We’ve been dreaming and imagining and wondering…and just plain *jumping up and down* in anticipation of Knit Stars 5.0 this fall!

Signups for the original, all-online knitting festival, conceived and created each year right here from Loops, are open now…

(Have you watched the 2-minute movie trailer? We promise it will fill you with yarn-y joy and quite possibly give you chills!)

…And later this week, if you are joining us for Knit Stars 5.0 you’ll get an opportunity to purchase some (totally optional!) exclusive yarns that have been curated by our instructors.

We’re giving Knit Stars members another opportunity to purchase yarns that were available earlier this year from such dyers as…

Crave Yarns
Dan Doh
Knitcraft & Knittery
Koigu
Lolabean Yarn Co.
Magpie Fibers
Neighborhood Yarn Co.
And more…

For this second Wave of yarn sales, we’ve added some new treasures – Lolabean’s “Autumn Breeze” (mmmmmmmmm….), a 100% cashmere hat from Clinton Hill, a new colorway from Hedgehog Fibres, and two colors of the ultra-special, once in a lifetime fiber – Vicuña.

And of course, our favorite Knit the World Together bags!

If you are enrolled in Knit Stars 5, check your email on October 17 for a secret shopping link- or find it in your Student Portal in the Knit Stars 5 area.

For a sneak peek at some of our yarns and dyers, check out our Knit Stars blog here!

Meet our new favorite bulky base of the season! Soufflé Bulky from Kim Dyes Yarn works up super-quick, light and lofty in Kim’s signature, super-saturated colorways.

😍 Did we mention the squishy squishy goodness? 😍

Loops Trooper Ruth knit her “Route 66″ cape with this yummy Soufflé Bulky. This super wearable top-down cape from The Noble Thread has a touch of simple mosaic slipstitch colorwork around the bottom- only one color per row! So if you’re new to colorwork, this is the perfect place to start.

With Soufflé Bulky and size 15 needles, this is a quick weekend project – then you’re ready to wear it with your favorite jeans and get on the road!

Ruth knit her Route 66 with 3 skeins of Silver Lining, 1 skein of Erica, and 1 skein of Pacifica. Pattern recommends US 15 (10mm) circular needles in 16″, 24″, and 32”.

Get Route 66 by The Noble Thread on Ravelry.

Have you started holiday knitting yet? Loops Trooper Rachel already has a spreadsheet of knitting goals for the end of the year!

And the Soufflé Bulky *one skein project* is just the thing to help you knock out a few gifts…while treating yourself to this bulky goodness.

The “Necks Big Thing” is a Loops favorite every year!

It’s the quickest scarf you’ll ever knit – or crochet! A small seed stitch rectangle creates the keyhole loop, then add your fringe and you’re ready to go!

You’ll need *one skein* of Kim’s Souffle Bulky and size 19 needles for the knit version, or a size P hook for the crochet version.

Find the pattern here – add it to your cart before checkout and we’ll email it to you for free. 😊

Shop Kim Dyes Yarn Souffle Bulky here.

Casapinka’s “Little Lulu” is like a pretty sweatshirt that you knit. This brand new pattern is designed to be worn with 4-8 inches of positive ease so you can wear it with yoga pants, jeans, or just your skivvies during your pandemic Zoom call (we won’t tell 😆)

“Little Lulu” is knit in the round from the bottom up with the eyelet pattern in front and back. At the underarms, you switch to working back and forth, completing the front and back separately, and then joining with a 3 needle bind off at the top (which is EASY – don’t be intimidated!) You then pick up and knit the sleeves in the round from the top down. There is no top collar to do – it’s already done!

Ravelry user amypurls said:

“This pattern was a straight-forward knit that I will likely knit again in a smaller size and give it more length by increasing the repeats before separating for the underarm. I have just under a 46-inch bust and normally have to knit the largest size a pattern gives. This sweater is extremely size inclusive due to the amount of ease that is included and works for many body types.”

We’ve done all the yarn curating – so you can have all the fun- picking your favorite DK from our Little Lulu yarn collection here!

And while we’re on the topic of Emma’s Yarn and Casapinka…

We just opened pre-orders for Emma’s Yarn Advent Sets!

Each set will contain 24 mini skeins of Emma’s hand-dyed sock weight yarn that will go *perfectly* with a new design Casapinka will release with this Advent set in mind!

Emma’s bright and textured colors are always a great pair with Casapinka’s fun and accessible designs. We can’t wait to see these little skeins bring joy to you this season!

Pre-order Emma’s Yarn Advent Sets here.

Ok, if you’re careful and don’t get any chocolate on your yarn, you can have some Home Made Peanut Butter Cups 😋

This easy, no-bake dessert is a special little treat, and would be a fun project if you have little ones at home! From the health blog Eating Bird Food, these are quick and will have everyone smiling – and asking to lick the bowl! 😉

Ingredients:
*Chocolate Layer*
1 cup chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil

*Peanut Butter Layer*
1/2 cup your favorite peanut butter
1/4 cup honey (use maple syrup for vegan cups)
2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
pinch of sea salt (if peanut butter isn’t salted)

Directions:
1. Line a muffin tin with paper or silicone liners. You’ll have about 10-12 pb cups depending on how thick you make your layers.

2. Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil for 1 minute in the microwave, stir and continue heating on 30 second intervals, until chocolate chips have melted and chocolate is smooth.

3. Spoon enough chocolate (about 1-2 teaspoons) to cover the bottom of the liner into each liner. Place tray into the freezer for about 5-10 minutes for the chocolate to set.

3. In another bowl, add peanut butter, honey, coconut oil and sea salt (if using). Microwave for about 15 – 20 seconds and stir to combine.

4. Remove cups from the freezer and pour peanut butter mixture evenly over each cup. Place back in the freezer to set for about 5 minutes.

5. Pour just enough remaining chocolate to cover the peanut butter layer. You can also sprinkle flaked sea salt on top of the chocolate!

6. Place tin back in the freezer for about 30-60 minutes to set completely. Then store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. They should last at least 5-7 days.