16 June 2007

Prologue

Bienvenue! We are excited to host the 2007 Tour de France KAL, and hope you will join us for a great summer knitting adventure!

Not a cyclist or a cycling fan? No problem. You only need to be a knitter or crocheter to join us. Every level of knitter and cyclist can participate. Here’s how it works:

1. Choose a knitting or crochet project in some way related to France, French culture, or the Tour de France. This can be really broad and is open to creative interpretation:

• Anything yellow
• Any yarn or pattern with a French name or the word French/France in it (do we even need to mention the Clapotis!?)
Market bags, wine cozies, etc
• Cycling gloves, cycling socks, arm warmers, even Knitty’s Ribena sweater
• Something fabulous that you could see yourself wearing at a delightful little cafĂ© on the Rive Gauche
• Use your imagination!

2. Based on the four different jerseys that are competed for at the Tour, choose the category you will contend:

• Yellow jersey – also known as the General Classification (GC). You are choosing a project of average skill for yourself, and do not necessarily plan to finish it before the end of the Tour, but will enjoy the camaraderie of the peloton! If you are not sure what category you belong in, choose this one.

• Green Jersey – also known as a Sprinter. You are choosing a project of average skill for yourself BUT you plan to speed knit and finish it before the end of the Tour. This category is all about the race against the clock.

• Polka Dot Jersey – also known as King of the Mountains. You are choosing a project that is a challenge for you. You do not have to finish it before the end of the Tour. This category is all about learning something new, perhaps a new technique like entrelac or lace knitting, or maybe you’ve got a UFO that’s been hiding under the bed for way too long and you need a challenge to finish it!

• White Jersey – also known as Youngest Rider. You are a new knitter, and/or a new cyclist, and/or just new to the Tour de France. You are choosing a project that is of average skill for you. You do not have to finish it before the end of the Tour. Baffled by big men in bike pants? If you want to find out why millions of spectators flock to the Tour every year, then this is the category for you.

3. Email either of your hosts, Meg or Debby, with the name of your project and the jersey category you choose. Take the appropriate button, save it to your server, and add it to your blog if you have one. We’ll add your name and a link to your blog in the sidebar.

The Tour de France begins on Saturday, July 7 in London, England, and ends on Sunday, July 29, in Paris France. About 200 riders will tackle 3,500 kilometers of road. Join us to find out why the Tour de France is often described as the world’s greatest sporting challenge!

Each day on the blog, Meg and Debby will provide some knitter-friendly cycling commentary, French recipes, information on French culture and geography, and answer questions that you may have about the Tour. We’ll give you regular updates on how all the knit-alongers are going – which sprinters are out in front, who’s close to the top of the mountain. We’ll provide links and photos to your TdeF projects, and even offer random prizes for those who contribute in the comments section. Don’t forget to bookmark or subscribe to the site!

If this sounds like fun to you and you can’t decide on a project, join up anyway! (In fact, Meg is still unsure what project she'll be tackling!) You have until July 7th to choose your project and your category. Don’t be left behind at le Grand Depart! (And, yes, swatching can take place before the official start of the Tour – you didn’t think we’d make you ride your bike all that way without first having a go with some training wheels, did you?)

50 comments:

Debi said...

What a great idea Meg! I'm not a big tour de france fan but I will give this some thought....can I just eat french fries everyday? :)

jen said...

hey, i'll join! Put me down for the green jersy. I'll be racing through my sock pal's socks. this will be fun! Thanks!

Sharon in Ireland/NZ said...

Cool, count me in! Will have a think about what type of jersey I'll be going for and what project I'll do - I just found a cool pattern today though, maybe now I have justification to go get the yarn - he he.

Kristen said...

I'm in too. Though I don't watch the Tour, I can ride a bike and am an armchair traveler to France. I'll need to think about a suitable project.

Ann said...

What a great challenge! I`m a big fan of France and I love to take part. I only have to think what this project I`m making will be...

knitabulous said...

Sign me up, I'll decide on a jersey in the next coupla days ...

Donna Lee said...

How fun. I'll have to dust off my high school french so I can curse appropriately as I knit my way through. Count me in. I'll choose a jersey and project soon.

Angie said...

This is the perfect knitalong for me. I'm an obsessed knitter and a huge cycling fan and will be in London for the start of the TdF. This is a great way to combine cycling and knitting.

Angie

Sarah said...

