Isn’t it interesting how much beginners can teach us?

I’m reading Michelle Obama’s newest book, “The Light We Carry.”

Or to be more specific…I’m listening to her read the book on my morning walks, then running back home to highlight my hard copy.

Even if she didn’t talk about knitting and how it helped her through pandemic depression…I would still love this book.

But she does! She talks about knitting on Chapter 1, page 1, and dedicates a whole chapter to her experience (!!!)

And what’s even cooler, for all these years I’ve tried to explain to people what happened in my 16-year-old brain on that fateful day so long ago, when my hands magically made my first stitches…

I’ve never quite been able to put words to the feeling. And then Michelle does it, right there on page 34.

She says how she tried to learn from books, but had a hard time translating the diagrams to her hands. So she moved to YouTube and encountered the “ocean” of videos there…

“My hands followed their hands” she writes, “And after a time, something interesting started to happen. My focus narrowed; my mind felt a little splash of ease.”

Knitting “buckled my churning brain into the back seat and allowed my hands to drive the car for a while. It detoured me away from my anxiety, just enough to provide some relief.”

Whoa. It was like she was talking directly to 16-year-old me.

Maybe this resonates for you too?

And maybe you know an anxious 16-year-old or 61-year-old who could use a splash of that same relief?

If so, I encourage – no, I urge you – to consider giving the gift of knitting this year. So many people are feeling disconnected and overwhelmed from the pandemic. They need something “small” and do-able to focus on.

As you and I both know, knitting is so much more than sticks and string. It is a lifelong lifeline.

xoxo
Shelley

As you know, we’re on a mission to Knit the World Together. And that means making sure beginner yarnies feel supported and connected to a other yarnies from their very first stitch.

Another thing that struck me in reading Mrs. Obama’s new book is how she began her journey in isolation. First, ordering yarn and a book online for her first attempt. Then turning to YouTube for attempt #2. Moving on to other projects and only then discovering the global community…

When you give the gift of knitting, we want to be sure your recipient is set up for success and really feels the love.

So we’ve put together these “All In One” kits that have everything they need to succeed:

• 3 skeins Loops Luxe luxury alpaca/silk yarn (choice of 4 colors)
• 4 easy, chic beginner patterns they can choose from
• All the tools they’ll need – needles, darning needles, scissors and an extra-special leatherette tape measure
• A commemorative Loops bag to store and carry their project everywhere
• Access to step-by-step tutorial videos (no struggling with diagrams or scouring YouTube!)
• The support of the amazing Knit Stars team if they get stuck
• A link to join our free Knit the World Together Facebook group for an extra safety net of support and community

And just for fun…

This week we’ve put the kits on sale at an introductory price of $50, plus including a hard copy of my book Move the Needle and a surprise enamel pin. (Total value $100) 🎁

Pick up your kits here.

P.S. Maybe if you gift them to enough people…you’ll have your own new knitting club! 👯‍♂️

Don’t you just love when things are crystal clear?

It’s especially helpful when you’re trying to track down that certain size of stitch marker, your swanky measuring tape, or your airplane-safe scissors!

Lucky for you, we’ve put it all together in our new Knit Stars Notions kit.

These make a great gift to yourself, and great stocking stuffers for friends.

Get yours here.

(These are even better when you add a Knit Stars gift card, hint hint!)

Thanks to everyone who wrote in to say how much they love Ross Taylor’s new Hip N’ Slip Hat design we featured in last week’s newsletter!

We were curious about the fingering-weight marled version Ross alluded to on his Ravelry page…

And then voilá! Up pops Ross on an Insta reel, modeling this new version! 🪄

All you need is 1 main-color skein plus 3 minis to make your own marled version. Any 4 colors will work – even if they’re wildly different!

We’ve put together some inspo palettes for you below.

To create your own, you can shop our huge Twisted Ambitions trunk show, all hand-dyed by Ross, either in-store or online here.

Photo courtesy of Halfbakedharvest.com

Coconut Chicken Meatball Curry with Rice Noodles
Did you know that lately, me and my 🥰 have been testing out recipes each week in our tiny kitchen-slash-living-room of our teensy cottage on the river? It’s true! I know everyone is super busy these days, so I want to make sure you have at least one quick-and-easy dinner you can make each week, trusting it will be delicious and allow you some extra knitting time, too! And believe me, if we can make it in our kitchen with next to no counter space, no dishwasher or disposal…so can you!

This week’s recipe is from Half-Baked Harvest and comes together with just 20 minutes of prep and a few more minutes to simmer and assemble. Makes great leftovers too!

TIP: Be sure you’re following us @knitstars on Instagram to see our Sunday Supper video reels in action!

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken, pork or turkey
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• kosher salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
• 1 can (13.5 ounce) full fat coconut milk
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 cups yellow corn
• 8 ounces rice noodles
• juice and zest from 1/2 a lime
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro and basil

Instructions

1. Add the chicken, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of pepper to a bowl. Mix until just combined. Coat your hands with a bit of oil, and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-20 meatballs).
2. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and sear until crisp, about 4-5 minutes, turning them 2-3 times. Transfer everything to a plate.
3. To the skillet, add the onions and bell peppers. Cook until softened, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and curry paste. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the broth, coconut milk, tamari, honey, and peanut butter. Stir to combine. Add the corn and meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and basil.
4. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package directions.
5. Divide the noodles between bowls and ladle the curry over. Top each bowl as desired with basil, cilantro, lime juice, and sesame seeds.

Recipe as made by Shelley