Issue 240 – My Casual Cardigan in Inca Alpaca Cardigans are one of my favorite wardrobe pieces. They are the perfect thing to grab when we are unsure of what the day will bring; if it's too hot--take it off, if it's too cold--slip it on. This week's beauty, designed by Elena Nodel, is worked top down with a bold collar and completely seamless construction. She has even employed a cool and fairly new shoulder construction technique called "contiguous set-in sleeves" developed by Susie Myers that allows shaping shoulders and knitting set-in sleeves without the use of a single short row. Click "Download PDF Pattern" below to learn more about it. Elena chose to work with Inca Alpaca for its lovely drape and lightweight softness. Inca is available in an impressive 45 color palette and is a perfect go-to yarn for a single color knit such as this one or for beautiful intricate colorwork pieces. Visit Elena’s website • View Elena’s designs on Ravelry     (file size: 1.4 MB; published May 1, 2012) If you have difficulty with the PDF, try these: page 1 – page 2 – page 3 – page 4 – page 5
The Yarn: Inca Alpaca 100% Baby Alpaca Inca Alpaca is soft, sturdy and very warm--even when wet. Alpaca is a smoother fiber than wool, giving it a luster that many wools lack. It's also a dry fiber; there's no lanolin to worry about if you're one of the folks who reacts to lanolin in wool.
	Designer Spotlight Elena Nodel Born and raised in snowy Siberia where knitting is part of the lifestyle, Elena Nodel grew up watching moms and grandmas knitting in the parks and playgrounds as a child. She made her first knitted piece at the age of seven, but saw it more as a curiosity than a career. Instead she trained as a microbiologist and immunologist and spent years doing scientific research. When her daughter Maya was born (left), she became Elena's ever-present inspiration for all her artistic endeavors and the spark was reignited for the creative life. Read more about Elena, her inspiration, and her advice for budding knitwear designers on the blog.
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