The Trouble with KALs

Knit-a-Longs (KALs) are great for digging into the stash, except…well, when they’re not. I’ve been participating in Desert Vista Dyeworks’ Officially Unofficial Monthly Sock Club. Each month, participants post a picture of their yarn accompanied by a completed pair of adult-sized socks. The KAL began in January, but it wasn’t until late February when I had my first DVD skein in hand.

Given my exceedingly large supply of fingerweight yarn, it’s only logical to assume that I would have one, or two, or ten skeins of DVD, but I confess, I did not. Since the KAL is structured into four quarters, I decided to wait until April to dive in. So far, I’ve knitted Halley’s Comet, the Entertainer, and Monopoly.

Halley's Comet

The Entertainer

Monopoly

This month, I’m quite enchanted with Harold’s Purple Crayon, and I’m surprised at how fast these socks are working up.

But the irony of expanding my stash to participate in a KAL that many others are using for stashbusting is not lost on me. In fact, two other sock knitting KALs that I’m participating in – organized around the 15 projects in 2015 theme – have also led to further stash enhancement. KALs are great for promoting community around a single pattern or type of yarn. They can even stem the urge to buy more yarn since pictures of other knitters’ colorways are posted for all to see. (Didn’t buy that reverse psychology, did ya? Yeah, me neither).

But while my approach to KALs (among other yarn acquiring oddities) may have contributed to the purchase of two more baskets to contain what was already overflowing from one large – fine, three large baskets – I must say that my knitting output has also increased. While the number of sock FOs is far greater today than before I decided to play along, the proportion of completed to not-started is most certainly unequal. (Note to self: must revisit one in, one out rule). The intention behind KALs is most certainly admirable, but I seem to recall a cliché about where that road leads…. Bon tricot

Comments

Back to Basics

The first week back after a long holiday is always the hardest. I also find it’s where I tend to lose focus of my goals…and so it went this week for journaling and the yarn diet. While I managed to journal four nights in a row, I missed three by week’s end. I also fell off the destash wagon visiting a charming LYS seven minutes from a conference I was attending for work. I don’t feel as badly about that relapse since I bought a non-fingering weight yarn in a 100% marled alpaca. They also had some knitting notions that I’ve only seen online – bamboo chunky circs and a Knit Kit. The Knitting B, Richmond, VA But how to explain the sock yarn purchase? FOMA (fear of missing out). One of my favorite dyers posted a 24-hour- only skein to celebrate her 6,000 th sale on Etsy. Those exclusive speckles did me in. Canon Hand Dyes by the amyleeshow on Etsy This week has shown me that it’s easy to get off track, so before I ...

A Tale of Two Toques

I finished my Chelsea Market Hat this past weekend using Madelinetosh Chunky in Reindeer. This was a fun project. I had originally queued this hat up to use with a different yarn, Canon Hand Dyes Gustave MCN Aran in Frank Wolverton Randall, the first shipment in the Among Friends Outlander Club . This skein was rich and buttery, but with 180 yards, my garment selection would be limited to either a hat or a pair of mitts. I wanted something with texture, and cables captured the Celtic, Outlander theme. I came across Caryl Pierre’s Chelsea Market pattern first. I particularly liked the slouch effect and the chunky cable combined with the garter rows. But after seeing a post in another Ravelry forum, I decided to use Justyna Lorkowska’s Sand Bank . The reason for the change? Cables. I need more cables (said in my best Christopher Walken voice - pathetic, I know). Sand Bank Hat That left the Chelsea Market Hat f...

Spring Cleaning – Whipping Out Shawl WIPs

I decided it was time for a little spring cleaning. I had two shawls in different states of finishing: my Drops of Honey Shawl not started and Claire Randall Fraser one-quarter knit. The Drops of Honey shawl is the first installment of Indie Untangled’s Where We Knit Club, and since I knew the next installment was shipping May 1, I was motivated to cast on-cast off. This is my first time using merino-silk yarn. It was quite the treat! The golden-honey hue is not one I would pick for my blue-grey-turquoise loving self, but I couldn’t be happier with the finished product. It’s a great neutral and can be paired with anything. My son, who was fascinated with this project, compared the shawl to honeycomb. Sounds like something an aspiring knitter would say. Besides the merino-silk fiber, this is also my first time knitting a Janina Kallio pattern. But it won’t be my last. In the meantime, I’m woe...

Bon Tricot

Search This Blog