Embracing New Creative Endeavours

09AprApril 9, 2021 By Stephanie

If there’s any good that’s come out of the pandemic, I think one of the best things has been that so many people have developed a renewed interest in exploring their own creative processes. I have a couple of friends who have taken up drawing and painting (discovering in the process that, despite all past evidence, they actually can do it!). Another friend has begun sewing. And as you know, I recently flexed my own creative muscles a little and released two knitting patterns.

It feels good try new things, and brings a sense of optimism when the restrictions of the pandemic seem to go on for forever. Yes, there is hope on the horizon (hooray vaccines!) but sometimes that horizon still seems a very long way away. Trying something creative and new is a wonderful way to direct pent-up energy that would otherwise have us simply drumming our fingers in impatient anticipation (::raises hand!::) and, in case we had previously been too caught up in the pursuit of relentless productivity, helps us to learn again that there is value in being a beginner and approaching new things with openness. And that is undoubtedly a good thing.

Have you tried any new creative endeavours in the past year?

Introducing Comfort Cowl

In light of this appreciation for trying new things, I am delighted to tell you that my assistant Sara has also tried something new and is releasing her very first pattern! It’s called the Comfort Cowl and it’s a delightful design using gorgeously soft yarn (SpaceCadet Capella) and strategically placed cables to create a beautiful project that’s simply a joy to knit.

I think Sara says it best…

“There are days, weeks, months, years, when we can all use an extra bit of comfort. I designed this cowl in just such a moment. I started with a skein of the coziest, smooshiest yarn around, with little more than a plan to turn to the comforting act of creating to soothe my soul.

The result was this cowl. It’s nice and tall, allowing the wearer to really snuggle into it, adorned with some simple cables, just enough to keep you interested while you drink a cup of tea, watch a movie, or read your favorite book. So if you find yourself in need of some comfort, or know someone else who needs the same, grab your yarn and needles and just breathe.”

SpaceCadet Capella is a fabulously smooshy single-ply worsted yarn that knits up quickly into an incredibly soft and cosy cowl. And we’ve got skeins ready to ship in some of our most beautiful semi-solid colours:

stunning greens in Stroppy (which you see pictured here), Longing (a lovely pine green), and Yes Dear (a luscious khaki)
three fabulous blues in Feather (leans a little teal), Look Up! (a clear sky blue), and Hello My Name is Indigo (there’s a clue in the name)
delicious warms in Mars (ahem, it’s the red planet) and Headstrong (a rich rust)
gorgeous greys in Drizzle (I think it’s the perfect mid-grey) and Life Was Better in Black and White (which isn’t a semi-solid but is just so pretty)
and Gobsmack (an absolutely fabulous royal purple)

I’m so excited for Sara! And if you are too and you’re able to go on Ravelry, please do click here and give her Comfort Cowl some love!

There’s an interesting debate on Twitter about whether yarn companies should (or even really can) include gauge ranges in their yarns’ info. You can read it by clicking here, here, and here. To me, gauge is so dependent on needle size and personal tension that a suggested gauge on any given yarn feels meaningless. For instance, my favourite way to knit light fingering is on US7 needles — such a light and airy fabric! — but that’s nothing like the gauge you’d get on US1s or 2s, so putting either on the label seems needlessly limiting. What are your thoughts on suggested gauges? I’d love to know.

If the idea of exploring drawing and painting has piqued your interest too, I have some very highly recommended resources:

You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or Less by Mark Kistler is an absolute game-changer of a book. Try it and discover that you really can draw!
Architectural Sketching with Watercolor and Ink is a wonderful course on Domestika by Alex Hillkurtz that several friends of mine have raved about
Let’s Make Art has an inspiring series of tutorials that will have you creating impressive results faster than you thought possible

There’s no doubt the pandemic has changed a lot of things beyond just health care (for instance, will we ever go back to real waistbands ever again? Anyone…?). One thing I hadn’t considered was its impact on art and, in particular, how the lockdown-induced return to crafting in the general population is spilling over into related trends in fine art. This article outlines the change succinctly, along with other interesting shifts in the art world in 2021. Perhaps the dividing line between art and craft is growing fainter all the time?

