| November 17, 2024

đŸ§¶ Nothing in the way

BY SHELLEY BRANDER

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The funniest thing happened this past week, and I think it might hold a valuable little nugget for you.

I took Charles Barkley out on an early morning beach walk like we usually do. It’s his favorite part of the day. Dogs are allowed on the beach in the early morning and late afternoon. So there’s lots of greeting and sniffing. As an added bonus, the Beach Patrol often pulls up like the ice cream man, with treats (for C.B., not for me). 😋

And this particular morning, right as we ran down the boardwalk to the sand, I felt something was different. As we began to follow our usual route, I took in a deep breath and said to Charlie, WOW! Doesn’t the beach look especially pretty this morning? What is so different?

And then it hit me.

No umbrellas.

Every day for most of the year, young men set up beach chairs and umbrellas all up and down the beach at the crack of dawn. But from November to February
no umbrellas.

Just miles and miles of sand as far as the eye can see.

Now here comes the nugget part


Sometimes we don’t notice the obstacles that are in our way. We just skirt around them, narrowing our own path without even realizing it.

I used to be like this as a Yarnie. There were so many things I was afraid to do, so I skirted around a ton of patterns (like if they had lace, or steeking, or crochet, or if I didn’t have exactly the right yarn
) and I held myself back.

This is what Knit Stars Masterclasses is all about. Removing obstacles. Creating space for your passion. Broadening your worldview.

Setting you free.

Knit Stars Season 9 will Premiere in all its glory on December 1st when the final 5 Masterclasses drop. If you’re not yet enrolled, I humbly ask that you join us for the culmination of 10 amazing Stars’ efforts, the manifestation of my life’s work, and most of all, a fiber artist’s experience like no other.

Click here to enroll in Season 9 before signups close this Thursday, Nov. 21.

xoxo,

(and CharlesÂ đŸŸ)

 

Pssst
if you’re already enrolled in Season 9, check your portal or your email for the secret link to shop the last wave of the special yarns, kits, and Joji + Co bags. đŸ€©

Now that all the Stars’ masterclasses are complete and edited, we’ve added a bunch of great finished project photos. And don’t miss the super-cool hat designed by Star Guide Amber Harrison. Not only does it spell out “SHINE” when you turn the brim sideways, but the kit has a special color created just for us by Hedgehog Fibres! And the pattern is a free extra for Season 9 enrollees, along with my perennially popular Rising scarf pattern.

If you’re in a yarn-shopping mood (and who ever isn’t?) it’s a great time to enroll in Season 9 and get the link to shop, before this Thursday’s deadline. ⏰

Every year with Knit Stars, we try to add a new surprise or two. This year, we’ve been saving one ‘til now.

It’s called “19 Questions.”

Our cinematographer, Brad and I thought it would be fun to ask each Season 9 Star a series of 19 questions in a row, all in a single “take” that reveals something about their world you can’t see anywhere else. They didn’t know the questions ahead of time. We didn’t practice. I just held a tiny camera and off we went!

The result is ten often funny, sometimes poignant, always enlightening looks into the lives of our ten Stars.

You can watch them all here on our Season 9 freebies page. (The first 6 have been released, and the rest will release one day at a time, starting tomorrow).

It’s kind of like speed dating with the Stars. 😂

And if I were a betting girl, I’d bet that once you get a glimpse of these 10 amazing humans, you’ll be all in for Season 9. Watch and let me know what you think!

It’s today!

Our final free webinar of 2024, “Shed Yarn Shame and Untie Your NOTs,” is today at 5pm Central.

Join us live if you can (for a chance at prizes) but register even if you can’t be there live, because we’ll send out a replay.

Inside the webinar you’ll learn:

  • How to flip the shame switch anytime
  • How to respond to family commenting about you “spending money on yarn again”
  • How to thank and bless the unfinished projects
  • How to defend yourself against people commenting about your “failures”

This is the most important webinar I’ll do all year
and the timing is great as we are about to enter the holiday season which can be rife with yarn guilt and shame.

Click here to register for the free Webinar. See you then!

The race to finish my “Enchanted Forest” sweater in the Knit Collage KAL is heating up! I just finished the fair isle part and I’m loving the result. But those sleeves and cowl neck are pretty voluminous and there’s a loooong way to go! Now if Charlie will just nap more, maybe I can finish in time for my self-imposed Thanksgiving deadline!

I’m loving seeing everyone’s KAL progress. If you’re playing along, reply to this email and let me see your work. Bonus points for selfies!

photo and recipe courtesy of Ottolenghi

Season 9 Star Gary Boston shared his “go-to, need-an-easy-main-for-guests-coming” recipe this week, and I can’t wait to make it!

“This is about as plug and play as you get,” Gary said. “Throw everything together to marinate for a day or two, dump it in a roasting pan and forget it. Delicious and dead simple. Based on a more complicated version from The Silver Palate which was my cooking bible during the 90s.”

Ingredients:

  • 8 chicken legs, drumstick and thigh attached, skin on (2kg net)
  • 5 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 15g fresh oregano, torn, plus extra for garnish
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 100g pitted green olives
  • 60g capers, plus 2 tbsp of their juices
  • 70g pitted and quartered lengthways medjoul dates
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 120ml dry white wine
  • 1 tbsp date syrup or treacle
  • salt and black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Place the chicken in a large, non-reactive bowl and add all of the ingredients, apart from the wine and date molasses, along with Ÿ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180C.
  3. Spread out the chicken legs on a large baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and molasses and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times, until the meat is golden brown on top and cooked through.
  4. When the oil is heated, put each biscuit in into your pot and cook until the bottom side turns lightly golden, then flip over and cook the other side till golden. (About 1.5-2 minutes total)
  5. Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.

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