2014 Geek-A-Long: Supernatural

Welcome to week 32 of the 2014 Geek-A-Long, a mystery blanket knit-along (or crochet-along for you rebels out there)! Can you believe there are only 16 more squares to go after this? If you’re new to the GAL craziness, check out the Geek-A-Long FAQ page for more details and information. For the seasoned pros, let’s talk about Supernatural and the Tulpa.

Jac got on the Supernatural bandwagon a few years before me. To be fair, in 2004-2006 I was serving in Americorps and I didn’t have cable. Still, there is really no excuse for my late arrival to the show because guys, IT’S REALLY REALLY GOOD. I can’t over stress this enough: go watch this show. She got me hooked on it once she owned a few seasons on DVD, and at this point we’ve seen every episode currently available at least 2 or 3 times.

In fact, right now we are in the middle of re-watching the entire series before the new season starts in October… 58 days from now. Not that I’m keeping track or anything.

The Geek-A-Long is probably the most appropriate crafty expression of our love for the show, but it is certainly not the first. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you the creepiest Christmas angel ever made:

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Yes, I am ashamed of this. But if you curious about how knitted Castiel came about and ended up on our Christmas tree last year, you can read about it here.

We will be at the Supernatural convention in Whippany, New Jersey, and I’m really looking forward to it. In my mind, I sort of imagine it will be like the convention that Sam and Dean get tricked into going to in “The Real Ghostbusters.” Let us know if your going to be there, and maybe we can have a Supernatural knitting meet up. On a scale of meeting Misha Collins to knitting with Misha Collins, it would be outright delightful. :D

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It was a given that Supernatural would be on the blanket, but what to put on the square was a hard choice. It’s a show that is just rotten with symbols. You can’t swing a dead cat on that set without running into something that would look good on the blanket. We considered them all. Maybe you want your blanket to repulse rogue Angels. Maybe you want it to be protected from possession. Maybe you want it to trap demons. We narrowed the field to eight or so front runners, but ultimately we decided to go with the Tulpa.

The Tulpa is a Tibetan symbol and concept in which a creature is conjured by the sheer will of spiritual and mental discipline. In the episode “Hell House,” it was used to create a homicidal ghost by a bunch of people on the internet, and it was what first brought Sam and Dean together with the Ghostfacers. (Just so you know, I would watch a whole spin-off about the Ghostfacers. They’re awesome.) I like the idea of putting a thought form on the blanket. Think good things while you’re knitting the Tulpa, and it will manifest them for you while you sleep.*

Tulpa

© 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 tulpa. 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 2 rows of double-sided knitting (knit the facing sts and purl the back sts across).  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 53 rows in double-sided knitting.

Work 2 rows of double-sided knitting. BO.

Don’t forget to tweet or instagram them at me @Doctor_Llama or Jac @jac_attacking with the hashtag geekalong, 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
*Castiel. Castiel. Castiel. Castiel. 

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