I recently received an adorable new book - Knit Your Own Scotland. It's just what it says on the tin - a book of 14 patterns for making your own various Scottish things.
The authors, Jackie Holt and Ruth Bailey, are costume designers by trade - and this shows in their fine attention to every last detail in the designs. For instance, each of the humans included goes off of a basic doll pattern (which I may also use for future, non-Scottish projects) - but each has their own face, some have a unique head, and every one of them has several of their own clothes. Take a look at Robert Burns, for example, clothed in the height of 18th-century fashion with his waistcoat, jacket, breeches and boots:
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Can you believe those teacakes are knitted and not real?
The suggested yarns for the book are all quite easy to find - Rowan, Sirdar, Debbie Bliss and the like. One thing that tripped me up at first is that amounts of yarn are not listed unless it requires more than one ball - but this makes sense as a space-saving measure when the toys are small and only need a little yarn. Needle sizes are given in mm and old UK sizes (the smaller the needle, the larger the number).
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I've started knitting my own Highland Cow, one of my favorite British animals (fuzzy and ginger and hair all in his face, what's not to love?).
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You can also find additional pictures and a very special add-on to the William Wallace doll at KnitYourOwnScotland.co.uk.
Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the publisher.
~Joyuna
Highland cows are a favourite of mine too. That picture on the back cover is just adorable!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it?! A lot of the patterns in the book are so totally cute. I hope my coo turns out like the photos :D
DeleteHave you knit the Highland Cow yet? What type of yarn is it? I just ordered my copy of the book.
ReplyDeleteCarol-Ann
I haven't gotten around to finishing mine yet, no. :( I'm knitting in some handspun CVM wool - the book recommends two colours of Kidsilk Haze knitted together.
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