My Love Letters to Knit Stars Seasons 1-7
Feb 03, 2021
People often ask (especially during our sale weeks), "Shelley, what’s your favorite Knit Stars season?"
It’s like asking me, “Which is your favorite child?”
So I thought it might be helpful, to those of you who are deciding which Season to get next during the sale, for me to write a little love letter to one Season each day, sharing a bit more about what makes the workshops so special.
To shop all of the Knit Stars Seasons, click here.
To be sure you're kept up to date on our upcoming Season Premieres, click here.
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A love letter to Knit Stars Season 1 π₯°
To help you decide which Season to add to your library next, I’m sharing a deeper dive into each Season, with details on what you can learn and how you will be inspired by each workshop.
I’m jumping in the way-back machine to the first Season – the one that will always hold the most special place in my heart. I’ll always be grateful to these 8 pioneers who agreed to be Stars and join us on the journey to break new ground!
You might look at the list and think, why only 8 Stars? Well our original plan was to have 8 in every Season…but you know, plans change and I’m a chronic overdeliverer π But here’s the thing about Season 1…Stephen West’s workshop is really more of a double-header, with almost 2 hours of content and chock-a-block FULL of tip after tip and trick after trick. I’ve been fortunate to take several of Stephen’s in-person classes over the years, and I can honestly say his Knit Stars workshop is the equivalent of spending a full day in the magical presence of Mr. West.
Then add in the fact that you can learn from a teacher (Hannah) who no longer actively teaches…and you’ve got a Very. Special. Season.
Here are some of the golden keys that can unlock even more yarn joy for you, that you’ll find in Season 1:
π Stephen West packs his “Westknits Bestknits!” workshop with all of his best tips and tricks, and then some! His “shortcut rows” are a simpler version of short rows. He’ll show you the i-cord cast-on, i-cord edge treatments and an i-cord bind-off. He dips into “modular magic” before delving into two long modules on two-color brioche – yes, he will demystify brioche for you! He then delivers about 20 minutes of what he calls Random Party Tricks, which are brilliant little nuggets like weaving in ends with a whip stitch, weaving in ends for brioche, French braiding dozens of yarn tails, and his fabled “slipadeedoodah” trick for using thinner yarn to get a thicker gauge. He ends with a discussion of how to stash yarn, how to combine colors, how to wear your knits, and how to stay inspired. WOWZA!
π Romi Hill’s Season 1 workshop begins with one of my favorite proclamations: “Multiple Projects are Okay!” Many of you have asked about a Knit Companion workshop…well, guess what? Romi has embedded a Knit Companion Tour from her friend, Sally Holt, right here in Season 1! It’s nestled among sections on the most common shawl types (awesome for aspiring designers), tips for making lace knitting easier – including lifelines, the importance of blocking your swatch, casting on and binding off in lace, embracing the chart, choosing beads and beading on the go, special stitches for tidying up your knitting, and blocking techniques. Truly, this is like 10 workshops in one – no wonder Romi’s workshop is one that I return to again and again.
π Hannah Fettig’s workshop, “A Journey in Simplicity,” was filmed in her tiny house in Maine, where she describes her family’s journey in downsizing. Her workshop is perfect for beginner sweater knitters as well as anyone looking to take a more intentional approach to their knitting. She shows you how to use a schematic, how to care for your knits, simplify your stash and choose the right tools, and demonstrates swatching, blocking, a backward cast-on variation for ribbing, short row shaping, increases and decreases for a raglan sweater, picking up underarm stitches, mattress stich and weaving in ends. All in all, a really enjoyable, relaxing workshop.
π Julie Weisenberger, founder of Cocoknits, brings her ready-to-wear background to bear as she teaches you English Tailoring techniques that will elevate your “homemade” sweaters to “handmade.” With a great mini-cardigan pattern as your guide (perfect size for a newborn or doll sweater), she’ll teach you her signature approach to top-down seamless sweater construction, complete with clear worksheets, along with great tips and tricks for flattering your figure. A true masterclass from a true master!
