What to stash this week: Your aura is yarn

By Lisa | February 26, 2021

Lanivendole’s newest yarn base has a certain something about it as well. Aura is a 100% Italian Alpaca sport-weight yarn named for its soft halo that brings out its natural energy. Like all of Stefania and Giulia’s yarn, the fiber is from a small farm, this one based in southern Tuscany. They kept two original dark colors and added a range of spring-y hues, hand dyed to “welcome the upcoming season with braveness and positivity.”

The yarn, which comes in roughly 382-yard/350-meter skeins will be available today starting at 7 p.m. Central European Time (1 p.m. Eastern, or five hours from when this email went out).

Speaking of Italian yarn and European time zones, you’ll have the opportunity to meet Stefania and Giulia when you join is in a few short weeks for Indie Across the Pond, our next virtual show! We have a fantastic line-up of 20 vendors from not only Italy, but Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the UK.

A white porcelain cup with a lime wedge and the words Cocktail To Go.

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If you’re looking to jazz up your takeout cocktails, check out this new hand-painted porcelain drinkware from our friends Jenn and Meghan of Portland-based jamPDX. These tumblers, created exclusively for Indie Untangled, keep your icy drinks cold.

Victoria of Eden Cottage Yarns has updated her Rokeby mitts pattern — released all the way back in 2010! — with new pictures and some clarifications to the instructions, and added a companion cowl. Both patterns use two colors of her Milburn 4ply™ (Superwash BFL and silk) and kits are on the website.

Megan of Megs & Co has collaborated with her Instagram friend Isabella Tonski, better known as Bellas Custom Crochets, to curate a collection of rainbow-themed colorways for her Hope & a Future wrap. The pattern is symbolic of the promise of a light at the end of a challenging time.

Missy of This Craft Or That has kits for the Succulent Spikes pattern by Lindsay Potter featured in the Seed Club from Yarn Garden. The kit features Hidden Gems, a blend of 80% Superwash Merino and 20% bamboo fingering weight yarn, in the Garden Party colorway.

Stephanie did a lot of research when deciding which interchangeable needles to offer in her shop, and ended up turning into a chart that compares 14 different brands.

Add a dash of green to your St. Patrick’s Day outfit with MAB Elements’ new Wearing of the Green magnetic shawl pins and Aventurine earrings.

Lisa The Knitting Artist has new one-of-a-kind skeins in her shop, dyed solely from the runoff of her oil painting-inspired variegated yarns.

What to stash this weekend: add this to your playlist

By Lisa | February 12, 2021

Mary Annarella’s latest release is the perfect ear worm and perfect sweater. Ruby Tuesday is knit from the top-down with a strand of sock yarn and mohair laceweight held together to create an elegant lace design (and no finishing!). Get 30% off through Monday with the code hanganameonyou.

Speaking of songs, Kate of McMullin Fiber Co is celebrating V-day by opening preorders Sunday for her collection of Valentine’s colorways inspired by love ballads and breakup songs.

Join the third installment in the second season of Holly Dyeworks’ Great British Baking Show Yarn Club. Celebrate Pudding Week with a fingering-weight skein of Holly’s MCN yarn and a progress keeper from Little Bitty Delights.

You have another week to preorder Terri at AT Haynes House Yarns’ Devils Tower- and Close Encounters of the Third Kind-inspired colorway on her sock and DK-weight bases. As always, this yarn supports the National Park Foundation.

I’ve sent these fun accessories on to their new homes, and after a post office snafu I have tons of extras in the shop! Celebrate Galentine’s Day by giving a little love to your BFFs — best fiber friends.

Debbie of Murky Depths Dyeworks has listed 20 colors of her super soft Triton MCN DK in her shop, from earthy, rich tones to ethereal pinks and grays.

Deb’s latest shawl design is called Arctic Ice, but it will keep you super warm! It’s also 25% off until February 28.

Catch some fresh powder with Un Besito Fibers’ Rocking the Bunny Slope Snack Pack. Dana’s dozen 10g minis are inspired by a brightly colored ski jacket against the snow.

Mark this weekend with the Crafty Flutterby Creations Colors of Love shawl pins, which celebrate romantic love, friendship, community and family.

Eden Cottage Yarns has debuted Dusk, the newest color of their Milburn base, a blend of British Bluefaced Leicester and silk.

The This Craft Or That March Color of the Month Club is based on St. Patrick’s Day. You’ll get a choice between fingering and DK.

Show your love of knitting with T-shirts from Ashleigh Wempe.

