KALs for the summer of 2016

I love knitting podcasts.  Did you know?  (lol) There have been announcements of knit-alongs (aka KALs) about to begin come June.  A KAL is a knitting event large or small where knitters knit a similar pattern or yarn or for a shared motivation.  Podcasts who sponsor the KAL offer prizes for participation or possibly merit of some kind.

The Knitgirllls are big stars in the knitting constellation and have a really popular KAL called "Stash-Dash."  It lasts for the summer and the object is to finish UFOs (unfinished objects) and knit more meters of yarn than the rest.  There are different levels of participation, and I think I will participate too.  I will likely not make a goal beyond 1000-5000 meters, but maybe next year I will plan better after going through it once.

Some of my knitting friends from my local yarn store (LYE) (Yarn of Eden) participated in a sock-knitting KAL over the winter and when I read of a sock-knitting KAL/competition called Tour de Sock, I mentioned my interest.  We have formed a team called Team Yarn Hawks and I've invested in some really nice yarn and I'll be ready to cast on once the yarn arrives.  I've spent a pretty nice sized chunk of loot for this yarn so I hope I'm successful.

Knitting in the City podcast has a speckled sock KAL, but I don't really have speckled yarn.  Maybe some of my new yarn will meet the requirement before it's over.

Knit 1 Heart Too podcast has a KAL where you use yellow yarn.  Hopefully my yarn for the first leg of the Tour will arrive and I will get the sock finished before K1H2's KAL is over.  They also have an ongoing year-long KAL for which you must use Blue Moon yarn.  I purchased a skein for the first time last week during the Seattle Yarn Crawl.  Hopefully, this yarn will be appropriate for at least one pair of the Tour socks too.

The Knitmore Girls have a  KAL called Operation Sock Drawer.  I have already submitted my Hermione's Everyday Socks and I hope to have many more with the Tour socks.

Dramatic Knits podcast have a Race to the Finished Object KAL/contest that seems to be ongoing.  Whenever I finish something, I submit it, but I haven't won anything yet.

ACTually KNITting had a KAL based on Broadway shows that I submitted my sock monkey lovey for.  I ACTually WON a pattern for that one!  I have some bulky yarn that I hope to one day transform into a bulky cowl.  Fortuitously, a bulky cowl was an option so maybe one day....

ACTually KNITting also has a summer KAL called the "PAL/KAL" where you knit something by someone who has a podcast for submission.  I hope I will knit something that qualifies by and by. I'm thinking of using scrap sock yarn to make a preemie hat and I know that little something will qualify.  We will see.

Downcellar Studio's Boston Jen has a KAL/contest for the summer called "Splash Pad 2016" where the focus is on smaller items "poolside or wherever".  I think my socks will qualify!  I'll be sure to knit some of each pair outside!

In a sKnit has a baseball themed KAL/contest where you must connect your project to baseball.  I have knitted my ponchini while the Seattle Mariners are on the television so if I finish it, I will submit.  Also my socks will likely be knit while the Mariners play again.  Hopefully, I'll get to go to a minor league game and I'll knit there at least a little so I can count them.  Hooray!

I don't watch or listen to every one of these podcasts every time, but most of them I do!  There are other podcasts too and other KALs.  I will keep you informed!

Meditations about Knitting

I've been merrily embracing the hobby of knitting for about a year now.  I started out in 2015 attempting to make a complicated aran vest that I ended up putting in time-out because my knowledge didn't match the project and I encountered problems requiring too much frogging for me to ultimately bear.  I moved on to just working with cruddy yarn to log in time and gain experience and confidence.  This worked! I became a process knitter.  Once I discovered blogs, vlogs, YouTube tutorials, and podcasts, my knitting skills took off.  Seeing someone else work and listening to their discussions really supported me in my quest to become a skillful knitter.  In 2015, I wanted to make socks and in 2016, I've made 2 pairs and plan to make 6 more starting in June thanks to a competition on Ravelry called Tour de Sock.  I will be making socks using premium yarn and expanding my skills repertoire as well.  I feel I can successfully make socks starting at toe or cuff.  I finally conquered the strange world of gussets.  I might even take down my sweater and make it work in some creative way!

One of my favorite podcasts is called Knit 1, Heart too.  It's hosted by a coupled of middle-aged ladies in the northern Boston area.  Both are skilled knitters though Wendy is more adventurous than Sheila.  Nevertheless, I've watched every one of their episodes by bingeing for a few weeks to get them all (there are over 250 episodes!).  They were good knitters to begin with and over the years they've made a lot of socks, shawls, mittens, toys, scarves, blankets, and sweaters.  I have learned a lot about knitting from them.  I was able to summon the courage to revisit sock knitting thanks to these ladies and others like them out in cyberworld.  They made me believe that socks weren't so hard to make.  Making socks seems to be a "mindless activity" for these knowledgeable knitters.  I picked up my own failed socks and with tips I picked up from them, and watching videos on YouTube about how to magic loop and make afterthought heels, I have been able to make that first pair of socks.  Those were toe-up as the K!H2 people seemed to prefer.  My second pair is from a Ravelry pattern that is very popular.  I've seen probably over 200 examples of these socks.  It was cuff-down and the pattern was easy to grasp.  When it came time for forming the heel, I had gained a lot of confidence and was able to do "eye of partridge" and turn the heel!  These socks are on my feet right now and are very well fitted.

I have noticed that some of the most prolific knitters don't make many sweaters.  That has liberated me to make things other than sweaters too.  I do have a sweater "on the needles" but it isn't calling my name.  What am I longing to knit?  So many things.

Slippers.  I fell in love with some clog-style slippers on Ravelry last year, and placed them in my "Favorites" folder there.  Then Knit-1-Sheila made some and bragged about how comfy they were and how they came together easily.  She's made several pairs over the past 8 or so years, so I now I believe I could do it too.  I really want to make some and then make some for gifts for my family.

Baby items.  It seems that quite a few people in my orbit are having kids.  I would like to make some baby items.  I tried a free pattern for booties on Rav that used sock yarn, but they seem kind of small and I've abandoned them, sort of.  I have a book from the library with some cute booties and other things to knit, and I've even purchased yarn suitable for a few patterns.  Hopefully I can get on these soon before babies are born.

Purse.  I'd like to make a cute and colorful purse.  I don't want it to be too stretchy.  I've seen a few on Ravelry that I like.  Maybe when I acquire more stash of a variety of colors, this will come to pass.

Toys.  I think little knitted toys are really cute.  Also they are not very big and I have quite a stash of fiberfill stuffing I would like to use more of.  Maybe I will before too long.

But the socks are probably next on the queue followed by baby items.  Knitting is a fun and absorbing hobby!