Yarn Test Kitchen – May 2024
Keeley Richardson
Founder and Chief Fiber Officer
Welcome to the first post from the Puget Sound Woolpack Yarn Test Kitchen!
One of my all time favorite knitting activities is a “show and share”, with friends – it’s a perfect way to seek ideas, gain inspiration and get helpful advice. This is the idea behind the yarn test kitchen – I hope our projects will have you reaching for your needles as we bring you our ideas on how to turn those neglected single skeins of yarn in to “One Skein Wonders”, and inspire you to try new yarns that are produced and sold across the Puget Sound Region. Oh, and I’ll also be sharing monthly baking recommendations as we go. After all, who deosn’t love a slice of cake or baked good? Yum!
I was beyond delighted when three of my very dear knitting friends immediately said “Yes!”, when I asked if they would support me with this new idea I had for a blog feature. I was also delighted when my friend Ben from Nifty Knitter generously donated four skeins of his marvelous Meeker St, Olive’s Outerwear DK yarn for us to sample and get creative.
Read on for this month’s knitting inspo!
So, first things first – cake. This month’s recipe is King Arthur Bakery’s Olive Oil Cake. Don’t let the name mislead you, orange zest and juice are added to this simple cake which results in a delicious bake with a light, citrus, Mediterranean flavor. You can find the recipe by following the Link in bio on their Instagram. It is highly recommended by all of this month’s yarn testers.
Now, on to our lovely yarn. Meeker Street is a range of yarn that is exclusive to The Nifty Knitter – a very happy go lucky, friendly yarn store in Issaquah. It is a superwash merino that is hand dyed with love by the store’s owner Ben. You will find a range of vibrant colors online and in the store across a range of bases.
In this month’s yarn test kitchen we bring you a single skein of the DK weight four different ways and as you will see, the fabulous test knitters really delivered the goods when it comes to fantastic project suggestions. With a generous 280yds on each skein, we all found we had a lot of yarn to get creative with. Read on to find out more….
Tester: Keeley – Pattern: Soul Sister Scarf by Sarie Nordlund – Color: Peaches & Cream
For my yarn test, I decided it was time to take myself out of my usual color choice comfort zone. You will usually find me knitting in autumn hues, teals, greens and occasionally a pop of pink (as in this photo). Peach and coral do not normally find themselves on my needles, but I was drawn to this elegant color way, aptly named Peaches and Cream. The Meeker Street is so soft I thought about a pair of cozy bed socks, but decided this color should not be hidden away in a pair of boots!
I opted for a scarf. Petite Knit started a craze when she released her Sophie Scarf pattern – a cute little neckerchief style scarf that will add a cheeky little vibe to a shirt or sweater. With that pattern she started a whole design movement and I am loving all the variations on a theme that you can find on Ravelry these days.
This is the “Soul Sister Scarf” by Sari Nordlund. I adore the puff stitch pattern! The 4 row pattern repeat really keeps you interested and the result is a super quick to knit, fun addition to your accessory play book. I highly recommend!
Yarn Tester: Stephanie – Pattern: Sonatine by Dee O’ Keefe – Color: Olive
Stephanie in her own words “I was taught to knit and crochet by my grandmother when I was in elementary school. I draw my inspiration from nature and the flowers that I grow. Color and texture are important to me. I love to challenge myself and always try new things”.
For Stephanie’s one skein pattern, she chose this fabulous cowl from Dee O’ Keefe. The Meeker Street yarn has a lovely softness when knitted and the cowl drapes beautifully – an ideal accessory for this time of the year. Meeker Street yarns are not saturated with color, so this green has appealing tonal qualities that echo nature when knitted.
One of the many things that Stephanie loved about this pattern is the simplicity of the garter stitch combined with the lace pattern that elevates the cowl. The pattern calls for a Russian bind off – a technique that was new to all of us, but we are all converts. It gives a beautiful tailored finish to this fabulous accessory that Stephanie will be wearing again and again this spring.
Yarn Tester: Caitlyn – Pattern: Beloved by Tin Can Knits – Color: Celie
Caitlyn in her own words: “I love knitting crochet both! I’m working to learn new techniques. When I don’t have needles and hooks in my hand, I am reading, walking outside or arranging yarn in rainbow order either at The Nifty Knitter or in my personal stash.”
We all gave an audible gasp when Caitlyn revealed her knit. How cute is this bonnet style hat? So much fun!
One of the many great things about Tin Can Knits designs is that the patterns go all the way from baby to plus sized adults and the Beloved hat is no exception. You could make them for the whole family! It’s also a great skill building project – i-cord ties, i-cord edging and short rows are all used in the pattern to result in a great fit.
Caitlyn loved working with this beautiful color that has an almost royal feel, and can’t wait to wear her Beloved hat when the colder months come around.
Yarn Tester: Kristen – Pattern: Stitch Music by CJ Brady – Color: Sapphire
Kristen in her own words: “With 30 years plus of crochet adventuring, I adore all fiber arts! In my secret life as a professional actress I once played a sock knitter on stage. Surrounded by actors who didn’t know knitting from crochet, I faked it until I accidentally began knitting for real and fell in love with it! These days, I do both equally when I’m not singing,designing, teaching or tap dancing in the rain.”
Kristen was looking for something to give a pop of color to a neutral colored top, and this beautiful crocheted cowl certainly delivered! The design that she chose really lets the yarn shine. Although the color way is named Sapphire, it reminded Kristen of a Monet water lily painting with all of the different tones and layers that were a feature of this gorgeous skein. The beauty of a superwash yarn is that it can really absorb the dye to showcase a color. Kristen said she felt as though she had a bouquet of flowers around her neck – fabulous!
As the first Woolpack Yarn Test Kitchen proves, there is so much happiness and inspiration to be found from a show and share with friends. Everyone brings something different to the kitchen table! Huge thanks to Ben and our friends at The Nifty Knitter for being a part of this new yarn adventure.
Coming next month in the Yarn Test Kitchen: an exciting new fingering weight from Serial Knitter, Dyehouse Yarns.
Yarn Test Kitchen
Your Monthly Yarn Review
One of my all time favorite knitting activities is a “show and share”, with friends – it’s a perfect way to seek ideas, gain inspiration and get helpful advice. This is the idea behind the yarn test kitchen – I hope our projects will have you reaching for your needles as we bring you our ideas on how to turn those neglected single skeins of yarn in to “One Skein Wonders”, and inspire you to try new yarns that are produced and sold across the Puget Sound Region.
Oh, and I’ll also be sharing monthly baking recommendations as we go. After all, who doesn’t love a slice of cake or baked good? Yum!
Happy reading!
Keeley