Ewe Ewe Yarns: A Quickie V-Day KAL

C'mon party people... get those knittin' sticks in the air and shout "holla" if you love KAL's.

What was that? I. Can't. Hear. You.

What's that? Oh... you LOVE KAL'S? Get out! Me too!  So let's do one. No, for realsies. Let's do this!

Ewe Ewe Yarns, who I've shamelessly plugged already has asked me to host a quickie KAL just in time for Valentine's Day. I said no, but...

PSYCH! I totally said yes. And it starts on February 6th. And all you need is 2 lovely little skeins of Wooly Worsted yarn in your choice of color. 2... that ain't nothin' compared to the KAL's that are going to be going on during the Olympics. Ravellenics anyone? Wowzers.

So, here's what we'll be knitting - the PenPal Hat. There is a beanie style and a slouchy style that come with the pattern. Pick your poison. You'll love either one because it's ridiculously soft, comfy, looks awesome on chicks with or without bangs, and it's machine washable. I have one in each style already made up and wear them as often as I can.

So, whats the sitch, then? I'll be hosting over on the Ewe Ewe Yarns Blog. The posts will go live at 9am PST for each of the 3 days of the KAL (see, I said it was a quickie). Plus you can win yarn if you finish in time. Here are the dates and topics of each section of the KAL:

• Thursday 2/6: Casting on, joining in the round and working an increase round
• Tuesday 2/11: Working the lace stitching and weaving in yarn ends
• Thursday 2/13: Decreasing stitches and working on DPNs 

WIN YARN?

Oh, you caught that did you? Yep, that's what I said. You can win some yarn. And not just any yarn - a skein of the not-yet-released Ewe So Sporty yarn from Ewe Ewe Yarns and a pattern to go with it.

You're in right? Yeah you are. OK, so here's what you need to do:

1. Head on over to Ravelry and find the PenPal Hat KAL Discussion in the Ewe Ewe Yarns group. While you're there, if you're not already a member of the Ewe Ewe Ravelry group, join us. We're nice. We rarely bite. 
2. Download the pattern - on sale until February 14th at a discounted rate. It doesn't show up on the pattern page but when you add it to your cart it'll be 25% off. Woot!
3. Get your yarn. Here's a LIST of all of the retail shops that carry Ewe Ewe Yarns. Noble Knits has free shipping on all orders if you don't have a place that carries your yarn locally. 
4. Collect your items: 
1. 1 - US6, 16" circular needle
2. 1 - US8, 16" circular needle
3. A set of US8 DPN's
4. A stitch marker (the cuter the better)
5. A taptestry needle
5. Get ready to make a hat you love to wear and prepare to win yarn. Who knows? It could be you!
6. Wait anxiously until February 6th.

Ok, so to win the yarn, we need to see your finished hats completed by 11:59pm PST on Friday, November 14th. Yeah, that's Valentine's Day but that's the point. The KAL will be done in-time for Valentine's day.

***MAJOR NOTE*** To enter your FO's for the drawing, use the hashtag #PenPalKAL on Ravelry, Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Or send a photo to hello@eweewe.com.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 18th.

I hope to see you all there. You know I'll be stalking the #PenPalKAL hashtag on IG all the time. Feel free to tag me if you want - @socalmeaghan. Can't wait to knit with you!

Hellooooooooo 2014!

Alrighty roo... so we're already 23 days into 2014 and I have 4 FO's already. Kinda pumped. None of them are big projects, for sure, but now I have 3 more pairs of socks than I left the previous year with. And oh-so-many more on the way. Hmm... maybe I knit too much? Pfffft. Yeah. Right!

So what does this year look like for knitting? Believe it or not I actually do have a bit of a plan mapped out (I say sheepishly after recently scoffing at people on Ravelry who already had mapped out their 14 projects for 2014). Yeah... now I'm one of them apparently.

1. Jan 23 (yeah that's tonight) - I'm starting the Socks on a Plane KAL (#soapkal) hosted by @lynaiyarns (and HERE is her fabulous line of yarns) 
2. Jan 24 - write up patterns for two pairs of socks and a wristlet
3. Jan 25 - start writing pattern/knitting sample of my VERY FIRST SWEATER (already picked up by a local yarn company... more on that later)
4. Feb 1 - #mysterysockclub2014 pair of socks will get on the needles. Depending on the yarn I pull it may be another unique design.
5. Feb 13 - traveling to Arizona to visit friends so another new pair of socks for one Miss @katknits  who won a drawing on my Instagram feed (also a pair for @catscoffeecupcakesandcarrie who WAS the 300th follower). What can I say? I believe in paying it forward.
6. Mar 1 -  #mysterysockclub2014 (started by @sockbunny)pair of socks will get on the needles. Perhaps you see a trend? The plan is one pair of socks for the first of each month. I've got all the yarn already stashed away in brown paper bags which my husband selects for me on the first of each month.
7. Mar 1 (yep, a twofur that day) - start hosting a KAL with an IG friend. Definitely more details coming on this soon. Working out some specs now.
8. Mar 15 - Surprise Projects (I won't post here what they are in case the recipients read this) for two lovely ladies from IG who are participating in a Pay It Forward campaign. Basically I make them something and in turn they make something for someone else. It has to be homemade. Mine, obvi, will be knit.

And it continues... and continues. There's definitely going to be at least 8 more pairs of socks since there will be one for each month. Plus I'm lucky enough to be in the Tanis Fiber Arts Year in Color Club which I just received the yarn and pattern for. It's OMG delicious. And guess what? More. Socks! I'm going to share the photo with you just to make you jelly. 

Totes stole this image from RoseHiver on Ravelry

Also, there will be some knitting in Scotland. The Hubbs and I are traveling there for two weeks this year and there WILL be some knitting in a sunroom overlooking the loch with a dram (or three) of whisky to keep me warm. For serious... can I just get on the plane now?

And I forgot to mention the best part. Next month, I'll be guest hosting a KAL on the Ewe Ewe Yarns blog. We're doing a quickie for Valentine's day. Get it? A Quickie?! No? Yeah. You get it. 

Alright, gotta get back to some test knitting I'm doing for another lovely IG friend - a great little beanie project. When they go live on her site (Pick & Throw) I'll let you all know.

What are you still doing here? Go knit something. It's better for your eyes anyway.