Mauna Kea: Pattern, Kits, & Knit-Together

28AugApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

Sometimes I find it hard to wait. When I think of an exciting new idea, I want to dive into it right NOW (hence my stash of 15 million started-but-never-finished knitting projects). When my friend Mel (of the With Mel podcast, formerly Singlehanded Knits) showed me her design ideas for the gorgeous Mauna Kea, I was dying to share it with you guys, but the timing wasn’t right. Do you have any idea how hard it was to keep quiet about such a stunning pattern?!? It was SO hard!

But some things are worth waiting for. Take a look at this…

Knit top down with raglan shaping, Mauna Kea features laid-back styling and ribbed 3/4 sleeves. But my favourite thing is the shape, created by some incredibly flattering rib detailing down each side.

Choose to make it in stripes using a SpaceCadet Ombre Kit (as shown here) for a sublime monochrome effect. Or pick a Gradient Kit for eye-catching stripes with real impact! And if stripes aren’t your thing? Skip them, and use any of the Ombre & Gradient Kits in order to create a sweater with colours that gently morph from top to bottom.

The Mauna Kea Knit-Together!

What’s even better than a fabulous new pattern? A Mauna Kea Knit-Together! Join Mel for a lively and fun knit-together from Oct 31 to Dec 5. There will be a support forum on Ravelry, video help for knitters, and lots of great camaraderie!

Important: The Mauna Kea Kits listed here are available for pre-order and will be dyed once the orders close on Sept 15. Delivery will be in mid-October, in plenty of time for the Knit-Together cast on day.

You can see why I was struggling to keep it a secret, right? It’s one of those designs that make you just itch to get started!

Kits are available until Sept 15th only — click here to order yours!

All the Important Details

The Yarn

Lyra is a beautifully spoingy yarn that’s a joy to use, with a cabled 8-ply construction gives it strength and durability.

Fiber Content:100% Superwash Merino; 8-ply
Weight: Each skein is approximately 3.5oz/100g, and the yarn contains approximately 270 yards per 100g

The Kits

Each kit includes five skeins of Lyra and a download code for a FREE copy of the Mauna Kea pattern (the code arrives in the parcel with your yarn).

A lively knit together begins on Halloween for Mauna Kea, with a support forum and video helps for knitters!

The Colourways

There are five colourways available:

Dark Skies Ombre — grays to create the perfect monochrome effect
South China Seas Ombre — sublime blues for the ultimate in laid-back casual
Gobsmack Ombre — from deep purple to the softest lilac
Fervent Start-Anywhere Gradient — this gradient morphs from deep gray > rich eggplant > stunning fuscia > bright orange > brick red > back to gray. Designed so you can Start Anywhere, it works perfectly as either a gradient or for stripes.
Zing Gradient Ombre — this gradient morphs from dark gray > vibrant purple > cobalt blue > zesty lime > back to gray. Designed so you can Start Anywhere, it works perfectly as either a gradient or for stripes.

Sizing

For striping sweaters:

For sizes S/M/L: use 1 kit
For sizes XL/XXL: use 2 kits (due to the way the stripes use the colours)

For ombre/gradient fading sweaters:

For all sizes: use 1 kit

Delivery

Kits will be dyed after the ordering period closes on Sept 15 and parcels will be sent out mid-October, in plenty of time for the Knit-Together cast on date of Oct 31.

Ready to join in? Click here to get your Mauna Kea kit!

Introducing Maia, the Stunning New SpaceCadet Yarn

15AugApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

Are you ready to squeeee with me? I’m over the moon to introduce you to the SpaceCadet’s newest yarn… You are in for a treat!

Introducing Maia, with Shine and Drape to Die For!

Named after the fourth brightest star in the Pleiades, Maia is a very special yarn. Spun with 80% bamboo, it has a simply amazing sheen that takes on colour with an incredible icy luster. That shine you see in the pictures? It’s no trick of the camera — Maia really is that luminescent!

And the way Maia drapes? It’s just stunning. This yarn is wonderfully soft* and light to the touch but, do you know, it hangs as though it were almost heavy. The effect is just beautiful.

Perfect for light late-summer knits, its lustrous sheen and icy colours carry through to elegant shawls for winter festivities. Maia is the yarn to choose for your most stunning and eye-catching creations.

The Details: Maia

Fiber Content: 80% Bamboo, 20% Superwash Merino; 4-ply

Weight: Fingering; Each skein is approximately 3.5oz/100g, and the yarn contains approximately 400 yards per 100g

How does this yarn take colour? Because bamboo does not take on the colour from acid dyes, colourways in Maia are much, much softer than our other fingering yarns, and the sheen gives them a wonderful “iced” look that adds to its unique look.

