| April 13, 2025

🧶From Sa Pa with love

BY SHELLEY BRANDER

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Dear friend,

I’m writing this from Sa Pa, Vietnam, as Mallory, Brad and I prepare to embark on the long journey home from filming the first cinematic masterclass of the historic Season 10.

By bus, air and car, the trip in total will take 50.5 hours – and that’s if everything runs on time!

But it would be no exaggeration – and perhaps, even an understatement – to say that no other Knit Stars production has instilled in me such a deep, reverent appreciation for the beauty of traditional hand-making practices.

We traversed the country, along the way getting to know Mr. Ky, Ms. Lien, Ce, Lan, and Lan’s fellow artisans who have perfected the traditional 42-step process of Hmong Beeswax Painting (aka batik).

As we witnessed these women in all stages of making stunning, multidimensional finished fabrics, it was such a beautiful, powerful reminder of the magic of creating in community.

And with each gesture as small as a smile, or as wonderfully generous as a carefully prepared, celebratory meal, we can all spark a connection – something real, something lasting.

We each can truly play a critical part in knitting the world together. ❤️

And now it is with jet-lagged joy that I present to you the long-awaited announcement of our 15 brilliant Stars of Knit Stars Season 10: Be Extraordinary.

🌟Alicia Plummer (Coastal Maine, USA) Reading your knitting: Anticipate, adjust, and fix with confidence

🌟Clara Parkes (Brooksville, Maine, USA) Swatching with intention: A creative journal in yarn

🌟Filipa Carneiro (Lisbon, Portugal) Purl inlay: Blending color and texture in knitting

🌟Franklin Habit (Paris, France) Shadow knitting: Create visual magic with light and color

🌟Jen Geigley (Des Moines, Iowa, USA) The Modern Capsule Wardrobe: Fashion meets sustainability

🌟Laura Zander (Jimmy Beans Wool, Nevada, USA – filming in North and South Vietnam) Ethical collaboration: The art of meaningful partnerships

🌟Julie Ann Lebouthillier (New Brunswick, Canada) Custom-fit Socks: Sized for every foot in the family

🌟Ann Shayne and Kay Gardiner (Nashville, Tennessee, USA – back for an encore!) Log Cabin Knitting: Creative techniques for timeless projects

🌟Norah Gaughan (Hancock, New Hampshire, USA) Drawing with cables: Mastering design, texture, and creativity

🌟Pope Vergara (Santiago, Chile) Intarsia with beads: Exploring color and texture

And introducing your 5 Crochet Stars:

🌟Cecilia Losada (Barcelona, Spain) Mosaic crochet: Blending color, texture, and tradition

🌟Dominique Calvillo (Los Angeles, California, USA) Crochet couture: Crafting a supportive corset top

🌟London Kaye (Los Angeles, California, USA) Yarn bombing: Transforming spaces with creativity and color

🌟Natalie Thomas (Detroit, Michigan, USA) Tunisian Crochet Unlocked: From Foundations to Finishing

🌟Samantha Brunson (New Jersey, USA) Beading on crochet: Techniques that POP!

It would mean the world to me if you choose to join us on this epic adventure of learning, growth and connection.

You can join at Earlybird savings (and get the full Earlybird experience, including behind-the-scenes updates and first dibs on the special yarns, kits and bags) by clicking here.

xoxo,

 

Filipa Carniero’s purl inlay project for Season 10.

I apologize in advance that this week’s Project Watch is a little bit of a tease. But I can’t resist showing you the projects-in-progress by our amazing Season 10 Stars!

Cecilia Losada’s mosaic project for Season 10.

So while these projects may not be available yet, per se…you are among the first to see these fantastic creations being birthed into the world. 💗

Pope Vergara’s beaded instarsia project for Season 10.

When Season 10 rolls out later this fall, you’ll get all the brand-new patterns included in your student portal as a mega-bonus. And if you choose to order any of the special yarns, kits and bags, you can plan to make along with your fellow Season 10 students all around the globe!

To enroll in Season 10 as an Earlybird, with all the associated benefits, click here.

Natalie Thomas’ Tunisian crochet project for Season 10.

Samantha Brunson’s beaded crochet bag project for Season 10.

 Julie Ann Lebouthillier’s sock project for Season 10.

Norah Gaughan’s cable sweater project for Season 10.

While grappling with jet lag, I’ve been favoring very easy and comforting meals. This dish is stunningly simple, can be ready in 20 minutes, and yet tastes like it took hours to make. I think the secret is infusing the shallots and garlic with cinnamon and red pepper – they are like little flavor bombs scattered amongst the shrimp and green beans. We didn’t even make the rice – just served it alongside a simple salad. Give it a try!

Chile-Crisp Shrimp and Green Beans
By Ali Slagle, New York Times Cooking

Ingredients:

  • 1tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • ¾teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 6tablespoons canola oil
  • 1large shallot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced through the root
  • 4garlic cloves, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 1cinnamon stick
  • 10ounces green beans or asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ¼cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Instructions:

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, sugar, red-pepper flakes and cumin. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Set aside while you fry the shallots and garlic.
  2. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a heat-proof bowl next to the stove. In a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet, heat the canola oil, shallot, garlic and cinnamon stick over medium-high. When the mixture starts to bubble, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the shallots, until golden brown, 5 to 9 minutes. (Lower the heat if the shallots are browning too quickly.) Drain through the sieve, catching the oil in the bowl below. Discard the cinnamon, season the fried shallots and garlic with salt, and set aside.
  3. Return the oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high. Add the green beans, season with salt and cook until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Push the green beans to one side, then add the shrimp and the marinade, along with the peanuts (if using), and cook until the shrimp is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Stir the green beans and shrimp to combine, then sprinkle with the fried shallots and garlic. Serve immediately, over rice or noodles, or in lettuce cups, if desired.

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