Pull up a chair and get comfy, because this week I have a little longer yarn that I’ve never shared publicly before.

When was the last time you had to build up your courage for weeks to ask something of someone you really admired, and they told you no?

Or even worse, just ignored you?

Or even worse still, you hand-made something for them to go along with your vulnerable ask…and they ghosted you anyway?

This is the story of what happened the first time I asked someone to be a Knit Star. First, let me set the stage a bit…

It was nearly 10 years ago. I still lived in Tulsa, and our 3 kids were still in high school. We would take a once-a-year car trip to our favorite beach.

Purl the Wonder Dog was still with us, doing Purly things…

Like trying to eat all the yarn at my backyard photo shoots.

We had centralized down to one Loops yarn store in midtown Tulsa.

The fabulous Stephen West had recently visited (did you know he’s a native Tulsan?)

And we were knee-deep in “blue bags” because our kit membership called LoopsClub had exploded.

Somehow I was designing a new pattern for it every month, while running the shop and figuring out how to MacGyver together the online business stuff.

It was with all these balls in the air that I decided to produce the first Season of Knit Stars. And I finally got up my nerve to approach my first potential Star.

It was someone I hugely looked up to (still do) and I’d had the recent thrill of sitting in the front row as they gave a jaw-dropping workshop.

So naturally, when I was thinking of who to ask to be the first Star in Knit Stars Season 1, this person came to mind.

I knew this thing I was planning was unprecedented in the yarn space, so convincing my first Star might take a special touch. So I knit a little Star out of some Koigu yarn, and included it in the letter that I sent via Fedex to my intended Star.

Annnnnd crickets. 🦗🦗🦗🦗🦗

Days turned into weeks as I waited. Nothing. I tried reaching out other ways…nothing.

I started to doubt everything. Maybe this was a dumb idea. Maybe no teacher would say yes. Maybe no one would sign up. Maybe I should quit before I started.

Then a good friend suggested I take another tack. “Try reaching out to someone else, someone you know well. The kind of person you look forward to seeing at yarn shows. The kind of person you’d hang out with at a cocktail party.”

That person was Amy Small @knitcollage – a very good friend to this day. And the second person to say yes was Stephen West. And well…

Ninety Stars and masterclasses later…tens of thousands of Knit Stars masterclass owners from more than 50 countries around the world…

Here we are, together! 🧶🌎❤️

I could not be more grateful for each and every YES through the years – to each Star, each dyer, each person reading this newsletter right now.

So I’ve decided, for our 10th anniversary year, to do some very special things to celebrate.

We’ll be sharing more about our upcoming 10th Anniversary Season starting next Sunday, when we’ll open our annual SuperEarlybird signups. This tradition started 9 years ago, when we were winding up what turned out to be a wildly successful first Season, and everyone said “Where do I sign up for Season 2?” So we gave them a way to do it at an extra-low thank-you price.

If you’d like to be sure and be kept in the loop on the Season 10 SuperEarlybird sale, just click here.

xoxo,

P.S. If you’ve gotten a “no” lately but feel in your gut that it’s the right thing…don’t give up! A YES may be just around the corner. ❤️

This right here…this is why I’m even more passionate about the Knit Stars program, almost ten years later.

From the start, people wanted to pick and choose from the workshops and we said nope! Because it’s all about bringing people together.

You might come for Star A, but you’re going to discover and fall in love with Stars B, C, D…all the way to Z!

Maybe you knew about Carolyn Bloom and her pretty embroidery technique before this year’s Season began.

But I bet you didn’t realize how truly groundbreaking it is. The way she has synthesized inspiration from so many traditions, and created her own unique way to use yarn and a darning needle to transform knit AND crochet pieces – handmade AND store-bought!

Above was a tank Carolyn picked up from the clearance rack at Banana Republic, and metamorphosed it into a masterpiece.

And this was an old cashmere sweater taking up space in the back of her closet, until she decided to try some tone-on-tone embroidery.

And this is Stephen West’s popular “Exploration Station” design, which Carolyn knit then added extra yarn-embroidery.

Carolyn’s Season 9 masterclass early releases TODAY, and I’m so excited for everyone to be a part of the magic she has created!

If you’re already enrolled in Knit Stars Season 9, you’ll find Carolyn’s workshop in your portal. If you’re not enrolled, today’s the last day to join in this window, and the last day to get it at a discount.

Click here to join Season 9 and use coupon EMBROIDER24 to save an extra $20.

And, as an extra thank-you, we’ve put all previous Seasons on sale through midnight tonight for just $197 each (that’s $273 off the regular price). And we’ve recently added payment plans, so it’s a great time to complete your collection.

Shop all Seasons on sale through midnight Pacific tonight, here.

When we were filming with Season 9 Star Chantal Miyagishima @knitatude in Calgary a few months ago, everyone fell in love with her heartthrob hubby, Todd. He was so sweet, helpful and supportive, gathering props, watching their two long-haired dachshunds out on the hot patio for hours, and even shaking up fresh cocktails at the end of the day.

So I was extra happy to see Todd modeling Chantal’s latest design, “Heartthrob Henley” when it debuted last week!

Chantal is known for her beginner-friendly designs that really fit…and I just love the casual cool of this new pattern!

As Chantal puts it, “Open collar, slightly snug and tailored fit? There’s a reason why there’s an entire romance book trope about handsome men in a henley shirt, and this design is no exception.”

If you’ve got a heartthrob in your life that you’re thinking about knitting for, check out the pattern here.

Photo and Recipe courtesy of All the Healthy Things

Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites

Since we’re on the way-back machine this week, I went looking for my all-time favorite chocolate sauce recipe – and couldn’t find it (keep an eye out for it next week!) but in the process, I did find this recipe in my old photos. I love all things pumpkin, and this is a protein-packed healthier treat to keep handy this time of year. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats (add a bit more if your batter is too sticky)
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Add the peanut butter, pumpkin purée, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and use a wooden spoon to stir until well combined.
2. Next, add gluten free rolled oats, chia seeds, chocolate chips, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl. Stir until everything is well combined and you have a “dough”.
3. Place the mixture in the freezer for fifteen to twenty minutes to chill and firm up a bit.
4. Remove the dough from the freezer and use a cookie dough scoop to scoop the dough and then use your hands to roll the dough into balls. Store the energy bites in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.