It's happening!!! Another Game of Thrones MKAL!

For those of you who missed the last 2 years, here is what you missed:

There's still time to sign up for this year's MKAL though, so head on over to Ravelry to get all of the info. And for those of you who can't wait, here are the basics:

This year’s MKAL is inspired by Tyrion Lannister, and we’ve created a gorgeous Lorna’s Laces color way called “Casterly Rock” inspired by the Lannister family sigil. For this year’s MKAL, we’ll be using the brand new Cloudgate yarn which is a squishy, bulky weight.

Kits for the MKAL (yarn and pattern download code) are available through Jimmy Beans Wool with several other color options as well. The kits include the pattern download code (at a discounted price of $3) that you can then use to download the pattern for free on Ravelry. This code ships inside the kit, so as soon as you receive it you can download the pattern info page and begin swatching! If you don’t see a color you want available in the kit, call Jimmy Beans Wool at (877) 529-5648 and they would be happy to substitute a different Cloudgate color for you in able for you to receive the pattern discount.

This year, I’ve chosen to keep the project a complete mystery. If you message me privately on Ravelry and want to know what the project is, I will be happy to share. I know that for some folks, that can make or break their decision to participate, so please feel free to message me if you’d like to know that part of the mystery. Things I will not divulge though are: exact stitch patterns used, shape, finished measurements (there will be notes on how to customize this as we go).

A Note on Color Choice: While the Casterly Rock color is beautiful, highly variegated yarns such as this may not be everyone’s taste, so I recommend seriously considering your preferences before choosing your colors. I’ve designed the pattern this year to be relatively simple (Advanced Beginner) to accommodate the busy color, but definitely take some time to consider if a variegated yarn is right for you. See the gauge swatch photo I’ve posted here for help with that decision.

A Note on Swatching: Gauge is important on this design. I always recommend doing a gauge swatch and have included specific instructions on HOW to swatch for this project on the info page that you can download when you purchase the pattern. If you find you tend to use more yarn than is called for on average in your knitting projects, you should consider buying a 4th skein of yarn to be on the safe side. Extra, unwound skeins of yarn can be returned for a full refund later, and it’s a good insurance policy if you run short. You can also use any leftovers to knit yourself a matching hat! Oops, I guess I’ve given a clue there…we are NOT knitting at hat! :)

This year’s MKAL will be slightly different than the last few years. I’ve made this design a bit more more beginner friendly, although I promise that it will not be boring for the more advanced knitters. If I had to rank the difficulty of this pattern, I would call it “Advanced Beginner,” but it does incorporate some simple lace and patterning in the design.

As usual, this MKAL will be hosted in the Jimmy Beans Wool Group here on Ravelry. Specific threads for each clue will be posted and labeled accordingly, along with separate photo threads where you can post progress photos. Please feel free to join in the Pre-MKAL chat that is happening over there now!

This year’s MKAL will begin on May 3rd so as not to conflict with the Outlander MKAL that is currently going on (darn those TV show schedules being so close together!) Here are the dates for the 4 clues in this MKAL:

Clue 1: May 3rd
Clue 2: May 10th (Mother’s Day)
Clue 3: May 17th
Clue 4: May 24th

I post each Clue late on Saturday night so that the update is in your Ravelry library first thing Sunday morning. The time that I post it on Saturday evening is not exact, just right before I turn in for the night. For those who remember my earlier KALs I switched to doing this so that the east coasters (and those of you in Europe) aren’t waiting on me until later in the day Sunday to get it all uploaded, since I am on PST. :)

If you have any questions about this MKAL, please feel free to message me directly, or check the Jimmy Beans Wool Group to see if your question has been answered. I try to check there throughout the day, but as I also work full time at Jimmy Beans, so I don’t always get to it until I get home. I do try to answer as promptly as possible. I also have some lovely helpers in the group who are fabulous about answering questions as well. It’s a fun community, I hope you’ll join us!

Lastly, just a couple of little housekeeping things. When you purchase your pattern, don’t forget to save it to your Ravelry library. When the pattern gets updated with a new clue each week, I will send a message, but you can always go directly to your library, and download the new version. Easy peasy. Also, once you download your pattern info sheet, don’t forget to create your “project” here on Ravelry and tag it with: GoTMKAL2015 so that people can easily search for your project.

If you missed out on last year’s MKAL and want something to knit while you wait for this MKAL to start on May 3rd, check out last year’s design, the Stormborn Shawl inspired by Daenerys Targaryen!

Happy knitting, and see you on May 3rd!

Kristen