Fun
A Thing to Look Forward To: The Refreshalong
Dear Kay,
I am trying to cook up as many things to look forward to as I possibly can these days.
Making plans for a load of darks next Wednesday. I’ve got a bag of elephant ear bulbs that are going to be a highlight of Saturday, April 25. And a Thawing Of The Meat is going to perk up tomorrow.
This newfound love of planning fun things while safer at home leads me to announce a fun thing that will launch on Friday, May 1:
The Refreshalong.
Oh, it’s coming, all right. Go ahead: crack open that 2020 planner with all the blank pages and ink this in.
We are on the cusp of a whole new group activity, one that can be enjoyed in the splendor of our own homes.
It’s a knitalong to get us through the weeks ahead.
We are going to knit the heck out of Carol Feller’s four designs featured in the crispy new MDK Field Guide No. 14: Refresh, and we encourage you to join us.
Your Options
There are four ways to go. I list them here in rough order of relative sportiness. The links to Ravelry give you all the juicy details.
The Arcade Cap requires low commitment. Just a skein and dream will get you topped off. Make a dozen or two and your holiday knitting is done.
Challenge level: Attainable fun for a new knitter, a breeze for a seasoned hat maker.
The Trellis Top is not a tabard, despite the whispering we’re hearing. A tabard is what a Knight of the Round Table would wear, or anybody on a lookout for a holy grail. This sleeve-free layer is utterly modern, loaded with Carol Feller’s signature clever bits.
Challenge level: if you can knit and purl, you’ve got this. There’s a very cool i-cord edging to the Trellis Top. With buttons yet no buttonholes!
The Twining Wrap is a triangle of textures, a great first project for cables if you’re the curious type and want to end up with a swath of comforting beauty that will be a lasting souvenir of That Time in 2020.
Challenge level: You’ll spend time with the charts as you begin. But after a repeat or two, we predict you’ll have a groove going. Exhilarating!
The Transom Cardigan is Carol Feller at her absolute best. The saddle shoulder has us super curious. And the chevrons and diagonal patterns make this design an unexpected classic.
Challenge level: You might want to have made a cardigan before this one. But who are we to say? We knitted an intarsia squirrel on our first cardigan—nobody told us that intarsia squirrels were tricky.
How to Join the Refreshalong
It’s easy.
Pick a pattern. We’re not going to throw all that lifelong-learner stuff at you, how you need to use this rare and peculiar time to learn something new. We’re not planting spinach, in case you’re wondering. But if you are in fact looking for interesting, achievable skills in knitting, these four patterns are brilliant for the knitter in search of new fun.
Figure out your yarn. That’s Nua Sport in the photos above, which we carry in the MDK Shop right here. But as ever it’s totally great to use your own yarn.
Schedule. We officially drop the rope on Friday, May 1. But some of us have already embarked on our Refreshalong journey. (Me.) (I couldn’t help it.) We have how-to videos from Carol Feller herself in the pipeline to talk us through the interesting bits of these designs.
And a conversation in the Lounge is of course central to the whole thing. Beyond that, we’re open to any ideas you all have for ways to knit together, apart. A Zoom call? Let us know if that’s of interest, and we’ll figure out something.
Show your work. One of the best things about a knitalong is seeing everybody else’s projects. Let us see how it’s going, either in the Lounge or on Instagram. Hashtags will be #refreshalongMDK and #MDKFieldGuideNo14.
Conclusion. We’ll wind up the Refreshalong at the end of August. A long one! The longest knitalong we’ve run! But we really love all four of the designs in Field Guide No. 14, and it’s looking like it’s going to be a long, hot summer, unlike any we have ever experienced. So let’s plan for a lot of sharing and caring and sitting and knitting—we’re going to get through this, right?
Love,
Ann
Thank you for the pep talk. I’ve already done a swatch to try out the stitch pattern for the TT (Trellis Tabard). I’m a knight knitter and proud of it. I love all the patterns in Refresh but TT won my heart.
Here’s an exuberant YES to a zoom knitting circle! I have my eyes on the not-a-tabard…is there a way to estimate how many skeins of Nua I’ll need?
I’m in with the Arcade Cap. It will be perfect for early morning walks this spring (it’s still chilly here in New England!). Ordered my Nua and can’t wait to cast on. ♥️
Count me in! I am awaiting the arrival of my first Field Guide. A Nua order will go out today. My plan is to complete the hat and tabbard on this shared journey.
Be well!
Another exuberant yes to zoom! I have an account that up to 100 can join at a time if we need techie details!
If you check the pattern details on Ravelry you can get a good idea of how many to order.
I have my Nua sport ready to go for the TT; and I can’t wait! I have never participated in a KAL, but feel the need to connect with other knitters right now – very excited!!
How many skeins of Nua Sport is needed for the projects?
I’d love to play-a-long in the knit-a-long on a zoom-a-long! Thank you for inspiring and organizing.
I just ordered 6 skeins of Nua Sport in Unexpected Macaw to do Trellis Top. I plan to practice and do a swatch as soon as I get my delivery. Hoping to be able to complete this with everyone’s help.
I just got a beep from Canada Post—my Unexpected Macaw is arriving today! Now for the Twining Wrap—with minimal cable experience!
The Thawing of the Meat is fantastic – we celebrated it Sunday night into Monday. Have you tried The Cleaning of the Lint Trap? That’s on my docket for Saturday.
Can’t wait to get the new Field Guide in the mail!
Love that the Refreshalong goes through the end of August!!!