I’m an absolute sucker for bunting (ummm, that’s what it’s called in Britain… is it called bunting in the US as well?) and, as soon as the weather warms up, I want to hang it everywhere. Like the new season, it just feels so celebratory! So I had to smile when I saw this beach-themed crocheted bunting — a perfect way to use up leftovers and create a vacation vibe, all in one go.

Next Week: The Yarn Alliance Opens!

The Yarn Alliance is our premiere yarn club, all about gorgeous dyeing on fingering weight yarns. Plus coordinating colourways, great gifts, and a ton of fun!

Want to be the first to hear when it opens? Click here and get your name on the waiting list!

All of April: Trunk Show at Sewickley Yarns

If you’re local to Pittsburgh, I’ve got a treat for you: Sewickley Yarns is hosting a SpaceCadet trunk show for the whole of April. They are open and and ready to welcome you safely so you can shop SpaceCadet yarns in person. And what a beautiful collection of colours and knits we’ve sent them. You are sure to find something to spark inspiration!

(l-r, from top row): Rey’s Cardigan, D’aeki Wrap, Celestial Seas, Dot Matrix, Tudor Windows Cardigan, Striad Wrap, Tudor Windows Pullover, Briochearrow

Ok, well, my teapot is empty which must mean it’s time to get on with my day. I’ve got a lot of parcels to pack today, filled with happy skeins of yarn, and it’s looking like such a lovely day, I might pack it all outside in the sunshine! I hope you have a lovely day as well and, until next time, all my best!

Ever Lose Your Inspiration?

26Mar By Stephanie

Do you ever find it hard to find inspiration? Especially in this last year, when so many of us have stayed home so much, surrounded by the same things we see day in and day out, it can feel as if it’s hard to look at things in a new light, to feel creative. I know I’ve felt that way!

The Striad Wrap, my new pattern releasing today!

And yet, I also know it’s not true — inspiration is everywhere, even in the most mundane things. Like this new design, for instance, which was inspired by…

…wait for it…

…by a lampshade over my dining table! No, really.

It came to me one winter day, as I sat curled up in a comfy chair in my living room, drinking a cup of tea and gazing absentmindedly toward the dining room. I’d recently got a new lampshade to hang over the dining table and, to be honest, I was absolutely smitten. It has a fascinating construction, cleverly incorporating strips of joined-up triangles to form a globe shape. Very hard to describe in words but, I assure you, just delightful to look at.

And as my eyes followed the curve of those triangles, I suddenly found myself itching to pick up my needles and try to use the architecture of knitting to mimic their shapes. And so the Striad Wrap was born, constructed with intriguing series of short row triangles, knit individually in strips and joined together without any seaming up, that combine to beautifully show off the amazing colours of handdyed yarn.

You see? Proof positive that real inspiration can strike from even the simplest (and most unlikely) of things! So if you’ve been feeling like the last year has put a dampener on your own creativity, perhaps try looking at your own environment with fresh eyes.

(And in the meantime, grab some yarn from your stash and borrow a bit of my inspiration by casting on the Striad Wrap. It releases today and I’m so excited to share it with you!)

This week, Ravelry introduced a new Dark Mode theme (the link goes to their announcement on Twitter, not directly to Ravelry).

Meanwhile, the fiber community turned to social media with strong reactions to this article in the New Yorker about the recent changes to Ravelry. Quite a few people who were interviewed for the article were not satisfied with the way their opinions were represented, and a lot of interesting conversation followed.

