Month: November 2012

  • puffins!

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    So, I suspect it won’t be hard for you to guess what provided the inspiration for the last pair of designs in the collection . . . ©John Moncrief Photography These two designs really were an awful lot of fun to work on . . . For what is more fun than a puffin? ©John…

  • Stevenson sweater and gauntlets

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Ahoy there! I have two complementary designs to show you today — the Stevenson Sweater and Gauntlets. These designs were inspired by Shetland’s iconic lighthouses . . . . . . such as the Bressay light, which provides the dramatic backdrop to these photographs. Seven of Shetland’s lighthouses, including the one at Bressay, were designed…

  • Ursula Cardigan

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Its time to show you another design, from the next of my Shetland ‘colour stories’. This is the Ursula Cardigan. This design is named for writer and naturalist, Ursula Venables, who lived and worked in Shetland during the 1940s and ’50s. (You can read more about her in my book.) Ursula’s writing about wildflowers, as…

  • Northmavine hoody

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Phew! Things are really busy round here today! There is just time to show you the fourth design from Colours of Shetland – – the Northmavine Hoody. Just like the accompanying hap, the hoody is inspired by the blues and greens of the rocks and water that shape the turbulent landscape of Northmavine. The hoody…

  • Scatness Tunic

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Here is the next design from Colours of Shetland — the Scatness Tunic This design was the last in the collection to be completed. For many reasons, it is one of my favourites in the book. Here is some behind the scenes footage from the day that my friends at Old Scatness kindly allowed us…

  • Scatness Tam

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    With massive thanks to Nic, my superb art and production editor, this image shows the cover of Colours of Shetland fresh from the presses! WOOHOO! We really are nearly there now – the bookshop will open on December 3rd, and in case you were in any doubt about the general excitement round here, I’ve created…

  • The Shepherd, The Shearer, and me

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    When Susan Gibbs recently contacted me to ask me if I’d like to be involved in a new project, I already knew I would say yes. I love everything that Susan does at Juniper Moon Farm, and was thrilled to have an opportunity to work with her. But when she explained precisely what this project…

  • snawheid is here

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Good morning! It is I, Bruce. I am here to tell you about the release of Kate’s latest hat design. This hat, which is called “Snawheid” features a large fluffy ball that I’m unfortunately not allowed to savage. Did you know that I play a crucial role in all of Kate’s photoshoots? Well I do.…

  • snawheid

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Here is the result of my pompom mania — SNAWHEID! Snawheid is a seasonal, snowflake-adorned beanie, feauturing a gigantic snowball pompom. It being Wovember and everything, I thought it would be fun to present to you three rather different Snawheids, each made in a different British breed-specific yarn. All are, of course, 100% wool (as…

  • revenge of the pompom

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Some of you may remember that in a recent post, I appeared to express an aversion to pompoms. Let me explain: I don’t, in fact, dislike pompoms in and of themselves, but merely hate the process of making the chuffers. Clearly, I have been scarred by interminable evenings spent wrestling with wonky cardboard rings, scissors,…

  • Amazing Boreal cardigans

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    One of the most rewarding aspects of this very rewarding job is seeing folk happily wearing the stuff that you’ve designed. I particularly enjoy seeing knitters’ inventive modifications of my work, and recently came across three versions of my Boreal sweater that are so wonderful that I just had to show you. Here are friends…

  • FAQ

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Kate’s new book, Colours of Shetland, will be published on December 1st, 2012 With its beautiful photography, engaging writing, and signature hand-knit designs, Colours of Shetland will inspire you with the varied shades and hues of Britain’s most Northerly isles. FAQ What is in the book? Colours of Shetland contains ten signature designs, five garments…

  • spirograph

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    So, I finished my spirograph — these pictures are of the item in its unblocked state, as I was in a rush to get outside and stick it on my heid. Like Anna’s original version of the design, my spirograph adds extra repeats to be more like a a lidless hat than a headband. It…

  • a taste of Northmavine

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Quite a few of you have been asking about the design depicted in my site’s new header. As there’s not long to go now till my book is published, I thought I’d give you a bit more of a taste of it. This is the Northmavine Hap. It uses one of the most familiar and…

  • At Reform Lane

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Bruce and I took a few hours off today, and spent the morning drinking tea and eating scones with our friend Sarah. Sarah has recently moved to Edinburgh from Shetland, and it was the first time I’ve had a chance to see her new studio. I love to see different kinds of spaces dedicated to…

  • three hats!

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    Kate Davies Designs
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    Perhaps it is the time of year, but I definitely find myself in full-on hat-knitting mode. I’ve finished the first clue of my Woolly Wormhead Mystery hat . . . I’m not sure whether or not the next photograph warrants a SPOILER ALERT warning, since it is purposely rather cryptic and unrepresentative, but if you…