8-Bit: A Geek-A-Long Sweater MKAL

First imagined in the Winter of 2013, the Geek-A-Long was born from unrestrained idealism and way too much coffee. The idea was ridiculous: Release a new pattern every week all year, based on pop-culture nerdiness. At the end of the year we would join 48 double sided squares together to make a massive blanket. Our Fandom Opus would be sent to the Child’s Play Charity Dinner Auction in Seattle, and the proceeds of the sale would go towards providing video games and other entertainment to children in hospitals and domestic violence shelters.

When I cast on that first square, I had no idea what the GAL would turn into. 7 years, 7 blankets, and nearly 300 squares later, the Geek-A-Long has grown far beyond Jac and I. The community has grown each year and based on our square download statistics there are GAL knitters in every corner of the world. Your generosity is astounding and over the GAL community has raised over $10,000 for Child’s play with individual donations and proceeds raised from the sale of the auctioned blankets.

We wanted to do something to make 2020 memorable. Admittedly, that decision was made in 2019, and 2020 doesn’t need help standing out. Still, we want to shake things up. When I finished that first blanket in 2014, I never imagined we’d still be making them in 2020. I’m blown away by how much love and support the project has gotten and couldn’t have predicted it. I want you to see this sweater for what it is: a love letter from Jac and I to the entire GAL community. This free, premium pattern is without a doubt, my best work. This labor of love took almost 6 months to design and I couldn’t be happier with the results. As with all of our GAL projects, please consider making a donation to Child’s Play Charity. We’ve set up a brand new event page at the Child’s Play donation platform to track donations during the MKAL, and you can find that page and make a donation directly to Child’s Play Charity HERE. Every dollar donated puts games in the hands of children that most need them.

Project Details

The Sweater’s theme is CLASSIC VIDEO GAMES please imagine your own video game music soundtrack to play in your mind as you read the rest of this description. The 2020 Geek-A-Long Sweater MKAL will be released in 12 clues, beginning on August 2nd. The sweater is worked bottom up, beginning with the sleeves. The Sweater is worked in stranded color work throughout the full sweater, and the cuffs, hems, and necklines are worked in CC only.

When you add this pattern to your Ravelry Library you will have immediate access to the project sheet, which includes yarn/gauge/needle/etc.. information for the project, as well as the instructions for a gauge swatch. The clues will be released via pattern updates. Once the project is added to your library the clues will automatically be added to your library when they release.

Clue Release Schedule

1. Published on August 2nd!
2. Published on August 9th!
3. Published on August 16th
4. Published on August 23rd
5. Published on August 30th
6. Published on September 6th
7. Published on September 13th
8. Published on September 20th
9. Published on September 27th
10. Published on October 4th
11. Coming October 11th
12. Coming October 18th