KAL

KAL, Knit Equals Joy Designs, Knit-a-Long, knitting, knitting pattern, Pumpkin-a-Long

The 2022 Pumpkin and the Fifth Annual Pumpkin Along (PAL)

Posted on September 4, 2022September 4, 2022 by Carol

Hi everyone, it’s been a very long time since I’ve written a blogpost. Much behind-the-scenes design work has been going on, including 2022’s pumpkin design, the Jack-Be-Little. More about the other designs a little later.

Jack-Be-Little is a variety of tiny pumpkin readily available each Fall. This Jack-Be-Little knits up quickly and is made with slipped stitches. It’s a small pumpkin, 5 inches in diameter and about 2.5 inches tall without the stem. The pattern also includes Jill-Be-Little (another variety) and Ghost-Be-Little (slight poetic license taken here). The options vary only in the height of the central slipped stitch section of the pumpkins.

Create your own pumpkin patch by mixing and matching the various Be-Littles, changing up your main colors and contrasting colors, and using either a premade or knitted-on stem.

Hand and glove with the 2022 pumpkin design is the Fifth Annual Pumpkin Along. Edited to add: Starting NOW!!

The premise of the PAL is very easy: knit one of the Knit Equals Joy pumpkins (there are now 10!), post progress pictures of your pumpkin on Instagram with the tags #pumpkinalong2022, #knitequalsjoy, and @knitequalsjoy. I will be giving away Knit Equals Joy patterns (digital) periodically during the PAL chosen randomly from amongst progress pictures posted and tagged on Instagram. If you’d like to use the above photo on Instagram (or Facebook), it will count as a progress picture. Follow those tags to see everyone else’s pumpkin progress and anything related to Fall that we post (because we love Fall!!!).

When you finish a pumpkin, also use the tag #pumpkinalong2022FO (for finished object).

At the conclusion of the PAL (Halloween, although I reserve the right to extend it if the mood strikes), I’ll randomly choose from the finished pumpkins and will award prizes. We currently have an adorable pumpkin teapot stitch marker donated by Carla and a skein of Blu Fiber Company DK yarn in the colorway Wild Holly (I used it for a couple of my Jack-Be-Littles, and it is a GREAT colorway and a fabulous yarn to work with) donated by Wild Knits Yarn Shop. Thank you so very much, Carla and Wild Knits! I will also donate a $30 gift certificate for Amanda Hope Yarn. I used Amanda Hope Yarn Extra Fine Merino and Superkid Mohair/Silk in the Jack-Be-Little pattern, and it is divine!

If you’re not on Instagram, email your pumpkins to me at knitequalsjoy@gmail.com.

Come join us and get in on some Autumn-knitting joy!!!

Pumpkin-A-Long Patterns – hover over photo for pattern name, click to read about the pattern or to purchase.

Oh My Gourd (Worsted - one pattern, both sizes)

Oh My Gourd (Fingering - one pattern, both sizes)

Large Colorwork Pumpkin

Mini Colorwork Pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie Garland

Now, for the other designing going on behind the scenes:

I’m excited to be releasing this pattern within the next week or so for more fall fun:

It’s a quick and easy knit, and you can make the garland as long as you like. The pattern describes the easiest way to connect the pie pieces, but they can also be connected with twine or baker’s twine, using sewn-on or glued-on buttons, or by using i-cord.

On October 15th, we will be having a relaxed Pumpkin Pie Garland KAL/party/class at Wild Knits. I’ll be demonstrating some of those construction techniques and we’ll have pompom makers in various sizes. Lots of crafting fun! Grandma’s and Mom’s button tins will be there, too.

Also behind the scenes, I’m working with a group of designers on a pattern collection built around three stitches and a theme. Currently the plan is for two releases, one with smaller accessories and the other with larger items. I can’t tell you too much about the collection except that my designs are a shawl and a shawlette. They both feature the same stitch as the centerpiece of the design, but they differ in both complexity and size. I will be using yarn from LL Yarn Co. for both – the shawlette in their Worsted and the shawl in their MSC DK. I can’t wait to share the designs with you! Pictured is a swatch of the stitch I’m using.

