A Club Bonus — The Sanctuary Shrug

27MayMay 28, 2015 By Stephanie

I passionately believe that knitting and crocheting make people happier — that kind of deep-down happiness that comes from being settled and content. Even in times when nothing seems to be going right, working with yarn and needles can create a small sanctuary of much-needed peace.

And I also believe that knitting and crochet can help us to become friendlier, kinder, more generous. I’ve seen it time and again: when I step out of my comfort zone to ask a stranger what she’s crocheting, when folks at knit night make a new member feel completely at home, and even when one of our customers was so generous as to pay for an entire year in the SpaceMonster Mega Yarn Club for us to give away (that one blew me away!). I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised when these random acts of kindness and spontaneous generosity happen, but they are always heartwarming.

The designer Mel Ski is a member of our fingering-weight yarn club, the InterStellar Yarn Alliance, and she used her March skein of Aurora to knit the Sanctuary Shrug, a sweet little thing to go round your shoulders on summer evenings when the air starts to cool. Originally designed for her Outlandish Clan Kit, which used SpaceCadet Lucina and Oriana yarn (as you’ll see in the photos of the blue and brown version), it’s a pattern that would work with almost any Yarn Alliance colourway or SpaceCadet fingering weight yarn. I love the delicate lacework — so like the summer vines climbing up our porch railings. It’s the kind of practical and beautiful knit that I just adore: lovely to wear but also quick to work up… so you can get to the wearing all the sooner.

The pattern is available on Ravelry here, but here’s the best bit… because Mel is a member of the Yarn Alliance and loved knitting this pattern in a club yarn, she has decided to share it with all the current members of the club as a free bonus club treat. Isn’t that wonderful?!? I really do love the way knitters and crocheters can be so generous about sharing their passion — and I am delighted that Mel has included her fellow club members this way!

If you’re a member of the Yarn Alliance, look for an email later this morning with a download code so you can get the Sanctuary Shrug on your needles straightaway. And if you’re not a member, click here to read more about the Yarn Alliance and — most importantly — get on the club mailing list. We won’t bombard your with messages, but you will get advance notice and early-bird sign-up when the subscriptions open up again in September!

Speaking of clubs opening up, I can’t believe it’s almost June (whaaattt?!?) and nearly time to open subscriptions to the SpaceMonster Mega Yarn Club, our bulky-and-worsted weight club. We are dyeing yarn now (it’s so gorgeous!!!!) and prepping the gifts for the last shipment for current members before subscriptions open on June 5. If you’re not in the club but you love smooshy big yarns, click here to read all about the SpaceMonster Club and get on the mailing list!

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!

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!

Sweater Kits and KALs

30AprApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

When we went to our Spring shows this year, we brought a huge pile of Sweater Kits. They were something of an experiment — I hadn’t really announced them or talked about them ahead of time — but they were a big hit! I loved watching customers digging through all the Sweater Kits to find the one that was just right. And tons of you emailed and tweeted to ask, would the Sweater Kits be available in the shop? Could you get them even if you can’t get to the shows? The answer is yes, but in the rush of all the stuff that was going on after the shows (including this!), I never got the chance to put the kits in the shop after we got home.

Sweater Kits for the Hana Hou KAL

But then I realised the other day that KAL for Singlehanded Knit’s fabulous Hana Hou is starting in just a few days — remember that lovely slouchy cardi that you knew you’d wear for just forever? Yeah, I suddenly realised I should make those Sweater Kits available for anyone who’d still like to join the KAL. We’ll have more kits in the works soon, but if you want to get in on the KAL, click here quick and grab one of the ones we’ve got in stock!

(And if you fancy knitting in it an Ombre or Gradient colourway, there’s a few of those left too.)

Sari Cardi KAL Starts, More Kits on the Way!

And May 1st sees the start of the KAL for Jenise Reid’s gorgeous Sari Cardi. The Sari Cardi is knit in Thebe, our wonderfully airy Silk-Linen 2-play, and is an intriguing knit that incorporates unique shaping to create its beautiful sari-like draping. Now you know that we sold out of the Sari Cardi Kits super fast, but we have more stock coming in and will be dyeing up additional kits to send out as soon as possible. If you’d like to get on the waiting list for a kit and join the KAL when they’re ready, click here to order your Sari Cardi Kit!

The Sari Cardi KAL and a SpaceCadet Dyeing Class

11AprApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

You know that phrase, “The best things come to those who wait”? Well sometimes the waiting is pretty darned hard! For the past couple of months, I’ve been working on two new projects that are just so exciting, I thought I’d burst. And at last I get to share them with you!

Sari Cardi pattern and KAL with Jenise Reid

The wonderfully talented Jenise Reid (you know her from her gorgeous Persian Dreams blanket) has chosen SpaceCadet Thebe for her new design, the Sari Cardi. Created in paired coordinating colours, the Sari Cardi has a versatile draped construction, beautiful texturing, and intriguing shaping. Knit at a loose gauge in Thebe, the SpaceCadet’s (very!) heavy laceweight in 65% silk and 35% linen, it gets softer and more beautiful the more its worn.

The pattern is released on April 15, the KAL kicks off on May 1 and, when Jenise told me about it, I knew we just had to put together some kits to support it! Each kit contains three skeins of Thebe — two in the main colour and one in the coordinating colour — and a download code for a FREE copy of the Sari Cardi pattern. They are available in limited quantities, so click here to grab one quick and come knit the Sari Cardi along with us!

SpaceCadet Dyeing Class at Camp Aloha Friends

Today was the first day all year that it felt like summer might actually be on its way and, when it does, I’m going to summer camp! Mel of Singlehanded Knits has asked me to be a camp counselor at Camp Aloha Friends, her super-fun packed-with-crafty-stuff summer camp. Want to come?

I’ll be teaching a class that has me super excited, because I’ll be walking you through the exact same steps I took when I first started experimenting with fiber and colour: learning with dye with drink mixes. It’s crazy fun, because it’s easy to learn, the colours are vibrant, and the results are quick. I can’t wait show you guys!

And I’m just one of a whole bucket load of teachers at Camp Aloha Friends! There are classes in all sorts of crafty pursuits: sewing, tatting, crochet, bead making, weaving… and the list goes on and on. In fact, click here to watch a fab video taking you through everything you’ll get to do.

Exciting stuff, right? I know I can’t wait to get started — and I so hope you’ll be joining me too!

Check out our Fabulous Spring Show Specials!

11MarApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

The weeks right before a show are always a weird mix of wildly excited and crazy busy, all at the same time at the same time. And, as we prep for the Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival this weekend (March 14-16, click here for a map) and HomeSpun Yarn Party next weekend (March 23, click here for directions), it feels like there are a million things going on at once.

I have a full-scale mock-up of our booth in my living room right now (even though it doesn’t actually fit in my living room), there are bags of yarn everywhere, and I am trying to keep track of no less than five separate to-do lists at the moment.

But we are bringing so many cool things to our Spring shows this year that it’s worth all the chaos. Wanna see what’s in store?

The SpaceCadet Show Exclusive Colourway

I think creating our Show Exclusive Colourway might be my favourite part of show-prep. This is a one-of-a-kind, non-repeatable colourway that is available exclusively at our Spring shows.

This year’s colourway is called Northern Lights and, just like its namesake, it is a swirl of ethereal and intense colour. When Jade was twisting it up, she called it “mesmerizing”, said she couldn’t stop looking at it. I know it’s going to go fast — make sure you get to the booth quickly!

Ombre & Gradient Kits, perfect for Pau Hana!

I love watching people discover our Ombre & Gradient Kits, so we’re bringing a bunch of them. These are the full-skein kits, enough to create an adult sweater with that gorgeous colour-morphing effect.

And the beautiful Pau Hana from Singlehanded Knits was designed specifically for our Ombre & Gradient Kits. Do you love it as much as I do? We’ll have the pattern available right alongside the yarn that inspired it!

Mini-Skein Bundles

We’ve got tons of SpaceCadet Mini-Skein bundles to bring to the shows. Think of them as yarn crayons and let your imagination run wild! If you’ve been coveting the recent Mini-Skein Club parcels, or if you’ve ever fancied trying SpaceCadet yarn but didn’t know where to begin, these little skeins are the perfect place to start!

Hana Hou Kits

I am blown away by Hana Hou, the newest design from Singlehanded Knits. To support the KAL that will start in May, we’ll be offering Sweater Kits of Lyra, perfect for Hana Hou. Buy one of the kits and we’ll give you the pattern for free so you’re all ready for the KAL when it starts. Come and pick your favourite colourway!

The gorgeous Asola Stole

And we’ll have the gorgeous Asola Stole by Pittsburgh designer Amy Maceyko. Designed in SpaceCadet yarn and constructed with an intriguing oval shape, this is one design you’ll really want to see in person! Amy will be teaching at Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet and stopping by our booth between classes — do come and say hello!

The very best part of the show

But for all the great stuff we’re bringing to the show, the very best thing is something we actually can’t pack… I cannot wait to see so many of our customers in person! It is truly the best part of every show we do — seeing your projects, putting faces to names, and really getting to know you guys. I love it, and I leave every show on a high that lasts for days.

So please, come to the show and introduce yourself. We can’t wait to see you!