So, I’m standing there in the studio, mixing colours in the dyepots, when my husband appears in the doorway. It’s a rare treat when he stops into the studio and I’m always pleased to see him. We start chatting, while I apply this colour and then that to the yarn…
And when I look down, I realise the yarn looks completely different from what I’d been trying to dye. Completely! Different! And… I don’t know what I did to achieve it. Chatting and dyeing — they do not mix. And what’s more, I love this new colourway. Whatever it is, however I did it, I looooove it.
But I should be able to figure this out, right? I mean, I know the colours I mixed, I just applied them in some strange order. It shouldn’t be too hard to reverse-engineer. Right? Right?
People, I’ve been trying. Trying and trying! And while I haven’t quite hit it yet (damn! what did I do?!?), I’ve produced some really beautiful yarns in the process. And they went into the shop today!
And those aren’t the only colours I’ve fallen in love with lately. Check out these purples…
And I did some warm browns and jewel tones… Oh! Aren’t these lovely?!?
And then… and then… I decided to play with the negative space a bit, and try lay down the softest, lightest, most barely-there layer of colour I could. What do you think?
If you like them as much as I do, get over to the shop and nab them before they go!
And if some of these colourways look a bit too wild for you and you’re not quite sure how you’d use them, then keep you eyes open for my new ebook, Launching Into Hand-Dyed. It’s a 42-page guide designed to walk you through choosing and using even the most highly variegated colourways. I’ll be launching it in the next week, so do look for it!
Last month, we launched the SpaceCadet’s Mini-Skein Club, as you know, and I was super excited about it. I so enjoyed choosing the colourways, tying the little bundles up… and when I sent the parcels off, I hoped — hoped — that all the club members were as excited about the yarns they received as I was.
I was nervous as the feedback started to come through on Ravelry but, to my delight, most everyone was absolutely tickled with the parcels. I am so pleased! And, where there suggestions were made, they were really great suggestions that I’m going to use to improve the club in the months to club.
But if I was anxious about what the members thought, that was only compounded when I spotted that Abigail of TAAT Designs and Karrie of KnitPurlGurl had post their reviews of the Mini-Skein Club on their websites. These were real reviews — I had no idea whether Abigail or Karrie would like what they found in their parcels, and I knew they’d both be very honest with their followers.
A little nervously, I clicked on the links to see, and… Well, do you want to see for yourself what they had to say?
First, here’s Abigail’s review. She includes some really photos of the yarns, showing how the parcels were packaged as well as the colourways, and a list of her thoughts for anyone thinking of joining the club.
And here is Episode 20 of the KnitPurlGurl Podcast, which contains her review of the Mini-Skein Club. If you’ve been wondering about joining the club, Karrie’s review is extensive: she discusses the whole parcel, goes into detail about each yarn, and even the way it’s packaged — everything you’d need to know. The rest of KnitPurlGurl Postcast is absolutely packed full of fibery-goodness (just check out the incredibly extensive show notes!) and well worth watching. But if you’d like to jump to ahead to her review of the SpaceCadet’s Mini-Skein Club, then check out this excerpt…
Thank you to everyone who has joined the SpaceCadet’s Mini-Skein Club. I am having an absolute blast choosing your colourways and putting these little bundles together! And I’m so grateful for your feedback, because your input means this club will just get better and better!
the SpaceCadet’s yarn club, the InterStellar Yarn Alliance
$15 Off on Black Friday ONLY
It’s Black Friday, which means it’s time for twinkling lights, canned holiday muzak, and ka-ra-zee long lines at the stores! If you’re one of those intrepid shoppers who hits the Black Friday sales with gusto, then I expect you’ve been out since midnight and come home already.
But if, like me, you’re not quite that adventurous (and you’re still in your jammies!), then I have the perfect, never-have-to-leave-the-house gift for the knitter or crocheter on your list…
For a short time only, we’re opening a limited number of spaces in the InterStellar Yarn Alliance to offer you three special Holiday Gift Subscriptions. And because those of us in our PJs shouldn’t have to miss out on the Black Friday fun, for today only we’re giving you $15 off!
A Holiday Gift Subscription: Normally $85.On Black Friday $70
And if the knitter or crocheter on your list deserves more even more Yarn Alliance goodness, you can add on a 6-month membership ($184 inclusive) or a 12-month membership ($305 inclusive), and you’re still getting that special price on the Holiday Gift Subscription!
But hurry, because after Black Friday, you’ll still be able to get this fabulous Holiday Gift Subscription, but prices will go back to normal.
