Knit Stars Season 7, Texture + Wonder, Fiber Artists

Meet this Season's Star-Makers! 🌟

It’s Fiber Festival Season! There is nothing we love more than walking up and down the aisles of a fiber festival. Browsing the yarn and learning more about my favorite (and new to us) indie dyers. We could do without the mud though…

Each season our Stars partner with an independent Star Maker (dyer) and collaborate to create one-of-a-kind kits and colorways just for the event! This season’s theme is “Texture and Wonder”. The Stars Makers really took their cues from the stars and have designed palettes that will work perfectly for the projects and content of the workshops.

These optional yarns and kits are designed to enhance each course and are not required to gain a deep understanding of the topics taught by our Knit Stars. They do, however, provide a certain squish factor, and that is something we can get behind. 

We will provide a materials list for each of the masterclass courses that includes everything you might need in order to have a successful experience about a week prior to their release. You can use that list to shop your stash, support your favorite indie dyer, or even your local yarn store. See…still squishy!

The exclusive Season 7 yarns will be offered for purchase in 2 waves.

The first wave is open now and only available to the “early-birds” and “super early-birds” who have already made their Season 7 Masterclass purchase. If you are already a Season 7 owner CLICK HERE 👈 to log into your Knit Stars portal and click on the private Knit Stars Yarn link at the top of the Season 7 page.

There is a second wave of yarn sales available to Season 7 Owners that takes place right before the event debuts in the fall. This means even if you have not yet purchased Season 7, you still have a shot at these amazing yarns!  👉CLICK HERE to get on the waiting list for the Knit Stars Season 7 Masterclass Event and be notified as soon as spots open up!

Now, let’s take a mud-free trip through our Knit Stars Star Makers festival and meet the artists. They have some pretty incredible fiber stories and we are so excited to share them here with you!

🧶 🧶 🧶 🧶 🧶 🧶 🧶

Kalliope S Famellos
Anzula Luxury Fibers - Fresno California
Season 7 Knit Stars Partner - Patty Lyons
Yarn: For Better or Worsted - 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon - Worsted weight

Kalliope learned to crochet with her mother’s help when she was only 6-years-old and she was hooked on the craft. Even while working and going to college full-time, Kalliope brought along projects to keep her hands busy. To Kallope’s surprise, people started offering to pay her for what was on her needles. 

Soon, Kalliope was doing booths in Bay Area farmers’ and crafters’ markets. When she learned to spin fiber at age 21, she added skeins of hand-spun yarn to her offerings. Then she learned to dye the fiber.

In 2008 she began attending fiber shows and yarn markets across the country - and orders took off! Compared to many, the recession was a time of opportunity for Kalliope. She had many friends who were out of work who were willing to step in to help with this sudden influx of orders.

“I wanted to create colors that could be a beautiful canvas for lace and cable stitches to shine. And so I created a semi-solid palette with 45 colors. We have a specific method to keep the colorways consistent. We work very hard at it.”

Anzula Luxury Fiber’s consistent, semi-solid dye style is a favorite of Patty Lyons, who requested she be paired with the company right out of the gate. Their For Better or Worsted base is a favorite base for Patty’s work.

Follow Anzula Luxury Fibers on Instagram @anzulaluxuryfibers and subscribe to their newsletter at anzula.com.

Gwen Perenchio
Bella Filato Studio - Traverse City, Michigan
Season 7 Knit Stars Partner - Summer Lee 
Yarn: Bella Sock - 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon

Gwen Perenchio was expecting her first child in January of 2015 and desperately wanted to make a pair of those cute boots we've all seen on Pinterest but did not know how to crochet... 

With the help of a friend and a little YouTube research, she made her very first “yarny thingy”! She taught herself how to knit a few months later - YouTube to the rescue once again - and the rest is history! 

Like a lot of knitters, Gwen started by selling finished knitwear. She attended lots of markets during the Fall seasons and sold many of her products in local shops. Dyeing yarn was always an end goal, and she transitioned into that much more quickly than she thought possible once she discovered how enticing a dye pot can be.