π It still makes me a little teary to see Meghan Fernandes (co-founder of Pom Pom Quarterly) pouring her heart and soul into her Season 1 workshop, while 8 months pregnant, in the 100-degree Austin heat! And there is something so beautifully soothing about Meghan’s presentation. My favorite trick was how to swatch in the round (yes, it’s different than flat swatching!). She also goes deep into weaving ends – over stockinette, over garter, over lace, and with duplicate stitch. And shows very clearly how to seam – demonstrating the mattress stitch on garter as well as stockinette. She ends with encouragement to find you favorite “knitspot.” Such a sweet workshop!
π Taiu Landra, CEO and dyer at Koigu, takes you on a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the Koigu Dye Studio. Then she explains how to create the perfect palette with hand-dyed yarns, demystifying how to work with variegated colors. Next, she teaches you one of her favorite technques to show off Koigu yarns – mitered knitting. The workshop includes a gorgeous Mitered Scarf pattern and Mitered Blanket pattern, too!
π Julie and Jean-Francois Asselin – You’ll love getting to know this creative couple! Jeff and Julie explain that dyeing yarn is a lot like cooking. The ingredients are key! They discuss how different fibers react differently in the dye pot as well as on your needles. Julie shows you how the way the yarn is constructed, and the number of strands it has, can affect your knitted project. You’ll learn how to choose colors for colorwork and stripes, and how to avoid pooling. The workshop ends with a trick every knitter should have in their toolbox – how to reset a skein that bleeds.
π Fair warning: Amy Small’s Knit Stars workshop will change your attitude about working with chunky and bulky yarns! Watching her creations come to life before your eyes will have you craving the instant gratification of a bulky knit. But the real magic of Amy is how she encourages you to “make it your own.” You’ll learn what stitches work best in bulky yarns – ever heard of the dandelion stitch? – and get inspiring ideas for keeping a stitch/swatch library, as well as making giant tassels and macramé fringe to add a special touch to your projects. Last but not least, Amy wins the prize for MOST FREE PATTERNS ever given in a Knit Stars workshop – of the 18 patterns included in Season 1, 10 of them are from Amy and Knit Collage!
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Next up is my love letter to Knit Stars Season 2β€οΈβ€οΈ
Season 2 was my first time to travel overseas to film – with Nancy Marchant in Amsterdam, Beata Jezek in Cork, Ireland, and a little promo video with Aimée of La Bien Aimée in Paris. I hadn’t traveled overseas since my 20s, and this trip awakened in me a deep desire to take my Knit Stars friends along with me to explore the world’s fiber traditions, and to help foster deeper connections among fiber enthusiasts around the globe.
Season 2 was also the year we leaned even more into the documentary-style videos that have become a hallmark of Knit Stars. We added Brad to our intrepid globe-trotting crew of cinematographers, and together we endeavored to give you the feeling of being right there with each Star, bringing you into their worlds and showing you all the bits and pieces that make each Star so much more than a name on a pattern – all the human parts that help you feel you’re truly making a new fiber friend.
So here’s a breakdown of all the fabulous fiber friends you’ll make, and what you’ll learn from them, when you own Season 2:
β€οΈ Andrea Mowry leads off Season 2 with a lesson in color confidence. She teaches you to first find your fade, then free your face! You learn how swatching actually saves you time, the difference between Knit Night Knits and Strong Coffee Knits, and tips to avoid heartbreak. She gives a lesson on wet-blocking that I still return to often, and a great module on steam blocking as well. And she winds it all up with a truly empowering module on wearing your knits with confidence.
β€οΈ Nancy Marchant’s workshop debuted just before her new book on the Tuck Stitch. The tuck stitch is the broader family of stitches to which brioche belongs. Nancy teaches you the basics of the stitch, how to do a two-color long-tail cast in, and how to read a tuck stitch chart. Then she walks you through two original designs for Tuck Stitch Mitts and a Tuck Stitch Cowl. She has a module on the nifty sewn bind-off, shows you how to work tuck stitches flat, and shares brilliant tips on what most flummoxes the aspiring brioche knitter – fixing mistakes. At the end of the workshop, Nancy shows you the first brioche project by one of her fave students – Stephen West!
β€οΈ Steven Berg. Did you know there’s a mixology lesson inside Season 2? Steven Be’s workshop on what he calls “color and fiber mixology” is a revelation. Free yourself from the constraints of gauge and “make your own fiber” by combining yarns. Steven sprinkles invaluable gems throughout, including his favorite loose cast-on and loose bind-off. He inspires you to knit with unconventional materials and shows you how to make a piece truly your own or as he puts it, “make it legendary.” Most importantly, he shows you that mistakes are only design variations. A most creative workshop!