Finishing up my Quarantine Blanket (almost done!) so I can swatch for the TT. I ordered the Nua sport as soon as I received the field guide and I’m so looking forward to this KAL.
Just got my Field Guide #14 and my 2 skeins of Nua…boy is that yarn wonderful!!! I’m going to make the hat! I may start before May because I need another project to get started on!
Awaiting my Nua for the cardigan (which I’m now -gulp- a tad nervous about). HUZZAH for knitalong support and fun!
I began swatching for the TT last evening and I wanted to shout from the rooftops how wonderful Nua Sport is! It is so soft and shows beautiful stitch definition. Can’t wait to get started on the Refreshalong!
I’m in! The Trellis Top is already in my queue. ❤
Do you carry any buttons worthy of the TT? The plastic ones available at my local fabric store just won’t do.
Check out @woolymossroots on Instagram. They make buttons from wood and bone. They are perfect for this project
My TTT (Trellis Top for a Texan) is underway! It’s a great sweater-ish solution for us folks where what passes for winter is hazardously short to really enjoy a yummy wool sweater with sleeves and all that very often. I have a sneaky plan to add on a Twining Wrap as well – those cables in Nua Sport are so delightfully textured! The Padded Cables deliver so much yum with only occasional interruptions of stockinette, making it such a satisfying knit. My affection for the so-soft yet strong Nua Sport in Cerebellum is immeasurable – it will be a happy knit to linger over through the summer, as we all become a bit more like Nua!
I’m in! By May 1st hope to have all of the yarn to maybe do two of the projects in Refresh.
❤️ Looking forward to making the Trellis Top!
Love the idea of a knit along. Can I participate while working on my own project? I have several in the works and really can’t start a new one right now. Please send instructions as to how I can participate. Not the greatest when it comes to computers.
Thanks,
Ruth Ellen
Okay, I’m in. I’ve had the Field Guide and the requisite number of skeins of yarn in my shopping cart for a week, while I pondered the expense. This morning I ‘fessed up to my husband, and he said “Go for it!” So I hit “Send,” and Bob’s your uncle — I’m in! Can’t wait to get started!
I just ordered my yarn for the wrap! Yea, my first KAL
I’m ready to refresh with the twining wrap. Love the shape and movement. Zoom meets ups are fun. We are having a zoom bday party for my littlest tomorrow. Who is turning 28. I can in disbelief. But anyway. Zoom is what we have and it is fun to be in the company of other knitters.
I’m in! I have some of Carol’s yarn in my stash. I haven’t decided which project to knit.
I’m in. I think the hat will be my speed. A knit along sounds great. Zoom also would be fun. We have a local Zoom knit along on Friday morning which works well. We all just need to be careful since Zoom is easy to hack. Read http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/software/how-to-secure-your-Zoom-meetings-from-Zoom-bombing-attacks/. This is a detailed article but not technical on how to block the nasty folk from your meetings step by step. It’s an FYI.
I just got my box of goodies; a sinfully great book “Making Marls”, wonderful Nua yarn and yet another Field Guide #11 on socks. Can’t wait to start new projects.
Cheers to all. Be Safe. Sue
Got my #14, got to figure out the rest. Got to be IN.
Although I’m a bit nervous about taking this on, I am ordering my Nua Sport for the TT today. Hoping to be able to finish with the help of all my online friends!
Like Ann, I started my wrap early with stash yarn. A true DK weight and larger needles. Ann you’re right, you do fall into a groove especially on the wrong side rows. Saving my Nua for Transom and maybe the hat as I ordered an extra couple.
I would love to participate in a Zoom meeting – my guide will be here soon hopefully, have some yarn and got some Nua also. Am looking forward to it!
I’m all in…. as soon as I narrow down the perfect option.
I’m ordering the book now, hope it comes in time to start on May 1. I’m looking in my stash for a substitute yarn, because the Nua is quite expensive.
I’m in. The Twining Wrap or Transom Cardigan for me.
A Zoom session would be great.
I’m in with the cardigan! I have yarn in my stash that I’ve been looking for the perfect fit, and my gauge was excellent! Squee!
Can I join the knitalong but work on my own project? I have several going and don’t want to start new one. I would love the company of some fellow knitters while my husband and I sit out this nightmare in Toronto, Canada. And I would be happy to bring some Canadian flavour to the group.❤️
I’m in. I started my Twining wrap today in Nua Sport Hatter’s Teal Party. It is gorgeous!! A Zoom call would be fun & interesting! How many little faces can we fit on our screens
I’m in with the Trellis Top! In “Mosquito Coast”.
Yes, please to Zoom! Have my yarn and need to swatch for the Trellis Top. Would love to knit “with” others.
I’m in with the Trellis Top, also. I’ve just ordered my Nua from Stolen Stitches (since I’m in the EU, fewer problems with customs than when I order from the US).
This will be my first knit-a-long.. Exciting. I’m knitting the Transom and have done my swatch. (yes I love to swatch) I’m in love with Nua Sport. The feel, the stitch defination.
This is my first knit along as well. I’m excited to get my yarn and start on the transom cardigan.
My first KAL as well as some other knitters here. Going for the TT and have the Nua yarn and Field Guide ready. Finishing up a quilt project today so I can swatch tonight and be ready for the start tomorrow. Excited to get started on this project!
Did I miss how to join this?! Is it zoom? What time tomorrow? This will be my first KAL having recently gotten back into knitting after a long hiatus! I’m so excited to be knitting the wrap!