Inspiration. Where does it come from? While it’s certainly different for everyone, the beauties of nature seem to be the most universally inspiring. With all the colors, textures, patterns, and beauty found in nature, it is entirely fitting that many designers try to translate these occurrences into knit and crochet patterns.
Alana Dakos’ love of nature shines in her newest collection, Botanical Knits, which is a literal translation of leaves into knitwear. Through her thoughtful execution in which knitted fabric mimics nature, the leaves seem to spring forth from the garments, as though ready to sway in any gentle breeze that may pass by…
Dakos even uses decreasing techniques to portray the cyclical nature of life in Forest Floor, a slouchy hat featuring Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino. With delicate leaf shapes growing seamlessly out of the ribbing and decreasing gently into nothing, we are reminded of how life unrfurls, grows, and withers. Forest Floor is my weekend plan, now to pick a color!
The Details
Pattern: Forest Floor
Designer: Alana Dakos
Size: 20-22″ head
Needles: Size 5 (3.75mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 7 (4.5mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino, shown in Harvest #415
Pattern available in Botanical Knits: Twelve Designs Inspired by Trees and Foliage
