Do you still have the first thing you ever knit?

To this day, I don’t know what happened to that pink cable sweater made with scratchy wool that I cobbled together on a road trip at the age of 16. I hope that out there somewhere, someone in a really cold place with unusually long arms is enjoying it. 🤪

In today’s clip from Knit Stars Masterclass Season 4, Diane Ivey, founder of Lady Dye Yarns, shares the woeful tale of her first scarf-turned-cape…along with the hope of her mission to improve the inclusivity of the fiber space.

All this month, we’ll be highlighting some of our favorite moments from Season 4, including such hidden gems as Portuguese Knitting with Andrea Wong, Double Knitting with Lucy Neatby, an adorable toy alpaca from Susan B. Anderson, and a knockout exclusive sweater design by Caitlin Hunter.

So settle in with this video clip and be inspired by Diane…along with some project inspiration and a great slow-cooker recipe to buy you a little more knitting time this week.

xoxo

When Diane’s workshop debuted in Season 4, we weren’t quite prepared for what came next…

A chorus of voices lifted all across the Knit Stars universe:

“What is triangle scarf pattern she’s wearing and where can we get it???”

Diane quickly supplied the answer: “Imani” by Tamy Gore! Colors, yarn and techniques dance beautifully together in “Imani,” creating an intriguing, elegant shawl that drapes beautifully due to its shaping and the yarn.

You need 3 skeins of fingering weight yarn to make your own “Imani” – and naturally, we’ve curated the perfect yarn pairing for you.

Moondrake Co’s “MCN Fingering” is dyed just for us in exclusive 3-color sets, here.

We especially love “Aries” + “Lyra” + “Virgo.” And blue lovers will adore “New Moon” + “Blue Moon” + “Full Moon.”

Shop our Moondrake MCN Fingering collection here, and find the pattern on Ravelry.

Lady Dye Yarns is known for super-saturated colors – Diane says she’s often inspired by graffiti – and this kit she dyed just for us is a great example.

The “Bubble Cowl” by Stephen West is such a fun, addictive pattern! And the finished project is a show-stopper you’ll love to pull out of your cedar closet  this winter, to add a big POP of color to your winter wardrobe.

“Bubble Cowl” is suitable for advanced beginners, and our exclusive kits are on sale this week!

Grab your Bubble Cowl kit on sale here.

Do you love the look of Lady Dye yarns, but prefer a single-color textural knit?

“Campside” by Alicia Plummer is your answer!

With just 4 skeins of Lady Dye Superwash DK, you can make this fun, popular piece your own. Plus, the yarn is on sale and the pattern is free!

Pick up the yarn on sale here, while it lasts.

Is your slow cooker hiding in the back of your kitchen cabinet, waiting ‘til fall to make a reappearance? This is your moment to pull it back out! I use my slow cooker all year-round. It buys me hours of extra knitting time. Plus, this particular recipe from Half-Baked Harvest makes a huge amount of sauce, so you can freeze part of it and pull it out later for an almost-instant, homemade meal. Note: The original recipe had a breadcrumb topper that I omitted for sake of time. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Saucy Sunday Bolognese

Ingredients:
3 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 medium yellow, onions chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 pound lean ground beef or chicken
3/4 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
kosher salt and black pepper
4 carrots, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 1/4 cups dry red wine, such as Sangiovese
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 pound rigatoni pasta

Directions:
1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, beef, sausage, oregano, basil, and season with salt and pepper. Brown all over breaking up the meat as you go, about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
2. Transfer the meat to the bowl of your slow cooker. Add the carrots, celery, tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. 
3. Remove the thyme. If the sauce is soupy, crank the heat up to high and cook, uncovered for 20-30 minutes. If the sauce needs additional liquid, add 1-2 cups water or beef broth.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain. Use the pasta water to thin the Bolognese sauce, if needed. 
5. To serve, divide the pasta among bowls and ladle the bolognese over top. Serve topped with parmesan and fresh herbs. Enjoy!