Professor Fungi

Available in English and German.

It’s time for another leap into the unknown! This makes the 17th time I’ve prepared a little bundle of whimsy and mystery for you. Spring is a great time for a dose of surprises, learning new things, and chatting with the gnoming community.

Professor Gortabello Fungi lives behind a little round door in a shady cave made comfy by an impressive assortment of pillows, carpets, and several adorable pets.

Undergrowth University supplies the housing right on campus so that professors are less likely to wander off in the forest on the way to class. Professor Fungi’s research focuses on how tree roots communicate and share resources.

PreKAL Chat and Questions thread

Key Dates

March 6: yarn sales and pattern presales 

April 2: Clue 1 

April 17: Last Clue 

May 6: last day to enter for MKAL 17 prizes 

May 9: prizes announced, pattern released as a single PDF

Skills Used

•knit and purl 

•working in the round 

•short rows (optional) 

•stranded colourwork (optional) 

•i-cord 

•slipping sts 

•kfb 

•k2tog, ssk, ssk-M

Multiple video tutorials including assembly are included in the pattern.

Materials

Fingering Weight Yarn 

Black Sheep Dyeworks Sock Weight 4 Ply Superwash Merino & Mini Skeins (100% merino); 87 yd / 79 m per 20g skein; colours shown: 

Yarn A Greige 

Yarn B Driftwood 

Yarn C Undyed 

Yarn D Cinnabar

•Needles 

US 1 / 2.25 mm and US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles for knitting small circumference in the round, or size needed to get gauge. If you are a tiny circs user, you will need a second needle method for when the stitch count is small.

•Notions 

yarn needle, stitch markers, roving/polyfill stuffing, weighted stuffing like poly pellets/aquarium gravel/dried beans

Gauge 

30 sts and 44 rounds = 4” / 10 cm in stockinette in the round on smallest needles

This pattern is tech edited and test knit.

Yarn Kits and Prizes

These dyers from locations all around the globe have seen Professor Fungi and put together some really fun options! You are not required to use participating dyers’ yarn. You can source your gnome yarn however you like.

This knitalong has chatter prizes and grand prizes.

There are 32 grand prizes! 31 prizes from the creative sponsors behind our colourful options, and a $50 CAD gift certificate to the Imagined Landscapes gnomeware shop for tee shirts, mugs, etc from me.

The grand prizes from the others will be randomly awarded (split with 4 going to Instagram entries). My grand prize is awarded (after much inner turmoil) to my favourite entry. I encourage you to have fun with pictures and stories because I pick one that brings a smile to my face. :grin:

Yarn Shops and their Prizes

Canada

Baa-realis Fibre - Any two in-stock gnome kits 

Crafty Jak’s Boutique - $50 gift certificate 

Firefly Haven Fibre - $75 gift certificate 

Crafty That Way - A mini skein set of the winners choosing

US

Black Sheep Dyeworks - One full skein or a set of 5 minis skeins, of the winner’s choice 

Dyeon Yarns - A skein of winner’s choice self-striping sock yarn 

Cornbread and Honey - $60 gift certificate 

Miss Babs - $75 gift certificate 

Marianated Yarns - $50 gift certificate 

Lavender Lune Yarn Co. - $25 gift certificate 

Little Squirrel Yarn - 1 Little Squirrel Yarn Bushel (set of 5 coordinating 20g mini skeins of our Oak Sock base) of your choosing 

Knitterly Things - A set of 4 mini 20g mini skeins 

Nanette Wake Studio - Mini Skein Set 

Queen City Yarn - $30 gift certificate 

Kelli in the Middle - $25 digital shop discount 

Fibernymph Dye Works - A $30 US shop credit good towards any available in-stock or dye-to-order item 

Fangirl Fibers - $50 gift certificate 

MakerWool - $30 gift certificate

Asia-Pacific

glenheavenknits - 2 x 100 gram skeins of hand dyed yarn of your choosing 

The Australian Wool Store - A Gnomie Yarn Collection consisting of small skeins of merino and mohair-silk 

Heathermaid - A skein of Heathermaid Luxury Sock of your choice from my Etsy store 

Waratah Fibres - 2x 100 gms Hand dyed Australian Polwarth 4ply 

Mamawooling - $30 Gift Certificate

Europe

Wolhobby - € 30 gift certificate 

Wintertagtraum - €20 voucher for the shop 

Alte Künste - 20€ gift certificate 

ScreamingColours - one skein of any of my 100g yarn skeins

UK

Giddy Yarns - a mystery sock set: 100g variegated/speckled skein with a coordinating 20g solid mini 

The Dye Shack - a set of mini skeins from the Gnome Collection 

Yarn Unique - A gnome-themed gift bag, including yarn for a future months gnome 

FOLK Yarn Studio - A pack of 6 sock mini skeins from my All Of Time & Space Collection