Welcome to the 2021 Jimmy Shawl KAL!
It’s the second year in a row that I’m hosting this KAL and I’m so happy and excited to knit another Jimmy with you! Below you’ll find all the useful information about the KAL: what do we knit, how do you participate, what’s to win, etc. Looking forward to knitting with you!
What is this KAL about?
In this KAL we knit the Jimmy shawl, the pattern you received as a gift when you subscribe to the Tricot & Stitch newsletter. Not a subscriber yet? Click here and join us!
When does it start / finish?
The KAL will run as an Instagram challenge from Wednesday, June 6th to July 31st, 2021. You will then have two more months to complete your shawl: the deadline to post a picture of your FO is September 30th, 2021 (midnight Paris time).
Where does it take place?
- There will be a super fun, bilingual Cast On Party on Zoom on Wednesday, June 16th at 5:00 pm Paris time. If you’d like to join but have not received the number in the newsletter, please reach out by email here.
- On Instagram with the hashtag #KALJimmy2021. Here are the weekly prompts to post your pictures and spead the joy of knitting your Jimmy shawl!
This year, we’ll pretend Jimmy is your sidekick, your little knitted pal that’s sharing a lot of activities with you as you go along your merry way. Coffee break, apéro, movie night, a stroll, tea time… you name it, Jimmy’s will be with you and we’d like you to share! Unleash your creativity and have fun!
To participate, you just have to add the #kaljimmy2021 hashtag to your publications on Instagram. You can also tag me @tricot_et_stitch if you want to make sure I see your posts. Please turn your account to public otherwise I won’t be able to see your beautiful pictures!
Last, make sure you subscribe to the #kaljimmy2021 hashtag to see the posts by the other participants.
- On Ravelry: the KAL is primarily hosted on Instagram but you can also post a picture of your finished Jimmy Shawl in the no chatter FO thread before the final deadline of September 30th, Paris time.
How do I get the pattern?
If you’re already a newsletter subscriber, grab your pattern and join the fun! If you misplaced your pattern, send me a message and I will send it again to you. In the last three newsletters, I shared a code for you to add Jimmy to your Ravelry library. Please do so as the pattern update is coming tomorrow!
If you’re not a subscriber yet and want to be, click here and join us!
If you want to join but do not want to subscribe, you can purchase the pattern on Ravelry and join as well!
Do I need to knit Tricot & Stitch yarn to join?
I prepared beautiful kits for the Jimmy shawl, some are still available as ready to ship listings and some are on pre-order. However you can join using the yarn of your choice!
Prizes
There will be prizes - more on that in a bit!
Read-along, anyone?
Because a KAL is even better when you have an accompanying read-along, I thought we could enjoy "Mud, Muck & Dead Things", the first book in the Campbell & Carter Mystery series by Ann Granger. For those willing to join, there is a hashtag on Instagram as well: #RALJimmy2021
Planning
Again this year, I prepared a planning to help you stay on track if you wish to finish your Jimmy by July 31st.
Week 1 - Knit until row 60
Week 2 - Knit until row 96
Week 3 - Knit until row 124
Week 4 - Knit until row 146
Week 5 - Knit until row 160
Week 6 - Knit until 170 and work a third of the edging repeats
Week 7 - Finish the shawl
Must read before you cast on!
The shawl uses two skeins of fingering weight yarn and the contrasting color (black in my original version) was completely used up. Plan for success and make sure you have enough or prepare a plan B if you loose at yarn chicken.
Reason would have me tell you variegated yarn would work only for the main color, bla bla bla. But as I've hacked my own pattern and knit the lace border in stripes and variegated yarn, I won't. Explore options & have fun!
In need of inspiration? Check the Jimmy projects on Ravelry and the #jimmyshawl hashtag or the #kaljimmy2020 on Instagram to see some FOs with different color combinations and pattern hacks (longer border, no edging, lace pattern with a rest row...).
I presented the 2021 edition of the Jimmy Shawl KAL in my episode 21 of my Inspirations podcast here!