botanical knits

Posted on Posted in book reviews/events

fellow knitwear designer alana dakos is in the process of publishing her third book, this one a collection of garments and accessories inspired by plant life, entitled botanical knits.

leaves, vines, berries, and branches twine over and travel across the surfaces of  twelve pretty pieces—four sweaters, fingerless mitts, hats, scarves, and socks.

the color palette featured within the book’s pages is autumnal, a composition in rich greens, rust, gold, and taupe—a look that is warm and comforting when the weather drops in the brisk zones it has been lately (right now, it’s much too cold for springtime where i live).

but if i squint my eyes, i can totally see these pieces working equally well in all natural colors, such as the palette in our collection of bare naked wools.

or for springtime, an array of garden colors like celery, apricot, wheat, and sky blue, knit in soft cotton or silk for more temperate weather.

with botanicals, you just need to choose a season and look around to find a set of alternate colors that would work.

everyone who loves leafy motifs will be pleased by the designs featured on these pages—from the simplest application to ones that get more elaborate, there is something for everyone.

deep texture, sheer openwork, eye-catching trims—sometimes a little and sometimes a lot; they are each interpreted in a way that makes you want to reach out and touch (i like that in a book, don’t you?).

alana is one of a whole wave of contemporary designers who is comfortable producing and promoting her own compilations. as with her earlier books, this one is self-published, which means you can purchase it directly from her (a nice win-win) in hardcopy or eBook format.

hardcopy may be preordered now and will begin shipping in mid may. for a limited time, early birds who pre-order the book will immediately receive a free eBook copy with their reservation (this bundle offer ends in may).

purchasing the bundle will also entitle buyers to a free additional garment pattern as a thank-you from the author. the eBook is available for purchase by itself, for those who prefer a green option that does not require expensive shipping.

preorders are a crucial component in the self-publishing equation; with some idea of how many knitters are interested in buying the book and what version, producers can make informed, cost effective decisions about how many copies to print. preorders also help fund the print run and initial promotion work, providing the author with income during these stages, as well as the ability to plan and budget the distribution of the work.

and if all that wasn’t enough, here’s some awesome sauce to go on top:

alana has offered a free eBook version of botanical knits to one lucky knitspot reader. leave a comment at the end of this post by 9 pm EDST on sunday, march 24th. we’ll draw a winner on monday or tuesday morning and let you know the results.

david and i will be on the road most of today (friday); when you next see us, we’ll be transmitting from upstate NY and have we got a weekend planned for you. not only a look at alana’s beautiful designs, but tomorrow the release of the next installment of bare naked wools—our new stone soup blend, in both fingering and DK weights, which would be lovely in a number of the patterns seen here.

so don’t wander too far—you don’t want to miss the excitement!

287 thoughts on “botanical knits

  1. Alana has such beautiful designs! Their simple, organic lines remind me of another favorite designer of mine…

  2. I have been following this book around the blogosphere. It is definitely on my must-have list. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful patterns.

  3. I love the new patterns! They would be a great pairing with the new BNK yarn line. I am in love with “nature” designs.

  4. What a Lovely collection of patterns ! I would love to win a copy . Thank you!

    Suzygirl on ravelry

  5. My favorite sweater is Autumn’s End. Looking forward to starting it soon.

    cibola on Ravelry

  6. I love all of Alana’ work. This would be a great addition to my knitting boks and a great birthday present. I’ll keep my finger’s crossed for some good luck. Thanks for the opportunity!

    Letterlady on Ravelry

  7. BEAUTIFUL – – just the perfect time with Spring here to dream of botanical knits!!!!

  8. Beautiful collection! Having a super hard time deciding on a project to start with. Might have to cast on more than one project at the same time. =X

    Rav ID: kellknit

  9. The colors used in the patterns are all my faves. Count me in on the drawing. Can’t wait to begin a project!

  10. What an enchanting collection of knitting. I love bringing designs of nature into a knitting project knit with natures best yarns dyed in exciting but natural colours. I can see these patterns would be used over and over again.
    Brenda

  11. This is a pattern book where I would knit everything in it. Alana’s designs are always so beautiful Count me in on the drawing.

  12. Count me in for the giveaway 🙂 What a great collection of patterns for the lovely new Bare Naked Wools!!

  13. Oh my gosh!!!! I so WANT this book! It is gorgeous! I’m going to cross my fingers……..

  14. I would love to have that book in e book format. So many of the patterns just call out to me.

    Have a wonderful time, Anne.

  15. I’d love this book, too. What beautiful patterns and photos! I love the hats and mittens.

  16. I have always loved Alana’s Cedar Leaf Shawlette and this is a whole book of similar designs! Truly lovely. What a great giveaway!

  17. I love all the patterns in this book and want to knit every single one! If only I had time…..

  18. Just gorgeous! would love to win the book – thanks for the chance to do so – just love lacy, leafy knitting designs!

  19. I love botanical prints and stationery, and now knits, too! This book looks wonderful.

  20. This book is on my wish list! There are several patterns that I have my eye on to make ASAP.

  21. What beautiful patterns and I’d love the chance to win her patterns. Thank you so much.

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