Limited Editions: Autumn Walk

09OctOctober 9, 2015 By Stephanie

This is a fantastic time of year… Because of the changing leaves? Nope. Because of the lovely smell of autumn in the air? Nope. Because of all the wonderful Fall holidays coming up? Nooooo… because it’s the start of knitting and crocheting season! And there is nothing like the cooling air, the wonderful smell of autumn, and the changing leaves to make me want to pick out a gorgeous skein and cast on a new project.

And that is why I can’t wait to show you our latest Limited Editions Collection, chosen directly from September’s Mini-Skein Club bundles. But first, let me show you both colourway mixes….

The Multicolour Mix

Here’s the Multicolour Mix and I am just in love with this one! With colourways that range from bold and bright to soft and sublime to dark and moody, this bundle has a little of everything — and gives you everything you need to really make a project pop!

The Ombre & Gradient Mix

And here’s where we really embraced the changing seasons! See those wonderfully mellow, faded autumn shades in September’s Ombre & Gradient Mix? Aren’t they just the most delicious colours? And the way they blend together is just divine . Seriously, check out Teresa’s stunning granny square to see how well they work together!

Limited Editions

So why not turn all that autumn goodness into a full-size sweater kit? Oh, we can do that! Look how gorgeous it is…

As the days grow shorter and the air begins to cool, the brash shades of summer begin to mellow and blend, becoming subdued hues that make for the perfect Autumn Walk.

Watch as the colours change in your hands, flowing from deep pine greens through into soft browns, stunning golds, and then morphs into stunning faded blues. And then — because this is a SpaceCadet Start Anywhere Kit — the colours of the last skein flow back again into the first!

(Where’s the order button? This kit is exclusive to September Mini-Skein Club members. If that’s you, look for an email arriving shortly with your members-only link!)

If you’re not in the Mini-Skein Club, don’t worry — you can still get some of that warm and spicy yarn goodness. Check out our Pumpkin Spice colourway (…what?!?)

Pumpkin Spice is warm and tawny and golden and spicy and… Well you needed something else Pumpkin Spice in your life, right?

Available on three bases, until October 22 only

A beautiful combination of cool grey and rich green, MossRock is the colours of stepping stones running along a brook that gently runs through dark woods.

(Where’s the order button? This colourway is exclusive to September Mini-Skein Club members. If that’s you, look for an email arriving shortly with your members-only link!)

So full of zip and zing, you can almost taste it! Twist‘s deep magenta fades into crisp whites and hit every shade of pink in between.

Available on three bases, until October 22 only

As soft as hope and as delicate as dreams, gentle yellows, peaches, greys and whites swirl together in these Little Wishes.

(Where’s the order button? This colourway is exclusive to September Mini-Skein Club members. If that’s you, look for an email arriving shortly with your members-only link!)

Want Alllll These Colourways?

Our Mini-Skein Club Members get access to all these colourways so, if you’re not in the club, you’re missing out! And not just on the full-skeins here but on all the wonderful bundles of yarny goodness we deliver to your door every month. The Mini-Skein Club is where we really explore colour, letting our imaginations run wild to create ten new colourways each and every month — and our club members get to join in on all that fun, diving right into the colours and trying all of SpaceCadet’s fingering yarns along the way. Click here to join us!

A Reminder Worth Sharing

17Sep By Stephanie

I have to share with you something wonderful that happened this week that reminded me what all this is about. It’s easy to think that what I do as a dyer and what you do as a knitter or crocheter is about producing things… about making scarves and hats and sweaters and stuff. It’s not. What this is really about is what it does for us — you and me — on the inside. It calms our souls and quietens our minds. It gives us pause and focus and a kind of joy that I can’t explain that comes from working with beautiful yarn and our own two hands. And, even better, it creates connections with others who share our passion for the fiber arts. There is something there that is so much deeper than simply what we produce and, in the midst of all our busy-ness, it is good to be reminded of that.

