Does it feel like there’s a stumbling block in your way right now?

If you’re like most of us, there’s at least one…

So maybe this will be helpful to you.

These past few weeks, my good friend and yoga teacher, Tina, was in Germany visiting her mom, so I decided to try out a different yoga studio. It took me a few days to get up the guts (even though I’ve lived in Florida almost three years, I’m still kinda getting my bearings, and trying new things can feel intimidating).

But then I “stumbled” into Shannon’s yoga class at Studio 30A. What a gem.

She starts out each session with “You belong here” (exactly what I needed to hear in my intimidated state), then shares a short story during the warmup, and even hands out affirmation cards at the end of class (pictured above and below).

The other day during one of these warm-up stories, Shannon shared an idea I’d never heard before.

What if those “stumbling blocks” were really just stepping stones?

The difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone might be lifting up your foot just one inch higher.

With Ingrid, the first Loops team member, in 2005.

And this got me thinking back when I opened that first Loops yarn store, almost twenty years ago.

What felt like a stumbling block back then? Pretty much everything.

I had no retail training or experience.

I had a branding business with my husband/partner that still took 40 hours a week (or more).

I had three kids under 5 (two with special needs).

Gina helping me get a trunk show ready at Loops/Utica.

My 3 kids around the time the first store opened.

But I was driven by something deep inside…a desire to build a more welcoming fiber community. To create something my kids might one day be a part of.

It worked for a while…then I hit more stumbling blocks. Two stores, too many bills, too seasonal.

So I lifted up my foot just a little bit more…used my savings to buy an online course…and came up with an idea: My first membership.

Actual footage of that first membership idea forming!

The kids recreating our annual car trip to the beach, about 10 years apart.

Then came more stumbling blocks…like I was really struggling to design a new club pattern every month while running a yarn shop while running a branding agency while raising 3 kids.

“Cloudy with a Chance of Bling,” the first LoopsClub pattern I designed

“Sandestin,” one of the earliest Club patterns I designed, modeled by Mallory’s friend Kate, at the beach (the same one where I live now!)

And so 10 years later, I picked my foot up another inch and started Knit Stars Masterclasses.

That one turned out to be a pretty huge stepping stone.

Me with Stephen West, one of the Stars of Knit Stars Season 1. I’m wearing my design called “Pippi Cowl,” one of the earliest LoopsClub designs.

I’m sharing all this with you today because whatever you’re struggling with right now…

Whether it’s something yarnie, like brioche or colorwork, or getting your sweaters to fit…

Or something more life-y, like relationships or health or the uncertainty of the world…

What looks like a stumbling block now, might just be a stepping stone in disguise.

xoxo,

P.S. It was my birthday yesterday and to celebrate, I’d like to offer you a coupon code for 50% off any pattern here in our Ravelry store – including all of the patterns shown in this newsletter, plus a few dozen more! Just use coupon code STAR. Read on for more about the patterns…

Wearing my “Rising Scarf” design, a free pattern here.

To help you decide how to use my Ravelry birthday coupon code STAR, I’m highlighting a few of the most popular patterns from over the years at Loops + Knit Stars.

Shown above is “50 Shades of Linen,” my oversized and somewhat “cropped-look” top that’s perfect for a drapey fiber like linen.

Next up is “Tumble Cardi” by Gina Hills, one of the OG Loops team members. We recently updated this pattern to be more size-inclusive and it’s a winner!

My “Vinyarnsa” pattern is still one I reach for on the days when there’s a chill on the beach. It was inspired by a Lululemon scarf called “Vinyasa” which could be buttoned or unbuttoned to create different looks. It’s a really great use of scrap-fingering weight yarns!

Gombaleves (Creamy Mushroom Soup)
By Kay Chun for New York Times Cooking

Y’all, I finally found it!

I have been craving this mushroom soup for more than 30 years.

Before Knit Stars, I had only been to Europe once, after college graduation with my mom. After a long day of travel to Lucerne, Switzerland, we checked into our tiny, cozy hotel room (so tempted by that big fluffy featherbed) and drug ourselves downstairs for dinner in the even-tinier hotel restaurant. It was just a couple of tables…

And to this day, I can still taste the amazing mushroom soup they served. It was so far from the thick white gloppy stuff you get in most places. It had a deep, rich brown tone and flecks of spices that I’ve never been quite able to put my finger on or replicate.

Until now.

This soup is IT! And it’s so easy! The “secret” spices are paprika and dill. I’m not even much of a dill fan and almost skipped it, but it truly makes this dish. Make it tonight – you won’t be sorry!

Ingredients:

•  4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound white button or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow or white onion
• Salt and pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika (I used regular paprika)
• 2 teaspoons dried dill
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken, mushroom or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
•  3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• ¼ cup sour cream, plus more for serving (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• Optional: Crusty bread, for serving

Instructions:

1. In a large Dutch oven or pot, melt butter over medium. Add mushrooms and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and all of the liquid has been absorbed, 10 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly caramelized, 5 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic, paprika, dill, and thyme until well blended, then add broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring to lift up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, to allow flavors to meld, 10 minutes.
3. Place flour in a small bowl; whisk in milk until smooth. Add milk mixture to the pot (reserving the bowl) and cook, stirring occasionally, until soup has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
4. While the soup thickens, place sour cream in the small bowl and whisk in ¼ cup of the soup, 1 tablespoon at a time, until well blended. (Tempering the sour cream will prevent it from curdling when added to the hot soup.) Add sour cream mixture and lemon juice to the pot and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Divide soup among bowls and top with parsley and a dollop of sour cream, if desired. Serve warm, with crusty bread on the side. (The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply thaw then warm in a saucepan over low heat, whisking, until warm.)