Hana Hou: A Giveaway!

14FebApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

Is someone giving you roses today? Maybe a huge box of chocolate? Valentine’s Day can be a wonderful bright spot in the depths of winter but if, like me, you aren’t likely to get something from a sweetheart, then let me step in and give you a sweet little treat of my own…

My friend Mel of Singlehanded Knits has just released Hana Hou, a gorgeous new cardigan design that I just love, absolutely love. Knit in sport weight yarn and perfect for SpaceCadet Lyra, it features an asymmetrical style with a really beautiful border detail on the placket and cuffs. It’s just the kind of knit you find yourself itching to get on the needles…

But there’s something more about Hana Hou that knocked my socks off. Rather than simply put together a regular pattern, Mel has turned Hana Hou into a stunning look book, each page filled with the most incredibly luscious photography alongside the pattern instructions. Every image makes you feel like you are falling right into the page and changes Hana Hou from a simple pattern into something that feels more like an escape to the islands. I can’t stop scrolling through it on my iPad…

Win a Copy of the Hana Hou Pattern & Look Book!

So how about a copy of your own? You got it! Mel has very generously given me seven copies of Hana Hou to give away to seven lucky winners!

All you have to do is:

go to Ravelry (click here) and add Hana Hou to either your favourites or your queue
and then leave a comment here on the blog telling me which Lyra colourway you’d choose for your Hana Hou (don’t forget to mention your Ravelry name)

That’s it! Once that’s done, you’re in with a chance to win your own copy of the gorgeous Hana Hou pattern look book! But hurry — the giveaway closes on Monday Feb 17 at 11.59pm EST, and I’ll announce the winner on the blog on Tuesday.

But hey, what if you just can’t wait to get your hands on Hana Hou? Yeah, we’ve got you covered — click here to join the Singlehanded Knits mailing list, and Mel will send you a $2 discount code for an instant download.

Pssst! The Yarn Alliance Is Opening Soon!

Available to new subscribers only twice a year, the InterStellar Yarn Alliance — the SpaceCadet’s premiere yarn club, known for fabulous fingering yarns, gorgeous colourways, and awesome gifts — will be opening again in March for two weeks only. If you want to be the first to know when it does, click here and get on the Yarn Alliance mailing list!

There’s always small print — official rules: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to entrants worldwide, age 5 or older. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Sweepstakes ends 11:59 p.m. EST on February 17, 2014. Official entry is made by commenting on the SpaceCadet blog post titled “Hana Hou: A Giveaway!” and by favouriting and/or queuing Hana Hou on Ravelry. Limit one entry per person. Sponsored by Singlehanded Knits and SpaceCadet Inc, PO Box 113312, Pittsburgh PA 15241. Seven (7) prizes, each consisting of one (1) copy of the Hana Hou pattern and look book, valued at $7. Total prize value: $49. Winner will be selected by random drawing. Prize cannot be redeemed for cash. Prize cannot be substituted. Employees and family of employees of SpaceCadet Inc and/or Singlehanded Knits are ineligible. A list of winners will be available on the SpaceCadet blog on or after February 18, 2014. For full official rules, visit https://spacecadetyarn.com/2014/02/14/hana-hou-a-giveaway

It’s Not About Then, It’s About the Here and Now

11OctApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

The other day, I was talking to an acquaintance and, when I mentioned knitting, he said, “It’s nice to see that people still do these old-fashioned things.” And I know he meant well so I smiled and nodded but — oh! — I was cringing inside. It isn’t the first time someone’s assumed that I knit to somehow embrace old-fashionedness or history or something equally off the mark, but it never ceases to surprise me that there are people out there for whom knitting and crocheting are so unusual that the only explanation can be something to do with the past. Whaaaat?!?

But it got me thinking about why I knit (…and why I dye, for that matter). I know some knitters and crocheters do it for the finished object but that, if I’m honest, that has never been me. And I know others who do it for the creative outlet: they modify patterns to put their own mark on them, or just skip that and create designs all their own. That’s a little closer to my reasons — I’m always coming up with design ideas, but I’m just not skilled enough to turn them into patterns.

