Are You Game for a Mystery Knitalong?

Somehow I missed that this happened last year, but for the second year in a row Marly Bird is doing a mystery knitalong (and crochetalong, if you’re into that sort of thing) for the Big Game, which if you’re not up on your football is this coming Sunday (Feb. 3).

Clues will be released once an hour, every hour, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, and the project is something wearable that will require no more than 7 ounces of worsted weight yarn, which should be in a solid color, according to the details currently available.

Interested knitters can sign up for the event on Marly’s Facebook page, and visit the website linked above to get the clues as they are released.

There will be a grand prize package as well as other giveaways through the day for people who tag their projects on Instagram using the hashtag #GameDayMakeAlong. There will even be a Game Day bingo competition where you can win other prizes from Red Heart.

This sounds like a lot of fun (and may I say more fun than the football game itself is likely to be?). If you are planning to take part or did it last year I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo: Marly Bird.]

As we get into the part of the year with a lot of food-forward holidays, it might be time to start thinking about knitting some new things for your table. While a few of these are more fall/Thanksgiving focused, just changing up the colors would make others work for Christmas, or keep it neutral and use them all year long.

What got me started thinking about this was the lovely and simple Fresh Bread Dishtowel, a free pattern from Purl Soho. Worked in a lovely cotton and linen blend, the towel is mostly stockinette stitch with a bit of texture on the borders.

You could use this same kind of pattern to make anything from placemats to a table runner, but let’s look at some specific patterns for those kinds of projects as well.

The easy moss stitch table runner from Glass Bird Knits is beginner friendly can can easily be modified to fit your table (or, again, to make placemats instead of or in addition to a runner). This version is worked in macrame cord, but you could also use bulky yarn.

Emielle Design has a garter stitch runner pattern that’s made with braided cotton cord for a lot of texture without a lot of work. But be sure to take a lot of breaks when knitting with cord because it can be rough on your hands!

I also love the diamond pattern on the Hamilton Table Runner from Wyndlestraw Designs. It calls for a DK weight cotton and linen blend yarn and comes in three sizes with different widths and lengths. The pattern has both written and charted instructions.

Amy Marie’s Table Pumpkins (on Ravelry) is a fun mosaic knitting pattern that would be great to use as a table runner through the fall and for Thanksgiving. It uses a worsted weight cotton yarn in two colors, and you can make it as long as you like for your table.

The no cable knit placemats from Yarn Culture Studio have a fun faux cable look that would be great for the table through the fall and winter.

Or here’s another pattern from Wyndlestraw Designs, this time for an easy knit and purl stitch placemat pattern that looks different but still good on both sides. It calls for worsted weight cotton and comes in two sizes for placemats, but also has instructions for coasters, a hot pad and a table pad all using the same stitch.

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