Join in!

Have you noticed how many Crochet and Knit Alongs there are around at the moment?  It’s quite a delicious selection to choose from.  KALs/CALs have become popular for many reasons.  They can be a very social event with Facebook pages and Ravelry groups dedicated to them.  There is always someone to help if you get stuck and it is wonderful to see all the projects emerging.  Our craft can sometimes be quite solitary and this is a great way to spend time with like-minded people.

They are also a very good way to learn new techniques.  Many KALs/CALs are structured so that you start by practising basic skills and go on to learn more complicated methods as you progress. The best ones will also have photo or video tutorials to guide you.

Sometimes a large project, such as a blanket, can be a bit daunting but when it is broken down in to manageable chunks it is achievable and can be huge fun.

Here are a few of our favourites

Winwick Mum’s Sockalong is perfect for you if you have always wanted to knit socks but have never been sure how to get started with the basic techniques.  Christine is very good at demystifying the process.

Last year Jane Crowfoot’s Crochet Along with Stylecraft was a huge success and it is back.  This year’s offering is called Frida’s flowers – a truly delicious blanket.  It has just started so you can join in here.

Martin Storey has created a special blanket for Rowan which launched in January but it is still available here.  This is quite a large project but is something you can take your time over.

We love Debbie Abrahams designs and the really exciting thing about her latest Mystery Cushion Knit Along is that the design is a closely guarded secret.  Debbie sends you out the yarn and the patterns you need so you can make the cushion but you don’t know what it will look like until the end of the project and places are strictly limited.  You can sign up for here.

The Sophie’s Universe CAL was a huge success last year.  Even though it was launched in 2015, you can still find all the resources you need to make this beautiful blanket.

You can join us for our latest KAL/CAL over on our Ravelry group.