My Forest Floor in Dusk #418

I wish I could knit as fast as I dream about projects…

I had to make this dream a reality with Forest Floor, a project I could not stop thinking about after writing a review of Alana Dakos’s new book Botanical Knits. I kept thinking about how this one-hank wonder must be a quick knit since it was less than 164 yards of yarn. So, over a weekend I cast on and bound off, and it was exactly what I was looking for: a quick knit I could dream about and finish quickly, and that had great results!

For those among you who are process knitters, Suri Merino has a gentle halo and feels lovely while you’re knitting. Watching the leaves form kept me knitting, as I thought about how “just one more round!” would get me closer to another completed leaf!

For those among you who are product knitters, I cannot stop wearing this hat! [Jillian interjects: "I can vouch for that!"] It is the “Baby Bear” of hats–always just right! The Dusk color looks great with just about everything, the hat isn’t too tight or too slouchy, and it never messes up my hair (even though I wear it all day long, even indoors!).

Plus, this hat was even faster for me to knit since I finally started knitting from charts. The Zelda Wrap is what converted me (check it out here) and I’ve been a speed-knitting chart reader ever since!

What pattern is calling to you? What do you want to drop everything for and just knit?

Introducing the Spring/Summer 2013 Organic Cotton Pocket Pattern Collection for Simple Kids Knits

Blue Sky Alpacas would like to share our four new and easy patterns featuring organic Skinny Cotton and organic Worsted Cotton. This collectible pattern set features tender illustrations and tactile packaging with designs that allow children to “just be”! Relaxed, simple heirloom pieces to be worn with discovery in mind. You are sure to treasure these items just as much as the memories made while wearing them.

Beatrice steps gingerly into the chilly water as she guides her bright red sailboat away from the shore.

The Beatrice Top encourages long, carefree days at the beach. As with all of the items in this collection, this top is named after a Minnesota lake. (We are, after all, the Land of 10,000 Lakes!)

The Details

Pattern: Beatrice Top
Designer: Erika Flory
Size: 6 months (12-18 months, 2T-3T, 4T-5T)
Needles: Size 5 (3.75mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 5 (3.75mm) double pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton, shown in Gravel #314
Pocket Pattern available at Blue Sky Alpacas Stockists
Digital Pattern available in the Blue Sky Alpacas Pattern Store

Ready for a picnic after a morning of discoveries, Cameron tiptoes across the sandy beach in search of the perfect location.

The cool breezes of early spring are no match for this comfy hooded vest.

The Details

Pattern: Cameron Hoodie
Designer: Bobbi IntVeld
Size: 6 months (12-18 months, 2T-3T, 4T-5T)
Needles: Size 7 (4.5mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 8 (5mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton, shown in Sleet #635
Pocket Pattern available at Blue Sky Alpacas Stockists
Digital Pattern available in the Blue Sky Alpacas Pattern Store

Gazing at the expanse of the lake, Georgie takes in the blue depths of the water while wriggling toes in the warmth of the golden sand.

This organic cotton blanket wraps your little one in handknit love—it’s just right for drying off or falling off to dreamland!

The Details

Pattern: Georgie Blanket
Designer: Cheryl Nelson
Size: S (L)
Needles: Size 8 (5mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size H (5mm) hook, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton, shown in Shell #606 and Stone #626
Pocket Pattern available at Blue Sky Alpacas Stockists
Digital Pattern available in the Blue Sky Alpacas Pattern Store

As she enjoys a visit to the lakeshore, Harriet pauses in her exploration of the shoreline to listen to the lap of the waves and the cry of the gulls.

This simple handknit dress is soft and swingy—perfect for playing along the water’s edge!

The Details

Pattern: Harriet Dress
Designer: Cheryl Nelson
Size: 6 months (12-18 months, 2T-3T, 4T-5T)
Needles: Size 7 (4.5mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 7 (4.5mm) double pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton, shown in Zinc #304
Pocket Pattern available at Blue Sky Alpacas Stockists
Digital Pattern available in the Blue Sky Alpacas Pattern Store

The “look”!

I’ve been enamored with the Zelda Wrap since its release. The look, all the places I would wear it, and how lovely it would be to knit.

Peridot perfection

I have also been enamored with Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk in Peridot for ages.

