The most challenging item I've ever made! It was a custom order using her llama's wool to create a free-form abstract vine pattern. There were a total of 5 background colors, 3 leaf colors and 2 flower colors, plus the black emboidery. Many of the colors were natural, the obvious ones were dyed. After all the charting and fiber dyeing, the knitting actually seemed like the easy part. Well, almost. It took quite a bit of concentration to correctly follow a chart showing me where to put as many as 10 colors in each row! Once the pieces were sewn together, the vines were hand embroidered and the trim completed. I love it!

Cape with Hood
This original cape was custom made for a customer. I've redone it several times over the past couple years in off white, black and most recently, gray. First the body of the cape is knit and sewn together, then felted to about the stage of boiled wool. Once dry, I add the knitted hood/scarf combo and fringe, Fringe, FRINGE.

I was contacted by a woman who wanted an orange sweatercoat with accents of yellow and purple. I played with a few designs, showed her several options and she chose this striking pattern. It's made with my llama/mohair yarn so it has that fun fuzziness of mohair. I have to admit I was a little scared of the bright colors while I was working, but I love the way it turned out.

Striped Vest
One of the very first things I made. The yarn is a sampler of some of the llamas I owned at the time. It was a gift for my mother who wore it often. In fact, one of her friends liked it so much she commissioned me to make a duplicate!

Fair Isle Trim Jacket
Understated cables and fair isle trim complement the subtle brown and black colors of this woman's llamas. White llamas on the pockets added visual interest. Zipper front.

Can you tell this was commissioned by the same customer as the vine patterned sweatercoat? I love the way she constantly challenges me with new ideas! I had to design and coordinate 3 different fair isle patterns and make their motifs come together in the guage I had already determined for the jacket.

Handknit in one piece.