Knitting Along

In the knitting world...aka the world of Ravelry (If you knit, crochet or anything related to fiber, you must get on Ravelry and if you're already signed up, get on there daily...it's worth it!) there is a thing called a knit-along...or if you're real adventurous, a mystery knit-along.  

A normal knit-along, henceforth referred to as a KAL, you buy the pattern and make the project along with a bunch of other people. This can be 50 people or if the designer is popular, thousands of people! It can be a new project or a designer might say..."knit any of my sock patterns".  Some offer prizes!  I won a skein of sock yarn in one I did with Blue Peninsula.  So fun!  I'm doing another one with her after the first of the year called "selfish" KAL.  Knitters will knit a lot prior to Christmas, so some selfish knitting at the first of the year is always welcome.  I did a bunch of Christmas knitting this year.

 A MKAL (see what I did there) is basically the same thing only you don't know what the finished object will look like...other than what it will be, like a sock or shawl. And the "clues" are rationed out, usually weekly.  You get clue one, knit it up...and if you're fast enough...wait for the next clue (the pattern continued), knit it up and so on and so forth. Get it?

I should say, that the MKAL is always chancy.  I mean, really...you're casting on a project that you don't know how it will turn out in the end.  Risky knitting indeed.  BUT you can (and I have) wait a few weeks to see the clues emerge and decide if you like it or not, then join in.  The bummer about doing this is the pattern is usually offered at a discount (or free) prior to the cast on date.

I've done a few.  It's fun because the designers have "groups" and you can follow a thread (or two or three) where everyone chats and shares their experience.  It's a fun way to connect with people across the globe (or in your knit group) who are knitting the same thing as you.

My friends in my knit group are so fun, there's always someone ready to jump in and join a KAL/MKAL.  

Here's what I'm doing in the KAL/MKAL department:

2015 Selfish Knitting KAL

Fee-bee Mitts

I have a couple yarns to choose from in my stash.  Maybe I should knit two pair? Anyone want a pair of mitts? I think they're so cute!

Just For You MKAL

There are a few of us in the knit group doing this one. Bulky yarn and a mystery...what could be better!  (Mom...you should do this with your Marble you love so much!)  No picture, duh, but this is the one on the project page.

New Year Socks...no pressure for goal setting (sock MKAL)

This is a toe-up mystery sock knit-along.  I haven't done a sock MKAL in a while...sounds like a no pressure, fun, knit!

Here's a sample of prior KAL/MKALs I've done:

 Above and below are my Couplet Socks from a KAL. The one below is my yarn the one above is the yarn I won! I love this designer and the sock pattern looked great so I jumped right in! Love my socks, they fit so great.

 This shawl was a MKAL that had 5 weeks of clues, with two clues each week.  You could choose which clue of the two you wanted to do!  So the combination of clues gave several different outcomes, it was fun to see all the different shawls.  It was called Follow Your Arrow.  You can see the "arrow" theme in the stitch patterns. 3,460 people participated in this MKAL, a very popular designer.

 Anyway, I've done more but I'm woefully short on photos in my projects.  

So if you're looking to expand your knitting horizon and want to try something new and exciting...come join me!