In honor of those crazy kids over at NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), whose challenge I’ve been known to take, I’m declaring it National Sweater Knitting Month here at knitgrrl.com with a knit-along.
How it works with NaNoWriMo: write a 50,000-word novel in a month.
How it works with NaNoSweMo: knit a 50,000-stitch sweater in a month. Or therebouts. I’ve never actually thought about sweaters in stitch count terms, that’s crazy talk. But if you divide your chosen sweater pattern’s rows or rounds by 30, you’ll have an idea of how many rows you need to knit each day to make it.
Feel free to swipe the image above or make your own. Ping this post, leave a comment, let us know what you’re knitting for NaNoSweMo! I’ll post links and/or photos of your completed projects at the beginning of December.
What am I knitting? Umm. I have an idea… haven’t cast on yet… (this is usually how my NaNoWriMos have gone, too, by the way).
{ 95 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
You crazy. I loves ya.
ohhhh! cool!!!!!
now i have a valid excuse to keep yarn!
i need a kick in the pants to get my mytical sweater in gear!
Consider yourself kicked, then, Pippi!
more, please!!!
er, i mean, ouch!
I used a calculater, and I figure the sweater I started in August, which is almost up to the armpits in the round, already has 23,600 (give or take a few) stitches… Can I use it?
I started a sweater on Halloween – would it still count? I love this idea!
I am wondering if it has 50000 stitches though… need that calculator!
I’d be nuts to join you. But maybe I’ll shoot to finish Forecast this month!
Ooooh, this sounds like a good plan. It is getting COLD! What about finishing a couple of sweaters in progress? Does that still count?
Lolly sucked me in. I’m totally up for it!
NaNoSweMo . . . I love it! Brilliant idea!
oh you read my brain.
I am making my hourglass sweater. i actually started in september, but since i think i’m knitting the wrong size, i might frog and start over.
yeah–i’m a joiner!!!
Count me in. I’ll be ripping and reknitting the fitted ribbed turtleneck from the cover of Hollywood Knits.
Can I join? Sounds like crazy obssessive fun!
Yes, it’s Lolly’s fault…I’m dreaming of baby sweaters. Although the novel writers aren’t each writing 50,000 words. It’s combined, isn’t? I’m thinking the combined sweater stitch count is going to kick their butt!
i have to join! i have two great packs of yarn and they are begging me to use them up!
I have sweaters to knit, surely at least one of them has 50,000 stitches.
Lovely Idea! But shouldn’t the title be “NaKniSweMo” for “National Knit a Sweater in a Month?” Otherwise the current abreviations make it “National Novel Sweater Month.”
Regardless, I am joining!
Very cool! I am going to try to work this in with the Norovember KAL – A noro sweater!
wow. this is a pretty cool idea. i have a sweater that I started a few months ago but need to rip out and start over. maybe this is the project i need to do it for. if this goes like any of my past nanowrimo efforts, though, i won’t get anything done. so far? I’m on the right track!
*lol* 
I guess it’s as good a time as any to get my Rogue started…If I start now I should have it finished for my birthday.
Wow, Miki… that’ll show you how completely fried I’ve been this week! Yes, I suppose it probably should be NaKniSweMo…
Laurie — no, each novel by each PERSON needs to be 50,000 in NaNoWriMo. That’s why it’s such a challenge to finish!
Would a complicated vest count? I want to knit a cabled vest for my dad this month.
I’ve tried NaNoWriMo twice…and never finished. What a stupid month to try! Between Thanksgiving and birthdays, I don’t have a chance. But a sweater? I have one just casted on, maybe this will be the push I need.
I’m in. Have 2 complicated children’s sweaters to do – reckon there are at least 50,000 stitches in the bigger one – before Christmas, so this’ll be additional incentive…
I love this idea! Writing 50,000 words about *anything* is out of my realm, but knitting… Hm. I wonder if I can make this happen. I have some gray yarn that’s been begging for years, but I also have some green yarn that’s been mostly knit up that needs to get frogged and made into something else.
Then there’s the obligation knitting (not started, due at Christmas or before), and the red sweater and the socks that are on the needles.
Gads. LOL
Hm.
sounds good. I am working on the ribberd cardi and will start the Minimalist Funnel Neck from mag knits. however- I am NOT counting stitches…
I’m knitting a sweater for my son with a castle on the front. Actually–I cast on for the sleeves on the drive up to Rhinebeck, a few days too early. Does that disqualify me?
This is a great idea. I have yarn and patterns two sweaters that are waiting to be picked up.
can I still join if I’ve got a sweater barely started? and I mean *barely*… this would be just the push I need to get it done before christmas!
This sounds great. I’m working on one now, but I plan to cast on for new one this weekend. Count me in!
Sign me up! I’m crazy enough to do it all!
I love it!!!! Wish I had seen this before yesterday, I would definitely have done it. Maybe we could do a DeKniSwMo? Hahahaha..that would be a challenge for me, as I’m the slowest sweater knitter on the planet. Or maybe january..that’s a slow month?
i’m game, especially since i ripped and re-started my bell sleeve jacket from vk holiday 06 yesterday.
love this idea – I’m so in!
I’m in! Can’t write to save my life so 50,000 words – no way! But 50,000 stitches. Doable for me, I think?! How much exactly is 50,000? Can I finish the 3 sweaters I already have on the needles? Or should I cast a new one on? Ooohh, more yarn…
I’ve been making little things, and have some stuff all spun up to make a sweater, but I’ve been putting it off. If it’s not too late, I’d like to play…I have no idea what I’m going to make, but we’ll see.
Of course, I’ve started and failed NaNoWriMo for three years in a row. Hopefully that’s no indication of how things will go.
i got the yarn, the needles and the pattern, that you for providing the inspiration!! i’m so in!
alright, sign me up too! i just ordered yarn to knit “A Cardigan for Arwen” from the latest IK.
As a NaNoWriMo alumna, I’m utterly charmed by this – what a great idea! Since the sweater I’m currently working on has roughly 89,000 stitches in it (and I have about 74,000 to go), I think it would be a fool’s errand to commit to finishing the whole thing by November 30. I’ll happily watch though, and call myself a winner if I finish the back (35,000 stitches, 300 cable twists). Have fun!
Sounds like a good excuse to cast on my first sweater!
What a response!! Fun fun!
I’m in! I have swatched and started knitting already.
What an awesome idea! Count me in!!
Well, how can a girl pass this up. I am in. Heaven help me…
Count me in! I’m swatching now.
I’m in!!! Just started a pullover this week. Will be finished before the end of Nov.
Excellent idea! Count me in!! Hm… must go figure out number of stitches in sweater.
I’m up for a challenge… and I do have a UFO that might fit the 50,000 stitch bill.
Count me in!
I thought yes, then I thought no, then my daughter asked me when I was knitting her a dress (for which I have the yarn already) and I thought, heck I did the Knitting Olympics, and this is 2 weeks longer, sure I can do it! So, it’s a child’s dress and not a sweater, but I’m going to do it in November!
Count me in! I shall be knitting an EZ seamless hybrid for someone as a Christmas present. Here goes nothin! Thanks for doing this!
Next Comments →
{ 53 trackbacks }