WildCat Designs is 4!

Yes, the idea which began as a notion to produce my own designs after graduating from a textile degree, WildCat Designs, is four years old, and going strong!

I couldn't be happier about that, and never dreamed it would get this far...

This year has been a busy one and has seen my work featured in an exhibition (UK DIY), blogged about by some lovely people (such as UK Handmade), posted to various corners of the globe, and I even reached a big milestone just last month: 150 sales on etsy!

Woolly world domination, here I come :D

On a more serious note, my little business would not have survived for this long, were it not for the help and support of my friends and family over the years. I also have to say, it's also been quite a thrill to hear from, and get, customers from far-flung corners of the world, places I never thought I would be sending my creations to. There are some really rather well-travelled scarves out there...

Even more remarkable, there is even one scarf, which, extraordinarily, saved someone's life. If that isn't motivation to keep making them, I don't know what is!



It doesn't stop here...the Christmas rush is already well underway, I am knitting more scarves than ever, just to keep up with demand! The last date for placing a custom order in time for Christmas has now passed. However (a little heads-up here), I'll still be offering the custom skinny striped lambswool scarves for a little while to come.

In the meantime, find me here:

Facebook * Twitter * Ravelry

...or start your Christmas shopping here:

Etsy ($) * Bigcartel (£) * DaWanda (€)

Travelling

Well, well. It's been a busy few weeks since my last post.

I had a nice time at the Etsy retreat in August, which was held at Queen Margaret's School, in Escrick near York. It was essentially a weekend of crafting of all kinds! Plus lots of chatting and there was a good amount of cake (mostly made by the lovely Marmalady) consumed. Definitely no bad thing, and it's always nice to meet other folks who 'get' etsy and who are creative too - equally good to be able to put faces to names, as it were.



How pretty is this ^ school?! It was our home for a couple of nights, as we stayed in one of the boarding houses there and crafted our little hearts out in the art block during the day. Uninterrupted. Bliss.

I travelled even further away from home for a few days in London last month. I always get so excited about going there, and as ever, I had a list of things I wanted to do which was much longer than I could possibly have managed!

It ended up being a very arty weekend, as I visited the Tate Modern and also saw my good friend Beatie Fox's MFA Degree show at Wimbledon College of Art. She's a talented artist, do check out her website and sketchbook-style blog.

My visit to the Tate was quite fruitful too, though I was a little disappointed to discover that the Mark Rothko room wasn't around. I did, however see a few thought-provoking works, including Robert Therrien's 'Red Room' - a little room filled, or rather, crammed, entirely with all things red (crayons, red converse, baskets, blankets, painted wooden furniture...) - and also 'No Title (Table and Four Chairs)' which was an interesting exploration of scale. It's a sculptural work which consists of a giant-size table and chair set, which you can walk through and around. I had the feeling of being very small whilst exploring it!

Pretty Unique

I was recently excited to discover All Things Original, a great online treasure trove for lovely, unique things made by the hands of talented UK designers.

One item in particular which really caught my magpie-like eye was the 'Harriet' Shopper, made by Glasgow's own Showpony.



I love it because that print could not be more perfectly placed! Pretty *and* functional too. What's not to like?

Check out the All Things Original blog - http://theallthingsoriginalblog.com/ - which has features on their designers and other interesting things! They are currently featuring an interview with 'A Alicia' who makes beautifully sculptural corsages using colourful felt.

Win a Scarf!

Hello, dear reader. Would you like to win one of my lovely WildCat Designs scarves? Thought so. Well, read on...

My new Aussie stockist, the 'i like you' boutique in Melbourne, is having a little giveaway on their blog! So if you like your scarves skinny, stripy and versatile, this is the one to add to your wardrobe. Perfect for that tricky spot between summer and autumn!



This very scarf can be won, just follow the instructions on this post. If you don't want to leave it to luck, the scarf is also, of course, for sale in all the usual places (etsy, dawanda & folksy)! ;)

Books from Boxes

Well, well. It's been a busy few weeks since my last post, and there's even been some lovely sunshine! :)

July was mostly a month of:

thinking about books
knitting
general crafting
drinking Sailor Jerry & coke
more knitting
reading Tank Girl comics

...and that's about it really.

Here are some of the books I thought about:



I'd heard of the Goddess Guide before, and this book is by the same author, and is in the same vein. It has such a beautiul cover! The interior is pretty good too :)

Another book I'd heard about (or rather ogled pictures on flickr of) for a while before giving in and actually getting my own copy of is 'Wreck this Journal' by Keri Smith, it's less of a book to read, more of a DIY sketchbook with mad instructions/antics encouraged.



It's been fun so far, and I reckon anyone having a creative block will feel the benefits too. I just wanted to try and be a little less 'precious' about my sketchbooks/artwork for a change, and this is the book to do it with!

One of my favourite books of the last five years was undoubtedly 'The Friday Night Knitting Club' by Kate Jacobs. I was thrilled to discover that she has now written a sequel (only just published this year in paperback!), featuring the familliar characters from the original, five years on.



One final book, just for the joy of it, is 'Put on your Pearls, Girls!' which is fun, witty and full of gorgeous illustrations by Martin Welch.



It even has some wonderful pop-ups! :D What more could you ask for from a book?