Making That Connection

01JunApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

Driving home the other week from back-to-back trunk shows, I was on an absolute high. The owner of one of the shops had said to me that she thought that trunk shows were so much fun because her customers really liked making that conection to the dyer. And as I thought about it, I knew she was right. We so often think of knitting and crochet as being about projects, being about rows, about yarn and needles and hooks and all that stuff. But there’s one thing that none of that covers, and it’s maybe more important than any of it.

It’s All About The Connection

So often, what it’s really about is connection. Yes, most days we knit in solitude — but we always make sure we can get away to knit night. And we upload our WIPs to Ravelry, and check out the projects of others who are making the same pattern or using the same yarn. And the yarn… yes, the yarn. There are miles and miles of beautiful, even, predictable commercial yarns to choose from… but so often we gravitate toward a skein of yarn that has been dyed by hand, by a real person who put as much care into the colours of that skein as we put into every stitch of our projects.

Stella fingering yarn in Plume

And as I drove home, I realised that that connection is just as important to me. In the same way that you knit or crochet for a someone special — for a friend, for your sister, for a colleague, or even for yourself — when I dye, I’m not thinking of the yarn, I’m thinking of the people who are going to use it. I can see the projects in my mind, and I know the wonderful fiber-zen that this yarn will carry. Just as you love knowing your yarn comes from a real person, so I love knowing it will be used by a real person, in a project they will love. I crave that connection too.

So imagine my excitement this week when I discovered that two of my customers (one new, one long-time) have created their own video-podcasts! It was such a delight to finally “meet” these lovely, warm, down-to-earth ladies I’ve been sending my yarns to. And I began immediately to wish we lived closer, so we could sit down and have a proper natter over a cup of tea and our knitting.

The connection is everything.

The Podcasts

This is Amanda and here’s what I love about her podcast, We Are Yarn: the way she asks for help on the stuff that’s stumping her, the lovely things she says about SpaceCadet yarns and her InterStellar Yarn Alliance parcel (at 14:24), her beautiful Tennessee accent, and the cat with the swishy-swishy tail on her couch.

And this is Melissa in her Single-Handed Knits podcast. I love that I can almost smell the Hawaiian sea breezes blowing through her window, and I love the wonderful things she says about her SpaceCadet Mini-Skein Club parcel (at 13:24). I love that she actually does knit with one hand, and I love love love her incredibly positive outlook.

Two More Ways to Connect

Trunk Show in Erie PA

First, don’t forget that I’ll be doing a trunk show this Saturday, June 2, at The Cultured Purl in Erie PA. If you’re anywhere in the area, please do come and meet the yarn — and I’d really love to meet you too!

Send Me a Video-Introduction!

But, better than that, Amanda and Melissa’s podcasts gave me an idea. If we haven’t met (or even if we have), I’d love it — love it, love it, loooove it — if you’d video-introduce yourself to me. Flip on that webcam, grab your SpaceCadet yarn, and for 30 seconds, just record yourself. Say hello, tell me who you are (and who you are on Ravelry), show me your yarn or — better yet! — your projects, and then fire it off to me in an email or on Twitter. (I have a little nugget of an idea that, one day — if it’s ok with you guys — I could take these little clips and do a video mash up showing off all the great projects you all have made with your SpaceCadet yarn.)

But far more important than that, it would just be so cool for me to be able to meet you guys — to make that connection that means so much to all of us.

Pattern Roll-Call: Yarns for Color Affection

24MayApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

You know I love dyeing yarn — I love thinking up the colourways, and I love whole adventure of creating the colours. But when I send a skein off to the customer, it always feels like I’ve somehow stopped halfway through the process.

A skein of yarn is nothing more than a lovely, smooshy bundle of potential. The process is never complete until a knitter or crocheter has chosen that skein, picked a pattern, and cast on. That’s when all that potential begins its release at last, completing the journey from colour to yarn to project ..and finally to something beautiful in your hands.

