Knit Stars | October 8, 2023
đ§¶The pattern Beth makes on repeat
BY SHELLEY BRANDER
Apparently you Yarnies are into trivia! đ
Last weekâs Knit Stars Trivia was such a hit, weâre doing it againâŠthis time with questions about our upcoming Masterclass Season 8 Premiere.
This weekâs winner will receive an updated âNice Ice Babyâ package of Season 8 exclusive yarns, kits and extrasâŠincluding this new, commemorative Koigu Pencil Box to make my âRising Scarfâ pattern.
To enter, follow these simple steps:
STEP 1: Hit reply to this email
STEP 2: In your reply email, change the subject line to: QUIZ
STEP 3: In your reply email, fill in your answers to the following 10 trivia questions, below. The winner with 100% correct answer will be randomly chosen after 24 hours and will win a Nice Ice Baby package.
Note: Everyone who replies with QUIZ as the subject line will receive a coupon code for 10% off the special yarns + kits offered in the upcoming Season 8 Wave 2 sale. (Must be enrolled in Season 8 to shop Wave 2). Weâll announce the winner and send out the coupon codes within 24 hours.
Question #1: Which Season 8 Star teaches a traditional Icelandic technique and took us by surprise with her strong, sexy hobby?
Your answer:Â
Question #2: Which Season 8 Star calls slip stitches NEAFs (youâll find out why in Season 8âŠ)
Your answer:
Question #3 Which Season 8 prodigy is the youngest Knit Star ever?
Your answer:
Question #4 Which Season 8 Star teaches you how to really fit garments to your body, while she encourages you to âknit tipsy, but frog sober?â
Your answer:
Question #5 Which Season 8 Star, who designed both a knit and crochet sweater for her workshop, was âsecretlyâ expecting her first baby while filming her workshop?
Your answer:
Question #6 Which Season 8 Star inspires you to design using only rectangles?
Your answer:
Question #7 Which Season 8 Star is using stainless steel âyarnâ in her three-dimensional design thatâs exclusive to her workshop?
Your answer:
Question #8 Which Season 8 Star says if youâre knitting, you ARE doing it right! Thereâs no âwrong way.â
Question #9 Which Season 8 Star went from working for the post office to worldwide yarn dyeing sensation?
Question #10 Which Season 8 Star developed the Assigned Pooling method, and is both a dyer and a designer?
Good luck and thanks for playing along!
xoxo,
P.S. Make sure youâre enrolled in Season 8 to get an invite to shop the special yarns + Joji bags! The yarns and bags go on sale this Thursday, October 12 at 11 AM Central and we expect several items to sell out within hours. Go here to grab your seat to Season 8 now
With our new Season 8 Masterclass Premiere getting closer and closer, week, I wanted to give you a sneak peek into a special Masterclass featuring one of Knit Starâs very own team members, Beth Gorishek. Sheâs usually working behind the scenes as Knit Starâs Relationships Manager, and weâre beyond excited to feature her as one of our Season 8 Stars.
Bethâs Masterclass on Adaptive Knitting is the class you might not think you need⊠until you do. (I wish I could have had Bethâs Masterclass when I had to adapt my knitting style after a hand injury left me in a splint for several months.)
For Beth, growing up in the 70s and 80s, it wasnât âpoliteâ to talk about differences, let alone a disability. Back then, the term âlimb differenceâ wasnât in her vocabulary. That didnât stop her from being an outspoken advocate for herself by giving talks about her disability to church groups and her schoolmates to help foster acceptance and understanding.
“I fully embrace that I don’t knit the way that other people knit. But I still knit and it looks like the same sweater that you create,â says Beth.
Everything changed for Beth in 2019 at Stitches West. Up until that point, she hadnât met anyone with the same condition as she has. She was in her booth selling yarn, and a woman came up to her and said, âHey, AMC buddy! Howâs it going?â Beth didnât know what AMC was.
âShe had two arms that looked like mine. We talked for an hour over coffee and I saw so many similarities.â After that, Beth went home and researched her medical records to find out more about her diagnosis.
Since then Beth has been on a discovery journey that has led her to not only understand her diagnosis (Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita), but to change her relationship to the disability community.
âEven until 2020, I thought of the word disability as a negative. If someone had asked me, âAre you disabled?â I would have said absolutely not. I can do everything that you can do.â
Over the last few years, Beth has shifted her view to see the term disability in a new light, one that is a badge of pride. Sheâs found community in organizations like The Lucky Fin Project and Knit For a Unique Fit (anyone can join this group to create mittens for limb different kids and adults in need).
You can follow Beth on Instagram @adaptiveknitter, and she has a brand-new website where she even offers private 1:1 to help others adapt: https://www.adaptiveknitter.
Weâre so excited for Bethâs Knit Stars Season 8 Masterclass on Adaptive Knitting, where sheâll be sharing how to knit no matter whether youâre facing an obstacle, or just need to hear that if youâre making stuff, you ARE doing it right! đ
In honor of Bethâs all-time favorite pattern called Bandito (âItâs my go-to when I need to relax and just enjoy the yarn – Iâve made three and have a fourth on the needles!â she says)…
We present Fairy Godmotherâs Evolution cake in your choice of âBeth By Dayâ or âBeth By Night.â
These showstopping cakes include 360 yards of DK weight 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere and 10% Nylon. Youâll need size US 10 needles to make your own Bandito (pattern by Anne Campbell is on Ravelry). The best part? Only two ends to weave in – the cast on and the bind off!
Pre-order your custom cake for $77 here. Your yarn will be dyed to order and shipped directly from Fairy Godmother in approximately 6 weeks.
We know many of you will be at Rhinebeck this year and we want to be able to see you! Iâll be there on the Hill with GG, Louis and Sunnie at 11 AM on Sunday, October 15th handing out some fun goodies and just saying âhi!â We would LOVE if you wore one of your Knit Stars Masterclass projects (socks, hats, sweaters, cowls, shawls, we love âem all!)
Dinner, Uncomplicated by Claire TanseyIngredients
FOR THE STEAK
- 1 (1 1/2-to 2-inch-thick) strip steak (about 1 lb | 454 g)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon store-bought or homemade pesto
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (4 oz) baby arugula
- One (2 inch) chunk of Parmesan (2 oz | 57 g)
PREPARE THE STEAK
- Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt.
- Place a heavy, preferably cast iron, skillet over high heat until very hot. Place the steak in the dry skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Flip the steak and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook to your preferred doneness, about 5 minutes for medium-rare or 8 minutes for medium well.
- Transfer the steak to a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes.
- While the steak rests, in a small jar with a lid or a small bowl with a whisk, combine the oil, lemon juice, pesto, Dijon, and salt and shake or whisk well.
- Divvy the arugula among 2 or 3 plates.
- Thinly slice the steak and arrange it atop the arugula. Using a vegetable peeler or knife, shave the Parmesan over the steak and arugula. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.