This week, Sunnie – our intrepid Project Manager – takes a turn at authoring the newsletter. We hope you love and appreciate her high-energy vibes as much as we do around here! – xoxo Shelley

Is your list of places you’d like to travel as long as your pattern queue?

Mine certainly is.

I absolutely adore traveling – seeing new sights, meeting new people, eating new-to-me food, and of course, checking out the local yarn stores.

My last big trip was in 2018. I was a newlywed and my husband and I traveled to Korea so he could meet my halmeoni (grandmother) who couldn’t travel for the wedding. We had an amazing time. Steven learned a lot about Korean culture and I learned that my grandmother thought Steven “looked like a movie star and how lucky I was to have landed him.” I can’t emphasize HER emphasis on “lucky” enough. 😁

This was our last trip before COVID and since then, the list has grown even longer. 

As a pretty new member of the Knit Stars Troops, I have had the best time exploring the past seasons of Knit Stars Masterclasses and I have to say, Season 4 is most like traveling all over the world, right from the comfort of my own home.

Not only that, but it’s travel AND knitting!

You can see gorgeous views of the mountains and alpacas in Peru, learn more about Portuguese knitting with Andrea Wong, watch Caitlin Hunter as she shares some of her colorwork magic and so much more.

This is a TRUE cinematic adventure for travel-philes like me!
Our Season 4 Stars include:

💫Caitlin Hunter – Traditional Colorwork
💫Martha Wissing – Chullo-Style Hat with Cupped Tassels
💫Susan B. Anderson – Seamless Toy Knitting
💫Marly Bird – Mending with Crochet
💫Blue Sky Fibers – Reversible Cables
💫Manos Del Uruguay – Dyeing the Manos Way
💫Lucy Neatby – Two-color Double Knitting
💫Hannah Thiessen – Slow Knitting, Natural Dyes & Mending
💫Andrea Wong – Portuguese-style Knitting
💫Diane Ivey – Building Inclusive Communities

AND as a fun bonus, you’ll also receive the Stephen West Short Course! This has been a blast to watch because Stephen shares some of his best “party tricks” that really speed up some of those not-so-fun parts of knitting coughcoughweavinginendscoughcough.

Learn more about Season 4: Alpaca my Bag here!

Thanks for letting me swing by!

Sunnie 

P.S. I’m wearing the Maya Top by my lovely friend Gavriella Treminio (@hellogavriella). This top is one of my most worn knits. The yoke is interesting, fun and innovative which makes for a really enjoyable project! I think it would look gorgeous in Urth Sweet 16 Superwash.
You’ll need 2(3, 3, 3) 3, 4, 4 skeins with finished measurements 36 (40, 44, 48)52, 58, 62 in at bust. I’m wearing a size 2.

Have you had a chance to work with Lichen and Lace yarn yet?

L+L  is an independent dyer from Sackville in New Brunswick, Canada, birthed slowly in 2013 and known for their hand-sewn labels. We love the organic-looking twist of this single-ply yarn.

This 100% Superwash Merino fingering weight is soft, smooth and supple! If you’ve not yet worked with a single-ply, yarn you’rre in for a treat. Because it only has a single twist the stitches that it creates are much crisper and well defined. You get a beautiful, smooth finish to your work.  Any lacework you create will stay put after blocking and any details like baubles, cables, or other raised features will really pop.

How about a couple of fresh project ideas for LIchen and Lace?

Joji Locatelli’s “Ebba’s Garden Shawl” – shown above in profile – took a total of three skeins. Here are a few fresh color combo ideas:

Beach Glass + Linen
Teal Tide + I Sea Seashells
Ginger Snap + Faded Rose

Or if you’d rather go lower-commitment, how about a 1-skein shawl? “Rosarium” by Cabinfour is a simple garter and eyelet shawl knit from the top down – an effortless way to take a single-ply yarn for a test drive.

Shop Lichen and Lace yarn here.

I’ve been on the hunt for my next summer sweater – something short, sweet and speedy that I can knock out fast and enjoy wearing before the mercury starts to drop. I’m torn between the “V-Back Tee” by Jamie Hoffman and the Breeze Racerback by Jessie Maed Designs.

I’m kind of obsessed with these super-subtle fades that Emma’s Yarns created just for us in their refined, ultrasoft Pretty Pima yarn.

The Breeze Racerback tank is aptly named for its gorgeous fabric and elegance. This project is knit up at a loose gauge which gives you that effortless “breezy” look. 

One kit will make all sizes up to size 5XL. We love that Jessie Maed’s designs are so size inclusive and work for a wide range of body types.

Pick up one of Emma’s fade kits in either “Walking on Sunshine” or “Singing in the Rain” here.

Roasted Tomatoes With Shrimp and Feta

I don’t know about you but my garden is bursting with fresh juicy tomatoes. They are so plentiful, I have to give the things away!  I’m always looking for a delicious way to use my bounty.

This fresh, simple tomato and shrimp dish from the folks at Real Simple is so versatile.  I like to sub in some fresh basil from my garden for the parsley to make it even more homegrown. You could even toss some spinach in there at the very end! This dish is great on its own with some crusty bread and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or over noodles to stretch it into a meal for the entire family.

Ingredients:

• 5 large tomatoes, cut into eighths 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic 
• kosher salt and black pepper 
• 1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley 
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice  
• 1 cup Feta, crumbled 
• crusty bread, for serving

Preparation:

• Step 1
  Heat the oven to 450° F.  Place the tomatoes in a large baking dish and spoon the olive oil and garlic over them.
• Step 2
  Sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss. Roast on the top rack of the oven for about 20 minutes.
• Step 3
  Remove the baking dish from the oven and stir in the shrimp, parsley, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with the Feta.
• Step 4
  Return the dish to the oven until the shrimp are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm with the bread.