[SCOOP] Blanketed with compliments

If you're like me, your knitter's mind is in a state of constant motions.

The movement of our needles help still our thoughts...

And drops us, blissfully, into the moment.

Keep that movement in your needles and watch it reflected in Tif Neilan's "Soulful Blanket Cowl."

This is a piece that stays in place, is super easy to style, has just the right amount of easy, engaging colorwork...and is a guaranteed compliment magnet!

This yarny hug will jump off your needles in Queensland's Kathmandu Aran 100, a tweedy merino blend with a dash of silk and cashmere for strength, softness, and drape.

To make your own, you'll need 2 skeins of your main color for a circumference of 55-63" or 3 skeins for 68.5-79." Then add 1 skein of each contrast color (you can make it with anywhere from 2 contrast colors all the way up to 4!). Our model is wearing Smoky Grey as the main color, with contrast colors Creme, Denim, Pitch Black, and Lavender. Tif uses US Sizes 10, 11, and 13 needles in the project.

We also love these groupings for a 3-color version:
Slate Grey with Creme + Merlot
Denim with Navy + Creme

Shop all 14 colors of Queensland Kathmandu Aran 100 here.

Wait, what?

Is that a book with the word "YARN" in the title, on this week's Wall Street Journal bestseller list???!

Why yes, it is 🤗

This is a victory for ALL of us, yarn friends.

Because what we do together is more than a hobby. More than a cute little craft.

We create together. We connect together. We make clothes with our own two hands. We make other people feel warm, cozy and loved.

We can do anything we put our minds - and hands - to!

We now have signed copies of Move the Needle: Yarns from an Unlikely Entrepreneur available to ship, here.

And it's available on the shelves of many Barnes + Nobles and indie bookstores, too! This wouldn't have been possible without all of YOU.  Thank you to everyone for the huge outpouring of support ❤️

That meditative movement in our knitting can come in many forms.

For so many of us, it's watching the yarn change beneath our fingers as we move forward...forward...stitch...row...masterpiece 🙌

Brienne Moody has created two pieces full of color meditation in the "Fogline Pullover" and "Fogline Shawl." She utilizes the genius of slow-changing Spincycle Dream State in an easy to memorize mosaic that you just can't put down.

The pullover has a chic cropped silhouette with top-down construction. Layer it and savor the texture of the changing colors. The shawl is a take-everywhere project that's perfect for a wrap and a snuggle.

Our new color pairings for the "Fogline Pullover" are in and they are delicious...

"Heart Sigh" Dream State + "Black" Alegria Grande = Sweet and Bold
"Nostalgia" Dream State + "Foil" Alegria Grande = Silver Plums
"Stay Ready" Dream State + "Teal" Alegria Grande = Earthy Jewels

Explore these projects and all the Spincycle here.

We don't want to be controversial. But we need to discuss this issue...

Loops Trooper Rachel loves kale. 😲

Just the word alone is enough to make eyes roll, but give this recipe from the Cheesecake Factory a try at home! This is Rachel's favorite, chock full of fruits and veggies. It's sweet, it's tart, it's crunchy...everything you want in a winter salad. Try it - make it your own - and see if you don't enjoy that kale crunch. 😉

Ingredients (serves 2):
3 oz. Kale, washed and sliced thin
2 oz. Blueberries
1 Lemon, juiced
2 oz. Butter Lettuce, inner portions
2 oz. Baby Lettuce Mix
2 oz. Baby Spinach, whole leaf, cleaned
2 oz. Broccoli, blanched or roasted
2 oz. Pears, fresh or grilled, cut, 1/2” to 3/4” pieces
1 oz. Red Onion, sliced thin, soaked, cut into 1” pieces
1 oz. Arugula
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper, ground
6 tbsp. French Mustard Vinaigrette
1/2 ea. Avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2” pieces
2 oz. Red Seedless Grapes, cut in half
1 oz. Almonds, slivered, toasted
1Tbl. Sunflower Seeds, toasted

Directions:
1. Place the sliced kale and blueberries into a mixing bowl.
Ladle the lemon juice into the bowl aggressively massage and mix the ingredients together. Make sure that all of the blueberries are smashed.

2. Add the butter lettuce leaves, baby lettuce mix, spinach, broccoli, roasted pears, red onions and arugula into the bowl.
Season the salad with salt and pepper. Ladle the French mustard vinaigrette into the bowl and gently toss all of the ingredients together.

3. Place equal amounts of the salad mixture into chilled serving bowls and sprinkle equal amounts of the avocado, grapes, almonds and sunflower seeds over each salad.