KNIT STARS BLOG!
🧶The no that launched thousands of yeses
Knit Stars
|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?…
Read More 🧶Revive your whole wardrobe
Knit Stars
|Happy Sunday! Is there one compliment you love getting more than any other kind? Over the past 9 years of producing Knit Stars Masterclasses, there’s one customer comment that’s my absolute favorite to read… “This workshop alone was worth the price of admission for the whole Season!” And of course I feel that way about…
Read More 🧶Is this a “crazy” idea?
Knit Stars
|This week, let’s talk a bit about “crazy” ideas. Knit Stars Season 5 was the high Season of COVID. I had planned the ultimate travel bucket list year, with plans to film in Australia, Japan, Mallorca, Copenhagen and points all across North America. It all fell away in a heartbeat as all the countries closed.…
Read More 🧶Join the inner circle
Knit Stars
|You know how last week I talked about dissolving the “nots” in our knitting? Well this week, it’s confession time. Because there was an insidious “not” that ensnared my first couple decades as a maker. I was NOT going to touch circular knitting! I made dozens of adult and baby sweaters, all seamed. I was…
Read More 🧶Goodbye, nots!
Knit Stars
|Lately I’ve been doing some deep thinking – about knots. You’re a Yarnie, so you know the feeling. You’re flowing along in the zone on your project, and all of a sudden you hit a dreaded knot. You have to stop, decide whether it can be undone or cut, leaving two more ends to weave…
Read More 🧶Your next capsule wardrobe
Knit Stars
|It’s that time of year when my WIPs begin that eternal battle with one another… Crank out one more crochet crop for those last dog days of summer…Or cast on a new knit sweater in fall hues??? Right now for me, the latter is winning out – especially after I took a peek at the…
Read More 🧶Do you wanna go faster? 🎢
Knit Stars
|The year was circa 1978. It was my first time visiting Bell’s Amusement Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was nervous to ride Zingo, the big wooden roller coaster. So I decided to work up my courage on an easier ride first. “The Himalaya” was one of those rides where the cars fly around in a…
Read More 🧶A different kind of love story
Knit Stars
|I’ve been a dog lover for as long as I can remember. Our first pup as a young family was Lucy the Lhasa Apso. Longtime readers will remember my beloved Purl, who survived a horrific attack and went on to grace our home with so much love, wiggles and furry hugs, that before we knew…
Read More 🧶What a surprise!
Knit Stars
|Striking my best Olympic pose after finishing my new crochet top! Hey there, If you’re like me, now that the Olympics is over, you’re looking for your next escape. I’ve been thinking, and it’s occurred to me that every Knit Stars Masterclass is like three of my favorite escapes, all rolled into one. There’s the…
Read More 🧶Turn stash into kindness
Knit Stars
|Dear reader, this week I’d like to introduce you to a real life Soap Star. 🤩 Stacy Wiener is the founder of S.A.C.K. – Supporting A Community with Kindness. She was nominated by TWO of our Yarniverse members to be a Rising Star – and in the exact same month that I found out about…
Read More 🧶 Get to know Emma
Knit Stars
|I first saw Emma Fassio’s name many years ago, on a pattern my friend Gina Hills was working on. Many of you might remember Gina, a manager at our Loops stores for more than a decade. Gina was (still is) a style inspiration of mine, a big fan of iconic Italian fashion houses like Missoni.…
Read More 🧶Catching the Doodle bug
Knit Stars
|Jamie Lomax took up knitting in 2020 as a COVID hobby. She was working as a senior project manager for a large retail and food service company in Seattle at the time. “We all got sent home, and I was on Teams calls all day every day. I have ADHD so I was struggling to…
Read More 🧶Something new is blooming…
Knit Stars
|Happy Sunday, beautiful reader! Do you ever have those moments like I do, when you’re scrolling social media, and an image makes you stop and audibly gasp – causing anyone else in your household to run in and see if you’re ok? This past week I had one of those moments, and (after assuring said…
Read More 🧶Sprinkle that stuff on everything…
Knit Stars
|TW: This week’s newsletter includes sensitive mental health topics. Sending all of our love our beautiful readers, family and friends ❤️. “I had two options. I could either let it wreck me and disrupt my life, or I could inspire myself and others, share my story, and use it to help raise awareness.” These are the wise words of…
Read More 🧶Back in the saddle
Knit Stars
