Why KAL?
October 16th, 2011 § 2 comments
A KAL is a knit – a – long – you gather a group of knitters and everyone starts the same project and about the same time, and you knit along together. They are quite popular. People do KALs long distance, with people they have only met online via Ravelry or right here at The Yarn Spot. We have recently done a felted bag KAL (see some of the results here), and have just started working on Chris Bylsma’s Coloratura jacket.
I believe people like them here at the store because of the camaraderie, but I have recently discovered an important reason that I now especially love the KAL format.
Diane, Margretta and I have been working on Never Not Knitting/Alana Dakos’ Cedar Leaf Shawlette. We enjoyed discussing the pattern, changing gauge, using one color for the body and a second for the leaf border. (which I did decide to do, but more on that later)
We worked through multiple ways of creating short rows, and it was just a lovely experience. And then I started on the leaves. I did not like how they were coming out – the join between the 2 colors I was using just didn’t work, and my stitches were wonky because I chose to knit back backwards and not turn my work.
Lucky for me, I was only a day away from meeting up with my KAL buddies. They were able to tell me the obvious: I had to start turning the work and purling back as usual, and this would likely solve all my problems. A little swatching later, and lo and behold, they were correct!
Not bad, hmm? But I was a bit demoralized, and put the project aside to start my Coloratura…Again, my KAL friends came to the rescue – the next week at the meet up, they helped me get back on my leaf. So here I am, 13.5 leaves in:
and with 13.5 to go.
It may get done this week, or it may take another week, but I am back on track and it won’t be a languishing UFO (unfinished object). And that is the real beauty of a KAL.
Thanks Diane!
Love it. It looks terrific. My leaves are about halfway through too, even though I have more. (Smaller yarn, cast on more stitches.) I completely agree about the KAL. Thanks for hosting it.
Oh, and you’re welcome.