Photo by Yaoqi LAI

Have you ever found a skein of yarn in your stash that had lost its ballband or tag, and wondered how you could possibly figure out its fiber content? At university, one of my favourite classes was when we burned fabrics (yes, with an open flame!) for this very purpose. And this interesting article will not only walk you through that process too, it even has a handy flow chart to help you interpret your results. So snip a little of that yarn off the skein, follow sensible safety protocols(!), and you’ll soon have a much better idea of what that mystery yarn is!

This week, the designer Hunter Hammersen tweeted a very interesting and verrrry frank analysis of the true costs that go into one of her patterns. And inspired by her, the former designer Alex Tinsley did the same, breaking down her own costs line by line. They’re both enlightening reading.

This Weekend: Homespun Virtual Yarn Party

In more normal times, we’d be packing up a ton of yarn and heading to one of our favourite shows, Homespun Yarn Party. The in-person show isn’t happening so we’re doing it virtually! There are lots of great vendors and SpaceCadet has some special and fun things lined up so make sure you click here this weekend to go to our show page and click here to follow the fun on the HomeSpun Facebook page.

Next Month: The Yarn Alliance Opens!

We’re getting ready to pack the last Yarn Alliance parcel of the season so do you know what that means? It’s nearly time to open it to new members!

The Yarn Alliance is our premiere yarn club, all about gorgeous dyeing on fingering weight yarns. Plus coordinating colourways, great gifts, and a ton of fun!

Want to be the first to hear when it opens? Click here and get your name on the waiting list!

Ok, I’ve got a ton to do to get ready for Homespun this weekend, so I’d better get my day started. I hope you’ve got a colourful and yarny day ahead of you and, until next time, all my best!

Birdsong, Gratitude, and Casting On…

11Mar By Stephanie

The other day, as I was waking up, I heard a bird singing. It is the first time I’ve heard morning birdsong in months and months, and it instantly filled me with a sense that world is beginning to come back to life after a great slumber.

Photo by Julietta Watson

In so many ways, I know it is: Spring is on its way, the vaccine is steadily rolling out, and there is hope on the horizon. Even in the yarn world, after nearly a year with barely any orders from yarn shops as they struggle through the pandemic, we are suddenly receiving enquiries from LYSs (hooray!) and even requests for trunk shows. And though we all know we must remain laser-focused in our coronavirus precautions for some time to come (don’t let up! keep wearing your masks!), I feel like there is a positivity in the air that is so welcome. I hope you’re feeling it too.

(but please do keep your mask on, and do keep social distancing for the time being — there are so many unvaccinated people who are relying us all in that way)

Thank You for your Support of the D’aeki Wrap!

You know that when I released the D’aeki Wrap pattern last month, I was just about as nervous as I was excited. As my first-ever knitting design I had an fear that… well, that I’d somehow done it wrong. I mean, the pattern had been checked, tested, and tech-edited so I knew I was being irrational and yet, on the day it released, mixed in with all my excitement was a heck of a lot of nervousness.

But I needn’t have been worried at all: the response to the pattern has been beyond my wildest dreams! There has been an incredible amount of support for it, so much encouragement and so many kind words. I am just blown away. Thank you thank you thank you all so much! I never expected it and I cannot tell you what it means to me.

Please Come Join our D’aeki KAL!

If you bought the pattern and are thinking of casting on, let me invite you to our KAL on Ravelry*. We’re not thinking of this as a structured KAL at all, but something much more casual where we can simply knit the pattern together, show off our colour flows, admire each other’s handiwork, and answer one another questions when someone needs a bit of help. Anyone is welcome to join any time — whether you are casting on right away from stash, waiting to cast on when your first bundle arrives, or anytime after that. The idea is just that we are knitting together and cheering one another on!

*(if you can’t use Ravelry for any reason, please do tag me on social media instead (Facebook or Instagram) so I can cheer you on there — I can’t wait to see your progress!)