Once these designs are written and tested (the shawlette has already been tech edited and tested), I hope to get back to the Warp Nine Sweater. I got pretty far on it, then changed my mind on how I wanted to treat the bodice and the sleeves. I absolutely love the yarn by Blu Fiber Company (a local company, BTW), the colors, and the colorwork design, so I look forward to getting back to it.

Come check out the Pumpkin Palooza at Wild Knits on September 17th. My pumpkins will be hanging out there and I’ll be there for at least part of the day.

Thanks for spending some time here checking out the blog. I appreciate your support for my design work. Check out the website and the links in the sidebar to find out the rest of what’s happening with Knit Equals Joy.

xoxo

Carol

KAL, Knit-a-Long, knitters, knitting, knitting pattern, knitting patterns

The 2021 Pumpkin-A-Long (PAL)

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Carol

Pumpkin-A-Long

This year’s Pumpkin-A-Long has begun! It’s easy to play along, and I hope you will.

Right now there are seven eligible pumpkin patterns, and soon this year’s pumpkin design will be added to the pumpkin patch!

The premise of the PAL is very easy: knit one of the Knit Equals Joy pumpkins, post progress pictures of your pumpkin on Instagram with the tags #pumpkinalong2021, #knitequalsjoy, and @knitequalsjoy. I will be giving away Knit Equals Joy patterns (digital) periodically during the PAL chosen randomly from amongst progress pictures posted and tagged on Instagram. If you’d like to use either of the above photos on Instagram (or Facebook), they will count as progress pictures. Follow those tags to see everyone else’s pumpkin progress and anything related to Fall that we post (because we love Fall!!!).

When you finish a pumpkin, also use the tag #pumpkinalong2021FO (for finished object).

At the conclusion of the PAL (Thanksgiving), I’ll randomly choose from the finished pumpkins and will award prizes. Wendy at Amanda Hope Yarn is graciously sponsoring the PAL with a $30 gift card from her shop. She has a great eye for color, and her yarns are scrumptious!

If you’re not on Instagram, email your pumpkins to me at knitequalsjoy@gmail.com.

Come join us and get in on some Autumn-knitting joy!!!

Pumpkin-A-Long Patterns – hover over photo for pattern name, click to read about the pattern or to purchase.

Oh My Gourd (Worsted - one pattern, both sizes)

Oh My Gourd (Fingering - one pattern, both sizes)

Large Colorwork Pumpkin

Mini Colorwork Pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie Garland

Spidey

I’m thrilled that this year’s design, Spidey, is almost ready for publishing! Spidey creates a creepy spider through the use of two-color twisted stitches and some other fun textury stitches. I am looking for some knitters who’d like to test out the pattern for me. If that’s you, please let me know via email.

Pumpkins forever!!

Carol

KAL, Knit-a-Long, knitting, Make Along

The Uplift Make Along (happy dance)

Posted on April 11, 2021 by Carol

Woo hoo! Doing a happy dance over here! “Why??” you may ask. Because there’s a new and fun make along called the Uplift Make Along (UMAL), and I’ve found it and it’s fun! It’s welcoming and supportive, and it’s a way to meet new friends and find new designers.

The purpose of the UMAL is to support the work of less-known independent knitting, crochet, and Tunisian crochet designers. Like all MALs, it’s a place to share WIPs and finished projects and to cheer each other on. There will be prizes. The UMAL began April 1 and goes through June 30, so there’s plenty of time to finish a project. It’s hosted on a user-friendly platform, but you can also participate simply by making something by a less-known designer and tagging #UpliftMakeAlong on Instagram. If you’d like to join the UMAL, here is your invitation! If you’d like to read up on the UMAL, here’s an informative blog post written by founder Ruth Brasch.

Today is Support Sunday in the Uplift Make Along, and here are four designers I’ve met whose designs I’m loving.

I recently tested Ruth Brasch‘s Arkenstone Hat. The cable was enticing, and the finished design was terrific, so I cast on her Arkenstone Sweater. I think I will have to rethink the yarn I’m using, but I’m so excited to be working on someone else’s sweater! I love the top part of the back (and the cables, of course).

