For the last few months we have been running a knit-a-long in my Ravelry group and it finished up on November 12th. And what is needed for the end of every KAL? Well, prizes of course. This was my very first attempt at running a KAL and I think it went pretty well.
I know that with many of these type activities the designer is able to secure “sponsors” for the game and those sponsors donate prizes. I am not that fancy yet, so I came up with prizes on my own. Initially I had just planned on a Grand Prize for those who finished the shawl, but then I decided to add in a Not So Grand Prize for the entire pool of people who participated. I am including the people who finished in both lists so they get two bites at the proverbial apple, but I think that is fair because they – you know – finished!
The Grand Prize!
For the Grand Prize I commissioned an awesome project bag from the soon to be loaded Rosemary Potter etsy shop. I received the prototype for this bag in the stitch marker swap and loved it, so I purchased one for the KAL. It doesn’t look like your typical project bag but is still supremely functional.
You have no idea how hard it was to take this picture.
The inside has pockets and stuff! But of course I could not sent it out to the recipient all empty and sad …
I love me a Chibi
So I put a few trinkets inside. The Chibi might seem like a small thing, but I wish I had one for every project bag I own. They are the most convenient little things and without that little tube I lose yarn needles like nobody’s business. And, you know, could I send it out without yarn? I thought that a skein of Wollmeise Twin in Petit Poison no. 5 would be a fun bonus. I assume that anyone who is doing this KAL is a shawl knitter, and Wollmeise makes awesome shawls.
And then, the Not So Grand Prize:
Slightly Less Grand – but still fun!
I got this little felted notions bag at a local Art & Craft Fair and thought it would be perfect for this. It is made out of a recycled Faire Isle sweater and makes me smile every time I look at it. Then I thought I could include something fun to celebrate the re-release of Atreides (more on that later). When I decided to add beads to Atreides the wonderful Ellen at Earthfaire.com (purveyor of fine yarn, beads & knitting patterns) helped me narrow down my bead choice to two colors – and then sent me both.
A little sneak peek at a blog post to come.
One of the colors barely edged out the other for the sample, and that left me with a second set of beads. Ellen graciously allowed me to send it on in this prize and now one of my KAL participants will get them. And of course if you have beads you need a way to apply them to your knitting, so I got a wee crochet hook for that purpose. Finally, if the winner doesn’t already have their very own copy of Atreides they will soon.
And that’s it! Lots of pictures to tide you over the holiday and so much fun coming down the pike.
I guess it is time to start plotting a new KAL. Any suggestions as to what we should do next? Maybe the beaded Atreides or the independent release of the Scarab Shawl? Or something new? Because I totally have some new stuff coming! Actually, something really fun is happening in January, here’s a hint.
Tumped Duck 
Beaded Atreides!