🧶Ann + Kay bust a knitting myth

Have you ever thought of knitters as lonely?

In Knit Stars Masterclass Season 3, Ann + Kay of Modern Daily Knitting set out to bust a bunch of knitting myths…

Like “You must always finish what you start.”

And “Garter stitch is boring.”

And “Knitting is a lonely, solitary activity.”

I don’t know about you but this last one really gets my goat. (A cashmere goat, of course! 🐐)

Maybe that’s because I spent my first 20 years as a knitter so alone. Feeling weird and isolated.

That’s why I’ve dedicated my life to connecting knitters with each other around the globe.

So would you do 3 quick, easy things for me today?

1. Watch this short video clip about knitting friends from Ann + Kay.
2. Join our free Knit the World Together Facebook group, introduce yourself and make a new knitting friend.
3. Seriously consider a trip to our new Flagship Store, which we built to be a global destination hub for yarn-y connectedness, inclusiveness and inspiration. 

And above all, know that we will always consider you one of our fiber friends! If you ever need anything from me or our team, we’re just an email away at hello@knitstars.com ❤️

This is one of my favorite pictures of my dad, Bill.

He’s in his happiest place - on the tallgrass prairie about an hour outside of Tulsa, hanging with the buffalo, and wearing a hat I made him from buffalo yarn back in the earliest days of our yarn shop, when buffalo yarn was still available from southern Oklahoma.

He LOVED that hat. I don’t think I’ve ever given a knitted gift that was appreciated and loved.

So with Father’s Day coming up next Sunday, June 19th…

(I know, right around the corner! 😳😳😳 And DADS are notoriously hard to buy for. But I have an idea for you!)

Order some yarn for one of two can’t-miss hat ideas we’ve curated for you, below. Then package it up and present it next Sunday (we’ll even include a Knit Stars notecard for you to write a sweet note, maybe sharing a special memory of the dad you’re gifting it to).

This way, there’s no deadline. You can make your hat on your own time.

And you’ll be giving the gift that my dad always asked of me…all the way back to when I was a little girl.

“Just make me something,” he always said. “A card, a picture, anything…what I love most is something made by you.” 💕

28,000 Ravelry projects can’t be wrong!

The “Barley” Hat from Tin Can Knits has been made 28,000 times because it’s a great beginner hat in a shape that everyone loves. A guaranteed dad-pleaser! 

It even comes with super-clear tutorials. Quick, fun, easy and clear. What’s not to love?

“Barley” can be made with just one skein of our own exclusive LolaBean “Cool Beans Worsted” yarn. The color options are perfect “dad” colors, too.

Choose your color here.

“Stria Hat” - a brand-new pattern from Knit Star Andrea Mowry - is perfect for the more playful dad…

You know, the one who can’t stop telling dad jokes! 

Here’s what Andrea says about her new design…

“After knitting the Stria Cardigan, I just haven’t been able to get enough of Half-Fishermen’s Rib and stripes! The squishy, elastic nature of this stitch pattern means it has great stretch, and each size can fit a variety of noggins. This hat is worked from the brim to the crown, and thanks to the gauge difference between regular ribbing and Half-Fishermen’s Rib, you only need one needle size!”

Make your dad’s “Stria” using one skein of our exclusive Sweet 16 yarn from Urth, plus a second skein for your contrast stripes. This very special, very soft, washable yarn is dyed just for us in special colors, each named for something Tulsa-related.

We recommend:
“Top of the Mayo” + “Ballroom Blue”
“Gicrease” + “Golden Driller” or 
“Zingo” + “Take Me Back to Tulsa”

Depending on the size you make, you might even have enough yarn to make 2 hats in opposite color schemes!

Buy your kit here, and we’ll include a gift card for you to write your recipient a note.

“Pride is affirmation. Pride is dignity. Pride is equality. Pride is visibility. Pride is protest. Pride is progress. Pride is community. Pride is family. Pride is love. Pride is more than the month of June. Pride is always.” - “More than the Month” Ravelry pattern listing

We couldn’t agree more. 

“More then the Month” by Skeinanigans is part of our specially-curated Pride Month Collection. It’s  comprised of short-row wedges, contrasting i-cord edges knit concurrently with the shawl, and the gorgeous rainbow. 🏳️‍🌈

This kit will be a pre-order hand-dyed by Twisted Ambitions Yarn. Proceeds from the yarn will be donated to the Trevor Project. 

Preorder your “More than the Month” shawl kit and shop our full Pride Collection here!

xoxo

We are quickly reaching that part of the year where sometimes turning on the stove or oven will only make the hot summer heat hotter. On those days, we have salads. But not just any salad…this make-in-less-than-10-minutes-and-eat-for-every-meal salad. 

It is that good!

The brightness of the lemon juice helps to soften the bite of the onion and elevate the tomatoes and cucumbers in the most delicious way. Top with as much feta and dressing as your heart desires, and voila, a super easy, no heat meal!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups mixed greens
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 Persian cucumbers, halved and sliced
• ½ cup red onion, diced
• ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted
• ⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled

For the Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• juice from ½ lemon
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

Instructions:

• 1. In a large serving bowl, combine the salad ingredients including mixed greens, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, cucumber, olives, and feta cheese. 
• 2. In a small mixing bowl, make the dressing by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper.
• 3. Pour Greek salad dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Add more salt and black pepper to taste.