2019 Spring KAL: My First Knit Sweater – Marly Bird & Red Heart
Guess what time it is! We are in the first day of spring and we are announcing the 2019 Spring KAL with Marly Bird and Red Heart. This year, we will be tackling your first knit sweater! I am so excited about this sweater and I hope that you will be too. Keep reading for all of the details about the event. What you need and when you need it are all listed below!
Explore 5 years of Marly Bird Spring KAL patterns here!
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What is a Knit-Along (KAL):
A knit-along is a community event where we all get together and work on the same project at the same time. This allows us to work together as a group and ask questions and share out inspiration from the pattern.
If you are a slower knitter or can’t start on the start date don’t worry, the pattern will always be available on the Marly Bird website for you to come back to. Be sure to join us in the exclusive Facebook Group just for the KAL. There you will be able to share where you are in the project, ask questions, and hangout with friends.
Use the hashtag #MarlyBirdKAL to share your projects throughout our six week knit-along.
2019 Spring KAL Materials:
Pick up your supplies now so you’ll be ready to go when the KAL starts!
To Fit Size: Small, (Medium, Large, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X)
Finished Size: Bust: 39 (44, 49, 54, 59, 64, 69)” / 99 (112, 124.5, 137, 150, 162.5, 175.5) cm
Length: 24.75 (25.5, 26.25, 27, 27.75, 28.5, 29.25)” / 63 (64.5, 66.5, 68.5, 70.5, 72.5, 74.5) cm
Yarn: RED HEART® Hygge Charm™: Art E882 available in 7 oz (198 g), 432 yd (395 m) balls 2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) balls 6724 Meteor
Needle size US 9 24″ circular or larger Or size needed to obtain gauge
Scissors
My First Knit Sweater Release Dates:
Each week I’ll have a new video showing how to knit the section for that week. To get notified as soon as the video is posted, subscribe to my YouTube channel.
⭐️ Updated 8-23-2020: the pattern is now available in full here ⭐️
Week 1 Wednesday, April 3 – Sizing and Gauge 9am MT
This first week we will talk about making a gauge swatch and how to pick the right size. In this week we will talk about figuring out what needles are the right ones to use for the project to get the desired finished results. We will also talk about how to select the right size to fit you the way that you want. https://marlybird.com/free-knitting-patterns/my-first-knit-sweater-knit-along-week-1/
GET THE WEEK 1 PATTERN AND VIDEO TUTORIAL
Week 2 Wednesday, April 10 – Back of Sweater 9am MT
This is the first week that we get our hands dirty with the sweater project. We will talk about the reason for using circular needles and why we will be making the sweater in pieces. I will show you how to work the back panel of the sweater. Your homework is to finish this part of the sweater during the week.
GET THE WEEK 2 PATTERN AND VIDEO TUTORIAL
Week 3 Wednesday, April 17 – Front of Sweater 9am MT
This week we will be working on the front of the sweater. To help you out in making your first sweater I will host a YouTube live Q&A on my channel at 10 am MT on April 17th. At this event you can ask questions you have to this point and I will review any spots where people get stuck along the way.
2019 Spring KAL: WEEK 3 VIDEO Q & A
Week 4 Wednesday, April 24 – First Sleeve 9am MT
This week I will be teaching you how to work your sleeve. We will be making two of these but there isn’t a rush. You will have the full week to finish just one sleeve. In our video tutorial for the week I will show you how to add increases to your sleeve as well as transition from the ribbed cuff to the body of the sleeve.
GET THE WEEK 4 PATTERN AND VIDEO TUTORIAL
Week 5 Wednesday, May 1 – Second Sleeve 9am MT
This week we won’t be learning anything new. We will be working on the second sleeve for the sweater and we will be doing a review of the sections so far. We will have another live Q&A session so that you can ask me questions about the entire project. I want to make sure that you have plenty of time and help along the way so we are breaking out the sleeves into two weeks. This is also a great time for you to catch up.
GET THE WEEK 5 VIDEO Q & A
Week 6 Wednesday, May 8 – Seaming and Finishing
You have made it! By the end of week 6 you will have your finished sweater! During this week I will show you how to seam the pieces of your sweater. This can be tricky the first time that you make a sweater in getting the seam in just the right place. Learn with me and I will show you some tips and tricks along the way.
2019 Spring KAL: WEEK 6 PATTERN AND VIDEO TUTORIAL
Giveaways:
Post your progress pictures each week in the Marly Bird KAL Facebook group to be entered for a chance to win a Red Heart prize pack! We’ll choose one winner each week for the prize pack. One week after the final video is posted we’ll ask you to share a photo of your finished sweater, and we’ll choose 3 winners to each win a $50 prize pack from everyone who finished.
To enter: Post your picture of your in-progress sweater in the Facebook group before Tuesday at 11:59pm Mountain Time (Marly’s time zone) to be entered. Winners will be announced on Thursdays.
Week 1: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 9; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, April 11
WEEK ONE WINNER: Lisa Ann Lee-McCoart
Week 2: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 16; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, April 18
WEEK TWO WINNER: Debbie Carter
Week 3: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 23; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, April 25
WEEK THREE WINNER: Marne Miller Lemke
Week 4: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 30; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, May 2
Week 5: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, May 7; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, May 9
Week 6: Post a photo of your completed sweater by Tuesday, May 14; 3 winners of $50 prize packs announced Thursday, May 16
More Marly Bird Knit-along events:
I know you love knit-alongs just as much as I do. Learn about all the knit-along’s I’ve done by clicking this link.
Also on the Blog:
Categories: Knitting, Make-Alongs, Our Free Patterns, Pattern
Oh, this looks interesting! Very pretty.
Have never attempted a sweater before so looking forward to this KAL….
I have to know before buying yarn, does this sweater involve seaming??? I cannot seam to save my life and have only made sweaters from the top down! Ty!
First kal and new to knitting. Excited but nervous
I’m so excited. Never know a sweater. Question…how do I know how much yarn to order. What are the size measurements? I’m not sure if I need to make a large or medium .
This sounds like a wonderful KAL! I love it.
WHERE DO WE GET THE FREE PATTERN
Awesome video, just one question, what did your Chic sheep gauge swatch block out to? I really love using this yarn!
Wwiting for yard to come in the mail. Finishing a sock from “my first sock” knit along,
A suggestion– beginner knitters may need more information about how to do the M1, or at least direct them to a video that provides that direction.
There is already a video in my YouTube channel about the make 1. Here is a link if you need it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT1e-WgynUc
In your pattern, I don’t know what m1 means, abbreviation for what?
M1 means to make 1. I have a video on my YouTube channel that will show you how to do this. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT1e-WgynUc
i am doing the 2x size on sweater. On my first sleeve I used the pdf file to do it. I had the right amt of sts. but it says to cont. in ssk st till 13 in from ribbing or 16 from beginning.Well after i complete the 66 rows on pdf file that is exactly what my sleeve measures so I cant cont in ssk st till i get to 13 or 18 inches already there. what did i do wrong or am i misunderstanding the pattern? my 1st sweater ever
Video quit a little less than half way. Checked out a number of other videos, not on the Marly Bird website / You
Tube channel, and all played perfectly. Any ideas? It is May 3rd, 6:30pm, central time, weather perfect for change. The differences in those swatches were incredible. Thanks for any help you can offer with the video.
That is the same question I was going to ask how much yarn will it take for a medium. My first sweater also