But the real reason I knit has nothing to do with being old-fashioned …and everything to do with being in the here and the now. When I pick up my needles and begin that rhythm of moving stitches from left to right, I feel everything start to slow down. My breathing slows, my thinking slows… There is something about knitting that seems to just take over the part of my brain that is always fretting, nagging, analysing and instead occupies it with the simple acts of knit and purl.

And with that most pesky part of my mind thus quietened, I find I can think clearly. I can focus. Be it on the conversation when I’m with friends or the sound of the breeze when I’m alone, knitting changes the experience. It makes it better — and that’s why I knit.

But why do I dye? Because I truly believe the world would be a better place if everyone were knitting or crocheting. I mean, c’mon, you know it, don’t you? And nothing encourages that more than having beautiful, natural yarn in gorgeous, vibrant colours. So, dyeing is sort of my way of bringing about world peace …or at least, bringing a little peace into a few people’s lives. When I dye my yarns, I’m thinking of the person it will go to, and the quiet joy they will experience as the yarn moves through their fingers and the colours change before their eyes.

Oh, and it’s because I really love colour — really really love colour. There’s always that too.

The Pau Hana KAL starts in less than a week! And our KALers are swatching their yarns, pinning their ombre and gradient inspirations, and getting ready for cast on on Oct 17!

Most of the last pre-order kits are going in the post today, so there’s time for swatching and colour-play before the start date. But if you haven’t joined us yet, you can order a Pau Hana kit for custom dyeing, and we will get it into the dyepots for you as quickly as possible so you can join in the fun! Click here for all the details!

Announcing… Pau Hana!

20SepApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

I have an announcement. But before the announcement, I have a little funny story that I want to share with you. My friend Mel, otherwise known as MSkiKnits of the Singlehanded Knits podcast (you watch it, right? because, seriously, she records on the beaches of Kauai)… Anyway, Mel has been busy designing a fantastic pattern with a SpaceCadet Ombre & Gradient Kit — actually, two patterns, and here’s where the funny bit comes in… because she hadn’t named one of patterns yet, so she kept referring to as “the sweater”. But when she said that, I somehow got the wrong sweater in my mind.

So she was phoning me up and asking questions about the kits and how they would work with the pattern. And I was happily answering her questions. And sometimes it all suddenly wouldn’t seem to make any sense to me and I’d paused confusedly… or sometimes she’d pause… But then we’d get ourselves back on track and everything would seem fine again.

And then the other week, she told me that the pattern was ready for release at last. Hoorah! But as she went on to describe the details, suddenly it all started to not make sense again. And so I finally owned up to my utter confusion and said, “Hang on, Mel. What… wait, what exactly are we talking about?” And that’s when she and I suddenly realised that the entire time we’d been talking — through all those phone calls — she’d been asking about one sweater, and I’d been answering about a comletely different sweater!

*sigh* …SpaceCadet indeed.

Not to worry, the pattern is gorgeous. The yarn works with it beautifully. You’re going to love this!

And now the announcement…

This is Pau Hana

Pau Hana is a beautiful Dolman style sweater by MSkiKnits of the Singlehanded Knits podcast, designed completely around SpaceCadet Creations Ombré & Gradient Kits, to capture one of the hottest trends in colour right now.

Pau Hana is knit top down,with a beautiful center panel pattern repeated in the cuffs and bottom edge detail. Front and back panels are knit side to side in parts and joined together in the round beneath the arms. After joining, a series of decreases gently shape the sweater to flatter all figures. Upper and lower bottom arm seaming is simple and enjoyable.

The positive ease in this sweater makes it perfect…for all sizes, all layering choices, all seasons.

Want to see this sweater live? Head HERE for a peek at it on Mel on the blog and in the podcast on the beach in Hawaii at sunset!

