KNIT STARS BLOG!
š§¶Meet the fearless Corinne
Knit Stars
|Corinne: āHello?ā Me: āHi Corinne! Am I pronouncing your name right?ā Corinne: āYes. Waitā¦who is this. It sounds likeā¦Shelley?ā Me: (laughing) āIt IS Shelley! How did you know?ā Corinne: (laughing now too) āI was watching Ginnifer Goodwinās workshop yesterday, and you talk a lot in itā¦so I recognized your voice! But why are you calling…
Read More š§¶The story of the cracked pot
Knit Stars
|Hi from somewhere in Nebraska, where we celebrated Thanksgiving with Hot Lukeās extended fam. Dear reader, I hope this email finds you rested and relaxing after a busy week. A couple weeks ago, after a particularly challenging hot yoga session where I had been a bit disappointed in my balance and āperformanceā that day, my…
Read More š§¶How far would you walk uphill for inspiration?
Knit Stars
|When Olga Buraya-KefelianĀ @olgajazzy was growing up in Belarus, she would save up money each month to buy a Cosmopolitan magazine. She and her mother, a seamstress, would pore over the pages together. They couldnāt afford to buy the clothes, but her mom would sew and Olga would knit. Then Olga married her enlisted spouse, and…
Read More š§¶A tale of two hats
Knit Stars
|I donāt know about you, but Iāve had more hat-making mishaps than any other kind of yarn disaster. There was the time I didnāt swatch, and ended up with a hat so big it came down past my nose (remember Mushmouth from Fat Albert?) And the time I used the wrong yarn, so my brim…
Read More š§¶ Presentingā¦your new Hot Loops Wall!
Knit Stars
|āChase your dreams and never give up! Be your true goofy, authentic self, imperfections and all, because our lives are too short and this life is filled with perfect imperfections.ā These are the wise words of Ross Taylor, the featured dyer of the new Fall Hot Loops Wall. Just a few short years ago, Ross…
Read More š§¶Jasminaās unforgettable story
Knit Stars
|Have you ever had such a magical experience, you were afraid to share it, for fear the bubble might pop and youād realize it was all a dream? Thatās what my first Rhinebeck felt like. Iāve put off writing this weekās newsletter because I just wanted to swim in the magic a little bit longer.…
Read More š§¶ Finishedā¦just in time!
Knit Stars
|Can you believe it? Itās my first time. After 18 years in this amazing businessā¦my very first Rhinebeck! So Iām writing your newsletter a couple days early this week, and itāll be a bit shorter than usual since Iām busy packing (and freaking out a bit with all the excitement!) Before I forget, since Iām…
Read More š§¶How to support 12 indie makers all at once
Knit Stars
|We all have our favorites. Each of us follows lots of different independent dyers and makers. Every day my feed is full of new colors and fibers, each handmade as a true (and often backbreaking) labor of love. Each with its own story of a beautiful, creative human who brought it to life. I try…
Read More š§¶The pattern Beth makes on repeat
Knit Stars
|Apparently you Yarnies are into trivia! š Last weekās Knit Stars Trivia was such a hit, weāre doing it againā¦this time with questions about our upcoming Masterclass Season 8 Premiere. This weekās winner will receive an updated āNice Ice Babyā package of Season 8 exclusive yarns, kits and extrasā¦including this new, commemorative Koigu Pencil Box…
Read More Trivia time (win a Joji bag!)
Knit Stars
|This week, weāre winding down our sale on Knit Stars Masterclass Seasons 1-7⦠And I thought, letās finish the sale on a fun note! So this is your chance to test your Knit Stars knowledge. āØKnit Stars Trivia ⨠To enter, follow these simple steps: STEP 1: Hit reply to this email STEP 2: In…
Read More My Love Letters to Knit Stars Seasons 1-7
Knit Stars
|Editors Note: To access Knit Stars Masterclass Seasons on sale (or join the waitlist for the next offering), go here. People often ask (especially during our sale weeks), “Shelley, whatās your favorite Knit Stars season?” Itās like asking me, āWhich is your favorite child?āĀ So I thought it might be helpful, to those of you…
Read More š§¶ Whoās the next Hot Loops dyer?
Knit Stars
|Have you heard the news? We wanted you to be first to knowā¦the featured dyer for the Fall 2023 Hot Loops Wall Reveal is going to be none other thanā¦ š„š„š„š„š„⦠Ross Taylor of Twisted Ambitions Yarn! If youāve been following all the building anticipation for our upcoming Knit Stars Masterclass Premiere, you know that…
Read More š§¶Mood booster
Knit Stars
|Happy Sunday Mandy, This past Monday wasnāt so much a Monday as a MONDDDAYYYYY. Ever had one of those? So by Tuesday I was really in need of a mood booster. Then voila, I opened up our Facebook Masterclass group and there was this cool new feature called Mood Booster Chat. I started up the…
Read More š§¶Yes you can!
