In the two years since I started working on indie.knits full time, I've been lucky to connect and work with some awesome local and American-made yarn companies - and among my favorite folks to work with are Black Wolf Ranch, a brand that features luxury alpaca blends in luminous colors influenced by the Montana landscape.
Last year, I knit up a Nusa cowl sample, and later, designed the Jardiniere shawl, using their gorgeous yarns. And this past February at Madrona Fiber Arts, I was delighted to see my designs featured in their booth both as individual patterns and thoughtfully chosen kits.
While I was there, I got to catch up with Wendy and her lovely team - and when she asked if I would be available to knit up samples of my Salt Creek Hat & Loop for them, out of two different dreamy silk-blend yarns, I was like um, yes please!
Last year, I knit up a Nusa cowl sample, and later, designed the Jardiniere shawl, using their gorgeous yarns. And this past February at Madrona Fiber Arts, I was delighted to see my designs featured in their booth both as individual patterns and thoughtfully chosen kits.
While I was there, I got to catch up with Wendy and her lovely team - and when she asked if I would be available to knit up samples of my Salt Creek Hat & Loop for them, out of two different dreamy silk-blend yarns, I was like um, yes please!
Salt Creek Hat
This was the first design that I ever released for sale on Ravelry, so it holds a special place in my heart! I revamped the pattern in 2014, and ever since, I've been so happy to see it keep getting love. The simple cable and twisted stitch details add knitterly interest, while the garter stitch gives it a bit of textured smoosh. And the crown decreases are pretty neat, if I do say so myself!
I knit up the sample in Black Wolf Ranch Rustic Wool, a 70/30 BFL/tussah silk blend, in the colorway Tuscan Sun, which is a beautiful shade of green-scented yellow - like a ripening lemon, or a splash of fresh olive oil. The BFL adds structure and crispness to the fabric, which lets the silk content sing the lead, as the color shimmers and glows from within.
For more details, you can check out my project page here.
Salt Creek Loop
This pattern came a little later, when I was inspired to try the same textural details of the Salt Creek Hat in a soft, drapey alpaca yarn. I worked on the pattern on a trip to Iceland in 2012, and I have distinct memories of blocking the sample in our rental laundry room during a bout of insomnia: the cement floor and hum of the dryer, the smell of soap and sulfur lingering in the air like a strange, cozy dream.
I knit up this sample in Black Wolf Ranch Spirit Alpaca & Tussah, a 70/30 alpaca/tussah silk blend, in the colorway Cenote', a deep, complex blue-green - just like the pools of clear, cavernous blue of its namesake. In this yarn, the sinuous quality of the alpaca combines with the luster of the silk to create a fabric with amazing drape and shine - like the yarn version of silk crepe-back satin.
For more details, you can check out my project page here.
One of my favorite things about working as an independent designer is the opportunity to partner with folks who share my love of color, local and independently-produced yarns, and strong, supportive community - and by all of those counts, Black Wolf Ranch has been a total pleasure to work with. If you ever get the opportunity to stop by their booth at a fiber festival or show, I do hope you'll say hello!
In the meantime, if you're interested in their lovely yarns, you can shop online here.
(And a few of my patterns are available as kits as well, which is pretty awesome!)
Thanks again to Wendy, Amanda, and the rest of the Black Wolf Ranch team for their support, and for letting me play with their pretty, pretty yarns!
And thank you for reading, friends. Happy Thursday!
<3
Cory
