The Countdown is ON!

🎉 We're roughly an hour from the start of this year's Fasten Off YAL! 

And as always we start things off with a sale!

96 designers, plus yours truly, have over 3000 patterns on for 25% off from 9pm Eastern tonight through December 8th! Visit the database at: https://www.fastenoffyal.com🔗 !

Be sure to share with any yarn crafters you know! The designers have patterns for: knitting, crocheting, and Tunisian crochet; everything from socks and mittens, to blankets and decorations, sweaters to toys. There are even items for pets!

Hope to see you on one of our many social media platforms during the Fasten Off Yarn-A-Long 🤗

Yours in yarn and fun yarnie games,

Síle

It's Almost Here!

Well, fiber friends, this year's Fasten Off Yarn-A-Long kicks off this coming Friday! 

November 24th, be there or... hmmm. It's not really square to miss FOYAL. One could say that the crafters and designers are the true squares. 

Anyway! You may notice the shiny new tab next to the Irish dance terminology one. Just in case you have your eye on a pattern or 2 from Knit Dance Repeat Designs ;)

The designers and data entry volunteers are making sure that the database is correct, and the links and photos are working correctly. Ah, there's nothing like a deadline looming to create all the little flutters of activity that are happening now.

As expected work here at KDRD has slowed up quite a bit in anticipation of the fun and busy time that is FOYAL. I hadn't counted on a late request for a scarf of very specific requirements to crop up though. So that's been designed and the knitting has begun. I won't be sharing too many photos of it from now on since the recipient doesn't know *exactly* what it's going to look when it's done. Here's the bottom garter stitch border:

I hope I get to make something small during FOYAL this year but we'll see how operation red scarf goes.

That's it for today! We've got quite a wind and rain event going on, and it's probably best I save my phone battery in case of the power going out!

Yours in (red) yarn,

Síle

Who's Ready For FOYAL?

The weather has been a tad gloomy here, and the temperature's are dipping down. As the colder months set in it's time to turn my mind to the Fasten Off Yarn-A-Long (FOYAL).

What is the Fasten Off Yarn-A-Long? It's a make along promoting independent designers of knitting, crochet, Tunisian crochet, and loom knitting patterns, that is hosted on a number of social media platforms. It starts with a sale period (November 24th through December 8th this year), where you can purchase patterns from participating designers (like me) for 25% off. Yes, I said 25% off. The Yarn-A-Long itself kicks off on November 24th and runs through December 31st. And I mean through the 31st: the New Year's Eve Boonanza rings in the New Year in every time zone and then keeps going! 

Games, with chances to win random prizes, are run on our more popular social media accounts. These include the FOYAL Discord server, and Instagram account. Volunteer registrations close tomorrow (Nov 10th) and will give organizers a better picture of where games can be held. Random prizes can also be won just by posting on your preferred social media using the hashtag #FastenOffYAL. The prize pixies will be ready to contact winners when things start :) If you'd like to volunteer, volunteer sit this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScqHY0fzGN8-NN5-XX_qzPcSE3nXjjT5oVPqxzNh2nfY0Ocsw/viewform

If you're a designer and would like to participate, Designer registration is also taking place right now. Last year there were over 100 designers, and over 3500 patterns involved in the sale! Visit this link: https://www.fastenoffyal.com/signup.html

What does this mean for Knit Dance Repeat Designs for the end of the year? I'll hopefully have the Four Hand Reel released during FOYAL. And I will be working on my current sample as well as some small projects for FOYAL. I'm in the midst of a sea of moss stitch on my Countess Cathleen:

What's been on my personal needles? I knit two Treble Reel Toques recently for gifts. They turned out well:

You can find the Treble Reel Toque pattern here: link🔗 (link stays on this website)

I'm working on my summer cast-on, a Colorica Cardigan🔗 (pattern by Romi Hill; link goes to her website). I'm working on the right front of the yoke. It's been slower going than I'd like but I've been working on it inbetween other projects but I'm really happy with how it's looking:

The stockinette fabric really wants to roll! I have 18 rows left in the mauve, and then the light green section, matching the left front that is visible in the photo. I'm thinking light blue for the third color. I'm using remnants (and hanks) of Briggs & Little Sport that I have on hand so it will be a very colorful Colorica ;)

That's all from here at KDRD headquarters!

Yours in yarn and end of the year plans,

Síle