Pages

2 December 2016

Knitting with Meg - My First KAL




A few months back I saw a stunning knitted shawl on Facebook and Instagram and desperately wanted to try it. That pattern was Meg Gadsbey's Winterlight.

I didn't have much experience in reading patterns and this one called for a Yarn Over.  GOOGLE! HELP!

I also didn't have much experience in choosing the right yarn for a project.  Winterlight, inexperience and a mohair blend were NOT a good combination!  It was however good practice, until the mistake to end all mistakes and the need to pull back mohair.  Never again!

Bring on the Wolltraum Cotton.  Again, Disaster.  This time it was a mistake rows back that threw out my stitch count. Dropped stitches, Stranded Cotton.  The end!

At about this time I saw on Instagram that Meg was holding a Knit Along (KAL) in her Ravelry Group.  It was an easy no fuss KAL, pick any of Meg's patterns and Knit. Running from the end of August til the end of November I figured I had time to get a Winterlight done.

Up to this point in time I was still relatively new to knitting.  I'd participated in Crochet Alongs before, always with brilliant video tutorials to guide me along the way. This time I was on my own learning to read knitting patterns, teaching myself new techniques and generally learning.

I bought a few of Meg's patterns after deciding to let Winterlight and I have some time apart. We weren't friends anymore.



First up was Sandbar.  I'd just received my first order from Dingo Dyeworks and had this beautiful Merino Ridgey Didge yarn in the Blue Mountain Mist colourway.  This pattern looked like it would challenge me and teach me some new things.  YAY, my first entry in a KAL!




Oh what the hell, there's still time so lets see what I can learn with Contrail, I'd never worked with two colours before.  This time I went rogue and chose a bigger yarn and needles than what the pattern called for.  I have to admit that I loved the striking contrast in the Obsidian and Wild Lime Bendigo Woollen Mills Aurora yarn.






There was STILL  time so I decided I'd try and do another pattern.  Knitting in the round was fairly new to me so I chose Echo Point, a lovely high cowl.  Again, a wee bit rogue with my yarn choice of Scheepjes Linen Soft because well, I'll use any excuse I have to use this yarn!  Its a gorgeous linen, cotton, acrylic blend that washes up to be so soft and drapey.

By this time I was a wee bit obsessed with the learning, the challenge in getting things finished on time and well, knitting.



With the release of the Scorpio pattern I figured I'd try to get one more item into the KAL before it finished. This beauty taught me how to do a mesh and I loved it.  More beautiful Dingo Dyeworks Ridgey Didge yarn in Boronia and that was a match made in heaven.  I managed to get Scorpio finished with a day or two to spare in the KAL deadline.

Throughout the KAL I was lucky enough to have had Meg ask if she could share some of my project photos on Instagram.  I can't tell you how seriously excited I was that in those requests came validation that my learning was paying off, that I was getting it right.

The Ravelry group was another learning experience.  I'd never joined one before.  The talent of the women participating was inspiring, their encouragement of me and other members was a lovely thing to see and be a part of. I'd often sit back and just watch the banter and see beautiful projects being posted and be in awe of them all.

All up throughout this experience I learnt, long tail cast on, yarn over, different bind off techniques, knitting in the round, working with two colours, slip one with yarn in front (that did my head in until I started remembering to do it). Stitch markers are very handy things indeed! If you knit in the back loop it twists a stitch in a very pretty way.   I learnt to play with and choose yarn to suit a project.  I also learnt patience, perseverance and that both of those pay off with beautiful end results.

Meg Gadsbey is a such a warm and giving person, she encourages, she teaches, she is so willing to help and advise and she made this experience such a pleasure.   Her patterns are brilliantly laid out and written and so easy for a beginner like me to follow.  I'm about to attempt her latest design, Lomond as its about to teach me simple lace.

As for Winterlight, I think we could possibly be friends again.

You can find Meg's designs on Ravelry and follow her in Facebook or Instagram.


3 comments:

  1. What a lovely tale of learning and inspiration. Amanda, I so enjoyed following your progress in the KAL thread and your projects are absolutely gorgeous. I particularly like your colour to pattern matches and your Echo Point ... oh my <3 I look forward to seeing more of your progress in the months to come xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your kind words Derrin! The whole experience was a wonderful learning experience and massive confidence booster. <3

      Delete
  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking time out of your day to comment and share your thoughts..