And here was my reminder this week: I received a message on Ravelry, a spontaneous note from a Yarn Alliance club member to tell me how much the latest parcel lifted her. She said, “I was having a really crap day (24 years in the military left me with PTSD and severe depression…). Your little parcel was on my steps when I came home… The yarn is gorgeous and the colors just spoke to me. I know it sounds silly, but your yarn helped me find a happy place.”

It doesn’t sound silly to me, not at all. I understand completely the power of yarn to lift your soul — it’s why I do what I do. And spontaneous notes like that change it from something I have do on my own in a studio to a way of creating amazing, personal connections with other people — with customers, with club members… with you. To me, that’s something incredible and it makes me feel like I have the best job in the world.

Robin’s Chevron Blanket from Ina Braun on Vimeo.

I got another email a few weeks ago from a Mini-Skein Club member who wanted to share with me a fantastic chevron blanket she’s made with her Minis. It’s so beautiful and brought her so much joy that she created a delightful little video that I just have to show you. Isn’t it wonderful that our shared fiber-passion brought her to me, and then allows me to connect her with you?

The other day, I printed out the packing slips for the Knerd bag orders we’ll be shipping soon — there are so many that I wanted to get a head-start on writing the hand-written thank you I include on each one — and when I looked at how many there are, my wrist started feeling sore just in anticipation! But I am so grateful for our SpaceCadet community and customers that I always take the opportunity to make that connection. I love writing a personal note in every shop order that we send out. When I write the dyer’s notes for the Yarn Alliance or the SpaceMonsters Club, I’m sharing with each club member personally.

When you open a SpaceCadet parcel and it lifts your soul, I get that. When you knit or crochet with SpaceCadet yarn and it takes you to a happy place… oh, I totally get that. I feel exactly the same, and it’s why I do what I do every day. It is an honour to connect with the SpaceCadet community — with you — and I am so grateful that I get to do so.

Yarn Alliance subscriptions are open for only a few more days. When you join us, you receive gorgeous yarns in exclusive club-only colourways, fabulous gifts, a 15% off coupon, and entry to a wonderful community of folks who totally get your yarn obsession! Click here to see more and join us. But hurry — subscriptions close on Sunday.

PS — Before I mentioned the message above from our Yarn Alliance member, I wrote to ask if she minded if I quoted it. I hadn’t planned to include the part about her struggles with PTSD or depression, but she replied, “…you can use any part of it, even the PTSD…. I am not ashamed of it. I sometimes joke about my ‘earning’ it.” And y’know, I think she’s right — she has earned it — and the more I thought about that, the more I wanted to recognise it. I am so very glad she let me share that with you.

Arc Over Spiral — a Difficult Colourway

10SepOctober 9, 2015 By Stephanie

The latest Yarn Alliance parcels went out this week to our existing club members and I’m so excited to show you the contents, I just can’t wait! In all honesty, I struggled with this colourway but, once it finally came to me, it was tons of fun to dye. Ready to see it? Here we go…

(Spoiler warning! If you’re in the Yarn Alliance and you haven’t received your parcel yet, stop here and don’t scroll down!)

Arc Over Spiral (…what over what?!?)

The creative process can be like an arc spanning across a series of points or more like a spiral working round and round to the center as you explore the depths of a single idea.

When I began dyeing this colourway, I chose the hues that spoke to me most at that moment – until I realised I was more or less repeating the colourway we dyed for the Yarn Alliance in May. So I change my formulations a bit and dyed another set of skeins – and then realised they were similar to the July colorway. Now I knew I was in a spiral …which is all good fun, but won’t do for a club. Try as I might, though, I couldn’t pull my head out of that space – the same shades kept coming back to me — and so I put down the dyes and went home.

That night, as I was falling asleep, the whole colourway suddenly came to me. I knew exactly what I wanted to dye, and it was nothing like what I’d been trying before – a new mood, a new direction. No longer a spiral, this colourway was suddenly back on that beautiful arc.