|Hello dear reader, How’s it going in your creative world? These past few weeks have been even more whirlwind-y than usual for me, as Knit Stars Season 9 filming has kicked into high gear. I made a commitment to go to all the filmings this year, which means I’m up in the air, upside down,…
Read More 🧶 Gratitude – in any language
Knit Stars
|Toto, we’re not at the beach house anymore. We’re near the ‘beech house” in Cork, Ireland! I snapped a pic of this charming home with a spectacular garden, just up the road from Knit Stars Season 9 Star Carol Feller’s house in Cork, Ireland. Every Knit Stars Season is a wonderful adventure, and this year…
Read More 🧶Now he’s dancing with his fingers
Knit Stars
|We talk a lot around here about how yarn can change lives. We’ve seen it in action a million times over, in small ways and bigger ways. But this week’s story…well, this one hits differently. Yarn didn’t just change Thomas Gregory’s life. It saved it. Thomas Gregory (@gregorystitch) came to my awareness last year by…
Read More 🧶Behold, the future of patterns
Knit Stars
|Are you a sticky notes knitter? A highlighter hooker? Or maybe you’re a washi-tape wonder? 🤩 At various points in my 4 decades as a Yarnie, I’ve been all of the above. As I’ve progressed (and my eyesight has regressed) I find myself using all kinds of tricks to keep my place and track the…
Read More 🧶What’s your big Y?
Knit Stars
|This week I invite you to ponder a simple question: What’s your Big Y? I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I know that yarn, creativity, and connection are important to me. Some days, it feels more important than food or even air. But WHY? And how does that intersect with other people’s big…
Read More 🧶Join the easiest, breeziest make-along
Knit Stars
|Tan and Tipsy Top” by Knitting Tipsy Y’all know I’ve always been a fan of summer knitting. First to get through the scorching Oklahoma summers, and in the beachy Florida scene year-round! 🌞 So when I saw that Season 8 Knit Star Chelsea (@knittingtipsy) and Bri (@thelittlewolfknits) were starting up their popular Hot Stitch Makealong…
Read More 🧶The no that launched thousands of yeses
Knit Stars
|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?…
Read More 🧶Revive your whole wardrobe
Knit Stars
|Happy Sunday! Is there one compliment you love getting more than any other kind? Over the past 9 years of producing Knit Stars Masterclasses, there’s one customer comment that’s my absolute favorite to read… “This workshop alone was worth the price of admission for the whole Season!” And of course I feel that way about…
Read More 🧶Is this a “crazy” idea?
Knit Stars
|This week, let’s talk a bit about “crazy” ideas. Knit Stars Season 5 was the high Season of COVID. I had planned the ultimate travel bucket list year, with plans to film in Australia, Japan, Mallorca, Copenhagen and points all across North America. It all fell away in a heartbeat as all the countries closed.…
Read More 🧶Join the inner circle
Knit Stars
|You know how last week I talked about dissolving the “nots” in our knitting? Well this week, it’s confession time. Because there was an insidious “not” that ensnared my first couple decades as a maker. I was NOT going to touch circular knitting! I made dozens of adult and baby sweaters, all seamed. I was…
Read More 🧶Goodbye, nots!
Knit Stars
|Lately I’ve been doing some deep thinking – about knots. You’re a Yarnie, so you know the feeling. You’re flowing along in the zone on your project, and all of a sudden you hit a dreaded knot. You have to stop, decide whether it can be undone or cut, leaving two more ends to weave…
Read More 🧶Your next capsule wardrobe
Knit Stars
|It’s that time of year when my WIPs begin that eternal battle with one another… Crank out one more crochet crop for those last dog days of summer…Or cast on a new knit sweater in fall hues??? Right now for me, the latter is winning out – especially after I took a peek at the…
Read More 🧶Do you wanna go faster? 🎢
Knit Stars
|The year was circa 1978. It was my first time visiting Bell’s Amusement Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was nervous to ride Zingo, the big wooden roller coaster. So I decided to work up my courage on an easier ride first. “The Himalaya” was one of those rides where the cars fly around in a…
Read More 🧶A different kind of love story
Knit Stars
|I’ve been a dog lover for as long as I can remember. Our first pup as a young family was Lucy the Lhasa Apso. Longtime readers will remember my beloved Purl, who survived a horrific attack and went on to grace our home with so much love, wiggles and furry hugs, that before we knew…
Read More 🧶What a surprise!
