A few months ago, Sophie took the world by storm.

It was easy to see why.

She was classically chic. Feminine. And simple, in the best possible way.

Photo by PetiteKnit

The Sophie Scarf by PetiteKnit is worked back and forth from tip to tip, in simple garter stitch (all knit stitches) with an easy, built-in i-cord edge that gives it a polished look.

I’ve seen Sophie made up in all kind of yarns, from speckles to self-striping and beyond. But in my humble opinion, she’s made for a classic neutral, in the softest and most luxurious fiber possible.

And that’s where Vicuña yarn comes in.

Ever since I traveled to the Pacomarca Sustainable Alpaca Network high in the Andes of southern Peru, and encountered a magical herd of Vicuña in the wild, and became the sole North American distributor of Amano Vicuña hand-knitting fiber…

I’ve been on a quest for the perfect pattern for what they call “the Gold of the Andes.”

And I believe, in Sophie, I’ve finally pinpointed the perfect pairing.

Vicuña yarn is so soft and so fine, it deserves to be wrapped lovingly around your neck.

Our Vicuña arrives in a natural wooden box made by Peruvian artisans. Each box is marked with an individual number. You slide it open to reveal 2 balls of precious Vicuña yarn in sportweight – 164 yards in total. This amount is perfect for the larger size of Sophie, which calls for 140 yards on size US #4 needles. Your Vicuña box also includes a stamped Certificate of Originality and a printed pattern that’s customized to the hue of yarn you have chosen.

Margaret, the lucky Knit Stars team member who knit up our Sophie sample in burgundy Vicuña, simply knit almost one full ball before beginning her decreases, to use up every bit of the precious yarn.

The ultimate Sophie will elevate literally any outfit in your wardrobe. T-shirt and jeans, classic buttondown and slacks, little black dress, you name it!

Make sure to store it in an accessible spot in your closet, because you’ll be reaching for it again and again.

Now the only question is, which color?

As of this writing, we have the following Vicuña boxes in stock:
🦙8 natural (medium camel brown)
🦙30 burgundy (a rich classic red)
🦙18 black (you can never go wrong!)
🦙27 natural + black

Sophie also looks super-chic in a two-tone. So to use the natural + black box, work one color from tip to the widest part and leave your stitches on the needle. Work the other color from tip to the widest part, and then graft the two wide edges together using kitchener or a 3-needle bind-off.

This week only, when you purchase a Vicuña box, we will gift you the Sophie Scarf pattern with our compliments (we’ll send it via the Ravelry in-store program, ensuring that PetiteKnit gets full credit for each pattern sale).

Shop our exclusive Vicuña collection here.

Just in case Sophie isn’t your vibe, here are some other great ideas for this very special Vicuña yarn experience.

Mandy’s sweet hubs gifted her TWO (!!!) Vicuña boxes, so she made this “Pressed Flowers” Hat by Amy Christoffers using 1.5 balls of natural and 1 of black. Isn’t it awesome?!!

Georgia made these gorgeous mitts from the pattern that comes inside the Burgundy Vicuña box.

“The naming of the Chacu Cowl was inspired by the Andean people who create a community chain in a circular fashion.  The Chaccu ceremony is used to guide the vicuna together to be humanely sheared according to their rituals. In this same way, the cowl circles in a continuum much like the people who give us access to this beautiful fiber.”

“Camille” by Berroco Design Team is a classic, unisex cabled beanie pattern that’s free on Ravelry and uses 150 yards.

The “Amanda Cowl” is free with any Vicuña purchase – just request it in the comments!

So there you go…lots of reasons to treat yourself to the one-and-only experience of Vicuña yarn!

Shop our Vicuña collection here.

xoxo,

+ Your Knit Stars team

Oi Kimchi (Cucumber Kimchi)

Something that was a staple for my family growing up (and now at my own table) is Oi Kimchi- a quick, refreshing, crunchy side dish. Unlike traditional cabbage kimchi, this version comes together very quickly and can be served same-day (or same hour!)  Please be advised that I’ve adapted this “recipe” from my mom’s very specific measurements of “a little of this” and “umm..some of that” sooo proceed with caution 😂.

makes 3-4 side servings

Ingredients:

4-5 small/mini cucumbers cut into 1/2 inch slices (although you can definitely use a bigger one, you may just want to dice it into 4/per slice)
2 garlic cloves minced
1 green onion thinly sliced
2 tbs of Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
2 tbs of shredded carrots
2-3 tbs of soy sauce
1 tbs of vinegar (i use red wine or rice)
2-3 tsp of sugar
1 tsp of salt

Directions

Combine all of your ingredients in a bowl and mix so everything is covered. I would let it sit for at least 10 minutes– the salt makes the cucumbers sweat a bit which helps with the coating of all the other ingredients onto the cucumber. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.