What to stash this week: So long and farewell with a sale

By Lisa | January 22, 2021

Stephanie of Rock Solid Designs has made the difficult decision to close her business. As a thank you to her loyal customers and friends, she will be having a closeout sale. Everything in stock is 40% off, which makes this a great time to grab your favorite project bags or pattern storage solutions.

Here are more Katrinkles goodies for Indie Untangled! These mirrored acrylic yarn ball stitch markers, in Indie teal, come in sets of six. There are a limited number up in the shop so grab yours now!

Stephanie and her SpaceCadet crew have created winter-inspired colorways that are available as limited edition preorders. You can order Stillness, Late Sun and Quietude through February 4 and they’ll be shipped shorty afterward.

Erika of Liverpool Yarns created a sample of her Linglestown Shawl, which combines garter stitch, stripes, ribbing and a traditional Shetland lace pattern, in her Fawn and Buttercup colorways — which just so happen to be Pantone’s Colors of the Year for 2021. She also now has her 100% Shetland yarns in mini skeins.

WeeOnes’ line of Professional Cat Stitch Markers has a patriotic (and timely) new team: Supreme Cat Justices! Now through Sunday, you get a free bald eagle stitch marker with each set of Supreme Cat Justices.

Teresa of Sunny Day Fiber has launched a new Valentine’s collection. Candy Heart Pink and Purple and Valentine Red and Pink are available in fingering, DK and worsted weight, as well as sock bundles with mini skein coordinates.

Eve of Holly Dyeworks has a new yarn kit inspired by Frank Sinatra’s iconic song, Fly Me to the Moon. Each kit comes with one skein of hand-dyed fingering-weight yarn, a moon mug from Jam and Bread Co. Pottery and a handmade progress keeper.

Robynn’s new cowl pattern is named Tannholz, which means “pine woods” and is inspired by two views of a forest. It can be made with any weight yarn (she’s partial to the quick chunky version) and is 20% off until the end of Sunday.

Sharon of Garage Dyeworks has a new colorway called Oil Pastels.

What to stash this week: Wrapped up in love

By Lisa | January 15, 2021

A year ago, I asked Bronwyn, AKA Casapinka, during our VKL NYC brunch if she was interested in working her magic on Julie Asselin’s Nurtured Aran-weight yarn, and to my delight she said she was! Bronwyn is ready to release her Powder Wrap, a cozy boomerang-style shawl that features a mix of textures and provides just the right amount of complexity, while still being fairly mindless and meditative.

I’ve made seven-skein bundles of Nurtured available in a number of colors, including the Indie Untangled exclusive Leaf Pile, a complex dusty pink that you can see in my WIP above. The Leaf Pile will ship out shortly, while you can preorder a few other colors to arrive in time for the shawl release in early February.

Speaking of friendships, I’m giddy with excitement about this collaboration with the Katrinkles crew! For Valentine’s Day, I wanted to celebrate our wonderful community and came up with this idea that takes inspiration from the vintage way of showing your devotion to your BFF — which stands for Best Fiber Friend, of course!

These fobs provide the perfect hole-free flare for your project bag(s). You can preorder them in cherrywood and two colors of mirrored acrylic through Wednesday, January 20. Best of all, if you don’t want to wait until you see your bestie in person, I can ship one half directly to them for a small extra fee!

Kate of McMullin Fiber Co is counting down to Valentine’s Day with a 14-mini-skein package inspired by some of our favorite love songs and breakup anthems. Oh, and it comes with chocolate!

It is still January, and Crista Jaeckel is marking this month with free shipping on all her bags, crafted with one-of-a-kind block printed fabric, through January 31.

What to stash this week: Nurturing your garden

By Lisa | January 8, 2021

I’m excited to introduce you to the Winter Garden Hat, a new pattern by Faye Kennington, and to the recently-launched Knitrino app. This pattern, which is available only on Knitrino, features an addictive flower bobble stitch — long stitches that are wrapped over the previous work — that makes the most stunning textured fabric. Faye used Julie Asselin Nurtured, a blend of Rambouillet, Targhee and Merino, in the Indie Untangled exclusive Leaf Pile colorway. The Small size, which fits a 21″-22″ head, requires only one skein, while the Large (23″-24″) and Extra Large (25″-26″) sizes take two.

This is a great way to try out Knitrino, a new app for interactive knitting patterns. The founders, sisters Alison Yates and Andrea Cull, describe it as how Google Maps changed the atlas — it turns knitting patterns into an interactive experience. The patterns are designed to allow you to focus only on the row you’re working on, plus you can view video instructions with the click of a stitch and track your progress as you follow the pattern. You can download Knitrino on your Android and Apple devices.