Knit Stars
|Striking my best Olympic pose after finishing my new crochet top! Hey there, If you’re like me, now that the Olympics is over, you’re looking for your next escape. I’ve been thinking, and it’s occurred to me that every Knit Stars Masterclass is like three of my favorite escapes, all rolled into one. There’s the…
Read More 🧶Turn stash into kindness
Knit Stars
|Dear reader, this week I’d like to introduce you to a real life Soap Star. 🤩 Stacy Wiener is the founder of S.A.C.K. – Supporting A Community with Kindness. She was nominated by TWO of our Yarniverse members to be a Rising Star – and in the exact same month that I found out about…
Read More 🧶 Get to know Emma
Knit Stars
|I first saw Emma Fassio’s name many years ago, on a pattern my friend Gina Hills was working on. Many of you might remember Gina, a manager at our Loops stores for more than a decade. Gina was (still is) a style inspiration of mine, a big fan of iconic Italian fashion houses like Missoni.…
Read More 🧶Catching the Doodle bug
Knit Stars
|Jamie Lomax took up knitting in 2020 as a COVID hobby. She was working as a senior project manager for a large retail and food service company in Seattle at the time. “We all got sent home, and I was on Teams calls all day every day. I have ADHD so I was struggling to…
Read More 🧶Something new is blooming…
Knit Stars
|Happy Sunday, beautiful reader! Do you ever have those moments like I do, when you’re scrolling social media, and an image makes you stop and audibly gasp – causing anyone else in your household to run in and see if you’re ok? This past week I had one of those moments, and (after assuring said…
Read More 🧶Sprinkle that stuff on everything…
Knit Stars
|TW: This week’s newsletter includes sensitive mental health topics. Sending all of our love our beautiful readers, family and friends ❤️. “I had two options. I could either let it wreck me and disrupt my life, or I could inspire myself and others, share my story, and use it to help raise awareness.” These are the wise words of…
Read More 🧶Back in the saddle
Knit Stars
|Hello dear reader, How’s it going in your creative world? These past few weeks have been even more whirlwind-y than usual for me, as Knit Stars Season 9 filming has kicked into high gear. I made a commitment to go to all the filmings this year, which means I’m up in the air, upside down,…
Read More 🧶 Gratitude – in any language
Knit Stars
|Toto, we’re not at the beach house anymore. We’re near the ‘beech house” in Cork, Ireland! I snapped a pic of this charming home with a spectacular garden, just up the road from Knit Stars Season 9 Star Carol Feller’s house in Cork, Ireland. Every Knit Stars Season is a wonderful adventure, and this year…
Read More 🧶Now he’s dancing with his fingers
Knit Stars
|We talk a lot around here about how yarn can change lives. We’ve seen it in action a million times over, in small ways and bigger ways. But this week’s story…well, this one hits differently. Yarn didn’t just change Thomas Gregory’s life. It saved it. Thomas Gregory (@gregorystitch) came to my awareness last year by…
Read More 🧶Behold, the future of patterns
Knit Stars
|Are you a sticky notes knitter? A highlighter hooker? Or maybe you’re a washi-tape wonder? 🤩 At various points in my 4 decades as a Yarnie, I’ve been all of the above. As I’ve progressed (and my eyesight has regressed) I find myself using all kinds of tricks to keep my place and track the…
Read More 🧶What’s your big Y?