β€οΈ Alexa Ludeman of Tin Can Knits makes colorwork achievable with her Season 2 workshop full of Fair Isle Tips and Tricks. She starts with helping you find more time for knitting (isn’t that everyone’s dream?) and then dives in, helping you choose a sweater size, teaching you about bottom-up sweater construction, and walking you through designing your own fair isle yoke!
β€οΈ Laura Nelkin treats you to a tour of the falls near her home in upstate New York, then takes you on a journey of lace around the world featuring Shetland lace, Estonian Nupps and Japanese lace. You’ll learn all about single-sided and double-sided lace, the best yarn and needle choices for lace, and blocking tips especially for lace knitters. There’s also a bonus Forza Scarf pattern to try, using your new skills – one of 15 free patterns included with Season 2.
β€οΈ Beata Jezek of Hedgehog Fibres takes you on a colorful journey to Cork, where you’ll learn to experiment with color and build palettes with 2 colors, 3 colors, 4 colors and beyond! You’ll have a newfound confidence in combining colors and working with speckled and variegated yarns. Beata also answers the questions she’s most frequently asked about color, and shares a fabulous experimental palette project, the Flying Fringe Scarf.
β€οΈ With her sophisticated, understated approach, Michele Wang teaches you to add couture touches to all of your knitted garments. You’ll learn about selvedges, spit splicing, the sloped bind-off, how to strategically use stitch markers, set-in sleeve seaming, elegant neck bands and button binds, the tubular bindoff and more. You won’t believe the difference it can make in the final look of your sweaters!
β€οΈ Tamara Kelly gives knitters the class they often deny they really need…it’s called Crochet Hacks for Knitters! You’ll learn the power of being “bi-stitual” as Tamara takes you through the anatomy of a crochet stitch and all the crochet basics, then shares some great crochet tricks that come in super handy for knitters - crochet seaming, buttonholes, edging, necklines and armholes. She finishes with a cowl pattern and hat pattern that combine knitting and crochet. So fun!
β€οΈ Tammy White from Wing and a Prayer farm wins the prize for most “actors” in a Knit Stars workshop…all 100+ of the sheep and goats on her farm! In her workshop titled Sheep to Shawl, Tammy gives you a farm tour, talks about breed-specific yarns, then shows you how to hand-dye using natural botanicals. There’s also a guest appearance from Mary Jean Packer of Battenkill Fibers Carding and Spinning Mill, who gives a lesson in fiber processing.
β€οΈ Amy Herzog holds the title as reigning Queen of the Longest Knit Stars workshops! Her workshop entitled “Successful Sweaters for All Shapes” will change the way you think about making your own clothing. With a practical and body-positive approach, Amy helps you analyze your wardrobe, what works best for you and what you’re most likely to wear, and then shows you how to create the silhouette that you feel fabulous wearing, day in and day out. You’ll learn a new view of swatching, all about measuring and making your own schematic, and how to execute a wide range of modifications to get the perfect fit. A life-changing workshop, for sure.
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A love letter to Season 3 πππ
In Knit Stars Season 3, we broke out of the mold we had set, expanding beyond designers and dyers to bring awareness to other related topics to help you expand your horizons even further.
π Carson Demers brings you the workshop you didn’t know you desperately needed! An ergonomist and lifelong knitter, Carson gives you critical tips to improve your knitting posture and efficiency for enduring knitting health – including surprising factors like needle choices, yarn choices, and how they pair with one another. I, for one, learned I was sitting all wrong while knitting – and made small adjustments that immediately paid off.
π We traveled up into the mountains of Norway to meet ARNE & CARLOS, who teach you to knit and purl the Norwegian way, then give you a master class in Norwegian colorwork. Who could forget the visit to the Valdres Museum Archives, where our teachers donned special gloves to handle historical knitwork – fascinating! And then there’s that amazing trick for working the thumb of the class project – authentic Norwegian mitts (one of 4 original ARNE & CARLOS patterns included with Season 4). Plus Arne gives an impromptu puppet show – classic!
