Ysolda

As long as we are still talking about knitting websites...another great one I found is ysolda.com
Ysolda Teague is a Scottish girl my age who has already published two knitting books! "Whimsical Little Knits" and "Whimsical Little Knits II." (I put them on my Chirstmas list for this year).

Last week, I checked up on her blog and saw her cute idea of making a single owl from Kate Davies cabled owl sweater pattern (see here, here and here for pictures). This free sweater pattern is so great because it takes a simple technique, the cable, and spaces the repetitions just right to make little owl bodies all in a row. Plus, it is a fitted sweater...very pretty.
I will definitely make one for my me and my little owl some day!
The cabled owl is simple to make - even if you have never knit cables before.
Ysolda's single owl pattern is here:
Cast on 8 sts; k 2rows; p 1row.
Next row: C4B, C4F.
Work 7 rows in st st.
Next row: C4B, C4F.
Work 5 rows in st st.
Next row: C4B, C4F.
Bind off knitwise.
I modified the pattern to make one a little larger (it worked better with the yarn I had):
CO 10 sts; k 2 rows; p 1 row.
C5B (2 sts in back, 3 sts in front), C5F (2 in back, 3 in front).
Work 7 rows in st st.
C5B (2 sts in back, 3 sts in front), C5F (2 in back, 3 in front).
Work 5 rows in st st.
C5B (2 sts in back, 3 sts in front), C5F (2 in back, 3 in front).
Bind off knitwise.
Very important to block (pin flat to a towel and steam with an iron) to keep from curling.

I then sewed on buttons and beads for eyes and stitched them to wool felt as a colorful backing.

Now I have a flock of owls to give to my sisters and girlfriends!