cowl

Blue Sky Alpacas EXTRA blog tour /  by jen geigley


Welcome to my stop on the Blue Sky Alpacas EXTRA blog tour! The lovely people at Blue Sky Alpacas recently sent me a hank of their brand new EXTRA yarn along with a pattern from their Destination Collection. Check out the video below to see why this new yarn and pattern collection are so special. 


 

EXTRA is a lovely and lush mix of 55% baby alpaca and 45% fine merino wool. It comes in a generously sized hank (218 yards) and is available in 14 colors. It's a versatile Aran weight that is light and lofty and incredibly soft. You will love knitting with this yarn – I promise.

The Destination Collection is inspired by hometowns, far-away places and everywhere in between. The accessories in this collections were created by top Blue Sky Alpacas designers from all over the world.


The gorgeous pattern I have been working on is the Fractal Cowl by Kirsten Johnstone. Each pattern in the Destination Collection has been designed exclusively for EXTRA and each pattern has a story. And I have to say, Blue Sky has done a wonderful job with the design and packaging of their printed patterns! I just love how this folds out into a full page of photos and pattern instructions with a full-sized chart on the back, and then folds right back up into a sturdy little envelope that's easy to throw into your bag. 

The construction of this cowl is genius. The unique cabled design is inspired by the cutting-edge architecture of Australia, where designer Kirsten is from. Every round is different, and it's knitted (with ease) in stockinette. Then you flip it inside-out to see the geometric design. Brilliant! I've just started working on mine, but it's already been a super enjoyable knit.



GIVEAWAY!

 

THE PRIZE

THE RULES

  • Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only
  • Giveaway is open until Saturday, October 25, 2014 at 11:30 PM CST.
  • Comments must include a valid email address or Ravelry ID so I can contact you if you are the winner.
  • Winner will be chosen via random number generator and will be contacted within 48 hours after giveaway ends.

HOW TO ENTER




A big thank you to Blue Sky Alpacas for the opportunity to be a part of the fun!

Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the EXTRA blog tour:

Week Three: Lattes & Llamas
Week Four: Rock + Purl
Week Five: HeyJenRenee

Yarn Love: Zealana Air /  by jen geigley



I recently had the opportunity to knit with a yarn I've never tried before – Zealana Air chunky weight, part of Zealana's Luxuria Series. And it truly is light as air! It feels special. Extra soft, pill-resistant, durable and it's lighter and warmer than 100% cashmere. And it's made in New Zealand.

 

Zealana Air is made of 40% cashmere, 20% mulberry silk and 40% brushtail possum down. Possum down, you say!? Yes. But not your typical North American possum. 

 

Since its introduction to New Zealand by fur traders in the late 19th century, the non-native brushtail possum population has reached staggering proportions largely due to the lack of natural predators that would otherwise maintain an ecological balance. The consequences of their rapidly increasing numbers are many, including damaging impacts on New Zealand’s native plant and animal life. Zealana is committed to the responsible management of the brushtail possum in New Zealand, and when you knit with Zealana you are choosing to be a part of their sustainability story. Read more about Zealana's conservation efforts here.
 

You've probably seen Zealana's gorgeous patterns everywhere, from luxury designer pattern books to Vogue Knitting magazine. (They also offer free patterns on their website – scroll down to check them out here.) 



I decided to knit a quick one-skein cowl with the ball of Zealana Air in L09/Emerald, which is the perfect shade of teal/green for spring. The stitches are soft, it's lovely to hold while you knit and the drape is perfection. 

 

I'm so glad I decided to knit something I'll wear around my neck with Zealana Air because the softness is unbelievable. Even if you have sensitive skin like me. There is absolutely zero scratchiness with this yarn. I'd love to knit an entire sweater with Zealana – their yarns are something extraordinary.

Check out all of Zealana's yarn offerings on their website. Beautiful.

surf + sand cowl /  by jen geigley


Not long ago, Rowan sent me some new yarn from their Spring/Summer release and I've been brainstorming ideas for what to make with it ever since. I was especially inspired by Pure Linen, because it's so unique. The feel and look of it is definitely unlike any wool or cotton I've ever used and I just had to make something with it. But I also really wanted to try something with Silkystones, which is a silk and linen blend.


After swatching and daydreaming about it for awhile, I decided to use both. :)


I ended up knitting a simple, loose-knit cowl perfect for spring and summer days (or better yet, a morning on the beach.) I striped Silkystones in colorway 83/Grassland with Pure Linen in colorway 395/Arizona and I named it 'surf + sand.' I love the airy-ness and drape of this cowl and the two yarns look and feel really nice together.

If you'd like to download the pattern, it's available for free on Ravelry. Click here to check it out.