To celebrate the release of the Winter Garden Hat, you’ll receive a Knitrino project bag free with any purchase of Nurtured in Leaf Pile, while supplies last.

Speaking of Julie Asselin, it’s the last call for Nurtured Mini Boxes, a special partnership for Indie Untangled. You have a choice of three color combinations, each one consisting of six mini skeins so you can try out this rustic Aran-weight yarn and see the nuanced colors in real life. The boxes are available to preorder only through this Monday, January 11.

Lisa The Knitting Artist is taking inspiration from another artist, Salvador Dalí, for her new yarn club. During each month of 2021, she will create a new colorway inspired by one of his works, starting with his earliest and ending with his last. Each installment will come with one or two small relating relating to that month’s color and card of fun facts about the artist. Signups are open on a rolling basis.

Celebrate love with these adorable heart-holding hedgehogs from Jillian of WeeOnes. She also has monthly surprise stitch markers themed around Hibernation.

Lena of Softyarn Designs is reuniting with Jilly and Kiddles for the Fairies In the Snow MKAL. The knit is a crescent-shaped shawl made with two skeins of fingering/sock yarn and the pattern is 40% off through Tuesday with code Fairies.

Michele of Misfit Yarns is debuting two mystery yarn clubs for 2021. The first, which runs from February to July, is inspired by the TV show The Office and the second, which runs from February to June, is inspired by the Great Lakes.

Bonnie of Yank Your Yarn has new multicolored wire stitch markers in sets of 30 or 50, in addition to her silver and square markers with a variety of colored beads.

What to stash this week: New year knitting

By Lisa | January 1, 2021

If you’re trying to narrow down your 2021 projects, Megs & Co has you covered. Perhaps you’d like to tackle Stephen West’s Slumber Shawl? It’s pictured here in Megan’s Folk Song base in the colors Gyarnbage Plate, Pumpkin Spice, Five Leaves Left and From the Morning.

Sharon of Garage Dyeworks is greeting 2021 with a sale.

Indie Untangled 2020 Year In Review Part 2: Indie makers

By Lisa | December 30, 2020

There’s definitely nothing quite like showing off your latest FO, either at a fiber festival or online (and I’ve definitely spent this year trying to perfect the art of the knitwear selfie!). I really enjoyed seeing what people have finished in 2020 with yarn from Indie Untangled dyers.

Here’s a roundup of ones that caught my eye and that were also submitted by Indie Untangled followers.

Sweaters

Jeraldine’s Knitorious RBG by Park Williams in The Wandering Flock Worsted Merino and Mohair Fluff

A man with a dog wearing a colorwork sweater.

Spalding’s Noux by Suvi Simola in La Bien Aimée Cashmerino and La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk (purchased at IU 2019) and various other companies

Danielle’s Junction by Andrea Mowry with Dark Harbour Yarn

Maggie’s V-Back Tee DK by Jamie Hoffman in SpaceCadet Lyra Sport

Stacy’s Magnolia Chunky Cardigan by Camilla Vad in Murky Depths Harbour and Mirage

Kathy’s Ursa in Lavender Lune Yarn Co. Bulky

Nathalie’s True Friend by Veera Välimäki in Canon Hand Dyes Bruce Yak Merino Fingering and Canon Hand Dyes Bruce Yak Silk Singles

Kim’s Threipmuir by Ysolda Teague in Astral Bath Yarns Astral Sport

Shawls

Stephanie’s Slipstravaganza in Undercover Otter, Three Irish Girls and various other companies

Alexis’s Edison in Birch Hollow Fibers Phillis DK

Donna’s Jolene by Bristol Ivy in Skeinny Dipping Journey Worsted

Adrienne’s Paris Toujours by Isabell Kraemer in Astral Bath Yarns Tesseract DK

Socks

Marie’s Simple Skyp Socks by Adrienne Ku in Canon Hand Dyes

Indie Untangled 2020 Year In Review Part I: Indie exclusives

By Lisa | December 24, 2020

It’s certainly been an… interesting year. Surreal. Heartbreaking. Challenging. But one of the things that has helped us retain a feeling of normalcy and comfort is, of course, our knitting. It makes me feel especially warm and fuzzy to see the special colorways that I worked with dyers to create, from the Knitting Our National Parks yarns to event exclusives, turn into beloved FOs.

