This past week, I’ve been having a ball photographing the yarns, kits, and bags for Knit Stars Season 10…all just with my phone, next to a window that looks out over the sea.

It’s been awhile since I did this.

In the first decade and a half of Loops, I did pretty much all the photography. It was one of many hats you wear as a small business owner. Eventually, the pile of hats just got too big, and it was one of the things I gave up.

But I missed it!

So this year, I took it back, and it’s been so fun! All of the packages arriving at my door…getting to touch and play and feel at the love that went into the making of each kit. All the joy!

I must confess, one kit in particular took my breath away. The colors…the textures…the attention to detail. And the really cool thing is, it turns out the dyer was one of our Stars back in the inaugural Season!

So, right then and there, I set up a Zoom with the lovely Julie of Julie Asselin Yarns.

I asked Julie how things have changed for her, personally and professionally, since she filmed her Knit Stars masterclass ten years ago.

“I can’t believe it’s been 10 years!” she laughed. “Actually when we started to work on this kit project for Season 10, I went back and watched our masterclass [from Season 1]. Jeff and I are very proud of it. It was my first time doing a recorded class. Before that, I was a shy person. It really helped me see how capable I was. It was a starting point, and now when I do videos I’m completely at ease.”

“On a personal note, I find that as I get older, I feel better within myself. Jeff and I talk about how we actually have better health, and are in an even better place now. I think it comes with maturity and making better life choices (laughs).”

“As the business has grown [they now distribute yarn and patterns as well as develop and dye yarns], we needed to be more organized. Throughout the years we’ve built a really solid team. There’s five of us now.”

“Jeff and I have been together 20 years. We have a great relationship and partnership, and we each try to grow personally and help each other do the same. And I think that reflects in our decisions – we really try to have a great work environment, with each person having autonomy and flexibility. If I make a mistake, it’s my mistake. I try to be very clear and very honest.”

Next, I asked Julie about the kit she created in collaboration with her Season 10 Knit Star (sorry, can’t tell you the Stars’ names until April 13! )

“This Star likes to have lots of options, so we sent her many, many colors and textures, and she picked what worked best for her,” Julie said. “There’s a merino/silk, an alpaca bouclé, and a mohair silk in a color that we’re dyeing exclusively for this kit. It’s a jumble of all the other colors, and brings a sunset kind of vibe to the whole project.”

“The mohair silk is spun in Japan, the merino silk is spun here in Canada from the fiber we source from New Zealand, and the boucle is from a mill in Peru!” she added.

Plus, there are coordinating beads and some specially created stitch markers to match.

Julie’s philosophy is “every project is a good project, because it’s your project.”

“Sometimes I hear people say, ‘I don’t like this picture, the lighting is not good.’ Or ‘I don’t like the color of the project.’ But I’m sorry, all of the project photos are going on my page! I’ve done it that way from the start. And if you think my Instagram looks bad, that’s too bad.”

“And you know, I think this is what it means to be truly welcoming. Choose your color, make your project, take your picture, live your life!”

“Everyone is different. And that is beautiful.”

xoxo,

P.S. To get notified when signups open for Knit Stars Season 10 (and have a chance to win prizes, including this $1300 prize package), go here. The first “hint video” just dropped today, and you can watch it here!

Photo credit: @clotricots

I took a spin through Julie Asselin’s Instagram (@julie_asselin) to get inspired, and these two designs jumped out at me.

Side note: Julie herself both knits and crochets (“one of my grandmothers taught me to knit and the other to crochet” she said), and she makes primarily sweaters with the occasional hat.

The first photo that grabbed me was by @clotricots of her “Instant Crush Pullover” by Joji Locatelli made with Anatolia yarn (shown above). It’s a seamless, top-down pullover design. So stunning in Julie Asselin’s mohair held double!

Photo credit: @theladybugknits

And how did I miss this “Levenwick” design, released back in 2010 by Season 9 Star Gudrun Johnston?

This version by @theladybugknits is so classic, and I love its clever use of the Shetland “Old Shale” patterning. It’s made with Julie’s “Nurtured” yarn in colorway “Picnic.”

Pouding Chômeur de ma Grand-Maman

Julie and Jeff Asselin have always loved to cook, and even have postcards printed with their favorite recipe that they occasionally hand out! This dessert is a traditional Quebecois recipe from Julie’s grandmother that utilizes authentic maple syrup. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
For the Syrup

• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Cake Batter

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup milk

Instructions:

1. First make the syrup. Whisk everything together; bring to a slow boil, let cook for 5 mins. Pour into an 8×11 baking dish.
2. To make the cake batter, beat the sugar and butter together. Add in the egg and
   vanilla followed by the flour, baking powder and salt. Lastly, add in the milk and whisk until light and bubbly.
3. Pour over syrup and bake for 30 mins at 375F.