What do Scotland, Time Travel, and Knitting Have in Common? A new MKAL!

We can hardly contain our excitement for the upcoming television series, based on the popular books by Diana Gabaldon, which premiers on August 9th. In fact, we couldn't help but celebrate with not one, but two Lorna's Laces limited edition colors and a Mystery Knit-along!  Our very own Rachel of Unraveled Designs and Yarn is a huge fan and jumped at the chance to host the MKAL.  She even designed the two Lorna's Laces Limited Edition colors named for the main characters!

The project will be a two color shawl that will take advantage of some gorgeous slip stitch motifs and cables so that you're only knitting with one color in each row. Overall, it's an intermediate knit, and we're always here to help you pick up a new skill or two.  Knit in sport weight wool yarn, it will be super warm and snuggly, even for the harsh Scottish highland weather! That's all the spoilers I can give so you’ll have to join in to find out more!

If you'd like to knit along with us, you'll need:

• The pattern, of course!  You can grab a copy of the pattern on Ravelry.  Right now, the pattern is only $3, but it will go up to $6 once the MKAL ends.  By purchasing the pattern, you'll get each clue in your Ravelry library when it is posted.  New clues will be posted each Saturday through September 13th, to coincide with the episodes. 

• Yarn!  Specifically, you'll need 400 yards each of 2 colors of sport weight yarn, and you'll want to make sure that there is enough contrast between the two colors.  If you want to make your shawl with the Lorna's Limited Edition colors, you'll need 2 skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in each color, Fraser and Beauchamps; that's a total of 4 skeins--they're only 50 grams each, after all!

• A US 5 circular needle (at least 32”) or size needed to obtain gauge

• 2 cable needles

• yarn needle

Although you won't specifically need them for the MKAL, we are also super excited for these adorable stitch markers that Spark created especially to coordinate with the yarn.  They're still being made, and will ship as soon as possible!  To go along with the Lorna's yarn, the stitch markers come in Beauchamps and a Fraser set.

Anyone is welcome to join us--no matter what yarn you use or who your favorite character is! Check out Rachel's blog each week for tips, tricks, and possibly spoilers, and be sure to stay connected with all the chatter and the clues in our Ravelry group.  We hope to see you there!