FAQ
If your question is not answered below, feel free to reach out to me at tellybeanknits@gmail.com.
WHERE CAN I PURCHASE THE PATTERN?
You can find the pattern on tellybeanknits.com or Ravelry. Click on the links below to purchase the pattern:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ravenwood-mystery-cowl
https://www.tellybeanknits.com/pattern-shop/ravenwood-mystery-cowl
IS THERE A DISCOUNT ON THIS PATTERN?
Yes! The Ravenwood MKAL will be 50% OFF until September 16, 2026. Use the coupon code RAVEN at check out.
WHAT WILL I BE KNITTING?
This MKAL is going to be a COWL.
WHERE CAN I GET YARN FOR THE MKAL?
You can find a list of dyers who have created kits HERE.
You are welcome to stash dive and use leftovers for this MKAL!
WHEN DOES THE MKAL START?
Clue ONE will be released on October 1, 2026.
BUT, you can start chatting and planning NOW. Join me in the GETTING READY CHAT on the Tellybean Knits Group on Ravelry or share your MKAL plans on Instagram using the hashtag #ravenwoodmkal.
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
Beginning September 2nd, you can purchase the pattern on Ravelry or tellybeanknits.com.
You can join in the GETTING READY CHAT on the Tellybean Knits Group on Ravelry now or share your MKAL plans on Instagram using the hashtag #ravenwoodmkal.
HOW MANY CLUES WILL THERE BE?
There will be 13 clues.
WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY CLUES?
Clues will be released on the following schedule:
Clue One: October 1
Clue Two: October 2
Clue Three: October 3
Clue Four: October 4
Clue Five: October 5
Clue Six: October 6
Clue Seven: October 7
Clue Eight: October 8
Clue Nine: October 9
Clue Ten: October 10
Clue Eleven: October 11
Clue Twelve: October 12
Clue Thirteen: October 13
The clues will be released every day by 9am ET.
HOW WILL I GET MY CLUES?
If you purchased your pattern through Ravelry, you will receive an email and you will be able to update the pattern in your library to download the clue. If you purchased the pattern through tellybeanknits.com, you will receive an email each day containing the clue. The clue will be sent to the email you used to purchase the pattern.
WHAT YARN DO I NEED?
This pattern requires fingering weight yarn in six colors. The yardage requirements are:
Color 1: 127 yards [116 m]
Color 2: 90 yards [82 m]
Color 3: 117 yards [107 m]
Color 4: 108 yards [99 m]
Color 5: 118 yards [108 m]
Color 6: 122 yards [112 m]
When you purchase the pattern, you will receive a “Getting Ready Guide” with instructions on how to choose your yarn. If you need help choosing your yarn either before or after you purchase the pattern, join me in the GETTING READY CHAT on the Tellybean Knits Group page or email me at tellybeanknits@gmail.com.
Solids and semi-solids will work best for this project!
WHAT SKILL LEVEL IS THE MKAL DESIGNED FOR?
This is an intermediate pattern. This pattern includes stranded colorwork. In fact, most of this pattern will be worked in stranded colorwork. The Ravenwood Mystery Cowl is intended for intermediate knitters who are comfortable with stranded colorwork. All colorwork is done in the round and you will never need to carry more than two colors at a time. The stranded colorwork portions of this pattern will be charted, but will not include written instructions. There will also be a portion of this cowl that includes textural stitches. The textural stitches will include charts and written instructions. I provide tutorials to help you through the textural stitches.
This pattern does not include brioche, intarsia, cables, or mosaic knitting.
CAN I PARTICIPATE IF I’M NOT ON RAVELRY?
YES! Join in the MKAL fun by using the hashtag #ravenwoodmkal on Instagram. Share photos and chat with other knitters. Don’t forget to tag me @tellybeanknits and any yarn dyers you might be using to create your cowl (dyers love to see their yarn knit up!). Be sure to use a cover photo (like the one above) when you post your progress. This helps to preserve the mystery for other knitters. Instagram accounts must be public in order to be eligible for prizes. If you meet these criteria, your photos will be entered in a drawing for prizes. Prizes will be awarded randomly at the conclusion of the MKAL.
CAN I USE STASH YARN & STILL WIN PRIZES?
Absolutely! I love to use stash yarn and leftovers for my projects. No matter what yarn you use for your project, you can qualify for prizes!
WILL 20 GRAM MINI SKEINS BE ENOUGH?