The Pau Hana Kit

And, hey, guess what? In celebration of the pattern’s release, I’m doing a limited number of Pau Hana kits! The kits are created with Lyra, the SpaceCadet’s gorgeously sproingy sport weight, and each kit includes:

either four skeins for size XS, S, and M (32″, 34″, 36″ bust)
or five skeins for sizes L, XL, XXL (40″, 42″, 44″ bust)
a FREE copy of the Pau Hana pattern with five pages of detailed directions
an instructional video, provided exclusively with each SpaceCadet Pau Hana kit purchase, which explains how to weigh yarn, join and transition most effectively.

To buy a Pau Hana kit, click the button below and then be sure to choose a colourway option that is marked “Pau Hana” to ensure you get the pattern and bonus video.

(These kits are limited in quantity but, if we run out, I’ll open the listing to pre-orders for as many more kits as I have yarn in stock. If you click over and there are none left, be sure to come back shortly to nab one of the pre-orders!)

The KAL

And look, if a whole bunch of you are grabbing a kit and casting on, we might as well make this a party, right? So let’s turn this into a Pau Hana KAL!

The Pau Hana Knitalong is a fabulous way to knit this gorgeous jumper in the company a whole bunch of other excited and enthusiastic knitters!

You’ll be able to share your progress, get support and extra instruction on the best way to use the intriguing colour changes of the Ombre and Gradient Kits, and enjoy the camaraderie as we all work through this beautiful project together. It’s gotta be the very best way to knit — c’mon and join us!

The KAL will begin in mid-October and run for about six weeks. Each week there will be benchmark goals to help keep you on track, but you don’t have to worry — everyone can work at their own pace, and the only requirement is that your share your progress and help us all cheer each other along.

Ready to join the fun? All the updates and information will be post on the SpaceCadet’s Ravelry page. Click here to join the group, and then say hello in the Welcome thread!

I can’t wait to get started, can you? Ok, who’s in?

Straight from the Sandy Beaches of Hawaii

16AugApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’ve been a fan of the Singlehanded Knits podcast ever since I first discovered it. I mean, Mel records right on the beautiful beaches of Kauai, with the waves rolling in and palm trees swaying — what’s not to love?

And I knew she’s been a member (and huge fan) of the Mini-Skein Club almost since it first began as well, so I felt comfortable asking her to share her thoughts on it in a new video for the Mini-Skein Club page. Here, come escape to Hawaii for a few minutes and sit on the beach with Mel and chat about yarn. (I don’t think it can get any better than that, can it?)

As you can tell from the video, Mel is an absolutely lovely person — warm and genuine, and with a positive attitude that’s just infectious. Watching her podcast is always a surefire way to bring a little sunshine to any cloudy day.

So I was startled to find myself with tears in my eyes as I read this beautiful blog post she wrote about her dear friend Miss Carol, and the money she is helping to raise for the MARSOC foundation in Miss Carol’s memory. The response from the knitting community has been swift… and incredible! But there is still a way to go to hit the goal, so I urge you to click here and read Mel’s story about Miss Carol for yourself.

Ohhhhhhhhh…. did I mention there are prizes? Oh yes there are! Lots of wonderful yarny prizes to encourage you to read and donate, including a SpaceCadet Gift Code worth $40. So seriously… Go. Click. Read. Give. It’s all good.

And now something I just have to share with you guys… I was stunned — stunned! and thrilled! — to discover that SpaceCadet was featured in the latest issue of Knit Simple magazine, in a round-up of their favourite yarn clubs. Go look — it’s on page 12. Or here, wait, have a look here…

Isn’t that exciting?!? I’m over the moon! Squeeeeee with me!!!!!

And hey listen, the club that Knit Simple mentions there, the InterStellar Yarn Alliance, opens for new subscriptions next month for two weeks only, from Sept 1 to 16. This is the club that everyone talks about — beautiful hand-dyed yarn, fantastic SpaceCadet gifts and loads of fun! Spaces are limited and last time they went incredibly fast, so if you’re not already on the mailing list, click here to get on it and be the first to know when it opens!