New to me is designer Liz Corke. I found these fingerless mitts, and I think they are so delicate and elegant. I’m looking for just the right fingering weight in my stash. These are the Dromanach Mitts.

I’ve also gotten to chat a bit with the lovely Mona Z, also known as bunnymuff. Her colorwork designs are fun and fabulous. I’ve loved this one since it first came out:

Such is the Quality of Bees Blanket by Mona Z

I think this sheep toy of hers is just about perfect:

And I purchased this hat pattern. The colors are so happy, and I really want to try the Roosimine (or Roositud) technique. It’s a type of Estonian inlay and sort of looks like embroidery.

Now, I was very happy when a couple of people commented on My Sense of Direction Mitts. It’s always fun when something you’ve designed calls to someone else. Designer You-Shan Feng is making these mitts, yay! This morning she posted on Instagram:

My Sense of Direction Mitts by You-Shan Feng (yarncontortions on IG)

This picture she edited was so diverting that it led to another episode of what I like to call “Why Carol is a bad cook.” When the post notification popped up on my phone, I had to write a response right that moment. I completely forgot that I had pancakes cooking on the stove. Needless to say, the pancakes were pretty decimated . End of story: burnt crusts removed, pancakes consumed – despite a slight burnt taste.

You-shan’s designs (currently available on Ravelry) are jaw-droppingly amazing to me, so I wanted to share a couple here.

New sweater ready for testing by You-Shan Feng

And this one, which she is making according to a friend’s design preferences:

If you join the Uplift Make Along on the platform, you’ll be able to find all of these lovely designers, and more. My thanks to them for allowing me to share these photos here.

I’ve added some new linky things to the blog’s sidebar. Especially check out the Link Tree. Now you’ll easily be able to find links to whatever’s going on in Knit Equals Joy land.

I hope you all have a great week. Maybe you’ll even join me for future episodes of “Why Carol is a bad cook.” 😉

And I hope to share more about the UMAL over the next few months.

xoxo

Carol

KAL, Knit-a-Long, Pumpkin-a-Long, yarn

October, Pumpkins, a Wedding

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Carol

Hey everyone! It’s a chilly October morning here, gray and drab, but cozy inside. We’re drinking coffee and trying to decide what to do with the day.

The Pumpkin-a-Long (PAL) continues! I’m giving away free patterns weekly – randomly chosen from those who either email a photo of their pumpkin progress to knitequalsjoy@gmail.com or post their pictures on Instagram with the tag #pumpkinalong2020. At the end (Thanksgiving) there will be a random drawing for some Amanda Hope yarn, a felted pumpkin, and other prizes, drawn from the pool of finished pumpkin projects that were emailed or posted as above during the PAL.

If this appeals to you, please join us, and invite your friends!

I love this pumpkin that Carla made:

And this one by Ginny:

Pattern: Plaid Pumpkin, using instructions for the one-color pumpkin

I made my original “Because…Pumpkins” pumpkins using Amanda Hope Yarns. I used their Aussie Extra Fine Fingering (100% Merino – yummmmm!) held together with their Superkid Mohair/Silk (also yummmmm!). Working with the two of them held together is heavenly! They create an amazingly soft and halo-y fabric. If you look closely, you can see that the colors are slightly tonal. Tonals are my very favorite – the color changes stitch-to-stitch invariably keep my interest, even when working miles of stockinette.

Check out their website: Amanda Hope Yarn and see Because Pumpkins featured in their opening slides (thank you, Wendy)!!!

If you follow on Facebook or Instagram, you know that our younger son got married last month. It was a joyous – outside, small, and socially distanced – occasion, and we are thrilled for them and so happy to welcome our new daughter-in-law to the family. It was truly a sweet ceremony and represented them so well. My pictures here were taken by cell phone, so I apologize that they’re not very clear.

This year I have truly missed my trips to the Oregon Coast. I’m hoping to take a few days there around Thanksgiving and to have some pictures to share with you here.

