Here are the details for your first quarterly challenge and knit(craft!)-a-long:
The Q1 knit-a-long (KAL) is the New-to-You knit-a-long. And just to clarify, all fiber-related crafts are welcome, knit-a-long just has an easy ring to it, so don’t be shy!
Requirements:
1. Your project should use a craft technique that is new to you, one you’ve maybe wanted to try but never gotten around to or something you’ve tried but just couldn’t get into. Some examples might be: colorwork, socks, a sweater, entrelac, or heck even just knitting if you’re a new knitter. Anything goes; the idea is to challenge yourself to learn/enjoy something new!
2. Your project should be cast on and cast off between January 1 and March 31st, 2014.
3. Your project should use yarn or fiber from Eat.Sleep.Knit.
That’s it!
Prizes:
Each person who completes a qualifying project during the knit-a-long will be awarded 1000 yards towards their individual Yarnathon totals! (Limit one prize per customer.)
On March 31st, we’ll open a voting thread where you can post your finished projects. Two winners will receive $20 gift certificates!
Q1 Team Challenge: Reach the 5 mile marker in the Yarnathon! The team that gets the most team members to the 5 mile marker by March 31st will be awarded two extra points towards their team total at the end of the year. You’ll also earn a $20 store credit on your way to this goal, so really, everybody wins!
eatsleepknitblog 
I’m new to the Yarnathon, but I love what you’re doing! It’s a great idea and fun! I received my first order from your store yesterday. The scratch-off ticket was a cute surprise, thank you. 😃
Hello,
I was just wondering how you will know when the projects are complete ?
We’ll open a KAL Finished Objects thread once the Quarter is over in order for everyone to post their prize-eligible projects and commence voting!
Does the project qualify if it has a mix of ESK yarn and another yarn? Or must it be exclusively ESK yarn?
Hi there! In order to qualify for prizes at the end of the quarterly Knit-Alongs, projects need to be made with only ESK yarns. We’re excited to see all projects inspired by our challenge, even the ones not eligible for prizes!! You can read a few more details in our Q1: New-to-you-Knitalong thread on Ravelry.
Hi,
I was just looking back at this, and I’m curious, by “two extra points” for the team that wins the Q1 challenge, do you mean two extra finishers towards the total count? Or yards?
Towards the total count – the winning team is the one with the most finishers/medalists at the end of the year! There are three ways to get finishers: 1. Finish the Yarnathon! 2. Winning team challenges/knit-a-longs. and 3. Getting enough teammates to some of the smaller goals (every 6 team members to the 5 mile mark gets you one virtual finisher, etc.). Details on the main Yarnathon page: http://www.eatsleepknit.com/cshop/yarnathon/