Winter at WildCat Designs

Autumn seems to be briskly turning into winter around here... so it must be time for cosy knitted things - my speciality! ;)

This year marks a big milestone for my little business - WildCat Designs is 5 this November! With that in mind, there will be more lovely felted scarves, brooches and hand knitted lace wraps and this year I've added to my range with cute stripy fingerless mittens and there are even hats on the way. I'll also be writing more knitting patterns for the little sister label WildKittens.

Image above & below: courtesy of Clare Dakin Photography.
(Click to view larger)

I'm also pretty excited because another goal is within sight - namely 200 sales in my WildCat Designs etsy shop! Currently at 186 sales, not far to go at all...so I'd like to announce that whoever my lucky 200th customer is, they will receive a fantastic goodie bag, packed with lots of lovely freebies.



In other WildCat Designs-flavoured news, I have a new stockist! May I introduce to you: The Spider & The Fly! It's a fabulous boutique full of wonderful things made by independent artists & designers, handmade and vintage loveliness - find them on Edinburgh's Bread Street, at number 65.

I'll also be setting up shop at the next two Magpie Markets, the first of which is on Sunday 14th of November at the Lot, 4-6 The Grassmarket, Edinburgh. The following one is on Sunday 12th December at the same location. Do come along between 12 noon & 5pm, it's sure to be fun. There are even goodie bags for the early birds!

For more information about events I'm doing/taking part in, check out the new Events tab on my blog :)

Happy Birthday Burns!

He'd have been 250 today...

We had our traditional Burns Supper this evening - haggis neeps n tatties - and very good it was too! With an extra-special creamy mash and one of McSweens finest :)

In honour of the occasion, I would like to share with you the

Address To a Haggis

"Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the pudding-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch , tripe, or thairm :
Weel are ye wordy o'a grace
As lang's my arm.

"The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o'need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

"His knife see rustic Labour dight ,
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin' , rich!

"Then, horn for horn , they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive ,
Bethankit ! hums.

"Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad make her spew
Wi' perfect sconner ,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

"Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as wither'd rash ,
His spindle shank , a guid whip-lash;
His nieve a nit ;
Thro' bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

"But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed ,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle ;
An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned ,
Like taps o' thrissle .

"Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies ;
But , if ye wish her gratefu' prayer
Gie her a haggis !"

- Robert Burns

One of the strange things about this is, I think our night in celebration of good old Rabbie Burns is almost certainly more widely celebrated than St. Andrew's day.