I hope that you and yours are safe and well. I hope that you can enjoy some fall festivities, fall knitting, or some fun fall decorating. Pumpkins are always good! 😉

All the best,

Carol

KAL, Knit-a-Long, knitters, knitting, Pumpkin-a-Long

More Pumpkin Fun

Posted on October 5, 2020January 24, 2021 by Carol

Just for fun – and so that you can see the comparative sizes of the pumpkin patterns – I made this short little video:

Here are prizes for the Pumpkin-A-Long:

Prizes for completed pumpkins, to be chosen randomly after we finish the PAL on Thanksgiving, include a skein of fabulous Amanda Hope Yarn Aussie Extra Fine and an adorable felted pumpkin by Wee Woolies. Throughout the PAL, pattern winners (your choice from amongst all of my patterns) will be chosen randomly from those who post on Instagram or submit via email (knitequalsjoy@gmail.com) progress pictures of their pumpkins, post in response to PAL questions, or even post their PAL badge. Here is the PAL badge (feel free to copy it):

Questions about how to PAL? Interested in the discount (through October 15, 2020)? Read here: Pumpkin-A-Long (PAL)

And if you’re looking for the PAL patterns, here they are:

Oh My Gourd (Worsted - one pattern, both sizes)

Oh My Gourd (Fingering - one pattern, both sizes)

Large Colorwork Pumpkin

Mini Colorwork Pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie Garland

Happy Fall, Y’all!!!

xoxo

Carol

KAL, Knit-a-Long, knitting pattern, knitting patterns, Pumpkin-a-Long

New Pumpkin Pattern, PAL, Discount

Posted on October 2, 2020February 23, 2021 by Carol

I’m thrilled to announce that this year’s pumpkin pattern is now live! It’s called It’s Fall, Y’all.

It’s Fall, Y’all features chevrons – made simply, through the use of increases and decreases. The fabric is created by holding a fingering weight yarn together with a mohair yarn, which produces a shimmery fabric with a soft halo. You can make two shapes/sizes with this pattern, a short pumpkin and a tall one.

You can purchase the pattern here Buy Now or find it in the Pattern tab or Pumpkin-A-Long Patterns tab at the top of the webpage.

I’m so happy with the way this pattern turned out. I hope you will enjoy it!

Speaking of pumpkins. come knit some pumpkins with us during the third annual Pumpkin-A-Long (PAL)!

The PAL goes through Thanksgiving.
All of the Knit Equals Joy pumpkin patterns are eligible. Pumpkin-A-Long Patterns
Discount through October 15, 2020 using coupon code PALpumpkins here on the website or my Payhip store.
If on Instagram, use the tags #pumpkinalong2020 and #knitequalsjoy.
If you’re not on Instagram, email your finished pumpkin pictures to me at knitequalsjoy@gmail.com.
Prizes.
Post this picture to your Instagram feed if you would like to announce your pumpkin love!

If you are local, join the PAL at Wild Knits Salem! In collaboration with Holly, we are offering a special discount on the patterns to the LYS patrons. I’m so excited that this is happening locally this year!

If you are an LYS owner or indie dyer, contact me at knitequalsjoy@gmail.com if you’re interested in joining the PAL and/or offering the pattern to your customers.

Have a wonderful weekend! Please share your pumpkins on IG, and tag me @knitequalsjoy so I can see your wonderful Autumnal creations. The happiest of Falls to all of you.

xoxo

Carol

KAL, Knit-a-Long, knitters, knitting, knitting pattern, knitting patterns

Pumpkin-A-Long (PAL)

Posted on September 15, 2020October 3, 2020 by Carol

This year’s Pumpkin-A-Long has begun! It’s easy to play along, and I hope you will.

There are seven eligible patterns, see below.

The premise of the PAL is very easy: knit one of the Knit Equals Joy pumpkins, post a picture of your pumpkin on Instagram with the tags #pumpkinalong2020 and #knitequalsjoy. Follow those tags to see everyone else’s pumpkin progress and anything related to Fall that we post (because we love Fall!!!). If you’re not on Instagram, email your pumpkins to me at knitequalsjoy@gmail.com.