π In Helsinki, Finland, we meet up with Veera Välimäki for a study in stripes! Back-and-forth, in the round, even vertical…Veera helps you take your striping to a whole new level. She shows you FIVE options for jogless stripes in the round, then dives into short rows, i-cord cast-on and even two-color brioche so you can make her class project, the show-stopping Bixbite Shawl.
π You’ll also travel to the Fanø Island, Denmark, where Christel Seyfarth will teach you to paint with yarn. You’ll learn all her colourwork secrets – making magic balls, steekyg, and her favorite trick for avoiding tails to weave in. She’ll show you how to add embroidery to take your finished piece to a new level. When you complete the workshop, you’ll be all set to make the truly awe-inspiring patterns included in your course – the Fanø Beach Birds Shawl and Fanø Kerchief!
π Is the idea of steeking with Christel too daunting? Well, in Ann Budd’s capable hands, even the most steek-averse WILL master this much-feared technique! In Season 3, Ann takes you step-by-step through the process of steeking, using a “low-stakes” project – a simple coffee cup cozy. You’ll even learn to expertly add zippers and buttons to your steeked pieces, how to cover raw edges with a knitted tab or ribbon, and how to make an invisible seam for the zipper.
π Lorlilee Beltman begins her workshop with a valuable lesson on how to learn from instructors whose style differs from yours. Then she launches you into the fascinating world of vertically stranded colourwork. You’ll learn all about colors that climb, play with motifs, and make Aurora, the uber-creative class project. There’s an especially great tip for working with multiple color strands using a center pull butterfly – every knitter needs to know!
π Get empowered by the dynamic duo of Ann and Kay from Modern Daily Knitting, who share their secrets of knitting happiness and set you on an ever-expanding journey of knitting joy. They bust common myths such as “garter stitch is boring,” “the pattern is gospel,” “you need to knit faster,” and “you must always finish what you started.” Along the way, you’ll get loads of pattern inspiration and leave feeling inspired to chart your own path to knitting success.
π The brilliant Cecelia Campochiaro takes you on a deep dive into her ingenious Sequence Knitting technique! From simple, meditative 1-row knitting to colorwork and the “serpentine method,” you’ll soon be addicted to Cecelia’s groundbreaking approach to knitting. She’ll also share her tips for achieving beautiful edges, and show you how to adapt sequence knitting to traditional knitting, empowering your inner designer.
π From beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, Andrea Rangel introduces you to the magical world of colorwork motifs. She first shares her favorite tips for colorwork success, including important guidelines for choosing yarns and colors. Then she shows you how to create your own motifs and add them into your knitwork! You’ll learn how to manage shaping for colorwork, plus the best practices for catching floats. A thoroughly delightful workshop!
π Through her Knit Stars exclusive cowl pattern, Mary Jane Mucklestone will teach you a myriad of fair isle patterns. You’ll learn the principles of traditional fair isle knitting, how to join new colors and manage yarn dominance the Shetland Way. Along the way, she’ll share her best tips for creating inspiration, color and mood. And she’ll guide you through that all-important final step of blocking and boarding your fair isle piece to even out the stitches.
And let’s not forget the bonus patterns…Season 3 treats you to 18 included patterns from the Stars!
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OK, Season 4. I think it’s got a ton of hidden gems. For starters, Season 4 has the most workshops - ELEVEN in all!
π Lucy Neatby teaches double knitting, a fascinating technique that produces especially warm, squishy, reversible knits. And of all the projects people have shared from Season 4, the adorable alpaca hat has produced so much pride and satisfaction! Lucy was the first teacher I ever took a class from, and her colorful, sassy style is a pure delight. Even if you don’t do the project, you will pick up a TON of juicy tips for increases, finishing, color work… and a great way to use those tiny liquor bottles you get on airplanes π
π Susan B. Anderson’s toy class - I know, maybe you’ve never had interest in knitted toys - even this adorable toy alpaca. But you won’t believe how satisfying and educational this tiny project can be! Susan is well-known for breaking down projects into actionable, easy-to-understand steps. You’ll learn extra tips for picking up stitches, kitchener, i-cord and pompoms. And her lifestyle video with her son is soooo sweet and life-affirming.
π Andrea Wong Knits’s Portuguese-style knitting course is one that always sold out in-person classes. If you’ve ever had hand, joint or shoulder issues, or just want to prolong your knitting health, you owe it to yourself to check this out. Plus the history is fascinating, and the class project - a three-color cowl in Hedgehog yarns - is spectacular. You likely have yarn in your stash to make it!
