Whew - do you feel that? The temperature's rising! Not just outside, but in our living rooms as we greedily soak in the newest episodes of our favorite show on Starz!

Ahem. I'm gonna need a second.

Handsome Jamie isn't the only thing that's got us excited: Rachel's Mystery Knit-Along is up and running, and the results are just gorgeous so far! The yarn is just beautiful, too - Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Rachel's specially-created Craigh na Dun colorway reminds us of Scottish moors covered in forget-me-not flowers!

Just take a look at some of the progress Ravelers have made on the first two clues:

ArcticWoolies' Craigh na Dun is looking fab!

CakersKnits even used her special Spark Stitch Markers!

clrowe01 is cabling up a storm!

And that's not all - many of you have taken matters into your own hands and tried your own yarn colors and modifications, as well!

shand302 used The Verdant Gryphon Bugga! in Persephone (how apropos!)

tbears99 is loving it in TML in Ginger

TerryRoss was wooed by Wollmeise in Patina (and she's planning to add beads!)

How is your MKAL project coming along? Share some photos and notes with us on the MKAL 2015 chat boards! (Beware of spoilers!)

Want to read more? Check out Rachel's blog!

We can't wait to see the finished shawl - we'll be checking back in with more progress as the MKAL unfolds!

And psst...here's my own little attempt...in Tosh Merino Light, color Plaid Blanket, with some eyelet lace in the garter section to disguise any gauge discrepancies! (And because I thought it might look good with the upcoming border...*wink!) I love this pattern so much, I'm staying up too late knitting. Oh, the sacrifices we knitters make for our craft!

I love it!

Happy Knitting!

- Heather

So that is it for the Week 2 instructions! It's a lot of knitting for 1 episode so just take your time, and mostly enjoy the episode. Of course, if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. I encourage you all to wait until after the episode has aired as most questions will be answered for you in the episode or once you start knitting. Feel free to chat away in the Ravelry group as well.

Also, I will be at TNNA (a yearly knitting trade show) in San Diego for work all weekend and through Monday. I will try to get online and answer as many questions as possible in that time, but I may not get to everyone until I return to the office on Tuesday. Asking questions in the Ravelry group may turn up the answers you need from other participants to please try there first if your question is urgent. Thanks for understanding.

Happy knitting everyone!
Kristen

Hello and welcome everyone to the preliminary kick off of the Game of Thrones Mystery Knit-a-long! I am so excited to have you all here and I can't wait to see what everyone's projects look like! As promised, today I will go over some of the specifics of the MKAL (ie. how to participate, gauge, etc) and next week I will release the official first "clue" or piece of the pattern.



For those of you who are new to Mystery Knit-a-longs, we refer to each part of the pattern as a "clue" because the project itself is a mystery. You probably won't know exactly what we are knitting until about half of the way through and the design elements are definitely a mystery throughout until each clue reveals what comes next. For this KAL, I will release each clue on Sunday morning, starting on March 31st. Now, I know that the 31st is Easter and I apologize for the timing, but that is when the first episode of Season 3 of Game of Thrones actually starts. Hopefully this won't deter anyone from participating. You'll have an entire week to knit Clue 1 before Clue 2 comes out.

Here is some of the important, need-to-know info for the MKAL:

-Yarn: We are using 2 skeins of Lorna's Laces Haymarket yarn in the "Winter is Coming" color or another color of your choice. If you would prefer to stash bust or use something different, you'll need about 430 yds of a worsted weight yarn.

-Needle Size & Gauge: US Size 8- 24" or shorter circular needle to acquire a gauge of 20 sts and 24 rows = 4" in Stockinette St. This gauge was unblocked and taken from my piece knit in the round.

*to knit a gauge swatch, cast on 24 sts or more and create a border around your 20 stitch stockinette section. This will help you get a more accurate gauge. Please adjust needle size if needed to get gauge. Feel free to swatch in the round if you find your gauge to vary significantly in the round vs flat.

-Skills needed: knitting, purling, knitting in the round, basic increases and decreases (yo, ssk, k2tog, k1f&b, etc.), simple lace using either written directions or a chart, and an understanding of short rows. If any of these skills are new to you, you might want to practice them a bit before we kick off next week.

