🙂
May your new year be blessed with love, happiness and light!

December 31, 2012December 16, 2017

Welcome to OwlCat Designs!

New patterns and other important updates will show up here first, but if you would like to know a bit more, there are several ways to get your hands on some background info and possibly a coupon here and there…

Ways to stay in touch:

You can find my patterns (as they become available) under [OwlCat Designs][1] on Ravelry.
Join our Group OwlCat designs Studio on Ravelry for more info on patterns, help, errata, knit alongs or to share your thoughts and Pictures of finished OwlCat designs Projects!

The best visual way to stay in touch is Instagram. See what I am up to here: https://www.instagram.com/owlcatdesigns

or on Twitter: @owlcatdesigns

and you can even sign up to get an email (and email only coupons), every time a new pattern is published: http://eepurl.com/HIXBP

December 30, 2012

White Beans with Leeks and Thyme ‘Slow Cooker Friday’ Stew or Soup

That ended up being quite a long title, but the ingredient list is all the shorter to make up for it. And yes, I realize it’s not Friday 😉

Shorter days and all the holiday activity can leave you tired and sleepy. It’s darker earlier and after the hustle and bustle of the holidays most don’t feel like doing as much as on a sunny summer evening. Add to that the weeks of overindulgence that usually lead up to the end of the year, the lethargic feeling that comes with it and you know you really don’t want to cook at all. But luckily to your aid comes the slow cooker! After a long week of work or entertaining, you deserve to come home to a meal that’s good, good for you and won’t break the bank! Prepare in the morning and decide if you want soup or stew on your way home! (Sorry there are no picture of the soup, we were too hungry and it was dark out, but let me tell you, it was yummy)

I used a 2 qt size round cooker for this recipe. Makes 4 servings if you add some Chicken Sausage Patties on the side.

Ingredients

1/2 lb dry white beans ( I have used both baby lima and regular dried lima beans) rinsed
1 cup leeks, white and light green parts only, (from about 2 stalks) cut into rounds and cleaned well*
1 tsp salt
1/2 cube Rapunzel (no salt added) bouillon
3 sprigs thyme
4 cups water
(optional) pancetta or speck as a topping or chicken sausage patties as a side

* Leeks can trap a lot of dirt, so submerge the cut rounds in cold water and move pieces around with your hands, changing the water a couple of times if necessary until no more ‘sand’ collects on the bottom

Here served with a nice slice of 10 grain sourdough for a vegetarian dinner (resuscitate your sourdough starter in the back of the fridge, you will need it for this yummy bread, recipe coming up soon)

Directions

Rinse beans well, then layer into the slow cooker and add 3 cups of water.
Add the cleaned leeks, salt and thyme sprigs.
Turn your slow cooker to high and wait 5-6 hours until beans are fully cooked, adding water if necessary. (On low the recipe will take longer, about 8-9 hours)
When you get home, either serve as is, or add another cup of water and using a hand held blender, puree the beans and leeks until smooth, adding more water if you like a thinner soup.
Cook some chicken sausage patties until nicely browned and serve along the stew or cook a slice or two of Pancetta or Speck, crumble and top your soup with it