Knit Stars
|This week I invite you to ponder a simple question: What’s your Big Y? I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I know that yarn, creativity, and connection are important to me. Some days, it feels more important than food or even air. But WHY? And how does that intersect with other people’s big…
Read More 🧶Join the easiest, breeziest make-along
Knit Stars
|Tan and Tipsy Top” by Knitting Tipsy Y’all know I’ve always been a fan of summer knitting. First to get through the scorching Oklahoma summers, and in the beachy Florida scene year-round! 🌞 So when I saw that Season 8 Knit Star Chelsea (@knittingtipsy) and Bri (@thelittlewolfknits) were starting up their popular Hot Stitch Makealong…
Read More Knit Stars
🧶A seed…and growing together
A Yarn Story in 3 Chapters Chapter 3 Dear faithful reader, Eighteen years ago I planted a seed…a humble little yarn store with a big dream. To honor the craft that’s given me so much joy, and to share that joy with other like-minded people. Like everything that grows, so much has evolved over those…
Read More 🧶Alonso, vicuña, and carrot soup
Today I’d like to introduce you to Alonso (the man, not the baby alpaca :)) Five years ago, I met Alonso in Arequipa, Peru, where we were filming what would become the first double-header workshop release of Knit Stars Masterclass Season 4. I first met Alonso briefly when we arrived for our first day of…
Read More 🧶A Yarn Story: Chapter 1
First, thank you for all of the kind responses to last week’s story about the fearless Corinne. I had so much fun putting that together, and am hoping to do more profiles like that in the future, so you can keep getting to know your amazing, fellow community members. And second, today I have a…
Read More 🧶Meet the fearless Corinne
Corinne: “Hello?” Me: “Hi Corinne! Am I pronouncing your name right?” Corinne: “Yes. Wait…who is this. It sounds like…Shelley?” Me: (laughing) “It IS Shelley! How did you know?” Corinne: (laughing now too) “I was watching Ginnifer Goodwin’s workshop yesterday, and you talk a lot in it…so I recognized your voice! But why are you calling…
Read More 🧶The story of the cracked pot
Hi from somewhere in Nebraska, where we celebrated Thanksgiving with Hot Luke’s 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 “performance” that day, my…
Read More 🧶How far would you walk uphill for inspiration?
When Olga Buraya-Kefelian @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 couldn’t afford to buy the clothes, but her mom would sew and Olga would knit. Then Olga married her enlisted spouse, and…
Read More 🧶A tale of two hats
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had more hat-making mishaps than any other kind of yarn disaster. There was the time I didn’t 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 🧶 Presenting…your new Hot Loops Wall!
“Chase 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.” 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 🧶Jasmina’s unforgettable story
Have you ever had such a magical experience, you were afraid to share it, for fear the bubble might pop and you’d realize it was all a dream? That’s what my first Rhinebeck felt like. I’ve put off writing this week’s newsletter because I just wanted to swim in the magic a little bit longer.…
Read More 🧶 Finished…just in time!
Can you believe it? It’s my first time. After 18 years in this amazing business…my very first Rhinebeck! So I’m writing your newsletter a couple days early this week, and it’ll be a bit shorter than usual since I’m busy packing (and freaking out a bit with all the excitement!) Before I forget, since I’m…
Read More 🧶How to support 12 indie makers all at once
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 🧶The pattern Beth makes on repeat
Apparently you Yarnies are into trivia! 😎 Last week’s Knit Stars Trivia was such a hit, we’re doing it again…this time with questions about our upcoming Masterclass Season 8 Premiere. This week’s winner will receive an updated “Nice Ice Baby” package of Season 8 exclusive yarns, kits and extras…including this new, commemorative Koigu Pencil Box…
Read More Trivia time (win a Joji bag!)
This week, we’re winding down our sale on Knit Stars Masterclass Seasons 1-7… And I thought, let’s finish the sale on a fun note! So this is your chance to test your Knit Stars knowledge. ✨Knit 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
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, what’s your favorite Knit Stars season?” It’s like asking me, “Which is your favorite child?” So I thought it might be helpful, to those of you…
Read More 🧶 Who’s the next Hot Loops dyer?
Have you heard the news? We wanted you to be first to know…the featured dyer for the Fall 2023 Hot Loops Wall Reveal is going to be none other than… 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁… Ross Taylor of Twisted Ambitions Yarn! If you’ve been following all the building anticipation for our upcoming Knit Stars Masterclass Premiere, you know that…
Read More 🧶Mood booster
Happy Sunday Mandy, This past Monday wasn’t 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 🧶Yes you can!
This week I’m having an I CAN week. (You know, one of those weeks where it seems like maybe I can’t, 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 🧶So GG, Casapinka and Joji walk into a yarn shop…
So GG, Casapinka and Joji walk into a yarn shop… OK, it may sound like a joke, but I assure you it’s REAL. Three living yarn legends – Gaye Glasspie, Casapinka and Joji Locatelli! – are all going to be part of our upcoming Season 8 Sneak-Peek Screening event, September 9 from 1-5pm ET.And did…
Read More 🧶She talked him down from $10,000
WHOA y’all! The first day we opened registration, we had more than 1,000 yarnies sign up! (And lots of you added the All-In VIP package, too – thank you! ❤️) In case you missed it, here’s what is happening the weekend of September 9th… 📽FREE 4-hour Masterclass Premiere Screening Party – sign up for the…
Read More