Episode 43 Owls: Mystical, Magical, and Knittable

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Thank you to Quince & Co for sponsoring this episode of Knitting Pipeline. Sign up for their free newsletter.

Thank you to everyone for your kind words and condolences.

A Winner!

The winner of the Owl Sweater Project Bag is Hybridgirl!  Thank you to Three Bags Full for 5 beautiful handcrafted project bags.  You can still get FREE shipping through May 31, 2011 by using the promo code "piper" at check out.

Leave a comment below to enter the drawing for two owl patterns by Susan B. Anderson.  One is Hoot Hat and the other is just being released!  I've been following Susan's blog for a long time.  Check it out!

Pipeliner Tip

Tracy is knitting Those Mitts by Leslie Friend for high school graduation gifts.  She is using the colors of the college of their choice in the mitts. 

Owls

People have been fascinated by owls since before recorded history. Prehistoric man painted owls on cave walls. Owls are a part of folklore and mythology. Owls have represented good, they have represented evil. Owls have been the portent of death and the messenger of birth. They have been associated with goddesses, witches, wise men, and prophets. Possibly no other bird has been so feared, loved, despised and revered. There are 133 species of owls world wide and they are found on every continent except Antarctica. They live in snowy landscapes and in deserts and everything in between. When I looked at the many species of owls I was amazed at the variety…and yet each one does look like an owl. The flat beak and the large eyes embedded in spherical discs are two characteristics that stand out among the majority of owl species.

So what makes owls different from other birds and why do people over centuries love them and fear them?
Owls are nocturnal birds and although we often hear them we seldom see them. This nocturnal activity makes them more mysterious than a bird that hops about on the ground or flies during the day. Nighttime is often associated with evil and the unknown. Their large somewhat human eyes and their keen sense of hearing and seeing also makes us think they know something that we don’t know. Although they are nocturnal it is not true that they cannot see during the day. The fact is that their sight is very good in the daylight but their prey is usually active at night.

Like humans, owls have binocular vision. The vision from each eye overlaps. Most birds have monocular vision which is why you see a robin cocking its head to look downward. They cannot see as well straight ahead.

Owls eyes are sometimes as large as human eyes but of course owls are much smaller. Even the largest owls are only a little over 2 ¼ feet long. Their eyeballs are not round like ours though. They are tubular; therefore, an owl cannot look to the side without turning its head.

Wise Old Owl

A wise old owl sat upon an oak;

The more he saw the less he spoke;

The less he spoke the more he heard;

Why aren't we like that wise old bird? 

    ~~Edward Hersey Richards

The Bat that flits at close of Eve

Has left the Brain that won't believe.

The Owl that calls upon the Night

Speaks the Unbeliever's fright.

~~William Blake

Needle Notes

Owls (Sweater) by Kate Davies knitted by 12 Pipeliners
Owlet (Child Sweater) by Kate Davies knitted by 7 Pipeliners
Who? (Hat) a Free pattern by Sara Amoroso.  knitted by 10 Pipeliners
Give a Hoot (Mittens) knitted by 5 Pipeliners
Owlie Sleep Sack and Owlie Hat by Teresa Cole  Free knitted by 2 Pipeliners
Hoot! (Hair Accessory) by Ysolda Teague knitted by 3 Pipeliners
Hoot Cardigan by Brenna Kotar
Owl Baby Vest by Jodi Haraldson (Free) by 4 Pipeliners
Hoot Hat by Susan B. Anderson
Tooley Owl by Amanda Berry
Birdie Backpack by Alison Stewart-Guinee

Book Notes

The Owl and The Pussycat by Edward Lear

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter

Mother West Wind Tales by Thornton W.  Burgess

Harry Potter Books by J.K. Rowling (who studied the classics at University, quite possibly the owl connection from Greek Mythology)

I Heard the Owl Call my Name by Margaret Craven

Winnie The Pooh by A.A. Milne.  Owl could spell Tuesday.

In Greek mythology, the goddess Athene had a Little Owl.  Owls were a sign of victory if one flew over troops in battle.  Owls are on ancient Greek coins.  Many owls inhabited the Acropolis and were protected there.

Owls announced the death of Julius Caesar and Agrippa.

The Blethering Room

Estelle KAL update.  Quite a few of us started over because our gauge was off.  Pipeliners Goldybear, Redbird1, and JanMarie met for an evening of Estelle KAL Knitting in Public.

From left, Goldybear, Redbird1, and JanMarie.  I am so happy that our Estelle KAL brought these three together.

A pair of Barn Owls had fans from all over the world when they raised their owlets on a webcam.

Molly's Blog

Activity TV has an origami owl-shaped bookmark.  There is video instruction and written instructions.

Owl Bookmarks

Owl Bookmark in action.

Turkey eavesdropping on podcast.

Nature Notes

The four main owls in our area of Central Illinois.

Great Horned Owl  largest owl in our area.  yellow eyes and ear tufts.
Barred Owl: an owl of deciduous woodlands. Known as Eight-Hooter because of its call:  . "Who, who, who cooks for yooooooouuuuu?"
Screech Owl  Smallest owl in our area.  Sounds like a cell phone.
Barn Owl  light in color.  heart-shaped face and long legs.  Somewhat endangered due to dwindling number of habitats.

In the Piping Circle

We are begining our competition season!  Celtic Cross Pipes and Drums will be competing at the St. Andrew Highland Games in Springfield Il on May 21, 2011.

Music is from Garden of Healing by Healing Music from http://www.magnatune.com/.  The tune is Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still, an American folk tune.

Haste ye back and hold your knitting close!