2016 Geek-A-Long: Tetris

Basically, it’s like if organizing were an Olympic game.

I figured there was no way Tetris wouldn’t make The Leaderboards. Props to bourbongirl, who nominated it:

I know, it’s old, but it made my high school and Navy years so much better, and I still love it.

~ bourbongirl

I love it too. Frankly, I probably love it too much. I think most people in the nerd-o-sphere have experienced that one game you just can’t stop playing. Like, you know you really ought to be doing other things like working, cleaning, or generally adulting, but there it is on your phone just waiting to be played.

My Freshman year of college I worked at Science Central. Most of the time I did demonstrations. They even rented me out to schools and corporate events, I wore a decorated lab coat and hammed it up to the crowd while playing with liquid nitrogen. The rest of the time I sat at interactive exhibits telling kids when it was their turn. Overall, it was a pretty cool job. At the time, I didn’t really appreciate the amount of down time I had there. I would moan and complain like any self-respecting 19-year-old about how bored I was. It was all an act. I think I clocked three to four sweet Tetris filled hours a day.

This was before smart phones were a thing. They were just beginning to exist and I had a silly little flip phone. I could use it to make calls, send very rudimentary texts (that would take foreeeeeeever to type since there was no keyboard aside from the number pad), and play Tetris. I burned through its battery every single day playing Tetris. I would volunteer for the most boring posts at Science Central just so I could play while waving kids onto the giant slide.

This year’s blanket makes me so nostalgic. Truthfully, that was not a great time in my life. I was in a toxic relationship and very unhappy. But I still get a smile and a fuzzy sort of feeling when I think about all the hours I spent sitting at the top of that giant slide playing Tetris.

GET THE PATTERN

Whether you’re knitting, crocheting, or cross stitching this square, you can view the Tetris pattern by clicking this link or the download it by clicking the button below. Instructions and charts for both knit and crochet are listed in the pattern. When you’re finished making it, don’t forget to Instagram your squares at us @lattesandllamasyarn with the hashtag #geekalong!

Want to hang out with other people making the blanket? 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.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAVliFBHyxK/?taken-by=jac_attacking

If you’re having trouble with double-sided knitting, we have a how-to video here. If this is your first time encountering the Geek-A-Long, you can learn more about it, the history behind it, how to participate, and why we do it for Child’s Play Charity on this page.

EDITED TO ADD: This post was edited on January 10, 2021 to update links and upload a revamped pattern format, which includes more information. You can read our post the revamp here.

~ Megan-Anne

There is no better feeling in life than getting that Tetris piece right where you need it.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider making a donation to Child’s Play Charity. Here is a direct link to our official donation page benefiting the charity. Please help us raise $1,000 this year. No contribution is too small! Wanna make your donation go even further? Lattes & Llamas will donate $1 for every skein of Geek-A-Long Yarn purchased.

Leave a Reply