No matter whether you love it or hate it, weaving in ends is an inescapable part of knitting and crocheting. And while there are lots of people on both sides of that fence (it’s true, I know lots of people who love to weave in their ends!), most folks know only one way to do it. But just as there are many ways to cast on and bind off, there are many ways to weave in ends as well and it’s worth several so you’ve got options. This simple method works your ends in as you’re knitting, so everything is already taken care of when you bind off. And this tutorial shows you how to skim, which is especially helpful when working with heavier weight yarns.

I mentioned the subject before but I loved reading this beautiful article on the indigenous communities of the Pacific Northwest who bred dogs for their wool. I find the whole subject and this diverse approach to fiber fascinating. If you have any spitz-like dog in your household, such as Samoyed, American Eskimo dog, Shiba Inu, or Pomeranian, you may be interested in this reflection on their possible heritage. And you may start looking at them with new (read: fiber-greedy) eyes!

I find this lovely lovely lovely video of a shepherd and his sheepdog driving their herd of sheep along a quiet Welsh country lane so delightfully meditative and relaxing that I just keep watching it again and again. (It reminds me of the lanes I used to drive on my way to work in rural Dorset (England) — so tight that hedgerows would brush my car on both sides at once and, though I never had to stop for a flock of sheep, it wasn’t at all unusual to have to get out and wave a wayward cow back into her field!)

If you’re an even-slightly-experienced knitter, you don’t need to look at this nifty illustrated guide to the structure of knitted stitches (part 1), nor this one (part 2), and probably not this handy illustrated guide to slipped stitches either. But if you’ve ever been slightly intimidated by brioche, you might find this helpful illustrated guide to brioche stitch structure very enlightening indeed!

Ok, it’s shaping up to be an excitingly warm day here in Pittsburgh (in the 60s! woot!) and so I’m going to pack orders on the porch today and listen to the birds sing as I do. I hope you’ve got a lovely day ahead of you, filled with at least a little sunshine and a couple of breaks for “yarny meditation”. And until next time, all my best!

Two Stunning Projects to Inspire You!

12FebFebruary 12, 2021 By Stephanie

Do you ever get a feeling of paralysis when you’re about to start a new project? (I do!) Whether it’s casting on a new knitting project, laying paint on a fresh canvas, or writing on the crisp new pages of a notebook, there is just something about starting that can be incredibly intimidating.

And choosing the right pattern for your yarn is absolutely in that category (I think that’s the reason so many of us have pattern stashes big enough to rival our yarn stashes!). A lot of times, we feel like matching yarn and pattern should be intuitive, effortless, something like falling in love at first sight but it’s not. I know from many of my designer friends that they work through swatch after swatch (after swatch) before they find just the right yarn to bring a design-idea to life.

And I know that a lot of our Mini-Skein Club members feel the same way so, as soon as I saw these two breath-taking projects, that I had to share them with you! Both of these epic projects are made with the full year of 2020’s Mini-Skein Club flow and yet I love seeing how the way the each pattern distributes the very same colours makes them come out so differently.

Images used with permission (thank you, Jill!)

The first from Jill, who knit Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Pi Shawl (Ravelry link) and I am crazy about the way it takes the colours and stretches them out until they become almost like brushstrokes on a canvas. And despite the tundra-like background(!), the colours have an almost Southwest feel to them.

Images used with permission (thank you, Seanae!)

The second project is from Seanae, who knit Ambah O’Brien’s ADVENTurous Wrap (Ravelry link). And here is something really interesting: look at what a difference it makes to the colours in how the pattern spreads them out in some places and then intensifies them where the colour bunches up as the Vs come to a point.

Aren’t both those project’s amazing?!? I’m absolutely blown away. And I think they both show that the key to working with our Mini-Skein Club colours is to keep the pattern simple. And of course, the fabulous thing about doing a project with a year’s worth of the SpaceCadet’s Mini-Skeins is that, even though it creates being a really epic finished object, it’s not really ever that much effort to produce, because it’s broken up from one month to the next, with a slower pace and plenty of downtime between club parcels arriving.

