Tot Toppers

knitalong with Joe

News!  Exciting!  Woo hoo!  Morning Coffee starring in a knitalong with discounts & prizes.

Its been a couple of years since my last knitalong and it’s really about time. I was thrilled at the reception of my latest design, Morning Coffee (get it–knitalong with Joe–bahahahaha, please don’t be disappointed that there isn’t really a “joe”) and so it inspired me to put this one together.  I’ve been hammering out the details ever since the pattern was released and finally, they have all come together and I can share them and then you can join me!  Let me tell you a little bit about the design, and then I’ll get to the KAL details.

I was sent a charming little mini-skein of the brand new Lorna’s Laces yarn, Haymarket, last fall.  LL was looking for some designs to show at TNNA earlier this month. The comfy-perfect-for-everything cardi idea had been swimming around in my head for quite some time, and once I smushed this yarn I just new it was a magical fit.  Haymarket is so soft & cozy. Just like my sweater needed to be.

MC is worked top-down with raglan style sleeves. I love top-down because its so much easier to judge the length of the garment when you can try it on.

I went with reverse stockinette as the background for the sweater.  But of course, since you’re working back and forth, its the same amount of knitting and purling as it would be if the background was instead stockinette.  Cables adorn each front and the back.

The sleeves are worked in a rib pattern.  I’m particularly proud of this because the rib makes them very generous–I hear from a lot of knitters that it is hard to get a good fit in a sleeve (many women seem to have upper arms that are larger than the standard for their chest size–me included) so not only do I love how the rib looks, I also love that it makes the sleeve fit flexible.

The sleeves are cuffed with some more cables that are mini-versions of the fronts.

Back to the body of the sweater–the sides are shaped and right at the waist are some more cables. So flattering!

So after hearing & seeing all about it, you’re ready to go, right? Here’s what’s going on with the knitalong. First, discounts, then keep scrolling for prize info.

First, I want to thank the Little Knits yarn shop in Seattle for being an amazing KAL sponsor.  Little Knits is offering a fabulous discount for you to knit with the new and yummy Haymarket yarn!  They have over 25 colors available including Byrne, which my sample featured.

• 10% off your total purchase PLUS free shipping within the contiguous United States, you will receive these orders before our KAL begins.  They will also have hard copies of the pattern available that you can include in your purchase.

To order from Little Knits, visit their website and checkout with the code “morningkal”. This yarn is BRAND SPANKING NEW so the shop will be turning it around for you as quickly as possible, but its actually in transit from Lorna’s to the shop at the moment :)  I’ll be sure to let you know in the KAL thread as soon as they receive the yarn and have it up on their site.  And, I’ll post a list of available colors so you can start drooling.

Second, of course I’ll offer you a discount, too.  Since you’ll need the MC pattern to knit with us, I will give you 25% off the PDF pattern if you purchase prior to the start of the KAL. The code to use for this discount is “knitalong”, feel free to redeem immediately. (If you’ve already purchased the pattern, no worries, please shoot an e-mail to help@tottoppers.com noting the e-mail address with which you checked out and I’ll refund you that 25%)

This knitalong also has PRIZES :)  To be eligible to win a prize, you just need to participate by posting at least one photo of your sweater-in-progress knit in the yarn of your choice, at least one-inch along in the KAL thread, which is stickied in the Tot Toppers & When I Grow Up Ravelry Group. You’ll get more entries (for a greater chance to win) the further along you get with your sweater. 

• One entry given for sweaters at least 1-inch.
• A total of two entries will be given for knitters who post photos of sweaters past the split for the sleeves.  
• A total of three entries will given for sweaters that are worked all the way to the bind-off at the body.
• A total of four entries for completed sweaters with sleeves and collars and buttonbands.

Winners will be picked randomly among participants at the end of the official KAL time frame for the following prizes.

One Grand Prize: 2 skeins of Haymarket in Byrne (the color of my sweater sample), a hard copy of Topped for Another Year (my latest pattern booklet release),  plus 5 free PDF knitting patterns of your choice from either of my lines.

Two Runner Up Prizes: Both Topped for a Year and Topped for Another Year e-books, plus 3 free PDF knitting patterns of your choice from either of my lines.

Three Not-Really-Boobie-Prizes: 2 free PDF knitting patterns of your choice from either of my lines.

So that’s a total of 6 winners, y’all! 

Finally, let me tell you when we will be getting officially underway. The knitalong thread is underway so that everyone can chat about yarn, colors, swatches and whatnot.  Cast-on day is March 14th! Prize-drawing day will be April 30th. Don’t fret, the thread will remain open as long as its active so its OK if you don’t work your final bind-off by the end of April.

In case discounts and prizes don’t seal the deal for you, let me tell you the best things about KALs.  They are great opportunities to take on a challenge; you’ll be surrounded by knitters working exactly what you’re working which provides a ton of help. Not to mention the designer is at your service. Whether you’re knitting your first sweater or your 50th, you’ll be inspired by others progress and color choices.  And, you can even experiment with pattern modifications with all sorts of camaraderie and feedback. When you finish, so many pats on the back will abound!

I really hope you’ll join us.  I love “meeting” knitters through knitalongs and you’ve got time to prep, order yarn, swatch and even clear your needles a bit so you can be ready-ready on the 14th. I’ll also be looking forward to seeing the results of St. Patty’s day knitting… :P