Hello from Nacogdoches, Texas, a.k.a. “Nac!” 🤠

Yes, you read that right.

After several idyllic months working from paradise in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, Hot Luke’s work has brought us to East Texas for a spell. It might be a week…or it might turn into a month or two…or longer.

We got word of this move only a few days ago, and drove 10 hours in the rain yesterday. I was hoping to make huge progress on my current project (shhh it’s for an upcoming Yarniverse kit!) but with the intensity of the driving rain and the semi-trailers being blown all over the highway, I only managed to knit a few inches.

By the time we made it into Nacogdoches, there weren’t many places open on a Monday night, but we stumbled onto a great little college sports bar. Since we had driven straight through without a meal, my burger and sweet potato fries were heaven!

A sign in the bar summed up how I was feeling at that moment…

What doesn’t kill us makes us drink stronger, the sign read.

After a glass of cab, I was more than ready to crash at the Airbnb Luke had found after a day of frantic last-minute searching.

We pulled up to our new “home away from home” in the dark and fumbled our way through, turning on the lights.

Right away, I could feel the tension in my shoulders begin to release. The universe kept winking at me.
On the fridge was a nod to our upcoming Season 9 Masterclass theme: Permission to Shine.

This quirky little home is clearly well cared for, with a kitchen that’s perfectly stocked for Luke and I to try out new recipes.

The owners are obviously tennis players…with a court right next door…and luckily I brought my racquets. I used to play daily and competitively, but mysteriously lost the desire to play since I moved away from Tulsa. Maybe it’s time to pick it back up.

When the sun came up this morning, I discovered there are even a couple of nods to Florida around the house.

Lately I’ve become really interested in the idea of frogging…not just in knitting, but as a metaphor for life.

Ripping back, then starting over can be so hard. And at the same time, sometimes it is what must happen for us to move forward. To look, clear-eyed, at what may no longer serve you. To pick up a new skein, cast on, and begin again…tumbling perhaps headlong, but happier, into the future.

So from my happy little temporary corner of the world to yours, thank you for being on the journey with me. I hope that whatever you might be making – or frogging – right now, it brings you growth and joy.

xoxo,

January is such a good time to take a fresh look at your stash.

Pull it all out…reorganize by fiber, weight or color…purge and donate. And then the real magic begins…set aside some special skeins and do something amazing with them!

Need some inspiration to make it happen? Good news… we’ve just released Beata Jezek’s Knit Stars workshop from Season 2 as a single, standalone workshop.

If you already own Season 2, it’s a great time to revisit Beata’s workshop in your portal. But if not, here’s your chance to purchase it at the introductory price of just $47.

Here’s how Beata’s workshop will build your color confidence and help you look at your collection with fresh eyes:

• Travel virtually to Cork, Ireland for an insider’s view inside Beata’s world and the Hedgehog Fibres studio
• Learn to build unexpected color palettes with 2, 3, 4 or more colors
• Broaden your perspective on speckles, neutrals, pops and variegates
• Get inspired by Beata’s fiber-based, capsule wardrobe
• Learn how to use a color wheel, wash your knits to avoid bleeding and how to re-skein your yarn
• Use Beata’s “Flying Fringe” bonus scarf pattern as a recipe to turn your stash into a color explosion, compliment-magnet shawl!

We plan to release a limited number of single workshops from past Seasons in 2024. The regular price will be $97 but when we first release them, the introductory price will be $47. Build your learning library along with us – and please share your progress by tagging us on Instagram or Facebook @knitstars!

Get Beata’s workshop at the introductory sale price, here.

What’s in the Yarniverse box for the first quarter of 2024?

Well if you look hard enough, there *might* be a hint in the photos of this newsletter… 😉

If you miss the old LoopsClub blue bags, you really should consider jumping into our new Yarniverse membership and adding the quarterly kits! Each one has an exclusive yarn created just for us, a Star-designed original pattern, a surprise (or sometimes two!) and it all comes with a big, beautiful printed “yarn story” in a sturdy, reusable Yarniverse box.

To join the Yarniverse at $47 a month and get access to our fresh weekly content, library of 50+ masterclasses in personalized learning tracks, and ultra-positive community, click here.

Last quarter’s Yarniverse kit

BERLIN scarf by Susanne Müller on Ravelry.

Mitzi just finished the BERLIN scarf (by Susanne Müller on Ravelry) and it’s perfection.

I just love when the perfect pattern and perfect yarn come together!

The scarf is extra-large and extra-snuggly, knitted as a big stockinette “tube.” It’s suitable for beginners, with all the techniques explained in the pattern, including the provisional cast-on and unique, double-knit fringe.

You just need 3 skeins of our exclusive Loops Luxe “Ether,” a blown tube yarn that’s light as air and ultrasoft in an alpaca/merino/nylon blend.

Right now, everything on our site is 20% off. And this week, if you buy 3 or more skeins of “Ether” you can use coupon code ETHER to save an extra 20%!

Shop “Ether” on sale here.

Looking for more Ether project inspo? Find details on this Nola Slipover, made by Stephanie and modeled by Mallory, on the yarn page here.

Tuffy Stone, one of 12 pitmasters and chefs featured in BBQ Stars

For this week’s recipe section, I’m bookending your newsletter with another story…a yarn story that turned into a recipe story.

About five years ago, my mixed doubles partner was a guy named Richard who owns America’s oldest grill company.

Over celebratory drinks with our team one day, Richard asked me about Knit Stars. What is it exactly? How do you make such great filmwork? How did you build the community? Etc. etc…

And long story short, he convinced me to co-create something called BBQ Stars with him.

I was curious to try out our model in another, completely different niche. And naturally…I was excited about trying all the food!

Indeed, it was quite the culinary adventure (best steak I’d ever had…until I met Hot Luke!) and a great success, but Knit Stars was growing so quickly, I had to set it aside. I didn’t frog it, exactly…just moved on.

In case you missed it at the time, or you’re new to Knit Stars, you can still purchase BBQStars here – but just for a little while longer.

If you happen to have a grilling/smoking/foodie fan in your household…this is the ultimate “less cooking, more knitting” hack…because the dozens of recipes and techniques will keep them busy creating amazing meals for you all year! 😜

And in keeping with this week’s Texas theme…here’s a little sample recipe from BBQ Stars to whet your whistle. It’s not just about the brisket, folks!

Smoked Old Fashioned
By Matt Pittman / BBQ Stars

Ingredients 

• Firestone & Robertson TX Bourbon
• Traeger Smoked Simple Syrup
• Angostura aromatic bitters
• 1 whole orange

Method

• Prepare your smoker to a temperature of 275. I recommend pecan for this smoke.
• Smoke the orange for 30 minutes.
• Using a peeler, slice off some of the skin.
• In a glass mix 2 ounces of TX Bourbon, ½ ounce of Traeger Smoked Simple Syrup, and 2 dashes of bitters over ice. Mix gently. Squeeze the orange peel in the drink and drop in in to garnish. Enjoy!