SpaceCadet ® Creations yarn (light to medium weight) in an exclusive Yarn Alliance colourway (guaranteed not to be offered on the SpaceCadet website for at least 6 months)
A great Yarn Alliance gift tucked into every parcel!
The SpaceCadet’s Log exploring the inspiration for each colourway.
An InterStellar Yarn Alliance group on Ravelry where you can discuss WIPs, ask questions, and share FOs with fellow members.
The InterStellar Yarn Alliance newsletter with periodic special offers exclusively for members.
Black Friday ONLY! $15 OFF!
Shipping within the United States is included in the price; extra charges apply for shipping outside the US.
Six month subscriptions include 3 parcels and are normally priced at $125; twelve month subscriptions include 6 parcels and are normally priced at $235.
Holiday Gift Subscription parcels will be sent out in late December 2011 and late February 2012. Parcels for the 6-month add-on will be sent out in late April, June, and August 2012. Parcels for the 12-month add-on will be sent out in late April, June, August, October, and December 2012, and February 2013.
Normal subscription openings for the InterStellar Yarn Alliance are two weeks only in March and September of each year.
The InterStellar Yarn Alliance Through the Rest of the Year
When you include an additional 6 month or 12 month Yarn Alliance subscription to your Holiday Gift Subscription, your recepient receives all the benefits that other regular members enjoy! With the additional regular subscription, each member will receive an exciting parcel delivered every other month containing:
SpaceCadet ® Creations yarn (light to medium weight) in an exclusive Yarn Alliance colourway (guaranteed not to be offered on the SpaceCadet website for at least 6 months)
A great Yarn Alliance gift tucked into every parcel!
The SpaceCadet’s Log exploring the inspiration for each colourway.
An InterStellar Yarn Alliance group on Ravelry where you can discuss WIPs, ask questions, and share FOs with fellow members.
The InterStellar Yarn Alliance newsletter with periodic special offers exclusively for members.
A 15% off coupon every six months
Parcels will be sent out in late October, December, February, April, June, and August. Subscription openings will be available in March and September. Shipping within the United States is included in the price; extra charges apply for shipping outside the US.
You may recall that my sister, who spent the last two decades pshawing my suggestions that she try knitting, has picked up the needles at last …and discovered that she loves it. She’s on her second garter-knit scarf and carries her WIP with her everywhere. She’s becoming a knitter. I’m more than a little stunned.
But so far, she’s been knitting in isolation. Occasionally, she’s run into a fellow knitter on the bus and they’ve discussed projects and yarns in the short time before her stop arrives but, for the most part, she’s been knitting on her own, without the camaraderie of other knitters. And that’s not right, is it?!?
And so I’ve been encouraging her to check out her local LYS’s knit groups. But it turns out they’re on nights that don’t work with her schedule. And joining a new group can be a little intimidating, especially for someone who has just learned to knit. The one night she did make it there, she wandered around looking at the yarn and peeking at the knitting group from behind the shelves — but never got the nerve to actually sit with them and knit.
I understand. It’s hard to join a new group, knitting or not. And… well… she’s seen with her own eyes how crazy knitters get! So, yeah, I can understand…
I was on the phone to her this week. “Oh! Oh! I have to tell you!” she suddenly exclaimed. “It’s about the knitting…” She’d been chatting to a neighbour who, out of the blue, mentioned something about knitting. My sister pulled out her WIP. They discussed projects, yarns… and then, the neighbour said she wasn’t going to the knitting group that week.
“The knitting group?” my sister inquired.
It turns out that there is a knitting group in her apartment building. What’s more, it turns out that there are a lot of knitters in her building. So many, in fact, that there isn’t enough room for all the knitters in the building to join the group. My sister has been knitting in isolation in her flat whilst, all the while, surrounded by knitters on all sides, and never knew it. She squealed a little as she told me.
Here was a group she could join! These were people she already knew, and liked …and they’re knitters too. It couldn’t be more perfect.
BUT… this group also meets on a day that doesn’t work with her schedule. Ok, I said, so maybe you could open a sort of second “branch” of this knitting group, on a day that works for you. And people could go to either or both, whichever best fits their schedule.
She laughed out loud at the thought. “You mean, in a few weeks’ time, I could actually belong a knitting group? That meets in my flat?!?”
Yeah… I guess she… well, she really could.
You remember I said up at the beginning that her knitting adventure has me a bit stunned? Yep, at that moment, you could have knocked me right over with a feather.