For most of the colors, NO, but KEEP READING. This pattern was designed using six 38g/133yd mini skeins. Many of the colors require more yardage than you would typically find in a 20g mini skein. However, there are three things to keep in mind:
1. All of my yardages include a 15% security. That means that I recommend you plan for 15% more yardage than I used to knit my (top secret) sample. When working with mini skeins, 15% isn’t a lot of yardage, but it is always helpful to know. Just keep an eye on your gauge.
2. You can make this cowl with scraps. If you are willing to add in extra colors or do some color swapping, then you might be able to make it work. I designed this cowl so that each individual clue has a yardage recommendation JUST FOR THAT CLUE! So, if you want to substitute in a new color for Clue Five, you can check the yardage recommendation at the beginning of the clue and make the substitution.
3. The clues will each have a color tracker. At the end of each clue, I include a chart that tells you have much yarn you’ve used in previous clues, how much yarn you will use in the current clue, AND how much yarn you will need for upcoming clues. There are LOTS of opportunities to check in on your yardages!
IS IT REALLY A HALLOWEEN COWL?
This year’s design is a little different! This year’s mystery cowl is touched with the magic of Halloween and steeped in the enchantment of autumn. Though it will feel right at home during Halloween, its timeless woodland charm will carry you through the rest of the season as well.
WHAT IS A SHAWL-SHAPED COWL?
The SHAPE of this cowl is NOT a surprise. This will be a shawl-shaped cowl. This is my absolute favorite shape for knitting a cowl. This shape is wonderfully wearable, and it is PERFECT for working colorwork in the round. This cowl has a top down seamless construction. The cowl is worked flat, like a triangle shawl and then joined to knit in the round. If you are interested in seeing some of my other cowls that use this same shape and construction, check out the COWLOWEEN and the STOCKING STUFFER cowls. AND, definitely check out the previous years’ Halloween MKAL cowls: Haunted House (MKAL cowl from 2023), Witch’s Brew (MKAL cowl from 2024), and Halloween Party (MKAL cowl from 2025)
WILL I HAVE TO CARRY MORE THAN TWO COLORS IN THE STRANDED COLORWORK SECTIONS?
No. You will never have to hold more than two colors at a time when working stranded colorwork in this pattern.
WILL I HAVE TO WORK COLORWORK FLAT?
No. All stranded colorwork in this pattern will be worked in the round.
CAN I ADD BEADS?
Certainly. The pattern does not include information for adding beads to the cowl. If you are a bead lover, I think you will have no problem adding some sparkle to this cowl.
HAS THIS PATTERN BEEN TESTED AND TECH EDITED?
YES! All of my patterns are tested and tech edited. I work with an EXCELLENT team of testers on my patterns (seriously, they are amazing). Additionally, throughout the MKAL I will be monitoring the chats, updating the FAQ and/or sending out pattern updates as needed for each clue.
DO YOU HAVE OTHER HALLOWEEN-THEMED PATTERNS?
I SURE DO! Here are links to all of my Halloween patterns (with more coming soon):
Cowloween
Venomous
Haunted House COWL
Haunted House HAT
Boneyard Sweethearts HAT
Boneyard Sweetehearts DK HAT
Boneyard Sweethearts SWEATER
Boneyard Sweethearts MITTENS
Witch’s Brew SWEATER
Witch’s Brew COWL
Halloween Party COWL
And, because you made it all the way to the bottom of the FAQ…
IS RAVENWOOD A REAL PLACE?
Ravenwood is a place that I dreamed up while wandering through the woods. The story for the Ravenwood is based on a real place (see below), but there is no physical location called “Ravenwood.” I’m afraid this magical wood exists in my mind. Luckily, you can visit my imagination by knitting the Ravenwood Mystery Cowl with me this October.
WHERE DID YOU TAKE THE COVER PHOTO?
I have been dreaming of taking this photo for over 4 years. This is an incredibly beautiful spot in Indiana where the yews have grown over and around a walking path. This is a trail that my oldest kiddo shared with us, because it is where Telly helps with bird banding for the MAPS program. To take this photo, we practiced shooting photos on multiple evenings under our own giant yews beside our house. I practiced in costume, with a fake raven (which ultimately didn’t make it into the final plan), and in the heat of the summer. Then, we got up extremely early and went out into the woods for the actual shot. It took us two different morning adventures and hundreds of shots to get the images we are sharing with you. My favorite part (besides getting to dress up in a costume and hang out in the woods with my family)? As the sun came up, beams of light shone through the branches and cast a golden glow on everything. It was really and truly magical.
