2014 Geek-A-Long: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Welcome to week 20 of the 2014 Geek-A-Long, a mystery blanket knit-along (or crochet-along for you rebels out there)! If you’re new to the GAL craziness, check out the Geek-A-Long FAQ page for more details and information. Then, meet us back here when you’re ready. For the seasoned pros, let’s talk about Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

Buffy had an enormous influence on Jac and I.  She was one of the greatest role models an awkward high school girl could ask for at a time when strong, independent young woman were a rarity on TV.  I’m not sure we realized at the time what an impact the show was having on us.  Growing up, our family situation was complicated and I think we replaced much of the emotional fulfillment that we should have been getting from real life sources with a borderline obsessive relationship with the characters on that show.  Don’t get me wrong, we were never “stalk them at a con” crazy, or even “send them letters” kinds of fans, but to this day I cry when I watch The Body as if I had really lost someone.  It always feels like I have.

I’d be willing to bet dollars to donuts that Jac or I, (or most likely both of us) quotes an episode of Buffy daily.  We don’t even know we’re doing it most of the time.  I guess that’s what happens when you’ve seen the series from beginning to end at least a dozen times.  If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said “fire bad, tree pretty” I could quit my day job.

I think most of us have that one intensely powerful influence and I’m happy that mine is one I’ll be proud to show my daughter one day.

This week is the 11th anniversary of the original airing of the series finale (which seems impossibly long ago!).  This is the perfect week to honor Buffy, but it was tough to decide how.  We originally wanted to try to put M? (aka Scythe) on the square but none of our designs for it worked out well.  It just didn’t translate to the square, so we moved on and instead went with the Sunnydale High School logo complete with flames and fangs.  I like how it turned out, though on a certain level it was hard for us to be satisfied with anything we put on the square.  Not much seemed good enough for our Buffy.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

© Megan-Anne of Lattes & Llamas, 2014

Needles: Size US6

Yarn: Cascade 220 in 2 sharply contrasting colors.

Gauge: 10 sts over 13 rows = 2″ x 2″ square. Final square is 45 sts by 57 rows.  Please note that in the written pattern I instruct you to knit the rows above and below the active color chart.  These rows are shown on the chart as solid color rows above and below the design.

Download PDF of the color chart Buffy. Cast on 45 sts for each side of knitting (with two strands held together CO 45, for a total of 90 sts on needle).

Work 1 row of double-sided knitting (knit the facing sts and purl the back sts across).  The first row is a wrong side row, so knit with the color you want in the foreground and purl the color you want in the background. You may choose to work the opposite color for the first stitch of each row (I do this), which will keep the edges closed. Alternately, you may choose to knit them without doing this and seam the sides when putting the blanket together. There is no “right” way to do this. It is really just what you are more comfortable with.

Follow color chart over next 55 rows in double-sided knitting.

Work 1 row of double-sided knitting. BO.

Don’t forget to post links to your finished squares, so we can all oooh and ah together. We even have a fancy new GAL Participation Button you can put on your blog or your Geek-A-Long posts. You can grab the html out of the side bar or find it here.

If you’re having trouble with double-sided knitting, we have a how-to video here and you can find moral support in the Geek-A-Long group on Ravelry here. We’re even raffling off some sweet prizes for our members at the end of the year! You can learn more about it in the group or on the GAL Benefactors page.

~ Megan-Anne
Find the fun B.

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