π Hannah Thiessen’s course will help you slow down and really savor your knitting. She does a deep dive into the definition of slow knitting, ethics of knitting, environmental concerns, helps you release stash guilt, and gives great tips for mending and maintaining your knitting. After this workshop, you’ll be more confident that you’re investing your knitting time wisely.
π Marly Bird gives a really useful class on crochet mending - a brilliant technique for anyone to have in their toolbox. My daughter is into vintage shopping and is always asking how to make patches or add other decorative trim to cover blemishes in her vintage finds. This class is perfect for that - as well as saving that hand-made piece with an unfortunate snag or hole.
πMartha Wissing’s interview from 15,000 feet, on the side of a windy mountain in Peru, is a study in fortitude! And her chullo-style hat is one you’ll make again and again, in all manner of sizes and color combinations. The “cupped” tassels are especially cute and a really fun detail to add to your hat or shawl projects.
π Been looking to conquer cables? The folks from Blue Sky Fibers teach the only cable class we’ve had in Knit Stars thus far! They’ll show you how to fix a mistake in cables as well as how to modify cable patterns, and you’ll be a pro in no time!
π Travel to Uruguay to meet the women of Manos del Uruguay. This workshop is truly like taking a $4,000 trip to Montevideo and then out into the countryside, seeing firsthand how Manos yarns are dyed, learning the basics of hand-dyeing, and sinking deeply into the culture and passion of why these artisans do what they do, day in and day out.
π Diane Ivey presents the brilliant bonus workshop that the entire fiber world needed and deserved to hear - giving a historical perspective on knitting and diversity, and offering valuable tips for building a more inclusive fiber community - including ideas especially for local yarn store owners and their loyal customers.
π Caitlin Hunter Boyland Knitworks brings you into her private home and workshop, far off the trail in Oregon, where her magical color work creations are born. She’ll inspire you with her approach to design and her interpretation of traditional color work. You’ll learn to deal with short rows, floats and “younk” and make the Herkka sweater, a classic Boyland Knitworks design created just for Knit Stars.
π One of our greatest cinematic accomplishment to date, the introductory workshop for Knit Stars Season 4 takes you on a journey to Pacomarca, the world’s largest alpaca preservation project in the mountains outside Arequipa, Peru. You’ll feel the passion of the people, meet the elusive vicuña and guanaco, and learn about the mission of the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales in Cusco, Peru.
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My love letter to Knit Stars Season 5 has to start with orange! π§‘π§‘π§‘π§‘π§‘
𧑠Gaye Glasspie a.k.a. @ggmade it, iconic goddess of orange, teaches on Sustainable Growth: Finding your own voice through authenticity, consistency, and vulnerability. This is a master class for anyone looking to live their life – and their knitting journey – on purpose.
𧑠Åsa Söderman will teach you the art of knitting beautiful top-down sweaters with the her signature Ziggurat method. You’ll quickly discover why her in-person classes have always been among the first to sell out! And you’ll feel like you’re traveling right along with us to her home in Copenhagen, Denmark.
𧑠Next, jet along with us to the island of Mallorca, Spain, and take a deep breath. Tatiana Sarasa will bring you into her world of holistic knitting: creativity, natural color and mindfulness. You’ll learn about foraging for plant materials and all of the steps you need to dye your own yarn with those plants. There’s even a module with guest yoga teacher Mirjam Wagner. You’re sure to feel relaxed, renewed and energized after this workshop.
𧑠Meet Francoise Danoy, a.k.a. Frenchie, a knitwear designer and coach who inspires and empowers fiber artists to transform their yarn so they can manifest Aroha, one stitch at a time. Francoise will show you how to find your own inspiration and transform it into your own design, from sketch, yarn selection and stitch pattern all the way through to physical manifestation – pattern writing, photography and publishing!
𧑠Tina Tse will free your inner artists with her Home Sweet Home formula – a fresh approach to freestyle modular knitting. You’ll learn everything from considering different types of shapes and planning your design, to construction and finishing, to styling. It’s an especially great technique for those variegated skeins!
