Things are wildly busy here at SpaceCadet because, in just two weeks, we are headed to TNNA, the knitting industry’s tradeshow. It’s a super-exciting weekend and the best part is the opportunity to meet with LYSOs (local yarn shop owners) from all over the country to show them our yarns and kits — so that you can have local places to see (and smoosh and buy) SpaceCadet yarns in person!
It’s true that local yarn shops are the backbone of this industry that we all love so much. They’re an amazing resource to knitters and crocheters, offering classes and instruction, guiding customers to the right yarns for their projects, putting on retreats and bringing in top teachers from far and wide, and encouraging creativity and innovation in all of us. The internet and big-box stores are no substitute for LYSs, and we’d love to see SpaceCadet yarn in more of them!
look at the great SpaceCadet kits your LYS could be carrying!
So would you help me with this please? We’ve gotten our very best shops through customer introductions so, if there’s a great LYS near you that you’d like to see carry our yarn, please let me know about it! I’d love to reach out and introduce SpaceCadet. And the next time your in your LYS, please ask them to carry SpaceCadet. Yarn shops really do listen when their customers tell them what they like.
And if you’re an LYSO or yarn shop employee yourself, please click here and give us your details. We’ll be in touch soon!
Ok but, before I get busy with TNNA prep (more TNNA prep!), it’s time for our regular wander through the fiber world. I’ve got a cup of tea today, you go grab something to drink, and let’s take five minutes to start the day off right: with the latest news from the yarn-world…
This made me giggle: poor, lonely, little No Stitch!
Soooooo… you’ve got a huge stash? Not sure how you’ll work through it? Maybe the images in this article will give you inspiration — it explores the work of two Polish artists who use yarn to create massive 3D sculptures that are at once beautiful and mesmerising.
Several readers shared this fascinating article with me, about a physicist who is exploring “the mathematics and mechanics of ‘the ancient technology known as knitting’.” Personally, I just loved thinking of knitting as technology, which of course it is. And patterns (especially the pre-internet everything-printed-on-one-page patterns) are a masterful use of code.
Speaking of physics, I think I could watch this video all. day. long. And every time I see it, I wonder if there’s a scientist-designer who could turn those those pendulum rhythms into a cable pattern…? It could be super-cool, don’t you think?!?
Luckdragon Shawl by verybusymonkey
It’s rare that I think cabling really works on a shawl, but this lovely design is absolutely one of those times! There’s so much texture in every panel that I know I’d never get board and the results look admirably complex without being crazy making. Designed in fingering, I think this is an excellent option for using up your SpaceCadet Mini-Skeins.
Pick your side by Agata A. Piasecka
The the thing that made this amazing brioche dress jump out at me is the way one side of the dress is a perfect negative of the other and so it can be worn either way (click through to see it reversed). I love that it’s seamless — and I adore the leaf detailing on the sleeves. If you’re an experienced knitter looking for a challenge that gives an amazing result, I think this design may be it!
Parallelism by Kyle Vey
As much as this image made this shawl jump out at me, the really intriguing thing about this design is something you can’t quite see here: the subtle texture of the stitches (click through to see more detailed images). Slipped stitches work into a subtle mosaic pattern, and crossed stitches create the stripes that run the length of the piece. Using two skeins of contrasting yarn, its specially designed for a gradient shift, so this is another great candidate for your Mini-Skein Club stash. So grab a bundle of your minis and a nice contrasting semi-solid and cast on!
images © the respective designers, used with permission
Ok, the whole team is having a meeting today to go over TNNA prep, so I’d better get going. It’s such a perfect temperature today that… hmmmm… maybe we’ll have the meeting outside. I hope you have a great day planned (and maybe the chance to get outside today too?). And until next time, all my best!