2014 Geek-A-Long: Pong

The issue was never whether we would put video games on the blanket, but which ones to include that has been controversial from the get-go. We get an email almost every single day asking if [fill in your favorite fandom here] will be on the blanket, or wanting to know why something hasn’t been included, or wanting to know why [fill in your least favorite fandom here] is on the blanket. We’re coming up on the end of the first annual Geek-A-Long (and yes, there WILL definitely be a 2015 blanket) and some of you will not get to see your favorite thing memorialized in yarn. Some of my favorite things aren’t even on it. The first list of ideas Jac and I put together had over 100 items on it. We had to slash more than half of them, and there were only a handful that we never considered cutting. Pong is one of those squares.

As we round up on the end of the GAL, I wanted to take some time to honor the building blocks of what makes up the creamy filling in our nerdy cakes. For week 41, we salute Pong, the game that started it all.

The early success of Pong opened the door for developers to create progressively more advanced games. I’m not even sure what my household would look like without video games. I wanted to write “Pong” at the top of the square in the old arcade lettering, but ultimately decided a true-to-life “screen shot” was the best way to honor it.

GET THE PATTERN

Whether you’re knitting, crocheting, or cross stitching this square, you can view the Pong 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.

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

You’re welcome.

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.