Today I’m going to get a little personal (well who am I kidding, I’m always pretty personal here) and share about my own TV habits, and how I’m trying to get more intentional about evolving them.

So when Luke is in town, the TV is on a lot more than when he is traveling for work. When he’s here, he likes to watch movies until he falls asleep. Usually the kind of movies with lots of gunfire, tough male leads, and very brief titles, such as “THE ASSASSIN” or “THE GUNFIRE.”

(I just made those up, but you get the gist. 🤣)

So when he’s out of town, I usually listen to audiobooks while I knit or crochet. But if I do turn on the TV, these days, I just can’t seem to find anything to watch. I’ve long since burned through all my favorite series, re-watched my favorite movies, and seen all the Disney classics 100 times each.

I feel like I spend an inordinate amount of time scrolling through all my streaming services, only to give up and resort to old reruns of Shark Tank or even Celebrity Family Feud.

Can you relate?

So get this…Turns out, there’s a reason why, even with millions of choices, there’s nothing to watch. Apparently the services’ new game is to take the movie formulas that have worked in the past, and used AI and low budgets to churn out ever-more “mid” (i.e. mediocre) TV. That’s why you see these trailers that look appealing, but when you actually watch the movies, it’s like watching puffs of popcorn. All air.

Now walk with me on this…I checked, and here is what I was currently paying for streaming services each month:
💸Hulu Plus $89.99/mo. (Whoops – just went up!)
💸Netflix Premium $24.99/mo
💸Max $19.99/mo
💸Prime $14.99/mo

But how much of this whopping $149.96 actually includes high-quality programming about my #1 passion – yarn and creativity???

Zilcho.

So maybe you’ve already figured out where I’m going here…what if you invested $347 (broken into monthly payments, if you like) for 25+ hours of feature-film quality movies all about yarn and the amazing creative people who make stuff with it?

And what if you didn’t just stream it, but owned it, so you could watch it any time you need a little pick-me-up (the way Season 10 Star Jen Geigley told me she still does with MDK’s Season 3 workshop)?

And what if all this came with a worldwide community of creative people, all celebrating together when the Season premiered, and cheering each other on???

That’s exactly what Knit Stars Season 10 can be for you.

So if you haven’t already, join me in dumping the streamers, and re-investing your hard-earned entertainment dollars – and more importantly, your precious time – in programming that will delight you and support your growth as a maker.

Oh and a surprise! This year you’ll be able to watch the new Season on the Knit Stars portal AND on a private YouTube channel, so it will be watchable on your TV or computer or phone, in YouTube’s 80+ languages! Let’s hear it for knitting the world together! 🧶🌎❤️

Join Season 10 for $197, $297 or $347 (with payment options) here. Enrollment closes next Sunday at midnight Pacific.

xoxo,

P.S. This coming Sunday starting at 3pm Central US time, join me in celebration with our Season 10 Stars on a FREE live Zoom! We’ll have sneak peeks from the upcoming Season and giveaways, including kits from this year’s Star Makers. Click here to join the fun.

P.P.S. Previous Seasons and Golden Tickets are on sale, too! Click here to shop.

When you’re enrolled in Knit Stars Season 10, your enrollment unlocks the chance to shop the yarns, kits and Joji Bags that our “Star Makers” have created just to celebrate this big anniversary Season.

(If you’re already enrolled, check your email or your Season 10 portal for the secret link 😉)

And I thought you might be curious about which kit is leading the pack in sales so far…

It’s the kit we created in collaboration with Madelinetosh, Della Q bags, and Season 10 Star + Jimmy Beans Wool Founder, Laura Zander.

And the even cooler thing is, Laura’s masterclass is all about meaningful collaborations, and we flew to Vietnam to document this collab that spans an entire country and dozens of families, all working together to make this kit a reality.

It includes a large project bag, a very special notions bag dyed with a 32-step intensive batik process, an exclusive Madelinetosh colorway that echoes the rich indigo of the batik bag, and a gorgeous, meditative capelet pattern for the yarn, designed by Lena Skvagerson.

No wonder this kit is the top seller so far! But it’s neck-and-neck…we’ll see which kit ends up on top in the end!

Photo credit: New York Times Cooking

Sticky Date and Brown Butter Oatmeal

In this super-quick breakfast upgrade from Zaynab Issa, dates naturally sweeten and add depth to old-fashioned oats. It feels like dessert for breakfast! A great way to mix up your morning routine. I added fresh chopped apple to mine

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 Medjool dates, pitted and torn into smaller pieces
• 1¼ cups milk (plant-based milk also works well)
• ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom
• Flaky sea salt, for serving
• Fresh fruit, for serving
• Heavy cream, for serving, optional

Instructions:

1. In a small pot over medium heat, melt butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter foams and browns, about 2 minutes.
2. Add dates and ½ cup water and cook, undisturbed, until the dates soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, mash the dates into a paste.
3. Add milk, oats, vanilla and cinnamon, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the oats are tender and the oatmeal has reached your desired consistency, 4 to 6 minutes.
4. Divide the oatmeal between bowls, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve with chopped fruit and a drizzle of cream, if desired.