Waves of fluffy alpaca/silk and soft, rustically-spun Rambouillet, reminiscent of the strands of kelp that otters wrap themselves in to keep from drifting while they sleep. The Dreams of Otters pattern includes instructions for the regular single loop shown, a wider single loop, and a double loop, as well as an illustrated tutorial for the crocheted provisional cast on used in the sample. The Pattern Notes include information about the yarns used and tips for choosing substitutes. To make The Dreams of Otters, you will need to know how to do stranded colourwork in the round using charts.

Finished Dimensions
7.5 (10.5, 7.5) in / 19 (26.5, 19) cm wide; 31 (34, 61.5) in / 78.5 (86.5,
156) cm long

Yarn
The Farmer’s Daughter Fibers Oh Dang! (74% Suri Alpaca, 26% silk; 328 yds/300 m per 1.76 oz./ 50 g): 1 (2, 2) skeins (shown in Ghost Dance) (Colour A), AND

The Farmer’s Daughter Fibers Soka’pii (100% Rambouillet wool; 248 yds/227 m per 1.76 oz/50 g): 2 (3, 4) skeins (shown in Mr. Pocket) (Colour B)

Needles
US 4/3.5 mm or size needed for correct gauge, in your preferred format for working small circumference in the round, AND

Two spare circular needles for 3-needle bind off: US4/3.5 mm or smaller, 16 in/40 cm or longer

Gauge
32 sts & 34 rows = 4 in/10 cm in stranded colourwork in the round
Exact gauge is not essential, but differences in gauge will affect size and yarn requirements.

Notions
2 different stitch markers (one for end and one for middle of round), 1 removable marker, scrap yarn, yarn needle; tools for your preferred provisional cast on

About the yarns

The Farmer’s Daughter Fibers Soka’pii (pronounced Sue-copy) is a light fingering weight 100% Rambouillet wool single ply yarn. The yarn is very springy with some variation in thickness, giving a matte fabric with an interesting texture, excellent stitch definition, and good memory. Soka’pii’s structure makes for a yarn that works well at a range of gauges.

The Farmer’s Daughter Fibers Oh Dang! is an extremely soft, hand dyed Suri alpaca/silk blend. Technically a laceweight yarn, Oh Dang! has a very high halo from the alpaca, which fills in the stitches even at a very loose gauge for its weight.

If substituting yarns, choose a high-halo laceweight and a fingering weight or two light fingering to fingering weight yarns that give you a fabric you like at the pattern’s gauge. The amount of yarn needed will vary depending on the yarns used: a high-halo yarn like Oh Dang! will cover more area per yard/metre than a more solid yarn like Soka’pii. If substituting similar yarns, you will need approximately 320 (491, 634) yds/293 (449, 580) m of the Oh Dang! substitute and 424 (651, 841) yds/388 (595, 769) m of the Soka’pii substitute.