By now, you might have heard that 8 knitting superstars will be attending the Grand Opening of our Knit Stars Flagship Store, Oct. 1-2 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

(We’d love for you to come too, and join us in the celebration! You can get more details and RSVP right here).

But I bet you’re also wondering about…THE YARN.

As you can imagine, in a 6,000+ square-foot space, we can pack in quite a bit of curated luxury fibers, tools and project inspo.

(I mean, just think of how much stash you can hide under your bed! 🤪)

What you don’t know is, we’ve been working all year behind the scenes with some of our favorite artisans who are creating very special yarns, colors, kits, notions and bags just for the Grand Opening…

So this week I’d like to share a few sneak peeks of some hand-dyers whose very special custom work will be on proud display in our new store.

Spincycle – custom color!

For years, we’ve dreamed of a custom colorway in our favorite slow-color-change yarn. The folks at Spincycle have outdone themselves with our new colorway, “Starstruck” – debuting at the Grand Opening in both Dyed in the Wool (sport) and Dream State (worsted). I’m working on a very special version of “The Shift” by Andrea Mowry – will hopefully be wearing it the day we open 💁‍♀️

Moondrake Co. – custom colors and kits!

It’s time to reveal the not one, but TWO “mystery guests” who will be coming to the Grand Opening, along with 8 other Knit Stars! Rachelle Dickey of Moondrake Co., a fellow Oklahoma-based hand-dyer, will be on-hand in person, to sign your favorite skeins 🖋. And she’s outdone herself with a collection we’re calling “The Moon to my Stars.” Look for very special fade kits along with coordinating Suri Alpaca.

“I was so thrilled when Shelley asked me to dye some custom colorways for the Knit Stars Grand Opening,” Rachelle said. “I had a lot of fun creating some fade sets with Knit Stars’ new color palette. I can imagine all the knitting I can do with the soft and gentle colors. So excited for their debut!”

Twisted Ambitions Yarn – fun fade sets!

Another local dyer, Ross Taylor, knows how to have fun with his fiber! He’s created a whole collection of fades and coordinating colors, plus he’s revealed a secret…he’s an amazing designer, too! Look for his debut hat design at the Grand Opening, where Ross will also be in attendance!

“Dyeing custom colors for the new Knit Stars store was super exciting!!!” Ross wrote. “I had a ton of fun creating the soft subtle colors as well as some closer to home colors that pop against those neutrals. I LOVE working with color so much, any chance I get to create new colorways is always a special moment! P.S. I can’t wait!!! 😜”

Mitchell’s Fiber Arts – New colors!

We’re so excited to continue our partnership with Terra Mitchell, whose saturated hand-dyes and luxury blends continue to make us swoon. Look for a whole wall of Terra’s creations in our new space. (She’s unable to attend the opening but hopes to Zoom in!)

Terra said, “Dyeing custom colorways for the new store allowed me to learn more about Tulsa. With my new ‘Greenwood’ colorway, I dug a little into Tulsa’s history and the city’s Deco-inspired architecture, while still building upon a cohesive collection.”

This is truly just the tip of the iceberg of what you’ll discover in our new space. Get ready for a fiber experience like you’ve never seen before!

To RSVP and save your spot for the Grand Opening, click here.

Sheryl Cox is inspired by the feeling of the autumn season. To her, the joy that comes with fall is not limited to one time of year – it’s an essence to be enjoyed all year long. This reminder to savor the colors, scents, and coziness of life (whether the leaves are falling or not) inspired her to create Essence of Autumn yarn.

We collaborated with Sheryl for our September pop-up shop, and she dyed eight colors on her stunning Silky Linen DK base, including new color Pot Pourri, which was created especially for us. This base is cool to the touch and has drape like you wouldn’t believe!

Jane used this lovely draping dream to knit her Lovella shawl by Season 6 Knit Star Ambah O’Brien. With contrasting colors in garter row stripes and a delightfully simple section of eyelet, Lovella knits up quickly and  forms a substantial shawl that curves like an embrace around the shoulders.

Buy your favorite colors of Essence of Autumn Silky Linen DK here.

Knit Stars Masterclass Tip of the Week

Knit Star Francoise Danoy of Season 5 (aka “Frenchie”) began knitting while living in a remote area in Japan. She draws much of her inspiration for her designs from her Maori heritage. As she does her research for her designs, she takes the opportunity to dig deeper into her own history and connect with her mentors.

One thing she shared with our Masterclass owners is how swatching for a project can help you determine everything from choosing the right yarn and dye style to how the different stitch patterns will play together.

Learn what Francoise is looking for when she swatches by clicking here.

When it’s hot outside, we love to pull the crock pot out and keep the oven turned off. Added bonus: putting all the ingredients in one place to simmer together saves time, which equals more time to do more of what we love… stitching away! This yummy carnitas recipe from GimmeSomeOven will keep your kitchen cool and your yarn in your hands.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (4-5 pound) lean boneless pork roast, excess fat trimmed, cut into 3-inch chunks
1 cup beer (or chicken stock)
1 medium white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon chipotle powder (or 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Add all ingredients to a large slow cooker, and give the mixture a stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the pork is completely tender and shreds easily with a fork.
2. Once the pork is cooked, preheat your broiler to high heat and prepare two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Use a fork to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, and then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to the prepared baking sheets, spreading the pork in an even layer and leaving the juices behind in the slow cooker.  (Don’t discard the juices, we’re going to use them later!)
3. Place one sheet under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the edges of the pork begin browning and crisping up. Remove the sheet from the oven, then ladle about 1/4 cup of the juices from the slow cooker evenly over the pork, and then give it a good toss with some tongs.  4. Broil for an additional 5 minutes to get the meat more crispy. Then remove and ladle an additional 1/4 cup of broth over the crispy pork.
5. Repeat with the other baking sheet of pork.
6. Serve immediately in tacos, burritos, salads, or whatever sounds good to you!  This pork can also be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or frozen in a sealed container for up to 3 months.