Winter Haven KAL 2025 – time to get ready!

We’re counting down to this year’s Winter Haven KAL!

The knit-along (KAL stands for knit-along) starts next Friday on 10 January 2025, so I thought that this weekend would be a good time to tell you a bit more about it, what’s involved and what you’ll need to gather together to join in and get cosy.  Don’t worry, it’s not any kind of complicated scavenger hunt, you may well find everything you need around your house!

🕯 So what’s it all about then, this Winter Haven KAL?  

Well, it’s about resting and recharging our batteries during January after all of the busy-ness of the holiday celebrations and the events of the last year.  Whatever your experience of 2024, I think there will be very few of us who sailed through the months without any kind of hitch or unexpected event and if I’m honest, I think we are all still recovering from the Covid pandemic 5 years later.  I don’t think you can go through an experience like that without being affected in some way and living in a prolonged state of heightened stress is not good for anyone.  The Winter Haven KAL is a reminder that we need to take some time for ourselves, even just a few minutes in the day, to make sure that we are ready to face the coming year.

🕯 You’ve posted a cosy-looking fireplace photo … can you only join in if you live somewhere where the Winter is cold? 

No, not at all!  My experience of Winter is that it’s generally cold, usually wet and often a bit miserable after the Christmas holidays so this is what Winter looks like to me.  Personally, I love the month of January with these cosy fireplace moments and with still a chance that it might snow again (I live in eternal hope – I’ve been glued to the forecast this weekend!), days where the whole year stretches out in front of you with possibilities and an opportunity to think about what you want to do with your time.  Oh, and to finish off all that Christmas chocolate that’s still around! – but I do know that it’s not the same for everyone.

Your Winter might look completely different, and that doesn’t matter at all as what’s important in this KAL is the “haven” part and you can have that anywhere in the world.  The dictionary definition of a haven is somewhere that offers refuge, rest and even sanctuary and that’s something that we can all be glad of, whatever the weather!

🕯 Will I like the project that you have to make to take part?

I hope so, because you’re going to choose it!

Because it’s a Winwick Mum KAL, I’d like you to use a Winwick Mum pattern and/or Winwick Mum yarn to join in.  This means that you can use stash yarn or leftovers as long as you use one of my patterns, so don’t worry if you can’t get hold of any Winwick Mum yarn, you can still be part of the KAL.  Alternatively, you can use any other pattern with Winwick Mum yarn and that would be lovely too!

The Winwick Mum pattern choices are all here and that includes hats, shawls, cowls and mittens, not just socks – the point of the KAL is that we create some time for ourselves so you need a project on your needles (or even your crochet hook if that’s more your thing) that’s going to give you some pleasure.

This is the perfect time to kick off your New Year’s resolution to become a sock knitter in 2025, so if you’re brand new to socks, feel free to join in by using the Sockalong tutorials and Basic 4ply Socks pattern.  There’s a Winwick Mum Sockalong Facebook group for real-time help if you get stuck, and you can use the videos on my YouTube channel as well (they’re different patterns but based on the same Basic 4ply Socks pattern so the processes will work in the same way).

If you’ve always knitted the Basic 4ply Socks pattern, why not try another pattern this time?  There are in-depth photo and video tutorials for my Easy Cable, Easy Lace, Patchwork and Easy Colourwork socks, and tutorials to go with some of my other patterns too.  You can find all of the patterns I’ve designed here on the Patterns and Printables page.

If you’re choosing Winwick Mum yarn, don’t forget the Winwick Mum Collection pattern books to go with the yarns – the first Winwick Mum collection and the second Seasons collection – you might not have tried one of those yet but the book is sitting on your shelf … maybe this is the time to dust it off!

There’s also a brand new pattern coming out on Thursday (9 January) which I’m going to share on the blog especially for the KAL.  They’re adult socks although you should be able to re-size them if you want to make them for smaller feet as there is a pattern panel that fits into the sock shape, and I think they will be a good next-step pattern if you have made the Basic 4ply Socks pattern before and are looking for something to push yourself a little bit with.  Having said that, I would never discourage anybody from launching into knitting a pattern that calls to them whatever their sock-knitting experience and if that’s you, you can take a look at the pattern and see what you think – all will be revealed on Thursday!

