How is your summer going? Are you making much progress on your WIPs?

If you wish you were making more progress, try flying to film 15 masterclasses all around the world in a few months. You’ll get a ton of plane knitting done! 😅😅😅

This past week was D+D week…Detroit and Des Moines. At the Detroit airport, I met up with Brad, who has developed a great travel hack for Season 10…he checks a travel cart along with all his gear, then loads it up, and off we go!

Our first shoot was with Natalie Thomas of Detroit Knots. It was even more fun because Beth drove over from her hometown of Lansing, Michigan, to join in the filming fun! 💕

Natalie is an expert in Tunisian crochet, a technique I’ve always been fascinated with, but hesitant to take on another craft. Now that I’ve seen it in action…I am ALL IN.

During the interview for the lifestyle segment, I asked Natalie what she says to people who balk at learning a new craft due to their existing knit/crochet queues. Her answer had Brad, Beth and I all going “mic drop!” 🎤

“I just design things so dope that they can’t resist making them,” Natalie said.

And she’s right! Just look at the gorgeous texture that Tunisian crochet creates in Natalie’s expert hands.

When I first saw the colors that Essence of Autumn dyed for Natalie’s Knit Stars kits, I had trouble picturing what they would look like together in the final project. But seeing it come together in person…wow! The contrast of warm and cool colors is so eye-catching.

Natalie’s most popular project on Ravelry to date is “Luna Fade.”

“Do you have a piece that makes you feel like a superhero?” she writes in the pattern description. “That’s what Luna does for me. She’s the place where color and texture collide, and make you feel beautiful. We all deserve to feel this way so I’m sharing her with you.”

“I am on a mission to bring the love of Tunisian crochet to every maker I meet. The motion and stitches are meditative and bring me peace. Now it’s your turn.”

If you can’t wait for Natalie’s masterclass to debut this fall with Season 10, you can dive in right away on Ravelry or her website, DetroitKnots.com. All of her patterns come with a video tutorial link!

For her workshop filming, Natalie wore her “Tunisian Desert Top” design.

Oh and P.S., Natalie is a sewist too. Look at this one-of-a-kind bag she gifted me with, sewn from a hand-dyed sock blank. I love it so much! And a little birdie told me, she might make some more for pre-order during Season 10. Fingers crossed!

xoxo,

Are you somebody who loves the idea of making sweaters, but dreads investing in all that yarn, only to end up with a sweater you never wear?

We’ve all been there! 🙋‍♀️🙋🏽‍♂️

That’s why we put together this new Knit Stars Sweater Bundle. It’s a curated collection of Knit Stars cinematic masterclasses from 5 brilliant masters of the craft – two of whom no longer teach, because they’ve moved on to success in other industries.

None of these 5 masterclasses can be found anywhere else – and all of them are full of invaluable tips that will help you achieve true sweater success, every time.

The new Sweater Bundle is available for a limited time at an introductory price of just $147 here, and includes:

• Julie Weisenberger: English Tailoring – Starting with an approachable baby-size “practice” cardi, learn the Cocoknits sweater tailoring methods to elevate fit, form, and function.
• Amy Herzog: Successful Sweaters for All Shapes – The original inventor of the innovative Custom Fit platform, Amy has a unique way of empowering you to make sweaters you’ll actually wear. Dive deep into topics like bust darts, waist shaping, and how to create a knitted fabric that lasts.
• Åsa Söderman: Top Down Sweaters with the Ziggurat Method – Åsa’s groundbreaking seamless sweater method will free you from weaving in all those pesky ends. But even better, her saucy style and practical tips will demystify the process and empower you.
• Michele Wang: Finishing, Blocking + Grafting – Drawing on her ready-to-wear design background, Michele gives you her own unique hacks for adding luxe touches to your everyday pieces.
• Alexandra Tavel: The Duality of Knit and Crochet – Understand what works best with each technique, and make two modern, cozy sweaters, “Holloway” and “Hawthorne,” in a single masterclass.

The Bundle comes with 10 bonus versatile, customizable patterns and handouts. Get yours today and start making sweaters you’ll reach for again and again.

In between takes at Natalie’s masterclass filming, I started perusing her Ravelry library, curious to explore all of her designs.

This “Flirtee” top grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let go! I love the soft, fluttery effect she achieved with traditional (not Tunisian) crochet. These flutter sleeves are so on-trend and flattering. And her pattern calls for an affordable, soft yarn from Lion Brand.

The other design that really stopped me in my tracks was Natalie’s “Flipdana.”

It’s a reversible, textural cowl in Tunisian Crochet, where the opposite side peeks from the bottom when you wear it. Supercute! You can find Flipdana on Ravelry here.

Pepper Steak and Rice (Serves 4)

We asked Natalie her favorite recipe, and she said this has always been her favorite family recipe. Like most of her recipes, there is no photo…but trust the process and you won’t be sorry!

Ingredients:  

• 2 cups white rice
• 4 cups water
• 1lb lean round steak (cut into strips)
• 1 medium green bell pepper (cut into strips)
• 1 medium red bell pepper (cut into strips)
• 1 medium onion or 1 tbs of onion powder
• 1 tbs garlic powder
• 2 cups beef broth
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbs vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Bring water and rice to a boil, turn the heat down to low, and let them cook fully.
2. Season the steak with half of the seasonings.
3. In a skillet, add seasoned steak and cook to just under the desired wellness. Set aside to add later.
4. Combine oil and flour into a slurry.
5. On medium heat add slurry to the skillet.
6. Slowly add beef broth and bring it to a simmer.
7. Add soy sauce and the rest of the seasonings, stir and let thicken. (add seasonings to your taste)
8. Once gravy has thickened, add peppers, onions and steak.
9. Let simmer until the pepper and onions are softened.
10. Serve over rice.