The Yarn

Maia is an amazing yarn — light, smooth, so very soft — and perfect for these late summer days. Its drape is incredible and adds a wonderful swing to whatever you make out of it. But better than all of that is what it does with light — it captures it, rolls it around and then reflects it out again in a way that is just stunning!

The Gift — a Perfect Place to Stash Tiny Things

I found HipStrings’ fiber arts tools at a local Pittsburgh show and fell in love with their cool, modern aesthetic. Exclusively for the members of the Yarn Alliance, they’ve created these sweet little bowls featuring the SpaceCadet zooming across in his flying saucer, to hold stitchmarkers and safety pins and all the other little things that want to get lost. Aren’t they fabulous?!?

The Yarn Alliance is Open for Only One More Week!

Our premiere yarn club, the InterStellar Yarn Alliance is open for subscriptions from now until Sept 20. It opens only twice a year, so don’t miss your chance to get our best dyeing delivered directly to your door all year long!

Members of the Yarn Alliance receive gorgeous yarns in exclusive club-only colourways, fabulous gifts, the chance to order extra skeins, 15% off a future SpaceCadet order and so much more! Click here to see our gallery of colourways and to join this fab club.

Why It Matters that We Dye from Primaries

08SepFebruary 11, 2018 By Stephanie

At TNNA a few months ago, I discovered something I hadn’t realised before. Talking to several of my fellow dyers, I became aware that many of them have large collections of different dye colours that they work from. In some cases, dozens of different shades of powder that they use to dye their yarn.

Why It Matters that We Dye from Primaries 580

That took me by surprise, because we don’t use anything like that many dyes. In fact, we use only 5 colours of dye: cyan, magenta, yellow, red, and black — the primary colours in the CMYK and RYB color models. And we then use these primary colours to hand-mix all the hundreds of other hues that we use on our yarns. When you look at a SpaceCadet colourway, no matter what shades you are seeing, they are all created from those five colours of dye.

And that’s when I realised that perhaps what we do at SpaceCadet is a little unusual. Instead of buying premixed colours from the dye manufacturers, we use only the primary colours — and mix all our hues by hand here in the studio. Every day, when we start to work, we start with only those five colours, but by the time we leave, there are dozens of stunning shades on our yarns. To achieve them, we constantly experiment — pouring in a base of this colour, then add a little of that colour, and maybe a splash of another, until we think we’ve hit the right mix. Then we submerge the yarn and see…

Why It Matters that We Dye from Primaries 3 580

I started out this way for one simple reason: when I first began dyeing, I just couldn’t afford to invest in that many colours of dye. I sat down with my notebook and wrote the names of all they dyes I wanted to try — Pumpkin, Chartreuse, Salmon, Periwinkle… The list went on and on but, when I tallied up the price, I realised how quickly all those lovely-sounding colours added up. Disappointed, I told myself I’d have to make do for the time being with only the primary colours and I placed my smaller (but much more affordable) order with the dye manufacturer.

I always planned to widen my colour selection when finances allowed, but then an odd thing happened: I found I could make every colour I wanted myself! Good old colour theory and the primary colours didn’t let me down — by mixing those five colours in different configurations, I could achieve everything I’d hoped to buy …and more. By the time I could afford a whole palette of pre-mixed dyes, I realised I didn’t want them. The joy of dyeing for me was not about applying someone else’s colour to my yarn — it had become about making my own colours, creating them completely from scratch, and controlling the tiniest changes from one hue to another.

I guess, really, it was no longer just about the dyeing. It was thrill of hunt when I spotted a colour I wanted to recreate — maybe the searing blue of the sky on a clear day, the rust on an old Pittsburgh bridge, the grey of a tire left out too long in the sun — and I’d spend a little time really looking at the the object to reverse engineer the colour… then rush to the studio to try to capture it before the memory was gone. I’d mix a bit of magenta with a glug of yellow, throw in a splash of black, and… let the yarn soak it up and find out if I’ve hit it. No, if dyeing is about putting colour on yarn, this was so much more — this was about about the hands-on creation of every single shade I produced. And for me, that’s where I find real artistry when I’m dyeing.

