August 15, 2016August 15, 2016

Corcoran KAL Finished Sweaters!!

I can’t believe it’s over! On June 20th. 140 knitters cast on for their gauge swatches and began the Corcoran KAL. Today, we have an amazing 392 knitters!!! At the midway point I wrote about their sweaters in progress, and now it’s time to award the final PRIZES!!

Today is the last day you can still get the Corcoran KAL files + pattern (all 2 hours of video tutorials, all the sweater modifications and knitting how tos) for only the price of the pattern – $7.00. After 8/15 to get the class version, it will be $12, and the pattern only will be $7.00.

A huge thank you to every knitter in the Ravelry group who shared their ideas, questions and cheerleading to the project. THAT’S what makes a KAL really work. Now with no further ado . . .

Corcoran KAL Final PRIZES!!!

A couple of weeks ago I announced the 4 final prize categories. Folks posted their pictures and stories on the group and on social media.

1st Time Sweater Knitter (photo)
Great Sweater Photo (photo)
Customized Sweater (photo)
Why I loved this KAL and what I learned (story)

I put all the names in a knitting bag and drew random winners in each category.

And the winners are . . .

1. 1st Time Sweater Knitter

Meet Ravelry user bjonale

Hard to believe this is her first sweater!!!

She posted on the board

“I had just finished my sweater and asked my husband to take a pic when he said, great, come upstairs I have something to show you. He had roses and a new record player (with my old Carpenters record playing) as a gift for our “33 1/3” wedding anniversary! So, happy 33 1/3rd to me wearing my first knit sweater.”

“And the back. So pleased with how it fits, especially as between watching the videos on the first clue and knitting up to the armholes on the back, I forgot I was supposed to use my swatch and row gauge for measurement, not measure my unblocked knitting. A beginner mistake I won’t repeat! “

Congrats! Seems pretty great to me!

2. Great Sweater Photo

Meet Ravelry user katbeach

Amazingly this is only her SECOND sweater ever!

Here’s what she wrote about her KAL experience:

“I loved this KAL for many reasons. This is only the second sweater I have ever completed, and I did it in less than 2 months! I have started many sweaters but for one reason or another they did not work out. The videos and tips that came along with the pattern were priceless. Some addressed reasons that my sweater failures did not work out (sleeve cap gauge), some helped with techniques that I have not yet mastered (seaming in particular comes to mind), and some addressed things I never knew (casting on it pattern). Thanks so much, Patty! It was awesome.”

Thank YOU!

3. Customized Sweater

There were a lot of sweater mods explored during the KAL (different lengths, changing neck, sleeve etc.)

Meet Ravelry user Yarn2Needle

She altered the sleeve length and it looks GREAT!

Here’s what she wrote about her KAL experience:

“I have been knitting for a very, very long time and to this day it never stops amazing me what you can still learn with knitting. In taking part in the KAL I have learned what a “Visual” knitter is. To pay attention to what you are knitting rather than reading directions and making the stitch. Learning the “why” of knitting. Why you should do a swatch, blocked and unblocked, learning a “sloped” bind off, a different way of doing an SSK. The difference between knitting a sweater strictly by following pattern directions and visual knitting is called “Patty Lyons”! Many thanks to Patty and everyone at Ravelry for making these KALS possible.”

4. Why I loved this KAL and what I learned (story)

So many of you wrote such amazing things. I’m glad I put names in a bag, because I would never be able to choose.

Meet Ravelry user mamajump

Here’s what she wrote:

“My goal for this KAL was to learn how to make a sweater that fits me. Patty Lyons went above and beyond to help us understand the importance of getting gauge, how to measure properly and how to pick the right size. I certainly learned more than I expected and am very proud of my finished sweater that fits well. It is a classic design that I expect to enjoy wearing. I now have the confidence to try any sweater pattern and some new skills to modify it. Some of the new techniques and skills I learned are:

How to cast on a purl stitch in long tail cast-on.
How to use my blocked gauge for measuring and converting required inches to the number of my blocked rows to achieve that measurement when blocked.
Shaping and staying in pattern.
Sloped bind off (which I love).
Patty’s Extra Stretchy Bind Off, (which I also love).

Thank you Patty for a great knit along and pattern. I am looking forward to the winter sweater KAL with you.

Thank you! I can’t wait to do the next one!

I’ll be contacting all the winners through out group to get your names and addresses so I can ship you your goodies!!!

I had to share a few more wonderful “what I learned” with all of you. Some wrote about their process on their project page. One knitter was inspired to write a blog post about her journey!

Here are a few more great

“What I learned” stories:

I have been knitting for many years, but I learned many things from this wonderful KAL.
how to stay in pattern during shaping
a better way to make an SSK
how to work a sloped bind off–especially nice for a smoother shoulder
All of Patty’s videos were clear and easy to follow. I particularly enjoyed the videos on the set in sleeve, picking up stitches, and seaming.

Patty Lyons Corcoran 2.0 KAL has been an educational journey, one that I would not have taken on my own without the clear instructions and wonderful videos that came with it. I learned the importance of a test swatch, how to read a schematic to determine proper fit and how to customize a pattern. My knitting ‘know how’ and confidence has vastly increased with all the great techniques that were presented in this project. Thank you Patty!

After 30+ years of knitting I learned that there is always new things to learn and old things to improve on. Right off the bat I had never heard about using your finger for spacing when casting on. I had also never done the German Twisted Cast On. I also figured out I had gotten a bit sloppy with my tension so I developed a whole new way of holding my yarn. Patty’s stretchy bind off is brilliant. My new favorite. The sloped bind off was also new to me. Having these videos as a permanent source of reference is invaluable compared to the small price paid.

This is far from my first sweater (I have designed sweaters). The only modification I made on this sweater was to add some length. I did this on purpose as I am going to the Make Wear Love retreat in September and I wanted to do a sweater by each of the artist’s presenting. pattylyons, you really knocked it out of the park with all the videos. These videos could walk anyone through knitting a sweater.
Things I learned
I learned a new cast
I learned a new way to do SSK
Three top videos from this KAL as I see it are
Picking the right size
Shaping in pattern
Picking up stitches and mattress seaming.
Thank you Patty.