I'll join too! I will think about a project and pick a jersey soon. Really nice work on the page/graphics!

Kate said...

My mom (donna lee) told me about this and it sounds like a great time. I'm in. Sign me up for the yellow jersey and a beret.

Gretchen said...

I am a HUGE Tour fan- sign me up! I will go for the King of the Mountains, in honor of my favorite all-time rider, Richard Virenque. I have plans to try a lace scarf, perfect for a night at a small cafe with a glass of wine. I've never tried lace before, so it will be a challenge. I might make a wine cozy as well- need something to keep white wine cool.

Elisa said...

Great idea! Please sign me up. I'm a new knitter, so I think White Jersey would be best. I'll be working on a lace washcloth and soap bag that I started in a beginning lace class. I keep making excuses not to work on it so this will give me incentive. Thanks!

Elisa said...

I forgot to add - I'm knitting lacet jaune (yellow lace) in honor of le Tour.

Nikki said...

I've just signed up with the polka dots! I'm trying to finish my first sweater!

Lynn said...

Ok I LOVE the Tour de France and would love to join this KAL. Let me think abt what I want to start on that day (most likely socks) and I'll let you know what jersey I wanna be........

Anonymous said...

I'll be joining the peleton. Socks will be the project of choice.

Cecile said...

Oh this sounds like fun. I am in need of some incentive to start my next knitting project. I'll join the polka-dot jersey group with a Norwegian pattern I picked up in Norway last month and haven't gotten started on. I'm a huge fan of the T de F. and will be living in France next fall and am studying French this year, so I think I can qualify.

Anonymous said...

generic xanax xanax buy online no prescription uk - buy generic xanax online no prescription

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol dosage an 627 - tramadol hcl 50 mg withdrawal

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol withdrawal nausea - usual dosage tramadol dogs

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol 50mg 627 - tramadol 50 mg opiate

Anonymous said...

tramadol 100mg 150 mg tramadol high - tramadol and ibuprofen

Anonymous said...

buy xanax online without prescription xanax withdrawal symptoms tremors - order xanax bars online

Anonymous said...

order alprazolam xanax used get high - order xanax india

Anonymous said...

carisoprodol 350 mg much carisoprodol soma - soma carisoprodol schedule

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online can you order tramadol online legally - stories of tramadol addiction

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online buy tramadol hydrochloride online usa - tramadol breastfeeding

Anonymous said...

xanax online xanax effects tinnitus - xanax online fake

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol generic walmart - tramadol 50mg max dosage

Anonymous said...

xanax online xanax headache - xanax drug slang

Anonymous said...

xanax online buy xanax canada no prescription - xanax withdrawal long does take

Anonymous said...

cialis online buy cialis online in malaysia - generic cialis nz

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol 50 mg pills - tramadol - withdrawal procedure

Anonymous said...

http://landvoicelearning.com/#38471 tramadol hcl an 627 - how to purchase tramadol

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cheap online tramadol with valium high - tramadol 100 mg sandoz

Anonymous said...

tramadol generic can you order tramadol online - ultram side effects withdrawal

Anonymous said...

07 Imitrex No Prescription - imitrex no prescription needed http://www.cheapimitrexbuy.net/#imitrex-no-prescription, [url=http://www.cheapimitrexbuy.net/#cheap-imitrex]Imitrex No Prescription[/url]

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol generic name tramadol hydrochloride - tramadol addiction in gaza

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol order generic tramadol - tramadol 400 mg dose

Anonymous said...

buy discount tramadol buy tramadol buy cod - buy tramadol online checking account

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol no prescription free shipping - tramadol hcl 100 mg

Anonymous said...

http://landvoicelearning.com/#30896 tramadol 319 high - tramadol 50 mg wiki

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online reviews what is tramadol 100mg used for - tramadol dosage webmd

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol for dogs how long to take effect - tramadol 100mg buzz

Anonymous said...

ways to buy ativan online ativan side effects in children - ativan qt prolongation

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol 50 mg 4 times a day - tramadol withdrawal neonatal

Anonymous said...

http://ranchodelastortugas.com/#50698 long does xanax effects last - xanax 031 side effects

Anonymous said...

http://bayshorechryslerjeep.com/#rx pass drug test xanax one day - generic xanax 2087

Anonymous said...

xanax price 2mg xanax 1 beer - order cheap xanax no prescription

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol mastercard buy tramadolwithout prescriptions - order tramadol online cod