𧑠Do you struggle with fit? Tian Connaughton’s workshop “Make It Fit” will empower you to get the perfect fit, every time. Learn to perfect your gauge, read a schematic and make your own schematic, get comfortable with the math and end up with a gorgeous hat that fits your head just right. You’ll be able to apply the concepts and your newfound confidence to everything you make in the future.
𧑠Speaking of confidence… Jacqueline Cieslak’s groundbreaking workshop on Body Positive Knitting will help you cultivate a knitting practice that truly honors your body. Learn the proper way to take your own measurements, really understand ease, and make meaningful adjustments in the details that make all the difference – bicep, bust darts, sleeve decreases and more. She finishes with a module “Toward a handmade wardrobe” that will inspire your choices for years to come.
𧑠Yumiko Alexander delivers our first workshop ever on plant-based fibers…and what a workshop it is! Learn all about cotton and linen yarns, what designs are most successful with plant-based fibers, and how to adapt patterns that call for animal fibers to the plant-based yarns you wish to use. You’re sure to be inspired by Yumi’s fashion sense, styling and bold jewelry choices, and eager to cast on for her Knit Stars projects – the Horizon Sweater and Duality cowl!
𧑠Do Japanese charts feel impossible to you right now? Gayle Roehm makes the “impossible” possible with her workshop on Japanese lace! She’ll give you a primer on the topic, teach you the basic symbols, warm you up with a starter chart, and help you move into making a pair of gorgeous fingerless mitts. Then graduate into a mini-scarf with frill and be ready to take on practically any project from the Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible.
𧑠Last but not least…head to Kyoto, Japan with the Knit Stars crew to meet Meri Tanaka and enjoy a bonus workshop on the making of Amirisu magazine!
Knit Stars Season 5 has a record number of free patterns and handouts – more than 40 in all!
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In Season 6, we went wild with color and chose 12 Stars who really know how to "Live Colorfully!" π¨
π¨ We traveled to the UK for 3 star-studded workshops, starting with Felicity "Felix" Ford. Felix' fascinating take on interpreting art and sound into knitting got the whole Knit Stars world thinking about how to translate their favorite paintings into colorwork! Her "Think Like An Artist Cowl" pattern is a masterpiece of color and so many students surprised themselves with their own results.
π¨ The legendary duo of Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably encourage you to move past your fear, embrace experimentation and "don't be afraid to make something ugly!" Their workshop on intarsia makes an otherwise-intimidating technique completely doable and their signature Knit Stars pattern is a showstopper.
π¨ Jeanette Sloan takes you to her favorite English beachside boardwalk where she finds inspiration, then delivers a master's masterclass on Beaded Colorwork. She breaks it down step-by-step and walks you through all her best tips for adding a sparkly beaded touch to any project. Her beaded cushion pattern is soooo pretty, you'll want to make one for every room of your home!
π¨ Next we take you to Australia where beloved Aussie designer Ambah O'Brien helps you explore various shawl shapes, freeing you to create your own designs - and culminating in her class project, the mosaic Knit Love Wrap.
π¨ Another Aussie, Jacqui Fink, shares her own heartfelt journey through depression and how she uses fiber and color to express and strengthen her own emotional health. Her "Heartstrings" project includes a brilliant approach to using color as you go to express the emotions you're feeling at the time, and includes journal prompts and worksheets.
π¨ Think colorwork is too much for you? Think again! Casapinka walks you through the simplest possible approach to stranded colorwork, culminating in her Knit Stars exclusive "Sushi and Snark" pullover shawl pattern. (Yes, Sharon the Cat makes a snarky appearance!)
π¨ Dana Williams-Johnson and her adorable adopted chihuahua, Jellybean, are up next with a workshop on Fearless Sweater knitting! She helps you tackle the math to adapt a human size sweater to dog-size - and in the bigger picture, helps break down common misconceptions you may be carrying about sweater knitting, freeing you to forge your own successful path to garments that fit.
π¨ Jennifer Berg takes us into her family's world on a New Mexico reservation for a masterclass in Navajo-Inspired colorwork. Dig into overcoming creative blocks and fostering your creativity as you learn to represent your own values through your makes, infusing them with greater meaning.
π¨ Can one cowl hold 16 decorative techiques? When your teacher is Nina Machlin-Dayton, it sure can! Beaded trellis stitch, Latvian braids, Vikkel braids, 2-color welts...this cowl truly has it all! You'll find yourself dreaming of how to apply your new toolbox to countless other projects, too!
