Yarn Test Kitchen – January 2025. Thought to Thread.
Keeley Richardson
Founder and Chief Fiber Officer
Welcome to our January Woolpack Yarn Test Kitchen!
I can’t think of a better way to start the year than knitting, coffee and cake with dear friends. Add in beautiful yarns to test and things get even more fabulous. That’s exactly what we were treated to in this month’s Woolpack Yarn Test Kitchen. Our January yarns were supplied by Tyler from Though to Thread, and we were all delighted to show and share what we were inspired to make.
Our January Baked Treat: Breakfast Muffins from BBC Good Food
At this time of the year people often choose different paths. New year’s resolutions for some mean beginning a strict diet while others look for comfort during the winter months. This thought was at the front of my mind when deciding what to bake for the yarn test kitchen this month. I had no idea which approach my friends were taking so decided upon two different styles of muffins.
The first, a healthy sugar free breakfast muffin was made with whole wheat flour. Honey, apple sauce and banana provided the sugar substitute. Blueberries and oats are added for additional health benefits and the result was delicious. These muffins are a lighter bite than regular muffins but still pack a flavorful punch.
The second option was pretty sugar laden. I adapted a standard muffin recipe adding cranberries, white chocolate and a lemon glaze. Rather naughty but very tasty! Two very different approaches to breakfast muffins, and I am happy to report that they are equally delicious.
Our January Yarn: Thought to Thread.
Tyler, the yarn dyeing genius behind Thought to Thread, treated us to four different bases to create with this month – one of them a superwash and three non-superwash. Each of these hand dyed skeins has a pure, “inspired by nature” feel and these fabulous fibers were a delight to knit/crochet with. We loved the feel of the fibers as our needles and hooks worked their magic and were delighted to have such inspiring yarns for the first Yarn Test Kitchen of the new year.
Tester: Keeley – Base: Staple Fingering – Color Way : Moss – Pattern: Storm Shawl by Joji Locatelli
It’s no secret that green is my favorite color and this is a lovely shade with a real depth of color. To me it has an almost vintage vibe which I enjoy. This yarn is great for patterns that have texture – it is evenly spun, giving a good stitch definition and with a generous 550yds on the skein it seemed perfect for a shawl pattern.
I love Joji’s pattern and it has been on my list of potentials for the yarn test kitchen for some time waiting for the right yarn to come along. Hello though to Thread Staple Fingering! This yarn is feathery light and the result is a soft and airy shawl that is perfect for our PNW milder weather – it looks great too! After following the pattern I had around 80yds remaining, so there is definitely an option to knit a larger shawl if it takes your fancy.
Yarn Tester: Cindy – Base: Opulence Fingering – Color Way: Honeycomb – Pattern: Lisianthus by Teti Lutsak
Cindy in her own words: “It’s always fun to try out a new yarn, and nothing brings more excitement to me than finding the perfect pattern to showcase a skein of yarn! The process was enjoyable from the beginning to end. It’s why I keep knitting!”
This is an elegant accessory with pretty details and it is knitted in such a beautiful color! The rich gold pairs well with dark tones adding warmth in both color and feel to an outfit – it was a huge hit in the yarn test kitchen. Cindy loved the stitch definition the yarn gave, highlighting the twisted rib stitches at the bottom and across the shoulders of the dickie. The frill on the front is an optional extra, but Cindy found she had enough yarn left on the skein to add this cute detail. This gorgeous knit used up all of the skein – a true one skein wonder!
Yarn Tester: Heather – Base: Superwash Merino Comfort Worsted – Pattern: Grabo Faux Turtleneck by Maja Karlson
Heather in her own words: “I love the adventure of exploring knitting patterns for a perfect match to my yarn. A neck warmer felt like an ideal item for this chilly time of year, and I got that “eureka” moment when I discovered this free pattern.”
If you are looking for a buttery soft yarn to have next to your skin, comfort worsted is a great option. Heather knew this plump and soft yarn would be perfect for a cowl and the Grabo is exactly what she was looking for. This is a simple but very effective idea for an accessory – all the warmth and comfort of a cozy turtle neck, but without the bulk of a sweater under your coat. Seriously, you will be reaching for this cowl as you head out for your morning walk throughout the winter.
We all loved the speckles that Tyler created on this skein. Heather was happy to find that the pops of neutral color were evenly spread as she knit, and these tones will complement pretty much any other color. She modified the pattern to make the turtle neck slightly longer and was able to add additional rows around the bottom for extra coziness. No need to shiver on a chilly winter’s day!
Yarn Tester: Caitlyn – Base: Suri Veil Color Way: English Lavender – Camellia Shawl by Vicky Chan
Caitlyn in her own words: “Crochet and knitting are always taking turns in my crafting life. Both are different but each has a special place in my heart.”
The word soft does not even begin to describe this beautiful yarn! The Suri alpaca base is ideal for Vicky Chan’s delicate Camellia Shawl as the fibers fill in the spaces between the stitches making it an airy delight that you just want to reach out and touch. The shawl construction consists of a double crochet triangle that is bordered with refined petals resulting in an elegant accessory. Caitlyn’s January project is the perfect match for the yarn and she loved the way the lavender accents spread evenly across the shawl to add subtle splashes of color.
What a great start to 2025 in the Yarn Test Kitchen! As always, if we have inspired you to knit/crochet any of the featured patterns, simply click on the pattern name to head to Ravelry.com. Huge thanks to Tyler for providing us with such interesting yarns. Be sure to check out his latest hand dyes on www.thoughttothread.co
Coming next month in the Yarn Test Kitchen: Yarn Dragon 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