If you think you can’t really see any pattern on the sock, you’re absolutely right … and you’ll have to wait! 🙂

In terms of timing for the KAL and your knitting, it doesn’t matter if it takes you more or less than four weeks to finish the project you choose – you can always start something else if you finish early, or continue after the KAL has finished if you’ve got a bigger project.

🕯 What yarn can I use?

Well, I’d really love you to use Winwick Mum yarn, so if you’ve got some in your stash then you’ve got time to dig it out (this is a great opportunity to use up some of your stash!) or a good excuse for a shopping trip to your local yarn shop or online WYS stockist!  As you’ve seen, there are quite a few patterns using the Winwick Mum yarns now so you can see how they knit up and there might be one (or two) that you’d fancy trying out.

Winwick Mum yarn is part of the West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply range – if you haven’t heard of it before you can read the story of how it came about here; it’s available from many local yarn shops including Northern Yarn*, online retailers such as Black Sheep Wools and Wool Warehouse, and if you’re overseas there’s a stockist list here on the WYS website.

However, I also know that not everyone has any or can get any for various reasons, or it might not suit the pattern you want to make – or you might just not like it (that’s fine, I love it enough for both of us 😀 ) so rather than feel that you can’t join in, use another yarn instead but do please use one of my patterns to join in with the KAL.

🕯 Do I need anything else?

Yes!  You’ll need a space that’s going to be your Winter Haven.  A favourite armchair?  Your spot on the sofa?  A chair outside on a porch or in the garden, perhaps, if you live somewhere warm enough to sit outside?  It’s up to you, but choose somewhere that can be your space for a short while, a place where you can sit and take a few moments to yourself.

Here’s mine, a rocking chair by the fireplace …

It’s been this same spot every year and I love it!  I’ve got some extra fairy lights to add a cosy feel to the corner, and I will be very comfortable just there with my knitting and the fire crackling away!

You’ll also need a notebook and pen.  It doesn’t have to be a fancy notebook – this is an one that I originally found in a cupboard which I think was a gift at one point – but it does need to be something that you can write in and keep safe, rather than Post-It notes or little scraps of paper.  Yes, you have seen it before as it gets dusted off during each Winter Haven KAL but the good thing about writing in it for the four weeks of the KAL is that is kick-starts my gratitude habit again if it’s been on the slide and that’s no bad thing!

Gratitude journaling is something that I’ve done one and off for years, but I read so much about it being something that you should do all the time even if it’s no more than a few bullet points.  It’s the act of writing it that creates the magic, apparently, which is why I dust off the book every year – and every year, I manage to keep it up for a little longer!

Have you got a spare project bag?  Put your KAL work in there, along with the accessories that you know you will need so that you’re not hunting around for them when you want to use them.  You might only choose to work on your project during spare moments, or it might be your go-to for the month, but I think there’s always something lovely about putting a new project in it’s own bag.  You don’t have to have expensive designed-for-purpose bags – the one that I usually take on holiday with me once contained pillow cases (for some reason they came in a small bag that’s just the right size for a ball of sock yarn!), and when I first started knitting socks, I used a fancy wash bag that had zip pockets for storing my needles (I was more pleased with that than the smellies that came with the bag as a Christmas gift! 😀 ) –  you can be creative with what you have already.  Of course, it’s always an opportunity to buy or make yourself a lovely new project bag (using stash fabric, perhaps?!) so choose to do whatever will make you feel happy when you’re sitting in your Haven space.

My project plan for this KAL is to make good on the IOU promises that I gave to not so small daughter and her boyfriend for their pairs of socks … perfect for film students and knitted using my Winwick Mum colourways of Summer Sunset and Winter Icicle!  The pattern is Film Reel Socks by Alex Parker Mooney (Ravelry link) and is a free download.  The pattern is colourwork with different styles of short row and afterthought heels.  I’m hoping it won’t take me too long to get them finished as I’ve got something else in my project bag that I want to cast on … but I’ll tell you more about that during the KAL!

