Ah, Knitmas…

We fixed it. With knitting!

The Twelve Days of Knitmas Mystery Knit-Along(MKAL) is our annual let's-spend-this-awkward-post-holiday-time-knitting-together-and-shaking-off-the-stress-of-the-season MKAL. 

Put more plainly: The #twelvedaysofknitmasMKAL is a twelve-day knit-along full of fun and friendship, and at the end of it, you have a beautiful project to gift or keep. It's really that simple.

 

Who is Knitmas for?

Knitmas instructions are more detailed than most standard knitting patterns.

In past years, knitters from around the world have joined in the Knitmas fun. With skills ranging from beginner to expert, they've encouraged one another and delighted in helping each other choose colors and learn new techniques. I really can't overstate what a magical experience it is.💕✨    

TL;DR - Whether you're an adventurous beginner or a seasoned expert, if you love to knit - Knitmas is for you.  

 

There are THREE simple steps to ensure a wonderful Knitmas-time:

1:  Purchase a copy of the Twelve Days of Knitmas MKAL 2025 pattern here in the Nomadic Knits store or on Ravelry. (It will be available for purchase on Saturday, November 29.)

2:  Sign up for the Knitmas emails here.

Why sign up for the emails? The emails are where all the magic happens.✨ You’ll receive updates leading up to the MKAL and daily fun throughout the Twelve Days of Knitmas (December 26 - January 6). These emails contain any updates you may need, links to tutorials, and freebies and discounts from Nomadic Knits and our collaborators.

3:  Bookmark this page. 

Why bookmark this page? You might have questions along the way. You're a busy human and don't need to be filling up all of your brain storage with Knitmas details. I'll keep the details safe for you right here. This page will continue to be updated with links to the most recent information regarding Knitmas.

 

How do I get the clues?

Nomadic Knits: If you purchase the pattern through the Nomadic Knits online store, the clues are delivered to your email inbox daily throughout Knitmas.

The sender is Nomadic Knits, and the sender's email address is alerts@filemonk.io. If you can't locate the email updates, please check your spam and promotions folders. If you find the email there, add the address to your contacts to prevent that from happening from future updates.

You can also find your pattern updates by visiting your account on NomadicKnits.com and selecting the purchase that contains the Twelve Days of Knitmas Pattern. Click on the button that says "Access Downloads."

***Patterns purchased on NomadicKnits.com will NOT show up in your Ravelry Library. If you would like the pattern in your Ravelry library, please purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Ravelry: If you purchase your pattern on Ravelry, the clues will appear as pattern updates in your library.

If you have email notification turned on in your Ravelry account, you will also receive an email that the pattern has been updated. To receive these notifications when each clue is released, you must purchase the pattern through Ravelry while signed in to your Ravelry account. 

If you don't have Ravelry notifications turned on, you will not be notified that you have received a pattern update. That's ok! Simply go to your Ravelry library and check for updates. They will be waiting for you there. 

If you are certain that you purchased the pattern on Ravelry and it isn't in your Ravelry library, it’s likely that you purchased it without being signed into your account. Ravelry explains how to fix that here on their blog.

 

Where can I hang out with my fellow Knitmas-ers?

Facebook: This is where it gets really fun! You can find other Knitmas-ers in our Facebook group, Nomadic Knits : Knit the World! It's a wonderfully kind community where everyone is welcome.  

Ravelry: If Ravelry forums are more your speed, we've got you covered! There will be #spoiler and  #nospoiler feeds  - choose whichever one sounds more fun to you. 

Instagram: Instagram users can share and search for posts tagged with #twelvedaysofknitmasmkal. Your profile must be public for others to see your posts when searching the hashtag.  

 

Can you give me any pattern hints?

I sure can!

This year we are knitting a lovely crescent shawl made to wrap around you like a warm hug.

 

Can you help me choose color combinations?

Darn tootin! 

We’ve curated six beautiful kits featuring Emma's Yarn in Super Silky, available for purchase here.

 

For those of you building your own kit, here is some helpful info:

• The Twelve Days of Knitmas MKAL contains textured and colorwork sections, along with a few other fun techniques. 
  
  
• All of your contrast colors will contact the main color.
  
  
• Two of your contrast colors should have enough contrast to be used together in a colorwork pattern without disappearing into one another.
  
  
• If you enjoy bold, high-contrast colorwork, choose colors that are in high contrast with one another.
  
  
• If you prefer a more subtle contrast, choose colors with lower contrast for a more delicate effect.
  
  
• If you are unsure if your combo has high or low contrast, take a black-and-white picture of all skeins together. This will make your contrast level clearer.
  
  
• This is a great time to knit a gauge swatch. It can double as a test for your colors!
  
  
• Check out the kits we’ve created. You'll see a range of colors with various levels of contrast. They are a great reference when choosing your colors.
  
  
• Solid and tonal colors let the stitch pattern in lace and textural sections shine. But perhaps you love the look of an intense or busy colorway over lace or texture; that's fine, too!

Experiment. Have fun. When I feel myself getting wound tight and worrying far too much about the very thing that brings me so much joy, I remind myself → It's a (insert name of knitting project here), not the Sistine Chapel. 😂

You may discover that you really love a technique or color combo that you never would have tried before. How wonderful!

You may also discover that you were 100% correct and HATE speckles over lace. You win some, you lose some. And that's when you decide that your project will be a gift, or that you're about to get really good at tinking.😉 Thank goodness yarn is reusable!

Please remember - there are no hard and fast rules for color selections. Choose what makes your heart happy. 💕 

 

Are there prizes?

Absolutely! Anyone participating will be eligible to win prizes regardless of when they finish. We’ve also been known to award prizes to enthusiastic cheerleaders, so join us in sharing your love for everyone’s projects, even if you’re not knitting along.

Winners are chosen from posts in the Facebook Group, the Nomadic Knits' Ravelry Forums, and on Instagram. When sharing on Instagram, your project must be tagged with #twelvedaysofknitmasMKAL using a public profile, or we won't be able to see it.

 

What about the rest of the details?

More? After all of that, you want more?!  You deserve a prize just for making it this far! 🙌🏼 There will be more updates, but for now, you have almost all the information you need for a very merry Knitmas. Just one more thing... 

THIS PART IS IMPORTANT:  

(It is so important that you'll probably see it repeated a few times before the MKAL begins😉)

Please sign up for the Knitmas email list and add hello@nomadicknits.com to your email contact list.

Adding us to your contacts lowers the chance that your Knitmas emails will go into your spam or promotions folder or will not be delivered at all.  

A gentle reminder: Knitmas is a time to shake off the stress of the season and relax into the pastime we love: knitting. There are twelve days of clues, but it isn’t a race against time to complete your project in twelve days. The goal is to enjoy your knitting and have something fun and relaxing to look forward to each day. 

The KAL will “officially” run through the end of January, but our Facebook group and Ravelry forums are open year-round.

Members of #teamturtle and #teamsloth stretch their knitting out for as long as it takes, savoring each and every stitch. And when they finish, whether in February or September, we celebrate their accomplishment!   

 

I can't wait to Knit(mas) with you! 
Becky