“I started dyeing yarn because of curiosity! I loved how yarn takes dyes, and how each type of fiber is different. I love how even if you mix the exact same dyes but dye the skeins in a different order it can look completely different. I am known for pinks & colors! Where would we be without colors??”

Summer and Gwen met last year and quickly bonded over their love for pink and amazing socks. They have a beautiful collaborative relationship and landed on the perfect sock set pretty quickly. The colors reflect their aesthetics to a tee! 

Follow Bella Filato Studio on Instagram @bellafilatostudio and subscribe to their newsletter at bellafilatostudio.com. 

Taiu Landra
Koigu - Ontario Canada
Season 7 Knit Stars Partner - Anna Hrachovec of Mochimochi Land
Yarns: KPPM - 100% Merino Wool - fingering weight and  Othello - 100% Merino Wool - Chunky weight

In 1972 Maie Landra purchased a farm in South Western, Ontario with the goal of living off the land. Maie bought 5 sheep, and Koigu was made. Her love for fiber came much earlier than the purchasing of the farm, in essence, she was born with it. The Landra family has always been working with fiber, having originated in Estonia, handicrafts have always been within the family. In 1992, Taiu Landra and Maie founded Koigu Wool Designs. Taiu brought her educational experience in Agriculture Business, to bring Koigu yarns into stores. Today, Koigu remains a small family business, with a focus on quality and color. “We are still based on the Koigu farm, and take the landscape as a constant inspiration.”

Seeing the yarn through other people’s eyes. Sometimes I find myself looking at a palette of yarn and questioning what it could become when knit up. One of the best parts of going to shows and now social media is seeing the finished project. There is nothing more exciting than seeing what a single skein can become. -Kersti Landra; third generation of Landra women in the family business.

You may recognize the Koigu name as a Season 1 Knit Star and for having participated as a Knit Stars fiber artist in seasons past. This year we challenged them with what might be the most exacting challenge to date - creating a kit to capture the detail and whimsy of the characters of Mochimochi Land! 

BONUS: Koigu has generously agreed to do a commemorative “Pencil Set” for us again this year. This is available separately from the Mochimochi kit and features 10 different colors in 25g skeins, specially curated by the women at Koigu. There are many ways that one can utilize the 250g(870yds), whether that be as a project, trim, or to add little bits of extra color.

Follow Koigu on Instagram @koiguwool and subscribe to their newsletter at koigu.com.

Adella Colvin
LolaBean Yarn Co - Grovetown, Georgia
Season 7 Knit Stars Partner - Fatimah Hinds
Yarn: Green Bean - 75% Merino Wool, 25% Nylon 

Adella Colvin is the owner and sole dyer for LolaBean Yarn Co. She creates custom hand-dyed luxury yarns for knitting and crocheting enthusiasts around the world.  

“What catapulted me into the world of dyeing was the lack of yarn shops in my community and the way I was sometimes treated, as a woman of color, when I was able to locate one. Sadly, I walked into a yarn shop one day and was immediately told “the bathroom is for customers only.”

It was then that Adella began dyeing her own yarn for personal use. “I didn’t really think much of the things that I created at first, but then people began to inquire about how they could get their hands on the yarn that I was dying.” Now, it is six years later, and she has built one of the most recognizable brands in the indie-dyed yarn community.  

When Knit Stars asked Fatimah what dyer she was interested in working with, the answer was swift and decisive. Adella was at the very top of her list. The two determined that these kits should fit into the budgets and wardrobes of their customers (that's you!). Adella designed one color set with her signature speckles and the other with a more gender-neutral deep gray. Both are paired with LolaBean’s ode to Fatimah - “Fleece Flock” teal! 

Follow LolaBean Yarn Co on Instagram @lolabeanyarnco and subscribe to their newsletter at lolabeanyarnco.com.

Marian Ju-Scozzare
Marianated Yarns - Edison NJ
Season 7 Knit Stars Partner - Mary Martin
Yarn: Scrumptious HT - 80% SW Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon - Fingering weight

Marian learned to knit while in college. She even worked a few summers in a yarn/needlepoint shop where she quickly amassed a very large stash of sweater quantity yarns - as one does! But, life went on for Marian and her crafty interests grew and changed.

Several years after school, Marian generously gave her entire stash to her very lucky sister-in-law and moved on to other crafts that piqued her interest. It wasn’t until she was faced with the need for a small, portable project to take with her while attending doctor visits with her mother that she picked up some yarn and her sticks again. She’s been hooked ever since! 

She happily clicked away at her projects for several years but, like most things, Marian was interested in how she could get even more creative with her craft. That is when she decided to try dyeing yarn. Soon after, and with a lot of encouragement from her sister-in-law, Monica, Marianated Yarns was born.

“I really enjoy collaborating with designers. It’s fun to watch everything come together with a new design/theme especially when it involves new colors or sets of colors. The best part of my collaborations with designers is the friendships that have developed. I also love knowing that when I send yarn out, I am making someone happy on the receiving end.” 

Marian has found a new friend in collaboration partner Mary Martin. The two have worked hand in hand to create the perfect colorway set ideal for highlighting Mary’s innovative fision knitting design style. Marian has created a kit with enough contrast to elevate the textural stitches but kept the color soft and inviting. 

Follow Marianated Yarns on Instagram @marianatedyarns and subscribe to their newsletter at marianatedyarns.com!

Amanda Solomon
Melanated Boho Bae - Grovetown, Georgia
Season 7 Knit Stars Partner - Lauren McElroy 
Roving: 100% Rambouillet
Yarn: 100% Superwash Merino

Amanda is a farm manager at Stony Creek Farmstead in upstate New York during the summer and has various jobs during the winter months. She does most of her fiber creation when she is not farming.

She was inspired to learn about spinning from her boss at SCF. “I found the wool and took it to the deep end, reading all I could about the craft. Nicole, of Frost Yarn, was posting these beautiful pictures of dyed yarn and wool so I started to follow her. She also posted tutorials for free which I watched like movies! I used those to learn how to dye and take the leap.” 

Amanda and Lauren have come up with a really cool way to incorporate the spun yarn that Lauren will be teaching about in her course with an additional skein of chunky yarn using a method known as plying. Genius!

Follow Melanated Boho Bae on Instagram @melanatedbohobae and subscribe to their newsletter at melanatedbohobae.com.

Angela Cronin
Molly Girl Yarn - West Milford New Jersey
Season 7 Knit Stars Partner - Xandy Peters
Yarn: Rock Star DK - 100% Superwash Merino

Angela started out in high school, selling finished things she'd made because, “to paraphrase my mother, there was simply no room anymore for my ridiculously large collection of hats & scarves.” About the same time, she began to experiment with dying and despite the nasty steam burns she got from that initial test, was completely hooked. 

“I'm completely self-taught, so as far as I know, no one else dyes quite as I do. What really sets my company apart, though is that many of our yarns are milled just for us. I did a stint at a horrible company that produced candy boxes using factories in China. It was the worst job I ever had, but also the most educational - it gave me the confidence to go out and forge my own fibery path.”

Xandy and Angela have known each other for years. Partnering on many projects and colorways during that time allowed them to hone their creative process. They worked together (and we mean together - like in the same room) to develop the three color choices for the workshop. 

Follow Molly Girl Yarn on Instagram @mollygirlyarn and subscribe to their newsletter at mollygirlyarn.com.

Rachelle Dickey
Moondrake Co. - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Season 7 Knit Stars Partner - Jeanne Tripplehorn, Lisa Borgnes Giramonti & Shelley Brander
Yarn: Loops Luxe Chunky - 70% Royal Alpaca, 30% Mulberry Silk - Chunky weight

Rachelle of Moondrake Co., an indie yarn company, comprises a tantalizing array of colors and fibers. She is a Canadian now living a creative life in our very own Oklahoma. A proud Asian maker who loves knitting/crocheting/sewing. She is always interested in finding new materials and trendy colors for her dye work. This inspiring designer is also a Fashion Design graduate and has big dreams on that front as well. Designing knitwear is high on her list of goals for the coming years.

“I was looking for a specific color for my first colorwork sweater, then learned about hand-dyed yarn from my knitting group. After some research, I bought my very first batch of undyed yarn, pans, and dyes. I love seeing colors swimming in the water which evolves into different shapes and shades onto the yarn.” 

Rachelle credits the encouragement of friends and family with her entry into the fiber world. She started to dye for a local yarn shop and then met our very own Shelly Brander in 2019 and the rest, as they say, is history! “I want to see how far I can go” - that is always in my mind, no matter what I try to achieve. 

When developing the Knit Start program for this season, Shelley turned to Rachelle for her help and asked her to dye up a special speckled colorway on our very own Loops Luxe Chunky bespoke yarn base. Thank you, Rachelle, for making this project possible! 

Follow Moondrake Yarn Co on Instagram @moondrakeco and subscribe to their newsletter at moondrakeco.com. 

Karida Collins
Neighborhood Fiber Co. - Baltimore, MD
Season 7 Knit Stars Partner - Lotta Lundin
Yarn: Organic Studio Sock - 100% GOTS-certified Merino 

Karida Collins set out to provide the world with hand-dyed yarns inspired by and named to reflect the natural beauty and diverse neighborhoods throughout the nation’s capital. 

The majority of Neighborhood Fiber Co.’s yarns are made with GOTS-certified Organic Merino. While it is still machine washable, this wool is free from the harmful chemicals associated with the traditional superwash process. This decision is just one aspect of Neighborhood Fiber Co.'s reputation within the fiber arts community as a company committed to justice, empowerment, and equality. 

In 2020, Karida founded the NFC Momentum Fund, a donor-advised charitable fund that has distributed more than $50k in grants to community organizations in the Baltimore community.

Karida and Lotta worked closely together when planning the yarn for Lotta’s “Imagine Peace” mitten project. In-depth conversations involving the type of fiber necessary, the color for each section of the project, and the actual yardage necessary were a kind of knitting/dying math like you have never seen! 

Follow Neighborhood Fiber Co. on Instagram @neighborhoodfiberco and subscribe to their newsletter at neighborhoodfiberco.com.

Melissa Clulow & Tanya Savickey
Sonder Yarn Co. - Montreal, Canada
Season 7 Knit Stars Partner - Mieka John
Yarn: Grace - 75% Merino, 15% Cashmere, 10% Silk - Fingering weight

“It's difficult for us to articulate just how Sonder Yarn Co. came to be but sometimes when you finally arrive at a place, you realize you were headed there all along.”

Melissa’s road to Sonder took many different paths, including one as one of the founding owners of Espace Tricot. “The ET years were among the most rewarding and creatively supportive of my life, offering me the opportunity to discover and develop abilities in so many areas I didn't yet know I loved. One of those was hand-dyeing yarn, and I couldn't be happier now to make this newfound passion a career!”

Her business partner Tanya spent many years as a photographer and photographic printer before diving into the fiber world. “Photography was a 25-year creative pursuit that led to many adventures and opened doors to unexpected career opportunities, travel, and friendships. I can’t wait to see where this new path leads as the Sonder fiber journey slowly reveals itself.” 

The pair started Sonder Yarn Co. together and caught the attention of Season 7 Knit Star Mieka John. Their clean, fully saturated style and their chic, modern palette of colors really is a beautiful background for Mieka’s textural slipped stitch design style. 

Follow Sonder Yarn Co on Instagram @sonderyarnco and subscribe to their newsletter at sonderyarnco.com.