Why It Matters that We Dye from Primaries 4 580

Five years later, SpaceCadet could afford to buy all the colours I so longed for in the beginning, but we still mix from just five colours of dye I started out with. And it wasn’t until that weekend at TNNA that I realised that might be a little unusual. When you buy a skein of yarn from SpaceCadet, you’re getting the real artistry of our hands, our own colours that we’ve mixed just for you. In all honesty, I think that’s what our customers really value when they’re working with hand-dyed yarn — a real connection from one maker to another. And I have to admit, I’m pretty proud of how we make what we make!

Want to experience our dyeing all year long?

Let’s Chat In Person!

I’ve fallen in love with Periscope — tune in and catch me live to chat about dyeing from primaries and ask questions about the Yarn Alliance! If you’re not on Periscope, you’ll need to download the app (click here for iOS or here for Andriod), then follow me by searching for SpaceCadetYarn. You’ll get a notification when I start broadcasting — when you do, hop on and start chatting with me live, right there and then. I’ll see you there!

Squeeee! Today is the Day!

03SepSeptember 4, 2015 By Stephanie

I’ve been waiting for today for weeks now — it’s one of my favourite days of the year! Because today the SpaceCadet’s InterStellar Yarn Alliance opens for new subscriptions! Squeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

Ok, let’s get to all the details — there’s so much fun to tell you about!…

The InterStellar Yarn Alliance is the
SpaceCadet’s Premiere Yarn Club

Join us to explore a universe of colour!

Open for subscriptions from September 4-20 ONLY
And spaces go fast!

So, what do you get when you join?

…beautiful yarns, colourways you might never have dared try but suddenly realise you love, and some seriously fabulous gifts!

Members of the InterStellar Yarn Alliance receive fabulous parcels delivered to their door every other month, containing:

SpaceCadet^® 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.
The InterStellar Yarn Alliance newsletter with periodic special offers exclusively for members.
A 15% off coupon every six months

Plus, Sweater Quantities!

One gorgeous skein just isn’t enough? You also have an exclusive opportunity to order more skeins custom-dyed in the latest club colourway. You’ll receive an email with all the details about a week after your parcel goes out — and then all you have to do is pick your project!

A 6 month subscription (3 parcels) is $135
and a 12 month subscription (6 parcels) is $249

Ready to join the fun? Spaces go fast so don’t wait!

Check Out our Gorgeous Colourways from Previous Parcels…

Ready to join us? C’mon — let’s do this!

Clubs are always more fun with your friends, right? Definitely! So please share it!

On Twitter: Squee! The Yarn Alliance Club from SpaceCadet is open for subscriptions – check it out! http://bit.ly/GGzcsn #spacecadetyarn @spacecadetyarn
On Facebook: Squee! The Yarn Alliance Club from SpaceCadet is open for subscriptions – check it out! http://bit.ly/GGzcsn #spacecadetyarn
On Ravelry: Squee! The Yarn Alliance Club from SpaceCadet is open for subscriptions – check it out! http://bit.ly/GGzcsn

Important Details and Policies: Six month subscriptions include 3 parcels; twelve month subscriptions include 6 parcels. Parcels will be sent out in early January, March, May, July, September, and November. 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. Normal subscription openings for the InterStellar Yarn Alliance are two weeks only in March and September of each year. Cancellation policy: Because we purchase supplies for all the parcels immediately after the subscription period ends, refunds are generally not available. However, if there are extenuating circumstances, please contact us as soon as possible and we will do what we can. By purchasing a subscription, you acknowledge and agree to these policies.