π¨ Vincent Williams helps you overcome your cable fears and level up your skills, learning to decide when to knit with a cable needle and when you can cable "without a net" (no cable needle needed). He shares his innovative technique for crochet cables that really stand out, and there's even a cameo appearance from his good friend and Star Maker, Adella Colvin of LolaBean Yarn Co. Not to be missed!
π¨ Last but never least we have the Brooklyn Boy himself, Louis Boria! Hear his amazing story of being discovered on a subway and rising to rapid international acclaim for his interpretation of street style in knitwear patterns. He helps you create your Perfect Hat with all his best tips and tricks.
Season 6 not only takes you all the way around the globe...but includes a record 12 Stars plus 40 free patterns and handouts. All yours to own and refer back to forever as you progress in your journey!
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For Knit Stars Masterclass Season 7, our theme "Texture + Wonder" was inspired by a quote from artist and author Edwin Schlossberg: "Indifference is isolation. In difference is texture and wonder." Eleven innovative and ingenious Stars help you lean into your own unique differences as a creative fiber artist.
β¨ We're off to Amsterdam together to meet Mieka John and learn all about Textured Slipped Stitches! In this deep dive into the slipped stitch, you'll learn brick stitch, linen stitch, woven stitches, pillar stitches, valley stitches, butterfly stripes and more. A two-part class pattern has options for monocolor texture or multicolor advanced texture. You'll fall in love with your yarn all over again, seeing new possibilities everywhere after this workshop!
β¨ Next it's off to Stockholm, Sweden where we'll inhabit Lotta Lundin's tiny house together, as she invites us into her world of Magical Mirrored Mittens. Take any photo of a person or thing, concept a pattern and take it from concept to chart to mirrored mittens. Fascinating and so satisfying!
β¨ In a groundbreaking masterclass you won't find anywhere else, Patty Lyons shares all of her Circular Knitting Hacks. Whether you've been nervous to try circular knitting or you're a pro looking to refine your technique, you're sure to find this course worth the whole price of admission for the Season! Includes jogless joins, helical knitting, short rows and a Hero Project "recipe."
β¨ Explore Parametric Knitting with Xandy Peters in "The Story of a Swatch." Build your confidence as you ideate and create new stitches, then create the textural class project that includes the Dip Stitch, Tuck Stitches, Bobbles and Eyelets.
β¨ Mary Martin introduces you to her brand-new world of Fission Knitting, where you make three-dimensional creations that are completely reversible to entirely different patterning. The innovation will blow your mind!
β¨ In another first for Knit Stars, Summer Lee gives you her completely charming, utterly innovative approach to Socks! Learn basic construction, various methods, selecting colors, sizing, different types of heels, texture, colorwork and finishing tips - all in one very colorful workshop. Summer makes socks not only doable, but so much fun!
β¨ Get ready to be wowed by Fatimah Hinds and her Unexpected Cables! Fatimah busts all the myths you might have in your head about cables needing to be symmetrical - or even having to use a cable needle. Includes inspiring tips on styling and wearing your knits with boldness and confidence.
β¨ Anna Hrachovec of mochimochiland asks the question, Why knit Tiny Toys? And then she answers it - big time - with an irresistble castle full of knit characters overflowing with cuteness! Includes a bonus module on how to make your own stop-motion animation.
β¨ Mic drop! Lauren McElroy teaches you the first Knit Stars masterclass on Drop Spindle + Plying! Learn how to spin your own yarn step-by-step, then follow Lauren's advice for all of the wonderful things you can do with your hand-spun yarn!
β¨ Actor Jeanne Tripplehorn, her knit-or-die bestie, Lisa Borgnes Giramonti and Knit Stars Founder Shelley Brander all Star in the first installment of Knit Start - the ultimate mini-course for knitters just starting out, or looking for a fresh start. Like 3 workshops in one, you'll get to know each of them through their Yarnstories and then they'll break down the basics for you, step by step. Various cast-ons, the knit stitch, the purl stitch, yarnovers, how to fix mistakes, gauge, tools and more. Includes 3 patterns that are ideal for beginners and also great gift makes more more advanced Yarnies.
See? I could never pick just one! I love them all. π
XOXO
Shelley
