The best gift – a photo with all 3 grown-up Brander kids! And no, I didn’t make my sweater – but I could have! 😅

‘Twas the day after Christmas,

And all through the land,

The Yarnies were finally

Resting their hands.

The knit gifts were nestled atop lucky heads.

“Hatch Hat” from Clinton Hill Cashmere, a surprise for my dear friend, Tina.

While visions of puppy treats danced in pup heads.

The stocking, ‘twas bound off at 10,000 feet

And loaded with even more pup treats to eat.

My Knit Collage stocking for Charles Barkley was finished in the nick of time. Only took me 2 quick flights to make, though. And super fun! Colorway: Foggy Bottom.

Then what to my wondering eyes did appear

But a shiny gold ticket, at a price not so dear!

So I grabbed it on sale (and the All-Star pin too)

And now I am passing the deal on to you. 😘

If you’re not yet a Knit Stars All-Star, take advantage of the holiday Golden Ticket deal to get whatever Seasons you’re missing, and become an instant All-Star at special holiday savings, now through New Year’s Eve. Includes a 10th Anniversary All-Star enamel pin. Click here to get the Golden Ticket deal. 

xoxo,

P.S. This coming week is a great time to plan your Maker’s Year for 2025. I’ve put together a printable PDF as a thank-you for your readership this past year. Download it here.

I see an awful lot of handmade sweaters in a calendar year, y’all.

But this one…this is truly something special..

I first laid my eyes of a “Djo” by Sophie Ochera when I met Lizzie at Rhinebeck. (She’s the owner of the Mermaid’s Purl yarn shop in Rhode Island). I was so taken with the design, I went straight to Ravelry and hearted it, discovering that thd design was inspired by the geometric modernist style of 1920’s textile designer Elise Djo-Bourgeois.

And then Knit Stars owner Patti posted this in our Facebook group, and the group went wild!

So I’m calling this the unofficial Best Sweater of 2024. It’s at the top of my maker’s goal list for 2025. Maybe I’ll cast one on and plan to knit on it while traveling to all 15 hometowns of our 2025 Knit and Crochet Stars. 🤗

P.S. You can join the waitlist and get notified when signups open for Knit Stars Season X: Be eXtraordinary right here.

As we wind up 2024 and look ahead to our 10th Anniversary year of Knit Stars (and 20 years in business!), I’d like to take a moment to recognize our Knit Stars All Stars. These are the folks in 50+ countries worldwide who have said “YES” to all 10 Seasons of Knit Stars – and more importantly, they’ve said YES to themselves and their creative growth. Please know you have my eternal gratitude. Let’s keep knitting and crocheting the world together. ❤️

Salmon with Anchovy-Garlic Butter

This has been the year of the anchovy for me. I’m not saying I can eat them straight out of the can or anything…but the flavor they can add to food is nothing short of a revelation. I dare you to try out this simple recipe by Melissa Clark from New York Times Cooking and just see if you don’t agree!

Ingredients:

• 3tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 4anchovy fillets, minced
• 1fat garlic clove, minced (or 2 small ones)
• ½teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4(6- to 8-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
• 2tablespoons drained capers, patted dry
• ½lemon
• Fresh chopped parsley, for serving

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mash together butter, anchovies, garlic, salt and pepper.
2. In a large ovenproof skillet, melt about half the anchovy butter. Add fish, skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes over high heat to brown the skin, spooning some pan drippings over the top of the fish as it cooks. Add capers to bottom of pan and transfer to oven. Roast until fish is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Remove pan from oven and add remaining anchovy butter to pan to melt. Place salmon on plates and spoon buttery pan sauce over the top. Squeeze the lemon half over the salmon and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve.