🧶 Go jogless with Veera!

Team Knit Stars · April 03, 2022

If you’re like me, this time of year you find yourself putting aside those grey knits of winter, and reaching for all the color!

Whether you’re an experienced colorwork enthusiast, or you’re just looking to dip your toe into multi-color projects for the first time, stripes are a great way to go…

And no one knows more about stripes than Veera Valïmäki from Knit Stars Season 2. In her workshop, Veera wore a striped Marimekko top (the brand that, like herself, hails from Finland!) and did a deep-dive into 6 different ways to avoid those pesky “jogs” in your stripes when working in the round.

In my opinion, her simplest tip was the best because it’s the easiest to remember. 🤗 Watch this short video clip and you’ll be ready to go jogless for good!

It’s the last week to get our LolaBean Hot Loops wall yarns on sale, because…

The debut of our new Spring Hot Loops Wall is this Saturday!

Get your ticket here to join us virtually for just $25.
You’ll get a $25 shopping credit plus a great party favor in your order.

Plus, GG will be in town for an in-person meet-and-greet from 10am to noon Saturday, April 9th at our Flagship store. Join us if you can!!

Right now you are seeing the first-ever sneak peek of some featured yarns from GG’s Spring Hot Loops Wall!

As promised, it is an orange-forward wall filled with complementary colors that work both alone and with the statement colors. There is a yarn and project for every type of knitter on this wall. But, you’ll have to wait 'til Saturday night to see more. 😉

Here’s a fun, super-easy pattern for trying out your fancy new jogless stripe trick.

We worked up “In the Loop” by Espace Tricot using 5 colors of our favorite, supersoft Rowan Felted Tweed. It’s an awesome travel project, and also a great way to practice your continental knitting if you’re trying to get faster. Soothing, relaxing, fun, and motivating color changes at just the right intervals.

Choose from two curated kits here.

Or pick your own palette of Felted Tweed colors here. (You’ll need 2 skeins each of 2 colors, plus 1 skein each of 3 colors)..

These “Our Toques” hats by Tif Nielan are so fun and fast to make in LolaBean Cool Beans Worsted, and it’s on sale 10% off this week! One kit makes two hats. How great would it feel to have two handmade holiday gifts already done and set aside in April? 💫

Also on sale this week…my all-time favorite pattern in my personal shawl wardrobe. The “Golden Hour” by Andrea Mowry in LolaBean Cool Beans Worsted is so, so much fun to make and an absolute compliment magnet to wear! Plus it’s simple slip-stitching - so you can make it as an advanced beginner.

Check out our 3 curated kit options here.

“The Shift” is another wildly popular Andrea Mowry pattern. I made mine in our exclusive colorway of Spincycle Dyed in the Wool, plus Spincycle Wilder and Loops Luxe Royal Light. Pick up a kit here - it’s another super fun knit!

Sweater knitters…you need to make “Lovebirds” by Kate Oates! Karen said it was such a blast to knit, and it’s the model that everyone oohs and aahs over the most when they walk into our Flagship Store.

Pick up your Lovebirds kit here.

Got a baby to knit for? Lucky you!

If I had one on the horizon, this is the project I’d be casting on. Kay Gardiners’ “Quick Stripey Blanket” is mindless, joyful knitting at its finest. We’ve curated a special kit in Berroco Modern Cotton based on the modern, neutral Knit Stars palette.

Pick up a kit here.

Meet Ira, who's been my very dear friend for the past decade.

You may remember her as a model from our patterns. She's also a knitter and has helped pack lots of LoopsClub "blue bag" kits through the years - always as a favor to me.

Ira is from Ukraine. She now lives in Tulsa, coaches at LaFortune Tennis Center, and is studying to be a nurse. She moved here from Ukraine to attend college and has stayed on to make her home here. Her family visits her often (we've had great dinners together, they are wonderful people!) and she goes home as often as she can - or at least, she used to before the horrible aggression against her home country began.

The rest of Ira's family is still in Ukraine and unable to leave.

Her brother and his wife, Igor and Roksolana, are due with their second child in 3 weeks. So terrifying - especially since a maternity hospital was just targeted and bombed this week.

Ira's father, Yuiry, usually works as a tennis referee and her brother as a tennis coach, but of course, there are no tournaments to officiate or lessons to give.

Her mother, Svitlana, usually works as a tour guide and interpreter, and of course, no one is coming for tours.

They had some money saved, but it's running out at the end of the month.

They can't leave Ukraine because both men are required to stay in the country to be available to fight if needed. Plus, Ira's elderly grandparents are still there and unable to travel, even if they could get out of the country.

We see the horrific images on the news, but I hadn't stopped to think about the people that simply can't work - their income has dried up. So this is a tangible way we can help.

Everything raised will be transferred to Ira, who will give all of the money to her family in whichever currency is most useful to them at that time.

As a thank-you for donating $19 or more, we will give you a 3-pack of patterns (Batik Fringeworthy, shown above, a bulky cowl and Gin + Juice), plus free month's access to Knit Stars Club with our whole library of Club patterns, tutorial videos and interviews with Knit Stars like Andrea Mowry, access to our warm, encouraging Facebook group, and access to order Knit Stars Club kits.

You can donate here. Thank you for your help!

Thank goodness for keeping up with college friends on Facebook!

My friend Jody posted this recipe and said it’s the best fish recipe she’s ever made. I made it last night and have to agree.

No amounts are given for the fish ingredients, but I used half a stick of butter, about half a jar of capers, and the juice of one lemon. I served mine over roasted veggies, but the cauliflower mash is on my list to try next time!

The whole meal came together in less than 30 minutes. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

xoxo
Shelley

Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Lemon Caper Butter
From maryswholelife.com

Ingredients:

2-4 six-ounce Chilean Sea Bass filets
Olive oil (or avocado oil)

Ghee or butter
Lemon
Capers

For the Creamy Garlic Cauliflower Mash:

32 oz frozen cauliflower or 1 large head cauliflower
Chicken broth
Ghee or butter
Coconut cream (just the thick part from a can of coconut milk) – I love Thai Kitchen brand
Garlic powder

Directions:

Pat your sea bass filets dry and brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle the filets with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 425. Heat 1 T oil in a cast iron (or other oven-safe skillet) over medium high heat. When the pan is nice and hot, add the filets skin side down (if they have skin). Let them cook, untouched, for 8 minutes. It helps to use a metal spatula to prevent the bottom of the fish from sticking to the pan!
Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for an additional 5 minutes. The fish should flake easily with a fork at this point.
While the fish is cooking, make the cauliflower mash. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the frozen cauliflower. Cook it for 10-15 minutes until you can easily pierce the florets with a fork. Drain the cauliflower really well and return it to the pot. Add in the chicken broth, coconut milk, garlic powder, and salt. Use an immersion blender (or regular blender or food processor) to blend up the cauliflower until very thick and creamy.
Melt the butter in a saucepan on the stove. Stir in the lemon juice and capers. Serve the fish over some cauliflower mash and spoon some of the lemon butter caper sauce over top. Enjoy!