When the talented Alana Dakos, the design maven behind Never Not Knitting, contacted us in the summer regarding design support we knew that good things wouldn’t be far behind. Boy, were we right! Her new book, Botanical Knits, is truly a gem. Alana’s eye for design in the natural world shines forth in this stunning collection of 4 sweaters and 7 accessories. Available in print May 2013, and as an ebook now, we were lucky enough to get a sneak peek – and a head start on our Fall knitting!
The ebook version is filled with links to other websites, a feature that we love. In the pattern notes you can click links to the yarn, the pattern page in Ravelry and more. Additionally, in the table of contents you can click on the project name and be jumped ahead to the pattern, or click the page number to be skipped ahead to that page.
Botanical Knits has two projects featuring The Fibre Company yarns, a garment and an accessory. Entangled Vines is a seasonally transitional cardigan with half-sleeves and a great leaf and cable detail along the length of the arm. Knit in Organik, a single-ply blend of organic merino wool, alpaca and silk, in the color loam, this versatile cardigan is a great layering piece. Constructed as a top-down raglan, it’ll be a fun and easy knit as well! The leaf detailing along the sleeve is charted and written out line-by-line in the pattern, and we love how the leaves get smaller as they wind their way down the arm, such lovely design elements.
The Twin Leaf Loop is an accessory featuring our most popular Fibre Company yarn of the moment, and our newest yarn, Tundra, a blend of alpaca, merino in a bulky two-ply construction. Shown in the color mink, the Twin Leaf Loop is a long cowl which can be worn doubled and close to the neck, or worn loose and long as a casual scarf. Knit on US size 11 and just 240 yards of yarn, the scarf is a beautiful and quick knit quick knit.
Botanical Knits will be available for purchase in May 2013, but is available for pre-order at botanicalknits.com. As a special thank you for preordering the printed version of the book you will receive the ebook version immediately! This special offer is only available until the print book is released, so get it while the getting is good!
As we poured through the book together we all chose projects that we would like to knit.
Maura chose the Twigs and Willow Cardigan using Canopy Worsted in chiclet tree, a fitting yarn for a leaf-inspired cardigan!
Courtney chose the Autumns End Pullover in Road to China Light in the color aquamarine.
Finally, Kate chose the Forest Floor hat using Acadia in the color moraine.
As an added bonus, we’ll be giving away two skeins of Tundra to a lucky reader! Let us know which Botanical Knits project you’ll be making {bonus points if you tell us which Fibre Company yarn you’d like to use!} Comments will be open until 12 noon EST on Tuesday March 12th. One comment per person please!
Isn’t Botanical Knits just gorgeous! I would love to knit each design but I know I would start with Autumns End — it’s stunning. I would love to knit it in Savannah. Thanks for the chance to win this beautiful book.
I love Botanical Knits! I think I would use Organik to knit Entangled Vines first.
They’re all so beautiful! Decisions! Decisions! The Autumn’s End sweater is definitely on my list! It would look so comfy and rustic in Acadia in the Oyster colorway. The Ivy Trellis Mittens would be a quick and satisfying knit in the Fern colorway of Canopy Fingering.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Rav ID: kellknit
I’m planning to knit the Twin Leaf Loop (maybe out of Tundra! I haven’t tried it yet!) first from Botanical Knits although I want to knit just about all the patterns in it. I think the Twin Leaf Loop looks like a quick knit I could finish and wear before Spring arrives!
alligator on Ravelry
My fave is Autumn’s End. So pretty. I would use a rich autumn tone of russet or orange in Savannah. Thanks!(Goodstuff on Rav)
I also love the Entangled Vines cardigan and would love to knit it in Organik, or maybe Acadia for a slightly more cozy and casual sweater.
I really like the Oak Trail hat. Would love to knit it using the Fibre Company Organik Worsted.
I love the Ivy Trellis Socks.
I absolutely love Entangled Vines in Organik loam, exactly as Alana did it. Most of my knits are either burgundy or green, so a little loam would be a nice addition….
The Botanical Knits e-book is gorgeous – lovely patterns and photography. I’m not surprised that Tundra is one of your current bestsellers. I knit a permafrost shawl in Tundra Mink and it turned out beautifully. At present, I have the twin loop underway in Tundra Glacier. It’s looking great.
My FIRST knit from this e-book would probably have to be Twigs and Willows, but I would also really love to knit up Forest Floor and Entangled Vines, for which I would be inclined to try Organik as the pattern calls for.
I love Entangled Vines
I would love to make the Twin Leaf Loop and it looks so wonderful in Tundra that that seems the way I should go.
I would make the Twin Leaf Loop in Tundra Tamarack, because I’ve been wanting something leafy and green for a few months now.
I”d make Twigs and Willows in Organik color Fjord
I would love to make the Twin Leaf Loop. I have some Fibre Company in my stash, but I would love to try the Tundra. 🙂
Tundra Scotia Sea is gorgeous hue. I would try Buds and Blooms and actually finish typing it if my cat would get off my keyboard. Meow! All the hat patterns are also very handsome.
Although the cowl is beautiful & would be quicker, I just adore Autumn’s End Pullover! I think I’d do it as pictured in Road to China Light. Is that color Coral? Just gorgeous!