At the conclusion of the PAL (Thanksgiving), I’ll randomly choose from the finished pumpkins and will award prizes. I have an adorable felted pumpkin (not made by me) and yarn, of course, to offer as prizes.

Use the coupon code PALpumpkins for 15% off any of these patterns through October 15, 2020. Discount available only on patterns purchased through knitequalsjoy.com or my Payhip store.

Come join us and get in on some Autumn-knitting joy!!!

Pumpkin-A-Long Patterns – hover over photo for pattern name, click to read about the pattern or to purchase.

Oh My Gourd (Worsted - one pattern, both sizes)

Oh My Gourd (Fingering - one pattern, both sizes)

Large Colorwork Pumpkin

Mini Colorwork Pumpkin

Pumpkin Pie Garland

Enjoy!!!

Carol

colorwork knitting, KAL, Knit-a-Long, knitting patterns, Pumpkin-a-Long

Fall, Mad About Plaid, Cheers to Ewe

Posted on September 17, 2019September 16, 2019 by Carol

Hey y’all! I hope everyone is enjoying these great (almost) Fall days! I’m so happy that football is back, and tonight we had some amazing pumpkin pasta with Autumn alfredo sauce. It was fabulous, and it tasted like Fall.

I know you’ve been seeing Plaid Pumpkin pictures all over the place along with a ton of Pumpkin-A-Long posts over the last few days. My apologies for the inundation of information – I wanted to get all the info out there at the beginning and have it in an easily accessible place for any general questions about how the PAL works.

Main things to remember: make any Knit Equals Joy pumpkin, post finished picture on Instagram with correct tags or in the Knit Equals Joy Facebook group; finish everything by Halloween. Prizes, fun. That’s it! This post: The Second Annual Pumpkin-A-Long (PAL) has all the details in much more detail-y form. The prizes are there now, too.

So, speaking of pumpkins and patterns, I recently started adding my designs to a new pattern site, PatternVine. I was drawn to the look of the site – it’s very lovely. I’ve slowly been updating my patterns – adding the new logo and better photos – and then adding them to PatternVine. I wanted my customers to have several different options available for purchasing my patterns.

Ladianne is one of the owners of PatternVine as well as of a yarn shop called Cheers to Ewe, and she purchased and is making the Large Colorwork Pumpkins pattern, spider version. Cheers to Ewe has a weekly show, and last Saturday they chatted a bit about my pumpkin patterns. I am of course biased because of that, but I really enjoyed the show. The enthusiasm was contagious, and you can tell they were having a good time. But I loved how the show was built around variations on a theme – plaid, in this case. If you have time and are so inclined, you might enjoy the show.

Enjoy the rest of your week, and happy knitting!

xoxo
Carol

cable knitting, colorwork knitting, KAL, knit equals joy, Knit Equals Joy Designs, Knit-a-Long, knitters, knitting patterns, Pumpkin-a-Long

The Second Annual Pumpkin-A-Long (PAL)

Posted on September 12, 2019November 1, 2020 by Carol

As you know, we love Fall around here, and we love pumpkins!! And to celebrate, we are having the Second Annual Pumpkin-A-Long.

There are two ways to participate: on Instagram and/or on Facebook.

On Instagram, hashtags make our job easier. You can tag your photos with our specific hashtags, and you can also follow our hashtags, so that you will see any posts that anyone makes with those specific tags. The tags we will be using are #knitequalsjoy2019PAL and #knitequalsjoy for any photos posted relating to the PAL. If you follow those tags, you will see any announcement-type posts I make about the PAL on Instagram, too. The tag for finished pumpkins is #knitequalsjoy2019PALFO (the FO is for finished object). That tag will be important, because those finished object posts are the ones that are eligible for the random prize drawings. I have some great prizes on deck and will be sharing about those in later posts. Please also tag me @knitequalsjoy so that I will see your post – just in case the hashtags don’t work correctly.

