Zen News

When it comes to buying more than one skein in the same colour, people say "Always buy the skeins from the same dye lot so they will match." But rarely are two hand-dyed skeins ever identical. Here's why.

Like a proud mom, we don’t favor one of our yarns, kits, or garments over another….however, we thought we’d point out the steepest price cuts for Black Friday and Cyber Monday! (discount code: SAVE30) 

‘Tis the season to feel stressed about your gift knitting, right? 

Not if we can help it!

People often experience anxiety about what to give, how to give, how it will be received, and whether they'll be able to finish on time. 

We’re here to save the holidays for you! Here’s your how-to guide on all things cozy, hand-made gifting, and how to make sure you feel jolly throughout the process (and after)!  

We’re now living in a world where memes, tweets, and other social media posts have literally put the “instant” in “instant gratification, and it’s managed to make its way into our own little knitting corner of the social media world. 

It seems like over the past year, the world has been catching on to the fact that regardless of age, race, gender identification, geographic location or social status, knitting is one of the most mindful, and healthy, hobbies you can pick up. Literally. 

The craft is, in itself, a form of meditation that does all sorts of amazing things for your blood pressure, anxiety levels, self-esteem, and overall outlook on life.

We knit and crochet at birthday parties, the beach, during lectures and in waiting rooms. But how do other people feel about that?

One thing is certain when it comes to the art of hand dyeing - nothing is certain. 

No matter how much you try to control each and every part of the process with precise measuring and technique, the unexpected and the natural and random laws of physics will always find a way to factor in.

If you’re new to knitting, chances are, you’ve asked a question, or expressed a frustration, and someone said, “You’re the boss of your own knitting.” And you went…”Well yeah, who else is doing the knitting?” 

Oh hey! I’m 30, and I learned to knit about 19 months ago. It’s one of the best things I have ever done, and the only crafty thing I’ve been able to do in, well, ever. Also, I’m obsessed. I already have more yarn than one person could use in a lifetime, and have made over 150 garments so far that I either wear, gift, or donate (unless they’re a disaster and then #recycle). I have a ridiculous number of desktop folders and excel spreadsheets containing all of my projects and patterns.

The yarn is a big as a pillow, soft as a cloud, and once it's in your hands, within a couple of hours, you'll be proud! It works up almost instantly.

Super bulky yarn means super quick results!

But how do you work up our new Big Up yarn without any tools but your own hands?

Here's a few tips to get you started...

It’s the best feeling. 

You’ve received your yarn in the mail. Squishy, squishy mail. You pull it out of the package, admire it lovingly and, not long after, decide, you need to cast on. Here we go. You open up your hank and….are really are not sure what to do with it. 

You can scour Google for help, but we’re hoping to make it easier for you—and anticipate any troubleshooting you may have to do! We’re setting you up for hank winding success now and in the future.  

Intarsia (also sometimes called picture knitting) is a technique used in one of our newest patterns from the Impressionist Collection: the Faded Flare Wrap by Heidi Gustad. This technique allows you to create areas of colour in any shape in your knitting.

The Faded Flare Wrap uses vivid, contrasting colours, intarsia, and fading between colours to paint a vivid picture with yarn. If you’ve never knit intarsia before, now is the time to start! Today, we’ll share some of our favourite tutorials and tips to help you successfully master this technique.