Any questions? We’re happy to help: missioncontrol(at)spacecadetyarn(dot)com

Limited Edition Colourways: Night Skies

28AugAugust 28, 2015 By Stephanie

I love approaching knitting and crocheting with a sense of adventure — sometimes I follow the pattern, sometimes I don’t… (and I firmly believe that if you make the same mistake three times, it becomes a pattern, not a goof). So I approach combining different yarns in one project with the same sense of adventure. And that’s helped me to discover that Maia, our 80% bamboo fingering yarn, plays really well with our more merino-based yarns, even though the texture is incredibly different.

But I realise that not all of our Mini-Skein Club member might feel that same freedom so, when we moved onto Maia in our August bundle, we did something a little different from previous years — we specifically designed the colours so that this bundle can be skipped in the continuum of the Never Ending Gradient. In other words, July flows into August (Maia) and August flows into September… BUT July can also flow directly into September — allowing you to stick with our merino-based yarn for your larger project and use August’s Maia in a smaller side project. Total flexibility for you! Cool, huh?

Full Skeins and Sweater Kits of SpaceCadet^{® ‘}s July and August Mini-Skein Colourways!

Let’s start with the Sweater Kit from July’s Ombre & Gradient bundle. I am definitely a blues and purples kind of girl, and just love this colourway so much, I decided to do something a little different and offer this Sweater Kit to everyone. You can see why, right?

Celestial Blues explores the colours of the night sky, and takes us on a journey from the light at the edge of sunset through to the twilight depths as the stars come out to play.

Watch as the colours change in your hands, flowing from soft sky blues through to deeper dusk teals and turquoises and finally into the rich purples that form just before the sky goes inky black. And then — because this is a SpaceCadet Start Anywhere Kit — the colours of the last skein flow back again into the first!

Available until September 12 only

But what if cool colours aren’t your style? If you’re in the July or August Mini-Skein Club, I’ve got something hot for you…

Fire-hot reds and pinks that flow and blend into one another are ready to spark — and Ignite your needles!

(Where’s the order button? This kit is exclusive to July and August Mini-Skein Club members. If that’s you, look for an email arriving shortly with your members-only link!)

Or there’s this lovely warm skein…

Sky Fire is the colours of the hottest sunset, when the sky explodes into vibrant peaches, oranges, and pinks. When knit or crocheted, the colours will gently morph from one to another to form a overall mosaic effect.

Available until September 12 only

Ready to see August’s Ombre & Gradient colourway? It’s stunning…

Celestial Shine captures the shades of night, and moves them from the reality of darkness into stunning hues of fantasy.

Watch as the colours change in your hands, flowing from blues and inky grays into magentas and soft purples. And then — because this is a SpaceCadet Start Anywhere Kit — the colours of the last skein flow back again into the first!

Wait! Why does it say “Imagine this a Sweater Kit”?!? Well, we were so in love with it that we goofed — and caked up our only photography sample to cast on straight away. So we’ve photographed the Mini-Skein bundle instead. But don’t worry — your Sweater Kit will be beautiful full-sized skeins!

(Where’s the order button? This kit is exclusive to July & August Mini-Skein Club members. If that’s you, look for an email arriving shortly with your members-only link!)

Blue-purples fading into pink-purples and back again, Night Gleam is dyed onto Maia so the 80% bamboo can catch the light for a stunning sheen..

Available until September 12 only

The blues and purples of the deepening night sky is the perfect place for the stars to Twinkle.

(Where’s the order button? This kit is exclusive to July & August Mini-Skein Club members. If that’s you, look for an email arriving shortly with your members-only link!)

Want Alllll These Colourways?

SpaceCadet® Knerd Bags Closing Soon!

Don’t forget, there are only a few days left to grab your SpaceCadet Knerd bag before orders close. If you love these bags and have been meaning to order one, click here right now before you forget!

Limited Edition Colourways

Want Alllll These Colourways?

Full Skeins and Sweater Kits of SpaceCadet® ‘s July and August Mini-Skein Colourways!

Want Alllll These Colourways?

SpaceCadet® Knerd Bags Closing Soon!

Full Skeins and Sweater Kits of SpaceCadet^{® ‘}s July and August Mini-Skein Colourways!