The Westknits Mystery Knit A Long (or MKAL) is my annual mystery shawl where we knit a new shawl together as each section is revealed as a surprise over the course of four weeks in October.

Join the Ravelry group here to share photos of your yarn and progress and receive news & updates throughout the KAL.

KITS
We are currently working on your orders and assembling some beautiful new kit options along with the extra MKAL goodie bags. I will announce here and on Instagram when we have new kit palettes available online at Stephen & Penelope.

SCHEDULE
Clue 1 - Friday, October 9
Join me at 6:30pm Amsterdam time for a virtual cast on party hosted on Instagram LIVE
@westknits on October 9!

Clue 2 - Friday, October 16
Clue 3 - Friday, October 23
Clue 4 - Friday, October 30

We have MKAL kits available at Stephen & Penelope here.

You can use lots of different fingering weight yarn types for Slipstravaganza. It’s not required to purchase a kit to participate. We encourage you to use your stash and collect yarn from your LYS or other yarn makers/dyers as well.

You will receive an introductory PDF when you purchase Slipstravaganza. The first week of instructions comes out as an update in your Ravelry inbox on Friday, October 9!

The PDF contains introductory information for the MKAL. You will receive the first instructions for the pattern Friday, October 9. Then, you will receive a section of the mystery shawl pattern each week until the final design is revealed on October 30.

Size: The overall shape and dimensions are part of the mystery! Slipstravaganza will be a large shawl, similar in size to Starflake and Speckle & Pop.

There will be an option in the pattern to stop early for a smaller size if you don’t want the largest recommended version.

Yarn: Fingering weight

Recommended Yarn:
Undercover Otter Eventide
The Urban Purl Twister BFL
Dusty Dimples Dusty Sock
Qing Fibre High Twist BFL
Holst Garn Supersoft

You can use plied or single ply yarns. This year’s shawl will work really well with various fingering weight yarn types.

Holst Garn Supersoft is a bit lighter fingering weight, but it will work beautifully for Slipstravaganza with its generous yardage.

Yardage: MC - 766yds / 700m
CC1 - 399yds / 365m
CC2 - 399yds / 365m
CC3 - 399yds / 365m

You will have some leftover yarn, but it is ideal to start with the recommended yards / meters for each color to make sure you don’t run out of a color.

There will be an option toward the end of the shawl to make your shawl bigger or smaller.

Notions: 54 stitch markers, tapestry needle

Needles: US 4 / 3.5mm circular in 40” / 100cm length or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge: 24 sts & 36 rows = 4” / 10cm in stockinette stitch (un-blocked).

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 a similar row gauge. Try to get close to 24 sts = 4” / 10cm, but between 22 – 24 sts per 4” / 10cm is also fine. Try not to be close to 20 sts per 4” / 10cm because that will be a looser fabric and you may use more than the recommended yardage.

Achieving the recommended gauge means that you may need to go down a needle size depending on your individual tension. Don’t worry too much about gauge because there will be an option at the end of the pattern to stop early or keep going if you have more yarn.

For this shawl, I think it’s best to achieve a more tidy and crisp fabric to emphasize the stitch details. The fabric should feel relaxed and flowy, but not too loose and lacy.

Please use the Mystery Shawl KAL square photo, the MKAL logo, or a photo of your un-knit yarn as the first photo on your Ravelry project page throughout the month of October to avoid spoiler images.

You are also welcome to email us at support@westknits.com if you have any pattern related questions.

Each week during the MKAL, we will release a special weekly roundup newsletter featuring your progress and we will share lots of color inspiration and mystery KAL fun facts too! Sign up for the Westknits newsletter at westknits.com to receive these weekly Mystery Shawl features in October.

Use #SlipstravaganzaMKAL & #WestknitsMKAL2020 for posts on Instagram.

If you post a photo on Instagram, please post your knitting as the second photo on a multi-photo post to prevent spoilers. You can also avoid scrolling through Instagram until you start knitting that week’s section on the clue release day if you want the section to be a surprise.

KITS KITS KITS
We put together a lot of colorful kits for you this year at Stephen & Penelope here! Kits sell very quickly, but we will continue to update our website with yarn and kit options as we are able prior to the October 9 cast on date.

If you would like to purchase a particular type of yarn palette from Stephen & Penelope, please email us at info@stephenandpenelope.com. We are happy to assemble a special kit option for you.

We also encourage you to support your LYS to build your palette or assemble palettes from your stash.

INTRO PDF UPDATE: In the introductory PDF, the Holst Garn yardage on page 12 should read 314yds/ 287m per 50g ball. Each Holst Garn kit from Stephen & Penelope contains plenty of yarn to knit the larger size option of Slipstravaganza.