Elk Island National Park is situated in the Beaverhills area of Alberta, which with its aspen thickets and easy access to water, has provided shelter for wintering herds of elk, bison and moose since times immemorial. Though there was never any permanent First Nations settlement in the area, there are over 200 archaeological remains of campsites and stone tool-making sites. The land has been influenced by the Blackfoot, Sarcee and Cree Indigenous nations. The park is representative of the northern prairies plateau ecosystem and as such, the knob and kettle landscape is a mix of native fescue grassland that plays host to both the largest and the smallest terrestrial mammals in North America: the wood bison and the pygmy shrew.

The Elk Island Boot Cuffs are an easy to wear, slouchy pair of boot cuffs that protect the gap at the top of a pair of hiking boots, providing a barrier against snow in cold weather, and against ticks in warmer weather. The subtle textured pattern is achieved by simple knit and purl stitches, and is vaguely reminiscent of seersucker fabric, or of a field of fescue grass gone to seed.

Materials Needed:
- @225 yards (ankle boot cuff) or 252 yards (calf boot cuff) dk weight yarn with good stitch definition
- 4mm (US 6) circular needle/dpns or needle size required to achieve gauge
- a stitch marker to mark the end/beginning of each round
- additional stitch markers to mark motif repeats if desired

A Note On Gauge:
Gauge is measured after gentle blocking. Be sure to work your swatch in the round.

Estimated Finished Sizes:
Ankle boot cuff is @9” tall by @14” in circumference.
Calf boot cuff is @9” tall by @16” in circumference.
For shorter or taller boot cuffs, omit or increase rows worked in multiples of four. Likewise for snugger or looser boot cuffs, add or subtract stitches cast on in multiples of four. Changing the height or circumference of the cuffs will change the amount of yarn required.