Welcome to the Lonely Hearts Club Knit-Along (KAL)!
A knit-along, also known as a KAL, is an exciting opportunity for knitters to come together and work on a common project. It’s a great way to challenge yourself, learn new techniques, and connect with other knitters from around the world.
The Lonely Hearts Club KAL is perfect for knitters of all levels, whether you’re just starting out or have been knitting for years. As long as you have a solid grasp of the basics (cast-on, knit, purl, read a pattern), you’ll be all set!
The #lonelyheartsclubKAL will begin on February 14th and last through February 21st. Participants can choose from three Lonely Hearts Club patterns, including our latest Lonely Hearts pattern, Ex’s & O’s.
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This year’s pattern, Ex’s & O’s, is a versatile hat designed to be knit in a wide range of sizes and is the PERFECT first step into stranded colorwork.
There are only FIVE rows that require you to knit with two colors at the same time, and you never have to carry your yarn for more than three stitches. The majority of the colorwork is created by slipped stitches.
Ex’s & O’s can be knit with a single strand of DK or with fingering weight yarn held double. You can also mix and match: use a single strand of DK as your MC and fingering held double as your CC, or vice versa.
If you’re feeling spicy, you could marl your colors by holding two different colors of fingering together. Just be sure that your contrast color will achieve your desired level of contrast for the colorwork section.
You also have the option of a flat brim or a folded brim for that extra *squish* factor. (And if you’re knitting with the Lazy Bee Clover DK I used for the samples, you’ll be in squish heaven. I love working with this yarn almost as much as I love wearing it!)
Where can I participate?
We’ll be hanging out in our Facebook group, Nomadic Knits : Knit the World!, and would love for you to join us there! We have a wonderfully kind community where all are welcome. We’ll be following and sharing posts on Instagram using #lonelyheartsclubkal as well. If you prefer to participate on Ravelry, I’ll be setting up a thread in our group.
If you are a Ravelry user, we’d be thrilled if you showed the pattern some love by favoriting it and adding it to your library! It helps more knitters see the pattern so they can join in. We love seeing knitters from around the world join in! In our recent Twelve Days of Knitmas MKAL, we had participants from over 70 countries!🎉✨💕
Here are the details you need to get started:
Size: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6); to fit Baby (Toddler, Child, Teen/Small Adult, Adult, Large Adult).
Finished circumference: 11 (13, 15.25, 17.5, 19.5, 21.75)”/ 28 (33, 38.75, 44.5, 49.5, 55.25)cm, blocked and unstretched.
Finished height: 6 (7.5, 8.5, 10, 11, 11.5)”/ 15.25 (19, 21.5, 25.5, 28, 29.25)cm, adjustable at brim.
To be worn with 0 – 4”/ 0 – 10cm of negative ease.
Needles: US 6/ 4mm or size to obtain gauge, in 16”/ 40cm circular and DPNs; and US 4/ 3.5mm or 0.5mm smaller than gauge, in 16”/ 40cm circular.
Note:You will need DPNs or a shorter cabled circular needle for working the two smallest sizes, as a 16” circular needle will be too long.
Gauge: 22 sts and 28 rnds = 4”/ 10cm over Stockinette stitch.
Yarn: DK weight or fingering weight held double:
MC: 50 – 270 yards/ 46 – 247 meters; and
CC: 30 – 60 yards/ 28 – 55 meters.
Note: If using fingering held double, please factor that into your yarn requirements. If the yarn requirement is listed as 100 yards, you will need 100 yards of dk or 200 yards of fingering.
Notions: tapestry needle, stitch markers.
Samples knit in:Lazy Bee Yarn Clover DK (80% superwash Merino, 20% nylon; 250 yards/ 115 grams) in Valkyrie and Sandstone.
If you have customer service questions, please email me at becky@nomadicknits.com. It’s very easy to miss requests and comments submitted via blog posts and social media. I want to make sure you get the help you need, so please reach out via email. Thank you!
17 Comments. Leave new
I am so excited to do this project beginning Feb 14. I did not feel brave enough to do the 22 Christmas one and was so impressed with the results shown!!
Thank you for creating this fun blog!
I’m so glad you are going to join us for this one!💕
Looking forward to this hat. Might have to make 3 of them for my great nieces. I know they will love them. Thank you
You’re very welcome! I’m sure your great nieces will love them. They’re a bit addictive – I’ve made three and have already picked out color combos for three more😂 Happy Knitting!
So excited…..these ( I will make several) will be the newest additions to my chemo hat donations for this year!
What a generous plan! I love it💕
Purchased pattern and ready to go on February 14th. ❤️ Happy Valentine’s Day ❤️
I knit for local charities and will be making extras. ❤️🧶❤️
That’s the perfect use for this pattern!! Thank you for that💕
Great Idea!!!
I purchased the Ex’s & O’s hat pattern and only received the preorder page 1 in my library. I have tried repeatedly to download a copy of the pattern, but nothing seems to work.
Hi Laurie,
Until just a moment ago, the pre-order was all that was available. The full pattern just went live, so the update will be waiting in your Ravelry library for you. Happy Knitting!!
hi! has the pattern been released yet? i purchased it (and the prior ones) this morning on ravelry but got the pre-pattern. thank you for the discount! waiting to start 🙂
Thanks so much for joining us! The pattern was just updated about fifteen minutes ago, so it should be waiting in your Ravelry library😊💕
I am so disappointed. I checked in my library today and no pattern of the X and O’s. Sunday the 12th I went through the process. Can you help me please?
Can you please email me at becky@nomadicknits.com and include your Ravelry username? It’s very easy to miss requests and comments submitted via blog posts and social media. I want to make sure you get the help you need, so please reach out via email. Thank you!
Links on Facebook didn’t work nor did discount code
The discount code expired yesterday. There are links in multiple places on Facebook – I’m not sure which ones you are referring to.
If you have customer service questions, please email me at becky@nomadicknits.com. It’s very easy to miss requests and comments submitted via blog posts and social media. I want to make sure you get the help you need, so please reach out via email. Thank you!