Collect an MKAL 2023 kit here!

Welcome to the 14th Westknits Mystery Shawl Knit Along (MKAL)! We are going to have so much fun knitting an out of this world shawl design. This year’s shawl will be a geometric explosion of color using a gradient of four colors. Join me as I guide you through the mesmerizing stitches of this year’s mystery shawl with video tutorials throughout October. Get ready to blast off as we cast on Thursday, October 5!

Sign Up
Sign up by purchasing this Geogradient Shawl starting September 2 at 16:00 Amsterdam time.

KITS
Collect a kit at Stephen & Penelope! Kits launch September 2 at 16:00 Amsterdam time.

SCHEDULE
Clue 1 - Thursday, October 5
Clue 2 - Thursday, October 12
Clue 3 - Thursday, October 19
Clue 4 - Thursday, October 26

Size
The overall shape and dimensions are part of the mystery! Geogradient Shawl will be a large shawl, similar in size to Starflake or Winter Lights Shawl. It won’t be quite as massive as some previous MKAL shawls that used 5 colors like Texture time or Slipstravaganza. There will be an option at the end of the MKAL to customize the size as well if you have extra yarn to make the shawl larger or if you want to stop a bit early for a smaller shawl. ;)

Yarn
Fingering weight

This year’s shawl features a gradient of 4 colors of fingering weight yarn, 100g of each color.

Color A - lightest color
Color B - a little bit darker than A
Color C - a little bit darker than B and lighter than D
Color D - darkest color

You can use any yarn to participate, whether it’s from Stephen & Penelope, your local yarn shop, or your stash!

Yardage
Approximately 1520yds / 1388m total
Color A - 380yds / 347m
Color B - 380yds / 347m
Color C - 380yds / 347m
Color D - 380yds / 347m

If your fingering weight yarn comes in 100g skeins, then you will need 1 skein of each color. If yarn comes in 50g skeins/balls, you will need 2 skeins/balls of each color. You need 100g of fingering weight yarn for each color (400g of fingering weight yarn total). You may have some leftovers, but it’s best to have the recommended amount of yarn listed above.

Needles
US 4 / 3.5mm circular in 40″ / 100cm length or size needed to obtain gauge
1 spare circular needle the same size or smaller for holding sts OR waste yarn.

Notions
4 stitch markers, tapestry needle

Gauge
24 sts & 48 rows = 4″ / 10cm in garter stitch before blocking

Try to get close to the recommended stitch gauge to ensure you don’t run out of yarn. A similar stitch gauge is more important than getting an exact row gauge.

Garter Stitch Swatch
If you would like to see how your colors interact, cast on 30 stitches and knit some colorful stripes, knitting on the right side and wrong side for garter stitch.

I recommend striping the colors by knitting 8 rows of each color, resulting in 4 garter ridges for each stripe like this…

Knit 8 rows with color A.
Knit 8 rows with color B.
Knit 8 rows with color C.
Knit 8 rows with color D.

Repeat those stripes again to see your A, B, C, D striping effect and check your stitch gauge.

Ravelry Group
Join the Ravelry MKAL 2023 group for discussion threads each week and to show off you beautiful MKAL progress!

Use #WestknitsMKAL2023 & #GeogradientMKAL2023 for posts on Instagram.

FAQ
Learn more about the MKAL and your kit order at Stephen & Penelope here.