The new year brought with it an outpouring of emotions, and I’ve been astounded by folks’ ability to channel their feelings into their knitting. Themes I’ve seen emerge have included peace, hope, kindness, generosity, and empowerment.
Jaala, owner of Knitcircus Yarns, was also inspired, especially after our staff held a meeting in which we discussed the question: How can we give to our communities in need? She designed the Kindness KAL shawl, and we were stunned by the popularity of this project. Ravelers’ impressive response is evidence that knitters are yearning to give back, to create beauty as a means to an end.
The Kindness KAL is ongoing: check out the pattern link here on Ravelry and you’ll find more details here in our group. The KAL lasts until March 1, so there’s still time to participate. We continue to collect hats for Halos of Hope, and Knitcircus will donate $500 to organizations in need that we’ve selected. Check it out and we hope you join in!
Project Peace by Christina Campbell was another runaway success. She included a World Wide Knit-In for Peace in her KAL activities, and she has tens of thousands of participants!
I’ve put together a selection of amazing Kindness KAL shawls and Project Peace cowls below. You knitters inspire me!
First the Kindness KAL shawls. Here’s Jaala’s original shawl, knit in a 100g cake of Fairy Dust (sparkly!) in the colorway Peace, Love, and Understanding:
This version is being gracefully blocked with wires and pins. It’s a stunner, too, in one of our favorite colorways, Vampire Boyfriend:
knitted by: crochetwithbeads
yarn used: 100g cake of Lavish in colorway Vampire Boyfriend
I was so excited to see this new colorway, The Knit Sky, knit up here. Such amazing jewel tones:
knitted by: summerspark
yarn used: 100g cake of Fairy Dust in colorway The Knit Sky
This version of the shawl is the same as the lovely sample hanging in our studio foyer, and Amanda has lovingly photographed it with a painting by a friend she wanted to give a shout out to, Robert Turano. Both are works of art, these:
knitted by: aeastman
yarn used: 100g cake of Fairy Dust in colorway Peace, Love, and Understanding
Chance of Flurries is another of my favorite blue colorways. I love the closeup of the lace pattern this knitter included:
knitted by: catseatyarn
yarn used: 100g cake of Trampoline in colorway Chance of Flurries
Project Peace cowls are just so impressive, too. I love that it’s supposed to be an everyday meditation on peace, and customers I’ve talked to who have knitted one have emphasized how peaceful the knitting is for them. Celeste, whose cowl is pasted below, said the Project Peace KAL has had a “profound effect” on her life.
knitted by: corcorancm
yarn used: 100g cake of Corriedale in colorway Groovy Kind of Love
Sara used an even larger amount of yarn for her cowl pictured below – I love that this pattern is so adaptable to different amounts of yarn.
knitted by: SareBearKnits
yarn used: 150g cake of Corriedale in colorway Sea of Tranquility
Also check out Christina Campbell’s recent version of the cowl, which she knit up in worsted weight:
yarn used: 100g cake of Ringmaster worsted in colorway Treebeard
Keep up the good work, knitters! As Elizabeth Zimmermann stated so beautifully: “Knit on with confidence and hope, through all crises.”
Take care and happy knitting!
–Liz