Doing the trunk shows the other weekend, I got the chance to be a part of that process. All through the shows, I got to help customers choose their perfect yarns and match them with the perfect pattern. What fun!

And time and again, I found customers were asking for those yarns in sets of three…

Three Yarns, Two Words: Color Affection

Everyone is knitting Color Affection by Veera Välimäki, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a gorgeous shawl that showcases stand-out colour with an intriguing off-center construction. Traveling three different yarns across four sections, the colours mix and separate (and maybe mix again) in ways that make every project unique. In love with it yet?

But picking three colourways that both compliment and contrast can be difficult, and here’s where the SpaceCadet’s collections really come into their own. All the colourways in each collection are designed to work together, so all you have to do is choose maybe two semi-solids and a variegated, and there you go — your project is sorted.

You could go for soft….

(l to r: Lucina in Gentle, Lucina in Translucence, Stella in Quilt Blue)

Or you could go for bold…

(l to r: Izarra in Dept of Rocket Science G120405-003, Izarra in Honey, Izarra in Dept of Rocket Science G120405-006)

So go ahead, mix and match — see how the same colourways can work with lots of different options?

(l to r: Estelle in Quilt Green, Estelle in Dept of Rocket Science C120319-005, Estelle in Mercy)

(l to r: Estelle in Quilt Green, Estelle in Usui, Estelle in Quilt Blue)

And Now With Two Colours

But what if three colours seems a bit too much for you? No problem, you can start a little more gently with two other Veera Välimäki designs, Different Lines and the Stripe Study Shawl. Both have that same interesting asymmetrical shaping, and both have that striping that allows the yarns to play off each other so beautifully. But for these shawls, you only have to choose two colours.

So go with warm…

(l to r: Izarra in Pride, Izarra in Honey)

Go with bright…

(l to r: Celeste in Plum, Celeste in Plumberry)

Choose a pair of semi-solids…

(l to r: Izarra in Venus Sea, Stella in Plume)

Or swap one out for a variegated…

(l to r: Izarra in Venus Sea, Izarra in Dept of Rocket Science G120405-003)

No wait, swap the other!…

(l to r: Izarra in Dept of Rocket Science G120405-003, Stella in Plume)

See what I mean? The collections… they make it so easy. So go ahead — choose your yarn and cast on!

I’m Knackered, You Get a Shop Update!

18MayApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

I had a fabulous blog post planned for you, full of great colourway combinations for maximum impact in some of this season’s hottest knitting patterns… but, oh!, I’m just too knackered. I don’t know what it is, but all week, I’ve felt like I could just fall asleep where I stand. I’ve gotten a lot of dyeing done — there is always wonderful, colourful dyeing to be done — but everything else has just fallen away.

I find I always need a few days to recover after doing shows — they’re so exciting and there are so many people to talk to, that they actually use up a lot more energy than I expect. Two weeks ago, I traveled to MDSW, which is such a fibery adventure, but simultaneously both energising and energy-draining. And then immediately turned around and did the SpaceCadet’s Grand Tour of Cleveland, back-to-back trunk shows.

And they blew me away. They were so much fun! Can I tell you, if you’re in Cleveland, go to River Color Studios in Lakewood or Soft n Sassy in Broadview Heights. Both of them are gorgeous, mouth-watering yarn shops. And both of them run by really lovely, warm people who made me feel right at home (Erika and her team at River Color: Rachael, Gretchen, Laura, Gail; Cheryl and her team at Soft n Sassy: Linda and Evelyn).

And at both of them, I met some of the nicest people I’ve ever got the chance to meet. They said lovely things about my yarn, which always makes me feel amazing. It was great weekend.

And it wasn’t just the trunk shows that made the weekend memorable. There was also lunch at a bakery decorated with… wait for it… flowers made from coffee filters. How cool is that?!?

