Oh my goodness you guys, I’m so excited to finally be able to share this news with you! I’m going to be participating in a new year-long project sponsored by Lion Brand Yarn called the Traveling Afghans. It’s a joint effort which includes 49 knitwear designers and bloggers from seven different countries, and it’s all part of Lion Brand’s “My Life in Yarn” 2020 campaign.

Here’s the deal – starting in January, the Traveling Afghans will take off from New York City and journey to a new designer every two weeks. Each designer will create a 10″x10″ square to add to either the knit or the crochet blanket before sending it off to the next person in the itinerary. Each of us will publish our pattern for free online so you can follow along with us and create your own knit or crochet afghan! This year-long project will feature stories from all of us about our paths as makers, and will give you the opportunity to learn new stitches and make new friends in the community along the way.

Does that sound like fun or what?! How cool is it that we’re sending an afghan around the world and that you can make an afghan designed by so many different people! 😎

Here’s all the official stuff on how you can participate:

1. Purchase a yarn kit now for either the knit or crochet Traveling Afghan so you have everything you need to get started with us when the first square pattern is released in January.

2. Visit this page for the itineraries of the afghans below along with the master list of all designers and links to their sites so you can follow along as they travel around the world and new patterns get released.

3. Follow the designers on social media to get updates on their pattern releases and learn about their maker journeys. There may even be some giveaways to enter!

4. Host a CAL or KAL with your local maker friends! Get together throughout the year in person or online to add your squares. We would love to see YOUR life in yarn too, so make sure to tag Lion Brand Yarn in your posts and use the hashtags #thetravelingafghans #lionbrandyarn and #mylifeinyarn and either #thetravelingknitafghan or #thetravelingcrochetafghan

BUY THE KNIT KIT HERE.

FOLLOW THE ITINERARIES OF THE AFGHANS AND CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO FIND EACH PATTERN ON THE DESIGNER’S SITE AS ITS PUBLISHED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

BUY THE CROCHET KIT HERE.

#1 – 1/1-1/13 – New York City, USA – Alexandra Tavel of Two of Wands
#2 – 1/15-1/28 – Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria – Sandra Gutierrez of Nomad Stitches
#3 – 1/29-2/11 – Dublin, Ireland – Katie Moore of The Queen Stitch
#4 – 2/12-2/25 – Nova Scotia, Canada – Kelly Brooks of Knitbrooks
#5 – 2/26-3/10 – Alberta, Canada – Stephanie Lau of All About Ami
#6 – 3/11-3/24 – Alberta, Canada – Chantal Miyagishima of Knitatude
#7 – 3/25-4/7 – BC, Canada – Christie Bodden of Christie Bodden Designs
#8 – 4/8-4/21 – Oregon, USA – Makenzie Alvarez of Hanks and Needles
#9 – 4/22-5/5 – California, USA – Phanessa Fong of Designs by Phanessa
#10 – 5/6-5/19 – California, USA – Angie Bivins of Whistle & Wool
#11 – 5/20-6/2 – California, USA – Jane Tsou of Gorilla Knits
#12 – 6/3-6/16 – Nevada, USA – Chenoa Wilcox of jellyKNITTING
#13 – 6/17-6/30 – Utah, USA – Rachel Misner of Evelyn & Peter
#14 – 7/1-7/14 – Colorado, USA – Jessica Potasz of Mama in a Stitch
#15 – 7/15-7/28 – Kansas, USA – Jerica Tompkins of Yarn Hook Needles
#16 – 7/29-8/11 – Kansas, USA – Mary Lee Duff of Fifty Four Ten Studio
#17 – 8/12-8/25 – Minnesota, USA – Kaitlin Barthold of Originally Lovely
#18 – 8/26-9/8 – Minnesota, USA – Julia Anastasi of Northern Loop Knitwear
#19 – 9/9-9/22 – Winona, MN, USA – Trista Ziemendorf of While They Dream
#20 – 9/23-10/6 – Illinois, USA – Heidi Gustad of Hands Occupied
#21 – 10/7-10/20 – Illinois, USA – Jewell Washington of Northknits
#22 – 10/21-11/3 – Michigan, USA – Destiny Meyer of Knifty Knittings
#23 – 11/4-11/17 – Virginia, USA – Nathan Bryant of Loop N Threads
#24 – 11/18-12/1 – Rhode Island, USA – Jake Kenyon of Kenyarn
#25 – 12/2-12/16 – New Jersey, USA – Vanessa Coscarelli Black of Vanessa Knits

#1 – 11/1-1/13 – New York City, USA – Alexandra Tavel of Two of Wands
#2 – 1/15-1/28 – Barcelona, Spain – Cecilia Losada of Mamma DIY
#3 – 1/29-2/11 – Utrecht, The Netherlands – Wilma Westenberg of Wilmade
#4 – 2/12-2/25 – Gloucestershire, UK – Lindsey Newns of Lottie and Albert
#5 – 2/26-3/10 – New Brunswick, Canada – Kimberley Giggie of Lakeside Loops
#6 – 3/11-3/24 – Ontario, Canada – Lee Sartori of Coco Crochet Lee
#7 – 3/25-4/7 – Alberta, Canada – Janine Myska of Knits n’ Knots
#8 – 4/8-4/21 – Alberta, Canada – Abigail Ellazar of Knits and Knots by AME
#9 – 4/22-5/5 – California, USA – Arica Presinal of Skeinsnsticks
#10 – 5/6-5/19 – California, USA – Meghan Ballmer of Meghan Makes Do
#11 – 5/20-6/2 – California, USA – Nicole Riley of Nicki’s Homemade Crafts
#12 – 6/3-6/16 – Arizona, USA – Bailey Williams of Hooked on Tilly
#13 – 6/17-6/30 – Colorado, USA – Jess Coppom of Make & Do Crew
#14 – 7/1-7/14 – Kansas, USA – Emily Davies of Hooked Hazel
#15 – 7/15-7/28 – Michigan, USA – Jennifer Pionk of A Crocheted Simplicity
#16 – 7/29-8/11 – Michigan, USA – Melissa Fisher of Woods and Wool
#17 – 8/12-8/25 – Ohio, USA – Toni Lipsey of TL Yarn Crafts
#18 – 8/26-9/8 – Georgia, USA – Vincent Williams of Visuvio’s Crafts
#19 – 9/9-9/22 – North Carolina, USA – Tia Edwards of Simple Things Crochet
#20 – 9/23-10/6 – North Carolina, USA – Ashleigh Kiser of Sewrella
#21 – 10/7-10/20 – North Carolina, USA – Rohn Strong of Rohn Strong
#22 – 10/21-11/3 – Pennsylvania, USA – Jessica Benvenuto of Fly the Distance
#23 – 11/4-11/17 – New York, USA – Brianna Iaropoli of Life and Yarn
#24 – 11/18-12/1 – New York City, USA – Teresa Carter of Debrosse
#25 – 12/2-12/16 – New Jersey, USA – ChiWei Ranck of 1 Dog Woof