Today’s the day! Knit Stars Season 10 premieres today, starting with Cecilia Losada’s masterclass. 🎉🎉🎉

It’s wild to think of all of the collective work, all of the rolls of film, all of those Delta miles and all of the stitches that went into the making of this mega Season. It feels so amazing, knowing how much this Season is about to enrich the lives of makers around the world.

And while our editing team has been busy finalizing the workshop details, what else have I been doing?

I’ve been resting. Getting my emotional and physical health and strength back to tip-top. Yoga, cooking, walking, knitting, calling my kids and connecting with friends.

And…I have been doing a lot of dreaming about the next decade of Knit Stars. ✨

When Season 1 debuted 10 years ago, there was nothing like Knit Stars…and there still isn’t! We try to uplevel a little bit every year, and last year we did it in a big way with 15 masterclasses including 5 crochet stars.

Heading into our next Season, I knew deep down I didn’t want to “just do Season 11.” I wanted to evolve by somehow adding another layer of depth, to support makers in an even more meaningful and transformative way.

The spark began to ignite when I was filming in Santiago with Season 10 Star Pope Vergara. As I listened to her describe how her brain works and her creative process, I thought to myself, “WHOA. I’m sitting in the presence of creative genius.”

So I started thinking back on the 100+ Stars we’ve filmed with over the past ten years, and I started to see some patterns emerging.

It seems that when certain things line up just right – the right place, the right circumstances, the right mindset…the stage is set for true innovation to happen.

Magic.

So this is what I’m planning for the next Season of Knit Stars. I’m calling it ✨Your Season of Genius✨.

As always, we will fly around the world to a diverse and carefully curated group of Stars who are doing wildly creative things in our space. We will produce a masterclass with each of them that includes our signature cinematic storytelling and technique, all with our elevated feature-film quality.

And for the first time, we will also dive deeply into each Star’s creative process, unpacking how they get into creative flow, how they overcome creative blocks, and exactly how they go from the proverbial “blank canvas” to a finished masterpiece.

Your Season of Genius will include a digital journal so you can chart your own progress as you explore each masterclass’s theme, and deepen your own creative alignment.

And for the first time, each Star’s technique teachings will be woven together into one single, masterpiece project that you light with your own creative spark.

More than a compilation of masterclasses…my vision for next year’s Season is a transformative experience that fills your creative well for years to come.

I truly believe creative genius lives inside all of us, and can’t wait to help you nurture your own.

More to come in a few weeks. Meanwhile…cheers to the debut of Season 10!

xoxo,

This week’s scroll-stopper is the Lucent Sweater by Season 8 Star Alexandra Tavel (@twoofwands).

The Lucent Sweater stopped me in my Instagram tracks – it’s such a great blend of texture, shape and wearable ease.

Designed with a clever mix of stitches, Lucent has a richly textured center panel and dramatic bell sleeves, balanced by subtle cables and smooth stockinette panels throughout. Alexi says it’s the perfect intro to cabling for new knitters—simple enough to build confidence, yet visually impressive once worked up.

And even better…Lucent is part of a new collab between Alexi and one of her yarn besties, Toni Lipsey (@tlyarncrafts)!

Both designs are free on each designer’s site, and there are tutorials plus a makealong to support you through the process.

And both designs are made with “Apricity” yarn, an alpaca/polyamide/wool blend. While it’s categorized as a super bulky thanks to the lofty tubular construction, it’s as light as air.

And if you like your apple cider warm and your fall days crisp, Toni says, her new “Glimmer Poncho” is for you. Cropped and striped with sweeping open sleeves, you’ll sport this trendy top from downtown coffee hangouts to starlit date nights, turning cozy comfort into an autumn statement.

Find Toni’s Glimmer Poncho pattern on her site, here.

If you, like me, can’t get enough of the Two of Wands aesthetic, make sure you add Alexandra Tavel’s Knit Stars Masterclass from Knit Stars Season 8, The Duality of Knit and Crochet, to your Knit Stars library.

In it, Alexi shares supercute, simple designs for an exclusive knit sweater and crochet sweater. Even better, she helps you truly wrap your arms around the differences between the craft, and empowers you to select the right craft for the right moment. Whichever craft is newer to you, she’ll empower you to embrace it!

Alexi’s Knit Stars Single is on sale this week for just $47 (regularly $97). Add it to your library here and watch it anytime.

Photo credit: New York Times Cooking

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake With Coffee Frosting

Last week I shared a pretty complicated cake recipe, so this week I felt like a simple little “snack” cake would be fun. Now, I’m not one of those “pumpkin spice latte” obsessed folks, but I am a little coffee obsessed, so this recipe from New York Times Cooking was calling to me. I’m planning to make it up this weekend and split it up among a couple of friends who’ve had a wild week. Nothing like a homemade cake to make the transition into the weekend a little more cozy!

Ingredients:

For the Cake

• ½ cup/120 milliliters coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing
• 1(15-ounce) can pumpkin purée
• ⅔ cup/146 grams packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1½c ups/192 grams all-purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¾ teaspoon fine pink Himalayan salt or fine sea salt

For the frosting

• ½ cup/1 stick salted butter, at room temperature
• 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1½ cups/185 grams confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

 Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on two opposite sides. Grease the parchment with coconut oil.
2. Make the cake: In a stand mixer, beat together the pumpkin, brown sugar, melted coconut oil, eggs and vanilla on low until combined, about 1 minute. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and salt. Mix on low speed until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake until the center is just set, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully use the parchment paper overhang to remove the cake from the pan and place it on a cooling rack. Let cool for about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese until combined, 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, espresso powder and vanilla; beat until the frosting is fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes more.
5. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Slice, snack and enjoy! Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.