It’s time for another WEBS KAL (Knit Along)! This month we’re working on the Hot Chocolate Run Polar Bear. All the proceeds from the sale of this pattern go directly to Safe Passage,  and you can learn more about that organization and our commitment to it here. Each Thursday this month we’ll be here talking about knitting the different parts of the bear, the assembly, his adorable face and his super cute accessories!

To join us you’ll need 4 skeins of Valley Yarns Superwash Bulky (2 skeins of Natural, one of Red and one of Black), US size 8 (5.00mm) double-pointed needles, polyfil stuffing, stitch markers, a tapestry needle, scissors, and a copy of the pattern.  Get your materials assembled and meet us back here next Thursday!

Follow along each week:

Week 2 – making the body of the bear.

The close of November not only brought a bit of panic to my life (I want to knit how many things by when?!), it also meant the end of our Ravelry KAL. This month we did Valley Yarns 574 Safe Passage. All of the proceeds from the sale of this set will be donated to Safe Passage. We had two wonderful members of our group knit them, and I send a big thank you their way.

With the Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage quickly approaching (it’s this Sunday, December 8th), I’d like to share with you a little information about Safe Passage, and our team’s fundraising goals.

Safe Passage is located in Northampton, MA and has served Hampshire County since 1977. Safe Passage offers survivors of all types of domestic violence hope, along with support, as both are essential in the journey from violence to safety.

Here are some ways Safe Passage will put your gift to work:
$25: Resources, support and hope for a woman calling the 24-hour hotline
$75: Safe transportation for a family traveling to Safe Passage’s emergency shelter
$100: A drop-in support group session for survivors of domestic violence
$140: Education for parents on talking with their kids about domestic violence
$500: Healing counseling for a child who has witnessed violence

This year, the WEBS staff as a team hope to raise more than we have in the previous years. To encourage that, one of our staffers has started the More Jacksons than Jackson campaign. Kathy and Steve’s son is signed up as a member of our team, and at this moment, he is in the fundraising lead. We’re all trying really hard to raise more than him (in good fun, of course). WEBS will match all of the donations that we receive, but if Jackson wins, instead of doubling the donation, it will be tripled. If you’d care to donate, you can do so here. Donate to the whole team, or a specific member (including Jackson).

Thank you!

We’re at just about the halfway point of our KAL for Valley Yarns 574 Safe Passage Set. How are your projects coming along?

I’ve started on the mittens and I’m at the colorwork section. They are speeding right along now that I’ve finished the ribbing (for some reason, ribbing seems to take forever to me). As you can see, I chose a different set of colors. I went with black, gray, natural, and just a pop of color. It’s very similar to my wardrobe! I’m loving the way that they’re knitting up.

I’m really excited to finish this project, and not only because it’s getting cold and I need mittens and a hat, but because I feel so strongly about supporting Safe Passage. If you don’t know about Safe Passage, it is an organization that is local to us at WEBS that offers survivors of all types of domestic violence hope and support. You can learn more about Safe Passage by visiting their website.

A team from WEBS will be walking and running in the Annual Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage. If you’d like to donate to our team, you can do that here. WEBS is going to generously match all of the donations that we as a team receive. Last year, with the match, we were able to raise over $8,600. We’re hoping to beat that number by leaps and bounds this year!

Don’t forget, you could win a $50 WEBS gift card! Check out the details in our Ravelry group, All Things WEBS. Work up this mitten and hat set (or just the mittens, or just the hat) and be entered to win!

We’re so excited about all the participation we had for October’s KAL/CAL over in our Ravelry group.

We had a random number generator select the winner of the $50 gift card, and the winner is: ValSue

Head on over to the group to check out all of the awesome projects.

Will you be participating in our November KAL?

We’re running this month’s KAL over on the All Things WEBS Group on Ravelry.  This month’s theme is the Safe Passage Set.  ALL proceeds from the sale of this pattern go to Safe Passage, an organization that is very important to the WEBS team.

Details are below but be sure to click through to Ravelry to participate.

Details
What are we making?: The Safe Passage Set – A hat and mitten set with a fair isle color band featuring the Safe Passage home logo and sets of hot chocolate mugs.
What’s the timeline?: Cast on November 1st (or later), post your finished pictures in the November KAL Entry thread by 11/30 at noon Eastern.
What’s the prize?: One randomly selected entry will be chosen and will receive a $50 WEBS gift card.

Rules

• Must be a member of the All Things WEBS group.
• Must complete the hat or mittens (or both).
• Must cast on November 1st (or after) and finish by November 30th at noon Eastern.
• Must include a photo of the finished object in the KAL Entry thread (which will go up on 11/1). Only one entry (post) per project, but you can enter with more than one set. Just create a new post with the picture.
• We encourage you to use a yarn that you’ve purchased from us, or one that we carry (your handspun is okay too), but it isn’t required. Valley Yarns Valley Superwash is recommended for this pattern
• If you want to chat about your project, or ask for advice on a technique, post project ideas, or progress pictures, please post them in the Safe Passage thread and NOT the Entry thread.
• We will lock the Entry thread at noon Eastern on November 30th and the winner will be chosen randomly and posted the next day.

Be sure to check out the Safe Passage website to learn more about this incredible organization, and if you’re local consider participating in their annual Hot Chocolate Run, the WEBS team does every year!

Have you had a chance to decide on what project you’re working on for our KAL/CAL over on Ravelry? Have you started yours? I have managed to complete about 1/4 of one of the four projects that I wanted to finish. This does not bode well for the rest of the plan. Of course, I’m not eligible to win, so there isn’t quite as much incentive, other than the shame of not completing what I set out to do!

I’m so impressed with all of the entries so far. You all have been quite busy! Dragons, candy corn, monsters, and more have been such an inspiration.

If you haven’t entered, there’s still plenty of time to decide on a project and knit or crochet one to post to the entry thread. Check out patterns from DangerCrafts and FreshStitches if you’re not sure what you want to create.

And keep chatting in the October KAL/CAL thread. I love keeping up with all of the projects you’re making. When you’re done, be sure to post in the October KAL/CAL Entry Thread (please keep chatter to the other thread and leave this one only for entries).

How are your projects coming?

We’re running our latest KAL/CAL over on the All Things WEBS Group on Ravelry.  This month’s theme is knit and/or crocheted stuffed toys.  Details are below but be sure to click through to Ravelry to participate.

Details
What are we making?: knit and/or crocheted stuffed toys
What’s the timeline?: Cast on October 1st (or later), post your finished pictures in the October KAL/CAL Entry thread by 10/31 at noon Eastern.
What’s the prize?: One randomly selected entry will be chosen and will receive a $50 WEBS gift card.

Rules

• Must be a member of the All Things WEBS group.
• Must be a stuffed animal (or monster, doll, etc.) – knit or crocheted (or both).
• Must cast on October 1st (or after) and finish by October 31st at noon Eastern.
• Must include a photo of the finished object in the KAL/CAL Entry thread (which will go up on 10/1). Only one entry (post) per project, but you can enter with more than one project. Just create a new post with the picture.
• We encourage you to use a yarn (and/or) pattern that you’ve purchased from us, or one that we carry (your handspun is okay too), but it isn’t required.
• If you want to chat about your project, or ask for advice on a technique, post project ideas, or progress pictures, please post them in this thread.
• We will lock the thread at noon Eastern on October 31st and the winner will be chosen randomly and posted the next day.

Be sure to check out the knitted toys and crocheted toys pattern selection on our website for lots of great ideas!

All our crochet work is done! Now we move on to the blocking and see the magic it can have on a finished piece.

You may want to weave in your ends before blocking but don’t trim them yet, let them settle into the new shape with the blocked shawl and trim them when everything is dry.

