It’s time for another leap into the unknown! This makes the 17th time I’ve prepared a little bundle of whimsy and mystery for you. Spring is a great time for a dose of surprises, learning new things, and chatting with the gnoming community.

45% off with the code 45FunGuy (You knew that pun had to come into play, right? Right?) until March 20.

Professor Gortabello Fungi lives behind a little round door in a shady cave made comfy by an impressive assortment of pillows, carpets, and several adorable pets.

Undergrowth University supplies the housing right on campus so that professors are less likely to wander off in the forest on the way to class. Professor Fungi’s research focuses on how tree roots communicate and share resources.

PreKAL Chat and Questions thread

Key Dates
March 6: yarn sales and pattern presales
April 2: Clue 1
April 17: Last Clue
May 6: last day to enter for MKAL 17 prizes
May 9: prizes announced, pattern released as a single PDF

Skills Used
•knit and purl
•working in the round
•short rows (optional)
•stranded colourwork (optional)
•i-cord
•slipping sts
•kfb
•k2tog, ssk, ssk-M

Multiple video tutorials including assembly are included in the pattern.

Materials
Fingering Weight Yarn
Black Sheep Dyeworks Sock Weight 4 Ply Superwash Merino & Mini Skeins (100% merino); 87 yd / 79 m per 20g skein; colours shown:
Yarn A Greige
Yarn B Driftwood
Yarn C Undyed
Yarn D Cinnabar

•Needles
US 1 / 2.25 mm and US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles for knitting small circumference in the round, or size needed to get gauge. If you are a tiny circs user, you will need a second needle method for when the stitch count is small.

•Notions
yarn needle, stitch markers, roving/polyfill stuffing, weighted stuffing like poly pellets/aquarium gravel/dried beans

Gauge
30 sts and 44 rounds = 4” / 10 cm in stockinette in the round on smallest needles

This pattern is tech edited and test knit.

Yarn Kits and Prizes

These dyers from locations all around the globe have seen Professor Fungi and put together some really fun options! You are not required to use participating dyers’ yarn. You can source your gnome yarn however you like.

This knitalong has chatter prizes and grand prizes.

There are 32 grand prizes! 31 prizes from the creative sponsors behind our colourful options, and a $50 CAD gift certificate to the Imagined Landscapes gnomeware shop for tee shirts, mugs, etc from me.

The grand prizes from the others will be randomly awarded (split with 4 going to Instagram entries). My grand prize is awarded (after much inner turmoil) to my favourite entry. I encourage you to have fun with pictures and stories because I pick one that brings a smile to my face. :grin:

Yarn Shops and their Prizes
Canada
Baa-realis Fibre - Any two in-stock gnome kits
Crafty Jak’s Boutique - $50 gift certificate
Firefly Haven Fibre - $75 gift certificate
Crafty That Way - A mini skein set of the winners choosing

US
Black Sheep Dyeworks - One full skein or a set of 5 minis skeins, of the winner’s choice
Dyeon Yarns - A skein of winner’s choice self-striping sock yarn
Cornbread and Honey - $60 gift certificate
Miss Babs - $75 gift certificate
Marianated Yarns - $50 gift certificate
Lavender Lune Yarn Co. - $25 gift certificate
Little Squirrel Yarn - 1 Little Squirrel Yarn Bushel (set of 5 coordinating 20g mini skeins of our Oak Sock base) of your choosing
Knitterly Things - A set of 4 mini 20g mini skeins
Nanette Wake Studio - Mini Skein Set
Queen City Yarn - $30 gift certificate
Kelli in the Middle - $25 digital shop discount
Fibernymph Dye Works - A $30 US shop credit good towards any available in-stock or dye-to-order item
Fangirl Fibers - $50 gift certificate
MakerWool - $30 gift certificate

Asia-Pacific
glenheavenknits - 2 x 100 gram skeins of hand dyed yarn of your choosing
The Australian Wool Store - A Gnomie Yarn Collection consisting of small skeins of merino and mohair-silk
Heathermaid - A skein of Heathermaid Luxury Sock of your choice from my Etsy store
Waratah Fibres - 2x 100 gms Hand dyed Australian Polwarth 4ply
Mamawooling - $30 Gift Certificate

Europe
Wolhobby - € 30 gift certificate
Wintertagtraum - €20 voucher for the shop
Alte Künste - 20€ gift certificate
ScreamingColours - one skein of any of my 100g yarn skeins

UK
Giddy Yarns - a mystery sock set: 100g variegated/speckled skein with a coordinating 20g solid mini
The Dye Shack - a set of mini skeins from the Gnome Collection
Yarn Unique - A gnome-themed gift bag, including yarn for a future months gnome
FOLK Yarn Studio - A pack of 6 sock mini skeins from my All Of Time & Space Collection