Currently in stock in Breathless, Cove, Crush, Dark Skies, Feather, Headstrong, Honey, Mars, Oxblood, Sage, and Tickled. It is also available to order for custom dyeing in any of our other SpaceCadet Colourways.

Click here to see Maia in the SpaceCadet shop!

The Fascia Shawl, designed for Maia

When I sent two skeins of Maia to designer Amy Maceyko, she shot back, “OMG the drape!” And I knew immediately that she was going to use it to design something wonderfully flowing and elegant.

And didn’t she just? This is the Fascia Shawl — a design created to show off the beauty of Maia, but with little details that are simply delicious. Oh do you see that lovely edging? So beautiful!

*with a yarn as lustrous as Maia, you might think it wouldn’t be very nice to handle, but look at that last image just above — do you see the fuzzy halo on the edge of the shawl? For all its icy sheen, Maia really is deliciously soft!

Click here to see Maia in the SpaceCadet shop.

Join In on Our Idea Bank!

12AugApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

We are all busy this week prepping the August Mini-Skein Club bundles (and I think they’re going to be a real treat this month, whether you’ve picked the Ombre&Gradient Mix or the Multicolour Mix — really fun colours coming your way!).

But I wanted to quickly share with you something wonderful that’s been happening in the SpaceCadet group on Ravelry! Now, we love collecting Mini-Skein project ideas for our club members on our Mini-Skein Ideas board on Pinterest — there are just so many fabulous and creative ways to add colour to your projects and scrolling through our Pinterest board is downright delicious.

But then I had a brainwave! As well as our collection on Pinterest, why not make this collaborative, and have all of you guys add your ideas too? So I started a thread on Ravelry — a place to share Mini-Skein project ideas and create a gorgeous look-book of patterns, an idea bank that we all contribute to. And it has become absolutely magic!

There are just two rules, and they are simple (and pretty fun too!):

Every suggestion has to include an image. Whether it’s a pattern on Ravelry or your own project, the idea is to create a visual idea book — and to be visual, it’s gotta have images! (and links are great too)
Chatting is welcome BUT you MUST also include an image and pattern idea in that same post. So, you can post a comment or reply to someone else’s post, but then you also have add in a pattern suggestion (and image) of your own in that post.

Want to join in the fun? Click here to check out the thread. And, hey, why not share your best Mini-Skein idea while you’re there?

Coming Soon

I’m crazy excited but I can’t say much, except to share this sneak peek…

…and these two key words: gorgeous new pattern and fabulous new kits! Mark your calendars for August 29th, and make sure you’re on the mailing list to be the first to hear about it!

Closing Soon

There’s less than one week left to order your fantastic SpaceCadet yarn bowl and mug from Pawley Studios. The orders are flying and it’s been so much fun! Don’t miss the chance to grab yours before they close on Aug 18! Click here to order or learn more.

Some Truly Wonderful News

05AugApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

If you’ve been following SpaceCadet for a while, you’ll know about my friend Mel of Singlehanded Knits. She’s a designer, a podcaster, a good friend, and hands down one of the most upbeat people I’ve ever known. And I want to share something about her with you.

Now, what you may not have known is that Singlehanded Knits is so named because, several years ago, a coconut falling from its tree landed on Mel’s shoulder, causing serious nerve damage, and she lost the use the of her left arm. Though the circumstances sound almost ridiculous, the reality was devastating, and I know from our conversations, just how hard it was for her. I think many people in the same situation (including me) might have been tempted to just let everything stop. But Mel’s reaction was extraordinary and so inspiring — facing her challenges head on, she refused to be beaten. Instead, she adapted and raised her game — she learned to knit with one hand, she began designing, and she started a blog and her podcast, recorded on the beaches near her home on Kauai, which she called Singlehanded Knits. And the whole time, Mel continued to believe she would one day regain the use of her arm, and worked hard with doctors and physical therapists to make it happen.

This past weekend, she launched a brand-new podcast and a (stunning beautiful) blog. It’s called “With Mel”, and it’s her first step in the process of moving her online presence to a new domain. No longer will she be Singlehanded Knits. And the reason? Well, it’s in the photo below. Can you spot it?

Mel is using both of her arms. She’s using BOTH of her arms!

Now, that’s a small thing in the grand scheme of the world, and I know Mel still has a lot of hard work ahead of her to continue her healing. But it’s also huge. It’s HUGE! When I saw Mel move her left arm during her new podcast, I stopped dead in my tracks and squealed out loud. She can use her arm again!

And when there is an event of true joy like this, I think it’s worth celebrating, don’t you? So this whole post is about nothing more than sharing with you a small miracle, an amazing bit of news to bring a bit of light to your Tuesday morning.

Good morning, everyone. I hope you have a wonderful day!

PS — if you want to add your celebrations to mine, do send Mel your good wishes on her new blog. I know it’d mean the world to her. Aaaaaand that shawl she’s holding in the podcast image I showed you above? She’s doing something seriously cool and collaborative with it on the podcast. Go watch and join in!

So Cool! SpaceCadet Yarn Bowls & Mugs!

31JulApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

When my assistant Amy gave me my first Pawley Studios yarn bowl a few years ago, I fell head over heels. I admit, I’ve always been a sucker for hand-thrown pottery, but Amanda Pawley’s bowls are something really special. Delightfully fat and round, with a hint of those gentle ridges that give evidence to the hand-throwing process, and finished with the most deliciously vibrant glazes, I find Pawley yarn bowls very very hard to resist.

So I was hoping the custom yarn bowls that Amanda and I put together last year as a gift for the SpaceMonsters Club would be popular. And were they ever! Not only were the SpaceMonster members over the moon, but emails came pouring in from other customers asking how they could buy one. Now those SpaceMonster bowls were exclusive to the club, but I am super-excited to announce that Amanda and I have been secretly planning little something for everyone else…

The SpaceCadet Collection from Pawley Studios

SQUEEEE!!!!! How gorgeous are these?!? Amanda has created a wonderful little collection, all featuring our cheeky little SpaceCadet’s front and center. The yarn bowls come in two sizes — regular and the adorable mini — and the mug is satisfyingly chunky and generous, and they are all available in three glazes: deep and dark Starry Night, vibrant Arizona Sunrise, and the delightful Sweet Pea glaze.

And I can’t believe how much I love seeing the SpaceCadet’s goofy face grinning away on them! Click here to get yours.

Available to order from Aug 1 to Aug 18 and Amanda will make each bowl and mug by hand once the order period has closed. (The listing in the shop says “dyed to order” because it’s usually referring to yarn but, y’know, it really means “made to order”).

Delivery of these beautiful hand-made items will be in late September to early October.

The Collection and Colours

The Regular Yarn Bowl is shown is Starry Night and is 6″ wide and 4″ high
The Mini Yarn Bowl is shown in Arizona Sunrise glaze and is 4″ wide and 2″ high (if you’ve seen the SpaceMonster yarn bowl, this is the same size)
The Mug is shown in Sweet Pea glaze and holds 12-14 oz, and is microwave and dishwasher safe.

I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time and I am just so excited to share these gorgeous yarn bowls and mug with you at last. Don’t forget, we will close the listing on August 18, so if you love these as much as we do, click here to grab yours quick!

Decisions! Which Colourways to Dye?!?

29JulApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

If you’re a member of the SpaceCadet’s Mini-Skein Club, you know I love it because it gives me a chance to really stretch my wings and experiment with colour. Every month, I get to come up with ten colourways, and I have so much fun with that!

For July’s Mini-Skeins, I did another Start-Anywhere Gradient Mix. This one moves from a fabulous sunny-gold through to a delicate purple, which blends into a deliciously juicy blue (see the touches of purple hidden in the blue?), and finally melts back into that gold, creating vivid streaks of green as it does. I love the vibrancy of this mix — all the brightness of summer there in one sweet little bundle!

(And this best bit about these colourways? You may not know this, but when yellow and purple mix, they form the most sublime khaki colour. I think having that bit of earthy contrast in the mix really helps the brighter colours to pop.)

And to be honest, when the Mini-Skeins are finally all twisted and gathered into bundles, it’s usually the Ombre & Gradient Mix that’s my favourite. But this month… this month, the Multicolour Mix just reached out and grabbed me. All of the colourways in there are pure experimentation — I had no idea how they’d turn out — and the results blew me away!

There’s one that I think would be stunning if I took the colours and broke them out into a Gradient bundle of their own. And three more that are really calling to me to be dyed again, perhaps as Limited Editions. Can you guess which ones I’m thinking of?

Most of all, I can’t wait to get my Mini-Skein bundle caked up and ready to… oh, decisions! Should I knit them, weave them or crochet?!? I want to do all three! What would you do with yours?