Our Winter 2010 Knit Along is - The Fireside Sweater, by Amber Allison!
The design is based on a gorgeous sweater worn by Cameron Diaz in the movie The Holiday. I actually haven't seen the movie yet, but fell instantly in love with the sweater. It is the perfect knit for a Maine winter!
What is KAL? A Knit Along is formed when a number of knitters decide to knit the same pattern at roughly the same time. That way, they can cheer each other on, offer advice, share modifications, and generally have fun watching the exact same pattern turn into different sweaters as each knitter makes it their own. KALs are free, fun, and full of fiber. What could be better?
How to join: Just leave a comment here saying that you are in, or on our Ravelry board, or just tell us the next time you are in the shop. What if you want to join the fun, but have another sweater in mind? No problem, you can knit alongside us! We'd love to have the company. Just let me know what you're knitting and you're in! (Remember, thanks to the web, you don't need to live in Maine to participate. We welcome long distance KALers!)
So far we have the following KALers:
Me
Lesley
Donna
Luanne
Jen
Lisa
Where to get the pattern: The pattern is available online for $5.00 at Ravelry.com.
Good yarn choices: The sweater was designed in an Aran, or heavy worsted weight. That allows for many yarn possibilities. Many people have knit it using Cascade Eco Wool (and we just happen to be getting in more Eco Wool this week.) For a slightly heavier, denser fabric, consider Cascade's 128 Superwash. If you'd like a cotton version, Blue Sky Alpacas Organic and Dyed cotton would work beautifully. Spud and Chloe's Sweater - a washable cotton/wool blend - is another fabulous option. I'll be using one of our newest yarns - Berroco's Ultra Alpaca in winter white.
It is a bit lighter than that called for in the pattern, but I like the fabric I got when swatching and think it will make a very lovely sweater that is cozy, without being too hot.
When to start: As with all our KALs, there aren't strict rules or such that can spoil the fun of it. So, if you feel like jumping in right this minute - go ahead! The official kick off will be at next week's Knit at Night, as well as on Saturday, Jan 23rd. On Sat. Jan. 23rd, I'll be running a free cable chart reading clinic for KAL participants from 10-11am.
Updates: I'll be posting updates on our KAL progress, including any helpful hints, problems and solutions, etc... here on the blog. BUT... a lot of the KAL conversation will happen over on our Raverly.com board. Check out the KAL thread.
I hope you'll join us, I think this sweater is going to be a lot of fun to knit!