Oh, hey, listen… Thursday is Thanksgiving (which has totally taken me by surprise — were you ready for it?!?). So first, a very Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
And then, of course, Thanksgiving starts the madness that is the holiday shopping season, so I want to give you a heads up that I will be launching a special Holiday Gift Subscription the the SpaceCadet’s yarn club, the InterStellar Yarn Alliance. It’s a fabulous way to give a gift to a knitter or crocheter in your life that will keep them happy all year long.
And be quick, because spaces are limited and the Alliance doesn’t open to new members very often at all. But more than that, I’ll be offering a special one-day introductory discount on Black Friday only. So, enjoy your turkey, have a wonderful wonderful Thanksgiving… and then, on Black Friday, let everyone else go mad rushing off to the shops, and you can score yourself some great Gifts of Yarny Goodness without even changing out of your PJs!
(Want a reminder on Friday morning? Do make sure you’re on the mailing list!)
Some of you may have seen me post and tweeting about sending out a package of 40 pounds — that’s right, forty pounds — of yarn that we recently sent off to fibre space in Alexandria VA. fibre space is one of the coolest LYSs in the country, and I am deeply honoured to have SpaceCadet yarn in their collection.
But I didn’t get a chance to tell you about the super cool write-up they did to introduce SpaceCadet Creations to fibre space’s customers. It was a lot of fun being interviewed by Veronica for it! Click here to check it out.
And then I thought of all the other great stuff that ‘s been coming through on my Twitter feed lately, and thought I’d share some of it with you here. So here’s a quick wrap-up of the stuff that caught my eye…
I lovedthis piece of advice from designer @GlennaKnits: “Is there a knitting pattern you’ve really enjoyed? Consider sending the designer positive feedback! It helps us to know what knitters love.”
And speaking of designers, the very lovely Carrie Keplinger, who is right this minute editing my ebook (so exciting! watch this space!), has put her entire Like Clochework Collection of adorable crocheted hats on sale for $14.99 until November 26. Go, quick, get a copy!
You know it and I know it and every knitter and crocheter in town knows it, but now the New York Times has cottoned on: Capes and Wraps are Hot!
You only work on one project at a time, right? No?!? Ok then, you might enjoy this post, where Stacey Trock of Fresh Stitches does a quick run-through of some basic storage options for WIPs.
This one is just for my sister, who has gone crazy for knitting — as in, garter stitch only — but has yet to learn to cast on, purl, or bind off…. Karrie at KnitPurlGurl.com has done some quick videos that explain the very basics of knitting for beginners. Got a friend who keeps asking you to knit for her? Smile sweetly, and send her here!
And finally, did you see this? A crocheted spare tire cover. Fantastic!!! Wear your crafting with pride!
I spent much of yesterday surround by piles and piles of mini-skeins, as I put together the very first parcels for the members of the SpaceCadet’s Mini-Skein Club (and, hey, if you’re in the club, keep your eyes on the mailbox, because your yarn is on its way!).
While I was working, I kept thinking about all the fab mini-skein patterns I’ve seen lately, and just how varied they are. I mean, the first patterns everyone names when I say “mini-skeins” are all blankets (the BeeKeeper’s Quilt, the Sock Yarn Blanket, the Babette Blanket), but there are all kinds of possibilities! Check these out…
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First, we have the amazing Mini Mania Scarf from Sarah Core of Exchanging Fire. I love this scarf — love the incredible mix of colours, love the beautiful linen stitch, love the sheer size of it! As the weather starts to get colder, can’t you just see yourself all wrapped up in this?
Ok, but a scarf is a little like a blanket, I hear you say. So, alright, let’s move on to something that is definitely not like a blanket: the Mitered Baby Jacket by Phazelia. The first thing I loved about this pattern was the way the colours blend into each other — and knitting this jacket with mini skeins offers so many colour possibilities! — but then there is the construction… Knit at an angle to create interesting diagonal stripes, the great news is that only sewing up for this cardigan is on the sleeves!
And then, to fully complete the departure from blankets, we have Rachel Coopey‘s totally customisable Mixalot Socks. You can knit any combination of the four charts, add plain stripes where-ever you like, and make the two socks match… or not! And, by knitting with mini skeins, the colour combinations can be as gentle or as wild as you please. What a fun project!
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And if these patterns have got you feeling all inspired and itching to cast on, check out the SpaceCadet’s Mini-Skein Club. Each month you’ll receive a hand-picked collection of gorgeous SpaceCadet mini-skeins delivered right to your door. It’s a great way to try out all the SpaceCadet yarn bases …and to feed your mini-skein project addiction!
