Sunday, June 29, 2008

KALs

I thought it'd be fun to try a KAL (Knit-A-Long). For the uninitiated, it's a group that knits a project together through an on-line forum with a moderator (usually the designer) who posts patterns and gives assistance when needed. In this case it was a Mystery KAL; we knew we were to be knitting a lace stole, but not what it would look like. Pattern sections are given out as "clues" and knitted to solve the mystery. Several friends had done KALs before, and it sounded like fun.

Well. Let me tell you. The first KAL I decided to try turned out to be a bust. It was the first KAL for the designer, too, and I've a feeling she bit off just a bit more than she could chew. Well, at least it wasn't my fault. I growled and whined a few days -- had purchased 1200 yards of Zephyr and a new Addi Turbo Lace circ just for the KAL -- until my good buddies at Stitch 'n' Bitch told me about Goddess Knits KALs. Checked it out, signed up for not one, but TWO of them. The first, coincidentally, called for the same amount of yarn I'd already bought, so life was good. Wow. At least I thought it was. This lace knitting is a whole new thing. Now I knitted Jarred's Hemlock Ring, which was lace on a grand scale (heavy worsted & size 10 needles). I've also done a couple of scarves and a smoke ring with lace weight yarn. And charts, too. So I wasn't a total novice. Now I admit to not being the fastest knitter in the world, by a looonng shot. But this gives slow a whole new meaning. I have also learned the value of lifelines. Never mind it took me three or four attempts to get enough knitted to put in a lifeline!

I was late getting started with the KAL; it had been going a couple of weeks before I joined. Silly me for joining the second one! I figured I'd whip through this one and be ready for the second, which was scheduled to start the week following this one's completion. Hah! Clue 6, the final pattern, was published today. I am two rows shy of completing clue 2 !

Meanwhile, the overachievers (what I call anyone who's faster than I) have been chomping at the bit for the last clue. Here's what I've knitted so far:

Okay, I'll get there. Somewhere along the way a light has come on, and things aren't quite as hopeless as they once seemed. I was determined to conquer this challenge, and I'm too much of a tightwad to not use thirty-five bucks' worth of yarn and needles! (we won't speak of the stash. . . )

So now we are Three Clues into the second KAL. It's a circular shawl, and going to be a lot of fun. Yes, I promised myself I wouldn't start this one until the first was done, but seeing online pictures of others' shawls was more than I could bear. Combined with not a little bit of urging from a certain individual (I won't mention any names, but her first initial is Bereni), I relented and cast on. Since it's a circular shawl, the stitches and rows increase with each group of clues, so the first two clues went really fast. I did clue 1 on Wednesday and clue 2 on Friday. They were quick and easy. Yesterday I downloaded the third clue. Didn't get to it right away, and later found out there was an error in the pattern. The corrected clue was posted today, and it awaits my attention, as well as the last 2 rows of the Other Shawl.
That being said, I should go and tend to my knitting!
I did go to Colonial Fiber Arts in Yorktown this afternoon for Nettie's Sunday Spin-In. We got laughing so hard we nearly peed on ourselves! It was a wonderful time; three of the four of us are "biker babes," quite a coincidence. We need to start some sort of fiber/biker guild.
Now I really am going back to my knitting.

5 comments:

MaryAnne said...

That stole is BEAUTIFUL!!! Hang in there...lace is not a race! If it's any consolation, I am itching to cast on GK shawl too (yes, it's all Bereni's fault) and have yarn, needles, and pattern (except for the correction) at the ready. Didn't make it to spin, rats, maybe next time.

Jenny Raye said...

WOW! The stole looks great! I'm confining my lace knitting to the pi shawl and my FLS. I'm determined to get the shawl finished.....but the yarn for the sweater arrived Saturday and is drop dead gorgeous. I've already swatched and am itching to get started on that.

Milly said...

Amazing work! So delicate.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. The surprise is still in progress, but I plan to be picking it up tomorrow evening and hopefully posting pics.
You are the only one lauging in my pic! LOL.
Happy Knitting

Bereni (BEAR-wren-knee) said...

Oh, wow! I love that stole. GK is really talented at this lace designing thing. My Clue 3 is done! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha! Knit more lace...knit more lace...mwa ha ha....

Anonymous said...

ton étole spring mystery est magnifique , très belle couleur

Bravo aussi pour ton châle circulaire (anniversary goddess)

et j'adore tes chats

Anne