Now, can I show you one more project that completely changes the way the colours look?

I’m super-excited to show this to you — and really nervous too — because this is my first ever published pattern! It’s called the D’aeki Wrap and I’ll be releasing it on Tuesday but I want you to see how differently the colours come out in it. These are the same colours as the two projects above but, instead of stretching each Mini-Skein out, it’s constructed of of modular blocks that work each yarn back and forth quickly — and that totally changes how the colour behaves!

Sample kindly knit by Jade

See what I mean? With such a small number of stitches, the colours create an almost striping effect that plays beautifully into the herringbone angles. You’d almost never guess it was made using the very same Mini-Skeins as the two projects up above!

(And I’ll let you into on a little secret: there’s absolutely no sewing up in the entire pattern — none at all. Intrigued? I’ll share more on Tuesday!)

I’m about to cast on a new idea I have with January’s Mini-Skeins and, just like last year’s, it’s going to be another epic project that moves from one month to the next. If you’re inspired by these projects to create an epic project of your own (like perhaps the D’aeki Wrap above?), I’d love for you to join in! You can read more about how epic Mini-Skein projects work by clicking here and, if you’d like to put together a Mini-Skein collection of your own, you can join the club by clicking here.

I want to thank both Jill and Seanae so much for allowing me to share their beautiful projects here. And so many other folks have written in to show off their own gorgeous SpaceCadet projects that I can’t wait to feature in an upcoming newsletter. So much fabulous creativity — I love to see it!

But for now, it’s time I got my day started — I’ve got a bunch of orders to pack and some lovely skeins to photograph (maybe in the snow…?). I hope you have a colourful day planned too. And until next time, all my best!

The Joy of Picking Up Where You Left Off

21Jan By Stephanie

Last week I received an flood of emails that absolutely warmed my heart — so many people who read my last newsletter about being like I had lost my voice over the past year and then generously shared with me their own struggles or simply offered the warmest encouragement. I cannot tell you how much it meant to read them and to know that so many others have been feeling the same way. To everyone who took the time to reach out, thank you so very much.

And now it feels like it’s time for fresh starts and high hopes. And while a lot of folks in the knitting and crochet community have marked that by starting a new project, I decided instead to dig out a project I’d loved but which, for some reason I now can’t recall, I had set aside several years ago. It’s a simple shawl that is perfect to work on when things feel a little too complicated or stressful(!) and I just need the gentle meditation of feeling the yarn run through my fingers and hearing the click of the needles. It feels good to go back and pick up where I left off, with a renewed sense of purpose.

And long may that feeling continue.

The SpaceMonster Club is Open Now!

One thing that really has amazed me this week is just how quickly memberships to the SpaceMonster Mega Yarn Club have been going! And when I see how many of them are our existing members renewing for another full year, it just makes me so happy, because I know that means they think we’re doing something right.

This time of year is perfect for big, smooshy, extra-thick yarns, and that’s what the SpaceMonster Club is all about… And if these dark winter days have got you in need of a little bright pick-me-up, then I can’t think of anything better than a delivery of the lovely exclusive colourways we dye for our SpaceMonster members.

The club opens only twice a year, and subscriptions are available for only a short time so, if these lovely smooshy yarns sound intriguing to you, click here and join in the fun!

Winter Limited Editions — Orders Open Today!

In the past few months, we created some colourways that are so beautiful and so delightfully winter-y that we’ve decided we just have to share them with you as Limited Editions. “Stillness” and “Late Sun” were first dyed for a couple of virtual shows we attended at the end of last year, and “Quietude” is completely new. And while each on its own is lovely, I think the three together create a winterscape that is downright stunning.

Offered as Limited Editions, these very special colourways are available for pre-order starting today with happening in early February. Click hereto get your order in before they close!