Knit Stars
|This week Iām having an I CAN week. (You know, one of those weeks where it seems like maybe I canāt, so I look for little positive reminders that YES I CAN.) So I thought it would be a great time to help you have an I CAN week, too. I started the week out…
Read More š§¶Meet the fearless Corinne
Knit Stars
|Corinne: āHello?ā Me: āHi Corinne! Am I pronouncing your name right?ā Corinne: āYes. Waitā¦who is this. It sounds likeā¦Shelley?ā Me: (laughing) āIt IS Shelley! How did you know?ā Corinne: (laughing now too) āI was watching Ginnifer Goodwinās workshop yesterday, and you talk a lot in itā¦so I recognized your voice! But why are you calling…
Read More š§¶The story of the cracked pot
Knit Stars
|Hi from somewhere in Nebraska, where we celebrated Thanksgiving with Hot Lukeās extended fam. Dear reader, I hope this email finds you rested and relaxing after a busy week. A couple weeks ago, after a particularly challenging hot yoga session where I had been a bit disappointed in my balance and āperformanceā that day, my…
Read More š§¶How far would you walk uphill for inspiration?
Knit Stars
|When Olga Buraya-KefelianĀ @olgajazzy was growing up in Belarus, she would save up money each month to buy a Cosmopolitan magazine. She and her mother, a seamstress, would pore over the pages together. They couldnāt afford to buy the clothes, but her mom would sew and Olga would knit. Then Olga married her enlisted spouse, and…
Read More š§¶A tale of two hats
Knit Stars
|I donāt know about you, but Iāve had more hat-making mishaps than any other kind of yarn disaster. There was the time I didnāt swatch, and ended up with a hat so big it came down past my nose (remember Mushmouth from Fat Albert?) And the time I used the wrong yarn, so my brim…
Read More š§¶ Presentingā¦your new Hot Loops Wall!
Knit Stars
|āChase your dreams and never give up! Be your true goofy, authentic self, imperfections and all, because our lives are too short and this life is filled with perfect imperfections.ā These are the wise words of Ross Taylor, the featured dyer of the new Fall Hot Loops Wall. Just a few short years ago, Ross…
Read More š§¶Jasminaās unforgettable story
Knit Stars
|Have you ever had such a magical experience, you were afraid to share it, for fear the bubble might pop and youād realize it was all a dream? Thatās what my first Rhinebeck felt like. Iāve put off writing this weekās newsletter because I just wanted to swim in the magic a little bit longer.…
Read More š§¶ Finishedā¦just in time!
Knit Stars
|Can you believe it? Itās my first time. After 18 years in this amazing businessā¦my very first Rhinebeck! So Iām writing your newsletter a couple days early this week, and itāll be a bit shorter than usual since Iām busy packing (and freaking out a bit with all the excitement!) Before I forget, since Iām…
Read More š§¶How to support 12 indie makers all at once
Knit Stars
|We all have our favorites. Each of us follows lots of different independent dyers and makers. Every day my feed is full of new colors and fibers, each handmade as a true (and often backbreaking) labor of love. Each with its own story of a beautiful, creative human who brought it to life. I try…
Read More š§¶The pattern Beth makes on repeat
Knit Stars
|Apparently you Yarnies are into trivia! š Last weekās Knit Stars Trivia was such a hit, weāre doing it againā¦this time with questions about our upcoming Masterclass Season 8 Premiere. This weekās winner will receive an updated āNice Ice Babyā package of Season 8 exclusive yarns, kits and extrasā¦including this new, commemorative Koigu Pencil Box…
Read More Trivia time (win a Joji bag!)
Knit Stars
|This week, weāre winding down our sale on Knit Stars Masterclass Seasons 1-7⦠And I thought, letās finish the sale on a fun note! So this is your chance to test your Knit Stars knowledge. āØKnit Stars Trivia ⨠To enter, follow these simple steps: STEP 1: Hit reply to this email STEP 2: In…
Read More My Love Letters to Knit Stars Seasons 1-7
Knit Stars
|Editors Note: To access Knit Stars Masterclass Seasons on sale (or join the waitlist for the next offering), go here. People often ask (especially during our sale weeks), “Shelley, whatās your favorite Knit Stars season?” Itās like asking me, āWhich is your favorite child?āĀ So I thought it might be helpful, to those of you…
Read More š§¶ Whoās the next Hot Loops dyer?
Knit Stars
|Have you heard the news? We wanted you to be first to knowā¦the featured dyer for the Fall 2023 Hot Loops Wall Reveal is going to be none other thanā¦ š„š„š„š„š„⦠Ross Taylor of Twisted Ambitions Yarn! If youāve been following all the building anticipation for our upcoming Knit Stars Masterclass Premiere, you know that…
Read More š§¶Mood booster
Knit Stars
|Happy Sunday Mandy, This past Monday wasnāt so much a Monday as a MONDDDAYYYYY. Ever had one of those? So by Tuesday I was really in need of a mood booster. Then voila, I opened up our Facebook Masterclass group and there was this cool new feature called Mood Booster Chat. I started up the…
Read More š§¶Yes you can!
