Knit a Sweater in November
Saturday September 27, 2008
I'm consistently amazed by the cool ways we knitters come up with to amuse ourselves and each other and to celebrate and revel in our craft. Just the latest example I've come across is NaKniSweMo, which would translate as National Knit Sweater Month if it weren't just an acronym.
You might have heard of National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, which this year is celebrating its tenth year of challenging writers to compose a novel of at least 50,000 words entirely within the month of November. It's crazy fun (I did it three years running before life got too busy but I'd really love to try it again someday).
NaKniSweMo began three years ago, launched by Shannon Okey of knitgrrl fame, and it involves knitting a sweater containing at least 50,000 stitches completely within the month of November. That sounds like a lot, but most adult sweaters will fit the bill nicely. (You can read more about past SweMo events here.)
The official party is happening at Ravelry, and people are already gearing up for the festivities. While it might make sense to some to add a knit sweater to your list of holiday knitting so you can kill two birds with one project, I suggest knitting yourself a nice present for the holidays instead. If I manage to convince myself I have time for such a thing, I'm going to knit myself the Alexandra Ballerina sweater from Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits, which I've had the yarn for for about a year and would really like to get to wear this winter. Are you game?
You might have heard of National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, which this year is celebrating its tenth year of challenging writers to compose a novel of at least 50,000 words entirely within the month of November. It's crazy fun (I did it three years running before life got too busy but I'd really love to try it again someday).
NaKniSweMo began three years ago, launched by Shannon Okey of knitgrrl fame, and it involves knitting a sweater containing at least 50,000 stitches completely within the month of November. That sounds like a lot, but most adult sweaters will fit the bill nicely. (You can read more about past SweMo events here.)
The official party is happening at Ravelry, and people are already gearing up for the festivities. While it might make sense to some to add a knit sweater to your list of holiday knitting so you can kill two birds with one project, I suggest knitting yourself a nice present for the holidays instead. If I manage to convince myself I have time for such a thing, I'm going to knit myself the Alexandra Ballerina sweater from Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits, which I've had the yarn for for about a year and would really like to get to wear this winter. Are you game?
Comments
Dear Sarah:Thank you for keeping the flames of interest in knitting still alive, even if I am restrained because of cultural and physical geography. It has been my frustration for years to follow up on our progress about this wonderful craft. Can you imagine me having learned the basics of knitting and after 25 years being limited to scarves, caps and shawls? We are a country more into crochet, but I wanted to find out more about knitting from a “live human being” who I can ask from and do new stitches and procedures. I do not know how to read kntting instructions. Another thing is that our synthetic yarns are so limited. It would have helped if the craft store we used to have, really promoted knitting. But they closed shop instead! Now that I’m retired, can only wish I can find a way to REALLY LEARN knitting and share this interest to my country. Suffice it to say, I just make my day watching your online comments and offers, inasmuch as we do not have instructors here. I did write to you once a few years back, but no one has picked up the craft here. I wanted to learn, but how and from whom, when there’s no no one is interested in this!I learned the basics from our old Flemish nun in school eons ago (GOD bless her soul!) but no one ever picked up the craft. Any suggestions? Thank you for hearing my frustration! GOD BLESS YOU! JULIET
I feel your pain, Juliet, and hope that my site serves at least a little bit as a connection to the knitting world. If you need help that’s more like a real person (and live somewhere with a decent Internet connection) might I recommend knittinghelp.com? They have some great videos on techniques (which I hope to have as well someday!) that are almost as good as having someone there to teach you.