January Cowl by Louise Tilbrook

The description with this January-inspired pattern reads, “a cosy knit for darker days,” which — honestly — sounds absolutely perfect for such a snuggly project. Even better, it’s designed for fingering weight held either singly or doubly, meaning you can add a delicious marled colour effect to its beautiful texture. And with options for either a single and a double loop cowl, the end result is delightfully customisable too!

Huldra Sweater by Tatsiana Kupryianchyk
(Ravelry Link)

Beautiful yokes are hard to resist and especially when, as in this design, the colour highlights a gently changing gradient against a contrasting solid. Crocheted seamlessly from the top down in fingering weight, the pattern works well in either a short- or long-sleeved version and, handily, is available in both US and UK crochet terms.

Inca Trail by Svetlana Gordon
(Ravelry Link)

This stunning wrap is made for colour and I think it’s a fabulous candidate for an epic Mini-Skein project! And while we dye our Minis in a beautiful month-to-month gradient, I think this project calls for a little more adventure by using the colours out of order — perhaps by alternating the Mini-Skeins from two months’ bundles together. If you’ve got a stash of our Minis, take inspiration to break those bundles apart and see the different ways they can fit back together (and if you haven’t got a stash of Minis, come join our Mini-Skein Club and let us dye some gradient loveliness of your own!)

Ok, it’s time I got back to work. Today, I’m planning on doing a little end of year tax stuff and then rewarding myself by photographing some lovely colourways. I hope your day is filled with colour too and, until next time, all my best!

Finding My Voice Again

06JanJanuary 11, 2021 By Stephanie

I originally wrote this post last Wednesday morning, just as the glow of the holidays had begun to fade and we all turned to face the reality of managing the pandemic whilst waiting for the relief the vaccine will bring. I had the odd sensation of feeling both hopeful and also little like I was holding my breath. I finished typing the post — a heartfelt message from me to you — a little before noon and then scheduled it to go out the next morning.

That evening I sat in horror with the rest of the nation as we all witnessed a mob attack the Capitol Building and our elected leaders being rushed into lockdown. It took a while to process what was happening — I’m still processing it, to be honest — but I realised that the gravity of the unfolding events made my scheduled post ridiculously tone-deaf and I logged back in to put the post on hold.

And while this situation is far from over — as a nation, we have weeks and months and years of work to do to recover — I’ve decided to share the post I wrote before this all unfolded. I realise its message pales now by comparison but was written sincerely and, though I don’t know what other events might occur between now and the time you read it, I hope both the message and the lighthearted fiber-news it contains bring a little respite in these difficult times.

One of the strangest things I’ve experienced during the past year is the way that I’ve felt I’ve lost my voice. By which I mean that, despite years of writing the SpaceCadet newsletter and sharing with you our adventures running a dye house, when 2020 turned everyone’s lives upside-down, I found myself unable to find any words to say. It was totally unexpected and, at first, I tried to dismiss it and pretend I was imagining it, but it turned out to be quite real.

It might have been the worry — it might well have been the worry, there have been so many things to think about — or the important issues that all the protests raised, or just how incredibly unsettling it has felt to try to keep everything running safely during a pandemic and the many unexpected challenges that creates. But every time I sat down to start writing, whether in this newsletter or on social media, my mind would just go blank and, the few times you heard from me, let me tell you, it seemed Herculean task to put together enough cohesive thoughts to feel I was sharing anything interesting with you at all.

But to be honest, in a year already filled with deep emotions, not being able to share with you made me incredibly downheartened. I haven’t liked feeling like I am stuck on mute, and I don’t want to feel overwhelmed by something that is truly such a pleasure for me: simply reaching out to say hello and share interesting things with you. And, over time, I’ve realised that changing the way I write my newsletters might be the key to fixing that.