Here you can see that I’ve pinned the top edge, using blocking wires to keep it nice and straight. Then I pinned the bottom section of the shawlette with another wire and I have a third wire in the center so I can keep everything even.

Once the center section was pinned I was able to pin out the angled increase and decrease sides with a pin in each bobble, here you can see that in detail.

We have a great video with Dena showing you the blocking process. While she is blocking a knit shawl the principles and process are the same.

Once the shawlette is dry you can unpin, trim any ends that may have popped out during the blocking process, and wear!

Thanks for crocheting along with us! What was your favorite part of this project?

Get your copy of the pattern here and join in the CAL at any time! Week 1, Week 2, Week 3

We’ve got the first three rows of the edging done! They might have felt a little difficult at times but they set up the rest of the edging so everything else moves along pretty smoothly from here.

Here we have a video showing you the key steps from Rows 4 and 5.

In Row 4 you begin to shape the edging by decreasing sections with dc3tog (double crochet 3 together) stitches, and increasing in others with chain loops. The FPtr stitches in Row 5 of the edging are worked around the FPdc from Row 3 and are a bit easier to place because it’s very easy to see those post stitches.

Row 6 will be familiar with it’s combination of dc3tog and chain loops, like in Row 4.

Row 7 has the seemingly tricky FPtr5tog (Front Post Treble 5 together) stitch, this video shows you how simple it is.

Row 8 is another combination of chain loops and bsc stitches with the added interest of a bobble at the top of each of the triangles created by the FPtr5tog stitch that you did in Row 7. Once you’ve completed Row 8 of the edging you’ll have just a bit more work to do along the top of the shawl before you’re finished.  You’ll need to thread  beads for the last time before you begin this section and REMEMBER you’ll be working along the wrong side of the shawlette for this top edge so the beads align on the right side.

Now, you’ll sc along the side of your beaded edging to neaten that edge and bring it in line with the top edge of the shawlette. Then you’ll work alternating sc and bsc along the top edge in the same way you did for Row 1 of the edging. Regular sc will be worked along the other side of the beaded edging to mirror the first side. Finally you’ll slip stitch back along this edge to finish it off.

Next week we’ll have a finished shawl and share some blocking and finishing tips. Have you enjoyed the pattern so far?

Get your copy of the pattern here and join in the CAL at any time!

Now that you’ve finished the main body of the shawl you can move on to the beaded edging.

Picking the right beads for your project can seem like a big task but you really, almost, can’t go wrong! Here you can see I’ve swatched with 4 different colors, they’re each appealing in their own way. The tonal color combo gives just an extra bit of shine, the darker amber gives more of an autumnal feel, while the iridescent green beads say Spring to me. My shawl will be worked with the grey beads, I’m on a bit of a yellow/grey kick lately.

Linda offers some great advice in the pattern that directs you to string only as many beads as you’ll need for a particular row. This way you don’t have over 600 beads that need to be pushed down along your yarn as you work the edging, 150-200 beads at a time is much more manageable.

We’ve put together a quick video showing you the bsc stitch from Row 1 and how to transition to Row 2

The edging is worked along the bottom of the shawl and Row 1 is worked with the wrong side facing you. It’s worked this way because when you bring up a bead for the bsc, beaded single crochet stitch, the bead sits on the back of the stitch. I like to work with about 10 beads at-a-time in my left hand, then I can get a bunch of stitches done before I need to dip down and grab more beads. You’ll cut the yarn and fasten off at the end of Row 1 and rejoin your yarn at the other end to begin Row 2,THEN you’ll turn the work over and work in the opposite direction for Row 3.

Here we also have a video showing the FPdc stitch and how to keep track of it’s placement in Row 3.

Next week we’ll tackle Rows 5-7 of the edging. Have you done any beading with your crochet?

Get your copy of the pattern here and join in the CAL at any time!