Of course, some folks may not use Instagram, so we also will be posting photos in the Knit Equals Joy Facebook group. You can find the group here: Knit Equals Joy Facebook Group. I have set up an album there for progress photos and one for finished objects.

If this works well, my hope is that we can use the same format for upcoming KALs and for knitting along with next year’s Olympics.

How to Pumpkin-A-Long

To play along, knit any Knit Equals Joy pumpkin pattern (see below).
To be eligible for prizes, complete 1 or more Knit Equals Joy pumpkin by October 31, 2019. Each completed and properly posted finished pumpkin counts as an entry for prizes. You may enter as many times as you like. No more than one prize per person.
Have fun! Share your beautiful pumpkin pictures on Instagram or in the Facebook group (see above)! We want to see what you are making and cheer you on. If you have any questions, ask in the PAL. We can share and learn new things from each other.

I think that’s it! See the eligible patterns below…

Plaid Pumpkin, with a plaid colorwork design, a great basketweave design, and a fun graphic design a bit reminiscent of a spider web. Also includes instructions for non-stranded stripes or plain knitting. Just published.

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Plaid Pumpkin PDF Pattern at LoveCrafts.

Autumn Spice Pumpkin is knit in super-bulky and is nearly 40″ in circumference! The jumbo cables are a joy to knit. This is a statement piece knit in the recommended yarn, but it looks great in any weight yarn. Published 2018.

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Autumn Spice Pumpkin PDF Pattern at LoveCrafts

Wee Pumpkin is knit flat, and it is reaaalllly tiny, about an inch tall and an inch-and-a-half in diameter. It would be fun to make a wee pumpkin garland! Published 2018.

Wee Pumpkin PDF at LoveCrafts.

Large Colorwork Pumpkin has four fun colorwork designs. Knit in worsted weight yarn and pretty much life-sized: about 12 inches in diameter and 12 inches tall. Published in 2017.

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Large Colorwork Pumpkins PDF Pattern at LoveCrafts.

Colorwork Pumpkin, with charts for Art Nouveau lilies and 2 versions of spiders. Published 2016.

Colorwork Pumpkin PDF Pattern at LoveCrafts.

Mini Colorwork Pumpkin, a tiny pumpkin pattern with 6 different colorwork charts. Published 2015.

Mini Colorwork Pumpkin PDF Pattern at LoveCrafts.

Prizes

The four wonderful items in the corner frames of the photo below are PAL prizes.

Clockwise, starting from top left, the prizes are
1. Amanda Hope Yarn Yankee Doodle Sock (Fingering Weight; 80% Merino Wool, 20% Nylon; 410 yards/100g) in Burnt Orange.
2. Amanda Hope Yarn Aussie Extra Fine Single (Fingering Weight; 100% 19.5 Micron Extra Fine Merino Wool; 437 yards/100g) in Nocturne II.
3. Awesome Pumpkin Scissors donated by Carla (thank you Carla!).
4. Fabulous Cookie Stamps featuring a sheep design and two knit stitch designs. Set shown is mine; winner’s set is sealed.

Winners will be chosen randomly from all completed and properly posted finished projects. We reserve the right to replace these prizes with items of equal or greater value.

I hope you will join us for our joyful Pumpkin-A-Long! Questions? Send me a message or ask on IG or Facebook.

xoxo

Carol

Indie Design Gift-a-Long, KAL, Knit Equals Joy Designs, Knit-a-Long, knitting patterns

GAL – More Sale Faves

Posted on November 28, 2018May 8, 2020 by Carol

Hi again, dear knitters. The sale portion of the Indie Design GAL on Ravelry ends Thursday night, November 29th, at 11:59 pm EST. I wanted to share one more set of patterns that I love, designed by other designers. These designs appeal to me because of their use of texture, color, and pattern, because of the techniques used, or because of an elegance of style. Remember to use the coupon code giftalong2018 to save 25% on these patterns. My sale patterns are also on sale with the giftalong2018 coupon code through Thursday night (11/29/18).

Enjoy these wonderful designs!

Shoreline Beanie by Ranee Mueller (Arabian Knits Designs):