MALCOLM BIRD’s illustrations have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers and he has designed various greeting cards, comic strips, and books. Regular commissions have included three comic strips - "MADGE AND BERYL" for JACKIE, "LUCY'S LOT" for PRIMA, and "THE WRIGHTS" for WOMAN'S WEEKLY magazines, and he illustrated Lynda Lee-Potter's column in the DAILY MAIL for 25 years.

He wrote and illustrated THE WITCH’S HANDBOOK , and THE SCHOOL IN MURKY WOOD. He also illustrated the series of books written by Alan Dart - THE CHRISTMAS HANDBOOK, THE PARTY HANDBOOK and THE MAGIC HANDBOOK.

Co-creator, with Alan Dart, of THE PIGGLES™, a trio of pigs living in Pigglemere, a village (not unlike Grasmere) in Cumbria in the English Lake District. They are Squiggle, his twin sister Wriggle and their baby brother Giggle. Their first appearance was in Woman's Weekly as toys, for which Alan supplied the instructions. Patterns for clothes and accessories have been in the magazine since. The Piggles are now trademarked and there are currently plans for an animated television series, a series of books and a wide range of related merchandise.

LATEST NEWS

JACKIE ANNUAL IN STITCHES

This compilation from JACKIE magazine (and previously published as THE BEST OF JACKIE ANNUAL (2006) and MORE OF THE BEST OF JACKIE ANNUAL (2007)) includes a full page MADGE AND BERYL comic strip, and various quiz illustrations (though none are credited).
Also two early Alan Dart knitting patterns - one to make toys of Madge and Beryl, and one to knit a fry-up (beret and bag with your choice of chips, peas, sausage, bacon and egg)

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The In Stitches comic strip about the Knitall family is in Simply Knitting every month.

Baby Pearl, the youngest member of the Knitall family, appeared in the June 2006 issue as a knitted toy designed by Alan Dart. He also designed a pattern for Sox for the March 2010 issue. These downloadable patterns are now for sale, as well as many others, on his website.
Sox is here and Baby Pearl is here.

This is the latest IN STITCHES strip in the current issue of SIMPLY KNITTING. Available at W H Smith and Sainsbury in the UK, both Borders and Barnes & Noble in the States, and Chapters in Canada. It's a glossy specialist magazine that covers knitting related features. Back numbers available from Simply Knitting.

A new venture. A collection of cards, some of which feature Malcolm's vast back catalogue of work, and also new ranges which are constantly being added to. Current subjects include the Todney Ladies Club's attempts to exercise, make jam and sew; depictions of Cumbria's favourite animal, the red squirrel; illustrations from The Witch's Handbook.

A pack of four different knitting related birthday cards (catalogue page download below) is available for £9.50 (including envelopes and p&p). Cheque payable to Malcolm Bird and sent to Arty Corner, PO Box 362, CARLISLE CA1 9EF. UK orders only, please.

The most recent catalogue is available in separate pages as PDF downloads:

Wuv You and Mother's Little Helpers
Todney and Huggins & Wilmott
Witches
Knitted Birthday and Beryl
Cast of Thousands
Squirrels

and an order Form
(for orders from the United Kingdom only)

For delivery worldwide, cards (which can also be printed with personalised text inside) can be ordered on the GREETING CARD page.

Email Malcolm Bird at info @malcolm-bird.co.uk