A new routine

Hello, dear reader!

You might have noticed things being a little quiet around here lately... I've been moving house, changed jobs and started working in another city! So needless to say, things have been a little chaotic at times.

I recently returned from a rather lovely holiday to Florida with my partner - quite a change of scenery and climate, and just what the doctor ordered in fact! We stayed in Orlando at the StaySky Suites just off International Drive and used it as a base for exploring several of the theme parks in the area. So we had a lot of fun, as you can imagine! (more on that later)

I'm back at work and settling into what's still a relatively new routine, now that I've moved in with my boyfriend of many years (in Edinburgh) and am doing a daily commute by train to Glasgow. This is not too bad, as I can easily get to the train station, pick up a weekly copy of the Stylist or read a book and listen to some music. Much better than driving on the motorway twice a day and ending up exhausted. It's quite nice to have access to the best of both cities too - Edinburgh will always feel more like home but I did enjoy living in Glasgow last year.

Winter is Coming!

It has certainly been feeling a little autumnal round here lately. So I thought it was high time I did a little WildCat Designs update. Cosy knitwear ahoy!!

Etsy shop

I have been updating my WildCat Designs Etsy online shop in the last couple of weeks - this is definitely the best place to see the full range of knitwear accessories I have on offer for autumn/winter. There are some brand new designs for 2013, along with some of my best sellers!

Custom Orders

If you're interested in commissioning something special for a loved one this winter - or fancy getting a bespoke handmade piece made especially for you - please do get in touch, I am happy to discuss custom orders. Should you wish to do this, please feel free to email enquiries {at} wildcat-designs {dot} co {dot} uk or contact me directly through one of my online shops.

WildKittens

I also have a collection of felted Merino lambswool scarves for kids, along with cute hand knit baby gifts and PDF knitting patterns.

Find out more by visiting the WildKittens Etsy store.

If you want to find out more about my WildCat Designs label, my dedicated website should tell you everything you need to know. (P.S. there's a bit about me & my designs on my new blog bio too, for the curious!)

Where to Buy WildCat Designs

You can find my WildCat Designs creations online:

Etsy (WildCat Designs)

DaWanda (offered in three language flavours) - EN - DE - FR (€)

Bigcartel (£)

WildKittens Etsy shop

Crafty Roundup September 2013

This is the perfect time to bury oneself in craft projects - cooler weather, cosy evenings at home and maybe a few gifts to make in time for December. I've certainly been getting stuck in to my knitting! I also recently spotted some really cool knitted graffiti in Edinburgh - a rainbow of railing cosies :)

I thought it was high time to do another of these, so without further ado, I present to you my roundup of crafty goings-on for September & October:

Glasgow School of Art Postgraduate Degree Shows
14th-28th September at The Lighthouse, Glasgow

The Big Knit by Innocent Smoothies
The annual mini hat knitathon is looking for donations of hats by the 1st EDIT: 31st of October. See thebigknit.co.uk for more info. I also found a very cute owl hat pattern on the Guardian website!

Shetland Wool Week 2013
Shetland without wool simply wouldn't be Shetland. So in celebration of the wondrous fibre that is wool, they have a whole host of events running 7th-13th October - see www.shetlandwoolweek.com for more details.

 

Some rather lovely Shetland sheep! 

(Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Oooh...and let's not forget National Knitting Week! The annual UK-wide knitfest. This year it's happening from Monday 14th – Sunday 20th October. Running in tandem is UK Wool Week, championed by the Campaign for Wool. You can look forward to more on the blog about both of these soon :)

Phew, I think that just about covers it!

Any upcoming creative events you think I've missed? Leave me a comment!

Comfort Food

Now, I don't normally blog about food - unless it's cake, because frankly, I think cake is good for the soul (mainly because it makes you happy!) - but I wanted to share this recipe I came across.

Two reasons: 1. It looks *deee-licious* and 2. much like cosy knits, it's perfect for autumn (or winter for that matter!), when you're craving a little comfort food. I also really love Moroccan food and dream of visiting there someday.

The recipe is for Moroccan Meatballs and the accompanying sauce - found on the Cupcake Junky blog.

Images via Cupcake Junky

Enjoy!

Gorgeous Knits

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend, dear readers. I have to say that I take particular delight around this time of year when the weather starts to turn as it means one of my favourite seasons is almost underway! I adore the beautiful autumnal colours, crisp leaves underfoot and curling up with new knitting projects (of course!). Above you can see a cable design I have recently brought out of hibernation :)
Here are some other lovely things which I think are perfect for staying cosy during autumn.



Found on the Fall Fingerless Mitts blog.

This gorgeous leafy hat pattern looks fab knitted up using variegated yarns - it's available from Ruth Sørensen's website and also ravelry.

I love this adorable (and cosy!) *hexapuff* Beekeeper's quilt 

- it looks like such a fun pattern to work on.

[Edit - coincidentally, this is National Knitting Week this week here in the UK! Happy knitting!]