Alpaca Sox Shawl

Our very own Emily designed a beautiful shawl using one skein of Alpaca Sox a few months back.  Classic Elite loved the pattern and published it one of their webletters!  They also added a large size using two skeins. 
It's now available free on Ravelry here. 

Shown here in the large version using color 1823 Strawberry.

She used a sweet lacy picot bind off.  I love the way it looks.

Shown here in the small size using color 1826 Pansy.

Here is the original shawl Emily made in the color 1872 Dried Herbs.  The simple mix of garter and stockinette looks beautiful with both the variegated and the tonal kettle dyed.

The yarn, Alpaca Sox, is a fingering weight yarn at 8 sts/in and a soft mix of 60% alpaca, 20% merino wool, 20% nylon with 450 yards in a skein.  We have so much fun using sock yarns for shawls and scarves on bigger needles.  It's soft and lightweight, making this wearable almost all year round!

-Annie, Yarn Garden

Upcoming Class - Knitting Your First Sweater

Are you mystified by sweater shaping? Not sure how to make sure your gauge is right? This easy pullover pattern gives you the option of a pretty color stranded pattern, color blocking or a solid color. Learn pattern reading, gauge, shaping, and seaming and feel confident making sweaters. Sign up for Mary's class online at yarngarden.net , over the phone 503-239-7950, or come in and see us! 
The class is $65.00 and all students will receive 20% off class material purchase.


Class Dates and Times:
Wed. • 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm • 1/11/2012
Wed. • 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm • 1/18/2012
Wed. • 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm • 2/1/2012
Wed. • 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm • 2/15/2012
Wed. • 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm • 2/22/2012

Skills needed to take this class - CO, BO, knit, purl. 

This sweater pattern which is available free from Cascade Yarns has instructions written to fit sizes small (medium, large, 1X, 2X, 3X).
The finished measurements for the bust are 35 ½ (37 ½, 40 ½, 43 ½, 46 ½, 49 ½)".

 

Here's a close up of the color work snowflake pattern that is optional.

Cascade Yarns, Soft Spun is what the sweater was made with.  It's a really nice single ply, aran-weight wool with 197yds/100gm skein, $8.95 each.  To make the color block version of the sweater pictured above, it would take about 7 skeins for the smallest size, 35.5" bust (2 hanks for the bottom color, 4 for the top and 1 for the snowflakes and trim) or 6 for a solid version. 

Here are a few other yarn suggestions the teacher has made:

Cascade Yarns, Eco Wool is a great yarn for this sweater too.  There are 478yds/250gm hank and $19.95.  It would take less than 3 to make the smallest/medium size and 6 for the largest.  We think it would be beautiful to make the whole body of the sweater in one solid shade and use a contrasting color for the trim and snowflakes. This yarn is wonderful to work, it's soft and has a great color palette. 

A traditional red sweater with white snowflakes would be really cute!

 Plymouth Earth, Homestead would be a perfect yarn too.  It's an undyed wool with 191yds/100gms and $5.95.  It would take 6 hanks to make the smallest size and 14 to make the largest size in a solid color, that's only $29.75 to make a wool sweater (for the smallest size)! 

Fibranatura, Shepherd's Own is another all natural undyed wool that we love.  I'm using this yarn for a shawl right now and love the feel of it.  It's a soft 2ply, aran-weight yarn with 252yds/100gms and $7.95.  Very economical and it comes in a range of naturals from creams to the dark chocolate pictured above. 
It would only take 4 skeins to make the smallest and 11 to make the largest in a solid color. 


All students will receive 20% off their class material purchase!

-Annie, Yarn Garden