There was the oldest microwave I’ve ever seen. For a long time, I thought it was a television in the corner of the office, before I realised what it was. Look at the size of it! Look at the dials! And… it still works just fine. Crickey!

Oh, yeah, and there was a Yarn Harlot too. People, there was the Yarn Harlot! She was absolutely lovely, and very very funny. And she bought a skein of SpaceCadet yarn! That blew me away totally.

Ohhh… and there was yarn. Lots of lovely, lovely yarn…

And after all that, I’m completely knackered. Cream-crackered. And so you don’t get the blog post I was planning. But I’m not going to leave you high and dry… you do get two things that are well worth having. One is some lovely Friday eye-candy in those photos up above.

And the other? I just mustered the energy to do you a wee shop update. Go on, take a look!

Psst… Wanna See the Yarn Alliance Parcel?

11MayApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

I was really nervous when I sent out the InterStellar Yarn Alliance parcels this month. Really nervous. I knew I’d taken a risk — I knew it — but I also knew I had dyed the colours that I’d had in my heart, the colours I needed to dye… And if the dyer follows her heart, that surely must be right. …Right?

But still, I was nervous. Because I know a lot of people buy hand-dyed because they love deep, rich, saturated colour, and this colourway was anything but that. I’d dyed a washed out colourway, of the sort that I’ve fallen head-over-heels for lately, where I gently swirl layer upon layer of colour into the dyebath, and then watch as it settles delicately onto the fibers. Watching it happen is breath-taking, the yarn it creates is beautiful. And the result when you cast on and begin to knit is ethereal, sublime …simply amazing.

Are you ready? Here it is…

It was exactly what I hoped it would be. From every angle, I was in love! I just wanted to grab it and smoosh it and… oh!

I just hoped the Alliance members loved it as much as I did.

In the SpaceCadet’s Log, I explained my inspiration — the colours in my garden as Spring arrived in sudden rush, then retreated and the cruel cold returned, and then Spring began anew. And so there are flowers in my garden both dying and blooming, and I wanted to capture the colours of Nature’s confusion.

And then…! And then there was the goody, and this I knew would be exciting. I’d asked Melissa of Melissa Jean Design to create some custom buttons for the InterStellar Yarn Alliance. And when the parcel containing them arrived, I was so excited, I spent a full five minutes bouncing up and down in my kitchen. They’re ADORABLE!

And what’s more, she did a bunch of different colours! Mix and match, everyone!

But the very best bit? I got to keep all the extra buttons that Melissa made — all her experiments and test runs. I love them! And I feel like I should make something wonderfully crafty and clever with them, but I don’t know what. What would you make?

Hey, don’t forget: this weekend is the SpaceCadet’s Grand Tour of Cleveland! If you’re anywhere in the northern Ohio/PA area, come on out and see us.

Friday, May 11 at River Colors Studio
1387 Sloane Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107 (map it!)
(216) 228-9276

Saturday, May 12 at Soft N Sassy
8047 Broadview Rd.
Broadview Hts., OH. 44147 (map it!)
Phone: (440)746-9650

There will be lots of gorgeous yarns, fabulous SpaceCadet tattoos, tons of fun… and I’d love to meet you!

The SpaceCadet’s Grand Tour of… Cleveland!

04MayApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

For centuries, the well-to-do of Britain came of age by embarking on a Grand Tour of Europe, where they took in all the great art and architecture and history that the continent has to offer. It was a fine tradition that defined an era.

And so, in that vein, I am embarking on a Grand Tour of my own…

The SpaceCadet’s Grand Tour of… Cleveland!

with two Trunk Shows on Fri May 11 and Sat May 12.
If you’re in the Cleveland area, do come and join us!

Friday, May 11 at River Colors Studio
1387 Sloane Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107 (map it!)
(216) 228-9276
(where the Yarn Harlot will also be teaching classes that day. Yeah, you read that right!)

