Silky Alpaca Lace Design Contest II

Last week, we looked at the winner and the runner-up in the accessories category of Unwind's design contest. This week, we are delighted to present our winner in the Garment category!

Here are the rules according to Stephanie:
We're seeking items that are easy to wear and reflect our lifestyle. Cowls you could wear with tanks and flip flops. Easy wraps that take you from the office A/C to the Hollywood Bowl. Or color combinations that highlight L.A.'s urban yet casual atmosphere.
 
Our winning designer, Suzanne Shaw, took Stephanie's guidelines to heart and came up with a fabulous cover-up. In Southern California, it makes the perfect tank cover-up, but in a cooler climate, you could easily use it as a layering piece.

 The shaping on this piece is what tipped the scales in Suzanne's favor. The cap sleeves are formed with short rows, and the gentle curve hugs the shoulder. The sides are shaped with a slight dip and flare at the bottom hem. The front hangs open, a look that tends to be flattering on a wide variety of body types.

The use of one of our hand-painted shades, #2460 Wheat Field, is brilliant. Hand-painted yarns sometimes pool and stripe in unexpected ways, which can be to the benefit or detriment of the finished object. When the yarn is held double, the knitter avoids those issues and the resulting fabric displays the colors much more evenly. This piece has very subtle color gradations, and shows off this colorway beautifully!

The runner-up in this category is the Belmont Hoodie. Karen Larsen, the designer, is a new knitter! This design is single stranded Silky Alpaca Lace, which creates a drapey, almost sheer material. The shoulders are raglan shaped, and the sleeves are wide at the hem. I love the eyelet detail down the front.

This is another great layering piece or cover up. I would even love it with longer sleeves for us northern gals, or as it is over a swimsuit at the beach. The hood is perfect for hiding under when the wind kicks up! The designer of this piece, Karen Larsen, does not plan to have this piece tech edited, but if you are interested in knitting it "as is", you can contact her through Ravelry. Her user name is ksl90804.

There was an additional runner-up, but it will be unveiled at a later date. Curious? You'll have to stay tuned.

I would like to congratulate the winners and the finalists in this competition. We were all inspired by your creativity. Every entry was impressively imagined and executed, you should all be quite proud. I know Stephanie is!