Game of Wool Renewed for Second Series

Game of Wool, the controversial (among knitters, anyway) knitting competition series set in Scotland and hosted by Olympic knitter Tom Daley, has been renewed for a second series, according to Channel 4.

The Great British Bake Off style knitting competition challenged eight knitters with team and individual challenges in knitting and crochet, ranging from a super bulky sleeveless pullover to amigurumi food, knit jewelry to children’s play clothes.

Knitters had a lot to say about the show, finding the challenges silly (who really knits an entire couch cover or a deck chair, least of all over the course of 12 hours?), too short and not really indicative of the knitters’ skills. Only one challenge, to knit a lace panel for a lamp, actually showed the all important knitting skills of being able to read and follow a pattern, and it’s the only time the knitters all made the same thing so they could accurately be judged against each other.

All the same, viewers in general seemed to like it, with Channel 4 reporting it was among the top 8pm shows among 16-34 year olds last year.

Daley will return as host of the show, and Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell will be back as judges.

“I was blown away by the response to the first series of Game of Wool,” Daley said in a news release. “Knitting is such a creative and joyful craft and it’s been amazing to see so many people inspired to pick up their needles. I can’t wait for the show to return and to meet a whole new group of brilliant knitters ready to take on the challenge.”

Clemency Green, commissioning editor at Channel 4, said the next series will have “an even stronger focus on knitting” as well as some “exciting new elements in the competition.” Here’s hoping that means fewer crochet challenges and more technical tests.

Game of Wool will be back in the fall, and if you’re in the UK and want to subject yourself to the rigors of the Yarn Barn, you can apply to be on the show now. Participants must be at least 18 years old, residents of the UK and their “primary income” shouldn’t come from “commercial knitting activities.”

[Photo via Channel 4]

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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