Knit Stars
|This week Iām having an I CAN week. (You know, one of those weeks where it seems like maybe I canāt, so I look for little positive reminders that YES I CAN.) So I thought it would be a great time to help you have an I CAN week, too. I started the week out…
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š§¶5 favorite things
Sometimes in life, you just want to keep things simple. In fact, I believe that the appeal of simplicity is the very thing that brings most of us to knitting to begin with. Taking sticks and string and a simple repetitive motion and creating something beautiful. Thatās why weāre all here together, isnāt it? Over…
Read More š§¶The sweater youāll wear 24/7
“I want to help you make that sweater youāll wear out to lunch – not just to that knitting festival.ā – Amy Herzog, Knit Stars Season 2 Raise your hand if youāve ever cast on a sweater design just because everyone else on Ravelry was making it? If you finished it, how often did you…
Read More š§¶The joy of the shift
Ghost Ranch Hat by Andrea Mowry, made by Sunnie. You need 1 skeinĀ Spincycle Dyed in the WoolĀ + 1 skeinĀ Rowan Felted Tweed. Raise your hand if you remember your first skein of color-changing yarn!ā In the early days of Loops, it was Noro Kureyon. The yarn was scratchy AF, but you didnāt care⦠Because the way…
Read More š§¶ From our family to you
āMy favorite project I made this year was the Brookline Blouse by Kate (@mezzomakes) inĀ Loops Luxe Plant-Based Princess in the colorway Cottonwood.āĀ This project kept my mind calm and hands busy in the days following a bad car accident. It was also my first non-wool project and kept me stylish all summer long. -Sunnie Operations Manager,…
Read More š§¶Curse schmurse
This week I have a bit of a different story for you. Back when I was dating in my 20s, my friend Kristy and I made a pact: to never knit for our partners. Why? Somewhere along the way, weād heard it was back luck. Superstitions like this abound in knitting. Thereās even a book…
Read More š§¶The gift of a lifeline
Isnāt it interesting how much beginners can teachĀ us? Iām reading Michelle Obamaās newest book, āThe Light We Carry.ā Or to be more specificā¦Iām listening to her read the book on my morning walks, then running back home to highlight my hard copy. Even if she didnāt talk about knitting and how it helped her through…
Read More Zero pressure gift knitting
My latest WIP: “Strata” hat by Tif Neilan from “Worsted” by AimĆ©e Gille, made with LolaBean Cool Beans Worsted.Ā Kits here. Iāve noticed a trend the past few years⦠More and more people seem to be swearing off holiday gift making. Maybe it was the pandemic, that made people re-evaluate how they spent their free time.…
Read More š§¶ New genius needles š”
Since many of us are all hanging out in a turkey tryptophan haze⦠I decided to start out this weekās newsletter with an ode to the premiere of our 7th Masterclass Season, which just finished premiering last week. And what better ode than a blooper reel? 𤪠Enjoy watching the 3-minute clip above, where I…
Read More š§¶ Sweaters, socks and freebies oh my
Paper clips. Safety pins. Yarn scraps. Dental floss. Ever used any of these things as a stitch marker in a pinch? I sure have. Weāve all found ourselves stuck without a stitch marker right when we need it, digging in the couch cushions while lifting up a silent prayer to the notions gods⦠Amiright? But…
Read More š§¶Making peace with your yarn
āWispy Hazeā shawl in custom colorwayĀ āCayanneās Weddingā This week I finished one of the most joyful projects Iāve ever made⦠But it didnāt start out that way. My niece Cayanne was married this weekend in the Bahamas. I wasnāt there, but I can imagine how stunning she looked walking along that Bahamian blue water, wrapping…
Read More š§¶ Knitting at 32,000 feet āļø
Writing this newsletter at the ATL airport enroute from the beach to TUL. Right now, if it canāt be knit at 32,000 feet, itās not going on my needles. Iāve always loved āairplane knittingā – the portable, meditative projects that donāt require a lot of concentration⦠(read: can be worked while sipping a Delta bloody…
Read More š§¶An extra-special hat
Last week we told you about our project manager Sunnie and her Noodlyknits Hat Drive benefiting patients at the cancer treatment hospital her uncle runs in Gwangju, South Korea. Now itās true, the usual thing when making for charity is to use a basic pattern and stash yarn and knock them out āon repeatā⦠But…
Read More š§¶Did I ever tell you youāre my hero
Make the Ena Pullover with our exclusive colors ofĀ LolaBean Cool Beans Sport. Itās a funny thing⦠As makers, sometimes we get so busy making things, we donāt even realize how much impact weāre having on the wider world. Our amazing readers helped make a heroic difference last week – and at first I didnāt even…
Read More šYouāve earned it
This week Iāve been thinking a lot about what it means to ādeserveā something. Hereās why.Ā Tomorrow is the last chance to sign up for ourĀ 7th Masterclass Event called Texture + Wonder. And all week, Iāve been in the comments online, listening as knitters and crocheters all over the world angst over whether to invest…
Read More š§¶How did I get here?
CLICK HEREĀ to listen to an audio version of this newsletter These days weāre all moving so fast⦠Many of us live in such a constant state of fight or flight, we actually become accustomed to fighting against whatās possible. When challenges pop up, we tell ourselves āI canātā over and over. And then one day,…
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