Saturday, May 12 at Soft N Sassy
8047 Broadview Rd.
Broadview Hts., OH. 44147 (map it!)
Phone: (440)746-9650

It’s going to be a fabulous weekend filled with yarn, colour, and all manner of fibery goodness. I’d love to see you there — please come and join us!

It’s All in the Details… Melissa Jean Handknit Design

02MayApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

Somehow….. somehow it turns out this weekend is the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival (MDSW). And even though I’ve had my hotel room booked for months, it has still managed to sneak up on me. Will you be going? If you will, please look for me — I’m not vending (I wish!) but I’ll be shopping and having the fibery time of my life! You can spot me by the SpaceCadet tattoo on my cheek and please stop and say hi — I’d love to meet you guys in person!

But listen, there’s someone else who’ll be at MDSW that I want you to meet, and even if you’re not going to be there this weekend, you’ll still want to get know her. Her name is Melissa Tompkins-Stahl and she creates beautiful buttons and knitting patterns as Melissa Jean Handknit Design.

I’d mentioned previously that I met her at Rhinebeck, but I love her work so much, I wanted to get a little more in depth with her and she was kind enough to answer a few questions for me.

Which came first, the buttons or the knitting patterns? And which do you feel is more your ‘true’ calling?

Knitting definitely came first. I was writing children’s patterns and making them up as kits. I wanted to write the patterns, dye the yarn and source the buttons. I met some potters who made buttons for me, but I had specific ideas of how the buttons should look, I decided to start making them myself. I worked for a pottery called MacKenzie-Childs and felt comfortable venturing out on my own…however, there was still a learning curve. I had to do quite a bit of research along with trial and error before my buttons were good enough!

As far as knitting, I knit a lot but have not released any new patterns in a few years. I am waiting for my youngest to go to school full time, which she will do this fall. I have 2 patterns to release this summer…Dublin Tee (pictured below) and Janey Pullover (a rerelease actually). With my kids in school, I feel I can better meet deadlines…pattern writing involves more than just me…test knitters, tech editors, photo shoots, and the public. Buttons making is much more solitary and I can fit it in as I can. I can’t wait to get more ideas out of my sketchbook and onto my needles.

So, tell me what you love about your job…

I love that I work in my studio at home…I can crank my music, or listen to podcasts and work. It affords me time to take care of my family while doing something meaningful to me. I also like the process of making buttons, working with my hands, with color. I love the element of surprise when I open the kiln and find shelves of color…that never gets old!

How crazy does it get for you before a big show like MDSW or Rhinebeck? How many buttons do you bring, and how long does it take for you to make them?

No matter how far in advance I start gearing up, the 2 weeks before Maryland and VERY busy. I bring about 5,000 buttons (I did not count) but there are a lot!

Where will you be located at MDSW this year?

I’ve changed from a tenter to a barn dweller this year. I will be hunkered down in Barn 4, booth 12.

What new or interesting buttons are you taking that we should be looking to nab at MDSW?

This year I’ll have very small buttons with shanks, I am very excited about. They lend themselves well to sock weight yarn. On the other hand, I will also have some very large buttons, great for bags, hats and shawls. I will also have a beautiful teal color and a deep red.

Where else can we buy your buttons and knitting patterns?

My website is www.melissajean.net Besides Maryland, I vend at Finger Lakes Fiber Festival, NY Sheep and Wool fest (Rhinebeck), Fiber Festival of New England, Yarn Cupboard Retreat. But keep an eye on my website’s event page because I may be adding a festival or three this year. As far as shops, I have not ventured into wholesale yet…..but hope to this year, so follow me on Twitter, or like my Facebook page.

Don’t you love her buttons?!? I do — and I’m going to buy a ton of them at MDSW so if you want them, you better get there before I do! I have a hankering to knit some lovely wide wrist cuffs and put Melissa’s buttons all over them. What do you think?

Oooh, and there’s one button up there in particular that’s really calling to me — ten points to the first person to guess which one it is!