So I’m going to try something new. Instead of creating one, long email with all the different news and pattern suggestions that I usually include, I’m going to break up these sections and share them with you one at a time. And in that way, I’m hoping that putting together smaller, more bite-sized newsletters helps to free my voice a little. So please don’t be concerned when you get these shorter emails from me — everything you’re used to seeing in them will be coming, just spread out over time and in a smaller, easier to digest format. And that format may change as I play with what feels comfortable, but I’m feel confident you’ll understand.

(also, there is yarn-hugging… when all else fails, yarn-hugging makes just about anything better)

Most of all, as we head into what appears to be even more uncharted territory in 2021, I’m excited about the opportunity to reconnect with you. I’ve missed you! And missed sharing with you. So here’s to new ways of doing things in a new year… and the hope that good possibilities lie ahead for all of us.

Every year, the folks at Pantone — the world’s foremost expert in colour forecasting — choose their colour of the year. And in a move befitting these unusual times, this year they surprised everyone by choosing not one but two colours for 2021: Ultimate Gray, a lovely mid-tone grey, and Illuminating, a clear and sunny yellow. Described as a “message of positivity supported by fortitude,” the colour combo addresses the “need to feel that everything is going to get brighter.” Oddly enough, after we read about Pantone’s colour choice(s), we realised that we’ve been dyeing a lot of these same colours too. Certainly we have some lovely greys and yellows in our standard colourways (below), but they pop up again in some beautiful winter Limited Editions that we’d recently developed! Scroll to the bottom to see them.

(Ok, I know the purple on the end has nothing to do with Pantone’s colour choices but, when I laid out a collection of our yellows and greys together, I couldn’t help adding in a little purple… because, I mean, it looks perfect, right? From l-r: Life Was Better in Black & White, So Life Gave You Lemons, Drizzle, Honey, Dark Skies, and Plume)

I’ve seen versions of crocheted ribbing before but never one that looked as nice or stretched so beautifully as the one in this video tutorial. The whole thing is in Japanese but, if that’s not a language you understand, the subtitles and excellent visual instructions still make it really clear and easy to follow.

There was a time when a life of isolation might sound a little daunting but, after the experience of the past ten months, I’ve decided that it’s really all about the kind of isolation. And I have to admit, this absolutely beautiful article detailing the lives of a family who look after the sheep that populate three remote islands off the coast of Maine has me deeply intrigued. Take a moment to read it — just the photos alone are stunning — and tell me if you don’t come away feeling the same.

Photo by Ginny Rose Stewart

It’s not fiber related and it’s not a new year’s resolution but one of the things I want to do this year is make sure I move every day: a workout, a long walk outside, or maybe some yoga. To that end, a friend introduced me to Down Dog, a yoga app that I’ve realised I love — and so I want to share it with you too. It’s normally priced at $60 per year (which, honestly, gave me pause) but it’s free to try until the end of January and, so long as you sign up before the start of February, you’ll get it for 75% off. That’s only $15 for the whole year and also gives access to their HIIT, barre, and meditation apps in addition as their yoga app. Honestly, I think it’s well worth it, so please let me know if you try it!

The SpaceMonster Club Opens on Jan 15

This time of year is perfect for big, smooshy, extra-thick yarns, and that’s what the SpaceMonster Club is all about! And if these dark winter days have got you in need of a little bright pick-me-up, then I can’t think of anything better than a delivery of the lovely exclusive colourways we dye for our SpaceMonster members.

The club opens only twice a year, and we give early access to the folks on our waiting list so, if these lovely smooshy yarns sound intriguing to you, click here to give us your email so you can get first dibs!

Winter Limited Editions — Orders Open Jan 21

Offered as Limited Editions, these very special colourways will be available to order on Jan 21 with orders closing and their dyeing day happening about two weeks later. So if you love them as much as I do, be sure to mark the date on your calendar.

It’s been so nice to spend a little time sharing all of these things with you. I hope that your 2021 is getting off to a positive start and I’m looking forward to chatting with you again soon. Until then, all my best!