-Ravelry: Be sure to check out the Jimmy Beans Wool Ravelry Group. For each blog post, we will create a new thread in the group specifically for help on that piece of the pattern. I'll also create a "spoilers" thread so that GoT fans can talk about the show or books freely without risk of spoiling the story for anyone. If you haven't read all of the books or aren't planning on watching the new season right away, be sure not to venture into Spoiler territory if you don't want to know what happens. I'll be staying out of that thread myself as I've only gotten through book 3. :)

-Remember that the Ravelry Groups are an intrinsic part of the KAL. Be sure to head there to ask for help from your fellow KAL participants. The group is the "community" aspect of the KAL and only works if we all participate.

-About a month after the GOTMKAL (short for Game of Thrones Mystery KAL) is over, I will release the full version of the pattern as a Free PDF on the Jimmy Beans Wool website on the Free Patterns page. It will be re-formatted and re-edited, much like Lady Violet's Dinner Gauntlets from the Downton Abbey Mystery KAL. It takes me that amount of time to properly re-edit the pattern, have professional photography done, and what not.

I am really truly excited for this KAL! I can't wait for the season to start and for you all to knit this little project I've cooked up for you. I think it's going to be a blast! Of course, if at any time you have a question for me directly, please feel free to e-mail me on Ravelry. I answer e-mails at the JimmyBeansWool account and also my personal account, Marinade, and I am always happy to help!

Lastly, I couldn't help but search around for a fun quiz we could all take to get a little more excited for season 3 (as if we really need it). I found two different quizzes for "What Game of Thrones Character Are You?" so I will share them both with you:

http://www.buddytv.com/personalityquiz/game-of-thrones-personalityquiz.aspx?quiz=500000095

http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/quiz/Churchill14/which-game-of-thrones-character-are-you/

I found the second one to be a bit more in depth. On the first one I was as Arya Stark and on the second I was Eddard Stark. I guess it's pretty safe to say I'm a Stark of Winterfell which is perfect because Winter is Coming, and I am ready. :)

Happy knitting

 

I am seriously questioning my sanity!  Since last fall I have been in none stop knitting... ok, not completely knitting, more like starting mode. Yes, I've had a bad case of startitus!  I think it all began with the Knit Red A-line hoodie KAL. Then it was holiday gifts, Downton Abby KAL, Truckee Shawlette KAL, some fun designing, working on customer repairs, knitting a dress from my granddaughter for her birthday, teaching top down sweaters, top down shawls, felted hats and beginning socks classes!

It's been a slippery, wooly slope, with few finished projects to show for all my industrious knitting.  Now, after a 48 hour marathon last weekend to finish that design I mentioned, I think I can say with my tired, aching hands, that I am experiencing a knitting hangover!


My hands would be very happy if I didn't pick up knitting needles at all this week but my mind is still racing with projects I would like to start. But NO!  I have decided to be firm and not allow myself to start anything new until I finish at least a couple of the WIPs that are piled around me in my squirrels nest of knitting at home. How bad is it? How many of you carry 4-5 projects around in your knitting bag every day, just in case you have time to work on something?

I have told my awesome co-workers and my SO at home that if they catch me starting anything new, before I finish something, that they are to initiate an intervention STAT!!!

Yes, even we Beans get burned out either physically or mentally from time to time.  It is definitely time for me to step back and take a break to recharge and rest.  Stretch the hands and arms, get some exercise and get out and enjoy the spring that is starting to bloom here in Reno.

Not to fear, after a little R & R I'll be good as new and ready to finish those outstanding projects and move on to some new and exciting projects for spring and summer!  Have you seen all the new yarns we've been getting!  I'm so excited to get some summer tops and shells knit!

Some of our KAL participants are finishing up their projects too.  (Hmmm, perhaps we should do a WIP KAL....!)  Diane, one of our Truckee Shawlette KAL participant has finished her shawl.  I love the colors she chose!  She used Rainwater & Parchment in MadelineTosh Merino Light and switched out the increases for kf&b instead of the M1R & M1L.
 

Check out more finished Truckee Shawlettes in our Ravelry group thread.

For those of you who have been waiting for the video on how to work the 3-Needle Crochet-Style Bind Off for Hexipuffs, it is now up on our instructional page. Please check it out!

If you are local or will be visiting Reno please check our class schedule.  The April schedule will be out soon.  We have some exciting new classes we're offering - Crochet Beaded Wire Necklaces, Crochet Felted Bags, How to weave on your Rigid Heddle Loom, learn how to choose the right yarn for you project, knit a fun skirt or learn to knit or crochet!

I think that's it for this week!  Please join us on Ravelry for the Game of Thrones MKAL!

Happy Knitting!
Terry