Here are some projects using special Indie Untangled colorways that were finished in 2020.

Saskia’s Golden Willow by Lesley Anne Robinson with TréLiz Zeus Merino Fingering in When You Play the Game of Indie…

A woman wearing a brown cabled sweater, jumping on a trampoline.

Julia’s Milk Stout by Thea Colman with Julie Asselin Nurtured in Leaf Pile

Samantha’s Love Note by Tin Can Knits with Plies & Hellhounds Yarn Marie Cutie in Quiescence

Kathy’s Snowflake Party by Martina Behm with Earl Grey Fiber Co. Darjeeling Sock in The Highest Peak

svm’s Ande Donut Hat by Pierrot (Gosyo Co., Ltd) with Onyx Fiber DK in Cider Donut Dipped In Coffee
(Also pictured is the Zeen Top by Alisa Hartzel in Lavender Lune Yarn Co. Merino DK and the Hocus Pocus Cowl by Thea Eschliman Plies and Hellhounds)

Diane’s Spring Thing by Espace Tricot with La Bien Aimée Merino Singles in Hudson and Kingston

A gray speckled sweater with a teal trim.

Kathy’s The Traveler Pullover by Tif Neilan – tif handknits – with La Bien Aimée Merino DK in Automne A Rhinebeck

Annie’s Linen Stitch Cowl by Carly Stipe with Pigeonroof Studios American Sock in Mountains and Valleys

The knitter’s bookshelf: A gift list from Indie Untangled

By Lisa | December 17, 2020

As much as I’ve embraced the digital world, there is definitely still part of me that needs physical books in my life. I know it’s cliché, but flipping through the pages, taking in printed photographs and taking pride in a colorful stack of spines on your bookshelf or nightstand… It’s actually kind of similar to having a yarn stash. I probably won’t knit every single pattern in every book I own, but I appreciate knowing that they’re there, to take me on a journey when I might need it most.

I’ve come across many books over the past few years, and while I don’t think I can do them all justice with a “proper” book review, I thought it would be helpful to provide a guide to some of the ones that have found a special place on my IKEA Kallax. And if you happen to find the perfect holiday gift, even better! (This posts contains affiliate links, meaning a small percentage of your purchase may benefit Indie Untangled.)

Wool & Pine Book One

I may be biased about this book because I’m offering it in the Indie Untangled shop, but the reason I decided to carry this book is why I’d recommend it. I’ve admired the designs of Abbye and Selena, the team that makes up Wool & Pine, since I first saw the Sorrel sweater pop up on my Instagram feed. Aside from being a bound collection of the pair’s patterns and gorgeous photographs, the book provides access to video tutorials with instructions and tips for each design. I know I’m going to be referring to the Sorrel videos after I start my sweater.

The book is also bound in a way that it stays open to the page you need very easily. I certainly love the look of matte or hardcover books with thick spines, however, I find that if I want to knit from them I need to photocopy the pages or download the PDF (this book also comes with access to the PDF patterns if you prefer to knit from one).

The Power of Knitting: Stitching Together Our Lives in a Fractured World

by Loretta Napoleoni

I wasn’t familiar with Loretta Napoleoni until earlier this year, when her assistant contacted me about this new book. Napoleoni is a journalist who has covered the financing of terrorism — her first book, Terror Inc: Tracing the Money Behind Global Terrorism, is a bestseller that has been translated into 12 languages. The topic of knitting is decidedly softer, but Loretta tackles it with a well-researched expertise, weaving together the history of our craft with her personal experiences.

The book does include 10 patterns at the end, including a version of the Pussy Hat called the Pussy Power Hat. While the patterns seem a bit like an afterthought, and I think Loretta’s writing is strong enough to stand on its own, it is nice that they have connections to passages in the book, and the simple illustrations are quite lovely.

Seasonal Slow Knitting: Thoughtful Projects for a Handmade Year

by Hannah Thiessen

I was already a fan of Hannah Thiessen’s first book, Slow Knitting, which was everything I could ever want in a knitting book: stories about the creators of artisanal yarns that I’ve been fortunate to work with, including Anne Hanson, Jill Draper, Julie Asselin and mYak, and beautiful patterns to tie these stories together. Seasonal Slow Knitting is just what it sounds like, breaking up our mindful craft into seasons.

Whereas Slow Knitting brought together patterns from a variety of designers, Hannah designed all 10 patterns in this book, which was released in October, so the collection feels much more cohesive and is a beautiful showcase for the rustic yarns.