As the purpose of our Winter Haven will be to bring some light to the dark January days, you’ll need some light – not just a reading or craft light which may well be necessary depending on where your Haven space is, but something that evokes the feeling of cosy, of being safe in your own little halo of brightness.  How about a candle and maybe some fairy lights if you have them (perhaps keep some out from the Christmas decorations box just a little bit longer?).

A scented candle would be lovely if you’ve got one – but any candles will be fine; tea lights on a saucer or a household in-case-of-power-cuts candle in a jam jar would be perfect too.  There’s something about the glow from a candle flame that is very calming, I think, and is just the right thing for our Haven.  Battery-operated candles also have a warm glow and are safer if you’ve got children or pets around.

I’ve got a wax melt burner and that’s usually in my Winter Haven as I love the scents of the wax melts, and big daughter bought me a Christmas-scented candle that I’ve been enjoying – I’m hoping it lasts long enough for the KAL to start!

You might also like to find a book that you’ve been planning to read.  I didn’t as for too many new books for Christmas as I’ve not been very good at reading the ones I’ve got, but the KAL is always a good reminder for me that I do need to sit down and stick my nose into a book for a while.

This year, I’m going to be reading Sleep, Drink, Breathe by Michael Breus*, as I’ve recently become really interested in finding out more about circadian rhythms and chronotypes, and The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest*, but I’m also going to try to encourage myself to get back into reading novels.  I have really struggled with reading novels since I finished my Masters Degree but that was a lot of years ago now and it’s time to get back into the stories rather than always reading non-fiction!  Big daughter bought me Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan* and my brother bought me the Oor Wullie annual* for Christmas (he buys me one every year, alternating with The Broons, a Scottish Sunday newspaper cartoon) so I have plenty to get stuck into!  I’m looking forward to making time to sit down and read them.

Some treats!  Oh, I know we’ve just had Christmas and everybody is thinking about losing weight and getting healthier, but what’s a cosy sanctuary without a bit of chocolate to munch?!  Well, there’s going to be some in mine, anyway – I know not everybody eats chocolate so bring along whatever is a treat for you, and you’re going to want something to drink too, so have a think about what might be a treat in that department too.  I’ll have some suggestions as we go through the KAL, but you may want to stick to your own ideas!  And just in case you’re thinking that I’m going to look like a piece of chocolate if I keep going, I’m not eating that much of it in one go as I realised a few years ago that reaching Chocolate Saturation Point doesn’t make me feel great or be great to be around.  Reducing the amount of sugar that I eat is always at the edge of my radar, and although I don’t eat bucketfuls of sugar every day, I am sure that I still eat more than I should and I’d like to be a bit more careful about that this year.

Finally, a bit of greenery – something to remind you that the winter doesn’t last forever and that the plants and flowers will come back to life again.  Bring something in from your garden – some evergreen stems, or some berries, maybe even some winter flowers if you’ve got any – or see what is in store in your local greengrocer’s or supermarket.  Buy cut flowers or buy yourself a winter flowering plant; choose whatever makes your heart sing!

At this time of year, I move all my house plants into our living room as it’s warmer for them and it’s nice to have them in the house.  I may have mentioned once or twice before that not so small daughter has developed something of a house plant obsession but a lot of her plants went to university with her and the ones that I have here are all manageable now.

So that’s everything we’re going to need to get started.  There’s no official sign up to do and the first KAL blog post will be up on the blog next Friday to give you chance to read it over the weekend (perhaps in your cosy space!) and officially think about how you are going to spend January recharging your batteries.  Before that though, do take some time this week to think about what project will make you happy in your Haven – the colours, the weight of yarn, the pattern that you’ve chosen – to gather your other items together (remember, there’s no need to buy anything new if you’ve got things around the house you can use) and then we’ll be all ready to start on Friday.

I can’t wait!

*  Amazon links