When I realized that Alpaca Silk is completely interchangeable with Metalico (both the fiber content and the gauge are exactly the same), it was a total “Eureka!” moment:

Violà! Zelda Wrap meets Alpaca Silk, for results I love!

But the finished wrap wasn’t even the best part of knitting Zelda for me, as I have now been officially converted into a chart-loving knitter! I have been knitting for a long time, but for some reason I just completely disregarded charts. I didn’t need them or want to use them, preferring the written directions. But… on the other hand, how could I have a “preference,” if I never, ever even tried to use charts?!?! So, I gave charts a go with Zelda. Instead of reading pattern lines multiple times, spending long minutes counting as I worked across a row, I simply looked at the logical chart with the repetitive tessellations, saw how the stitches moved in predictable ways, and realized how much more efficient charts are at relaying this type of information than the written pattern.

The stitches started to move in predictable ways.

Zelda is an intermediate-level pattern because it is worked on the bias and has three charts to work from, but if you have always wanted to master charts I would strongly recommend trying this pattern. A chart illustrates knitting on a grid, as a whole, instead of individual line-by-line components and does take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you can work more quickly and with fewer errors! I’m so glad to be a convert, I wish I would have given charts a real chance a lot sooner.

Many of my coworkers, myself included, cannot stop knitting with captivating, shimmering Metalico. And, because of its myriad of special properties, designers all seem to use the different qualities to amazing effect.

Photo © Knit.Wear Spring 2013

Laura Zukaite’s Diamond Rib dress–what a wonder! The dress takes advantage of the marvelous stitch definition of Metalico with a subtle-but-impactful faux bois look. But then again, this body skimming dress was always going to make an impact!

The Details

Pattern: Diamond Rib Dress
Designer: Laura Zukaite
Size: 26¾ (32, 37¼)”
Needles: Size 6 (4mm) 24″ circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 6 (4mm) double pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 4 (3.5mm) 32″ circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Metalico, shown in Platinum #1612
Pattern available in Knit.Wear, Spring 2013

Photo © Knitscene, Summer 2013

The Love Braid Cardigan looks like just another simple, swingy cardigan from the front, but the back holds a surprise that is anything but ordinary! The designer really pushed her techniques into sculptural elements. Smooth stockinette in shining Metalico paired with the textural braid–high contrast!

The Details

Pattern: Love Braid Cardigan
Designer: Melissa Wehrle
Size: 36 (38, 40, 41½, 45½, 50)”
Needles: Size 6 (4mm) 32″ circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 6 (4mm) double pointed needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Metalico, shown in Platinum #1612
Pattern available in Knitscene, Summer 2013

Hello, readers! Jillian popping in with a project to share.

Since starting here at Blue Sky Alpacas, I’ve come to find that perhaps I look at the world in more of a crafterly (is that a word? well, it is now…), out-of-the-box way than I had previously thought.

This is perhaps most exemplified by my Market Tote, one of the first Blue Sky Alpacas patterns that caught my eye, largely due to the fact that it is a crochet pattern and six months ago I wasn’t nearly as confident a knitter, so I focused on crochet. But, if I’m honest, I would say it was even more largely due to the fact that, when I looked at it, I didn’t see this…

A super-handy tote for groceries, workout clothes, yarn projects, or as an airplane carry-on!

I saw this…

A super-handy INSANELY COLORFUL tote for groceries, workout clothes, yarn projects, or as an airplane carry-on!

And then it had to be made. The vision had to be realized! And so it was. The Market Tote to end all Market Totes… the patchwork Market Tote… where every panel on all four sides (including the bottom) is a different color. It is crazy color awesome!

So, next time you have a vision, make it reality! Don’t be afraid to experiment and go outside the box. Run with your imagination and make the crazy-awesome-impossible into crazy-awesome-reality!

The Details

Pattern: Market Tote
Designer: Valerie Teppo
Size: one size, 15¼” x 12½” x 5½”
Hook: Size G (4mm) hook, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton in Zinc #304 (or, if you’re me: Zinc #304, Squash #306, Maize #307, Mallard #308, Pear #312, Gravel #314, Coral #317)
Pattern available in the Blue Sky Alpacas Pattern Store