Vanishing Fleece: Adventures in American Wool

by Clara Parkes

No knitter’s bookshelf is complete without the work of “yarn whisperer” Clara Parkes. In this book, released last fall, Clara recounts her Great White Bale project, in which she crowdsourced the transformation of a 676-pound bale of fleece into skeins that found their way into the hands of knitters. As you may know if you read my newsletter, I’m a sucker for a road trip, especially one that includes yarn, and Clara is an expert guide, taking us along with her to Catskills Merino in New York to the Saco River Dyehouse in Maine and many places in between, all in the pursuit of yarn.

Knits About Winter

by Emily Foden

I knew that I needed this book on my shelf ever since I heard that it was being published by Pom Pom Press. Emily Foden of Viola was one of the first indie dyers that I fell for as a new yarn collector and the 12 patterns in this book show them off beautifully. I haven’t knit any of them yet, however I scored two skeins of her Shadow DK (a blend of Polwarth, Wensleydale and Zwartbles) in a shop update over the summer and realized it’s the perfect match for her Skyhill hat.

The book is filled with beautifully styled and composed shots of knitwear against the snowy backdrop of Emily’s home in Ontario, Canada, though for me it is definitely meant for admiring and not knitting from. Fortunately, the book comes with a code to download a PDF version via Ravelry.

What to stash this week: knitting the light

By Lisa | December 4, 2020

Hanukkah starts next Friday! You should have enough time to knit your Cashmenorah hat and then “light the candles” by using duplicate stitch. ⁣You can order your Cashmenorah kit with luxurious Cashmere from Clinton Hill Cashmere and The Wandering Flock through Indie Untangled. Or, if you happen to be a neighbor of mine in Brooklyn, you can get your Indie Untangled merch and tons of other Brooklyn-made goodies delivered to your door same day through ShopIN.NYC. I’m excited to be partnering with this company to support small, local businesses when they need it most, with the convenience of online shopping.⁣

Speaking of the festival of light: Do you have enough stitch markers to get you through your next project? Just to be sure, snag a set or two of these limited-edition Hanukkah markers that Jillian of WeeOnes Creations made especially for Indie Untangled! ⁣Each set comes with three sufganiyot and one little dreidel. You can use them to mark the sections of your Cashmenorah hat, or to add some holiday light to other WIPs. ⁣

Caroline of The Noble Thread didn’t hesitate when Andrew and Jennifer of Australia-based Great Southern Yarn asked her to design a shawl for them. This husband and wife team, who you’ll read more about below, create sustainable, ethically produced, 100% Australian yarn that is hand dyed in vibrant colors. Caroline, who’s based in North Carolina, took inspiration from ancient sea creatures from the vast ocean between here and there to create Amonite, an elegant crescent-shaped shawl knit in cosy DK-weight yarn.

Jennifer and Andrew, who you “met” above, founded Great Southern Yarn four years ago. They single-origin source their fleece from ethical producers and run their own mob, in Aussie terms, of Merino sheep at Mount Bodangora, near Dubbo, New South Wales. They have two ultra-soft yarn bases: 100% Merino and their GSY Blend, which is 50% Merino and 50% alpaca, a mix of Huacaya alpaca from southern Tasmania and Suri alpaca from Banjo Ridge at Dungog, New South Wales.

Warm the Line is a grassroots group of crafters that has directed hundreds of warm handmade items and hand-sewn PPE to voters waiting in lines at the polls during the general election last month. The effort is now directed towards the U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia on January 5. Aside from donating items, you can also support this effort by purchasing clothing and accessories with the Georgia Peach logo from DKGraham.

Sharon’s popular Garage Dyeworks colorway, Victorian Christmas, is available in sparkly Chrome Sock, luxurious Cadillac Sock and Superwash Auto DK.

Today is the last day you can preorder Heather of Earl Grey Fiber Company’s beautiful blue Under the Stars colorway, dyed on her Matcha Sport 80/20 Merino/nylon. Use it to knit Vanessa Smith’s Emberly hat, designed for the 2020 Where We Knit Yarn Club, or create another perfect winter accessory.

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Victoria of Eden Cottage Yarn has debuted a new base! Keswick Aran is soft Superwash Merino with donegal neps in cream, brown and black throughout. It’s similar to the same ECY bases in fingering and DK weight, but in Aran form.

Marny’s new Birdwatch Beanie is inspired by her newfound love of birdwatching while working from home during quarantine. Knit it to keep your head warm while you are out in nature or curled up on the couch.

Fiberdog Fibers has a surprise colorway called Winter Gift.