Mini skeins are not only beautiful but they make color play so much easier! If you are planning a sweater and want to add a few stripes, mini skeins allow you to mix and match colors until you find the right combination for the look you’re going for. We have a plethora of mini-skeins so, whether you want a full set or a bundle, you’ll be able to create an amazing colorwork project from the options we stock. Here are some fun ways to use those pretty little minis!

Handmaiden – 5ply Casbah Gradient Pack
Casbah 5ply Gradient Wrap by Handmaiden Yarns

Hedgehog Fibres – Sock Mini Sets
Outline by Beata Jezek

Lorna’s Laces – String Quintet
Ombre Quintet by Wendy S. Baker

Madelinetosh – Unicorn Tails
Buccaneer by Justyna Lorkowska

Squoosh Fiberarts – Beefcake Minis
Fruit Stripes Gum Socks by Leah Oakley (calls for self striping yarn but you can use minis to create your own stripes!)

SweetGeorgia – Party of Five
Gimli Peak by Jessie Ksanznak

Three Irish Girls – Adorn Luxe Mini Skein Sets
Building Blocks Shawl by Stephen West

How do you use your mini skeins? Share with us in the comments below for your chance to win a set of Beefcake Minis from Squoosh Fiberarts! The random winner will be chosen and announced on Facebook on May 12th at Noon EDT.

Notes:
-The random winner will be drawn May 12th at Noon EDT
-Your project must contain at least 1 mini skein that we carry/have carried
-To enter, comment the link to your project page on Ravelry in the comment section on the blog, not Facebook
-Projects can be from any year

We are so excited to bring you an exclusive interview with the woman who made the fade what it is in the knitting community – Andrea Mowry. If you can believe it, she’s just as delightful as her designs. She’s humble, family-oriented, and an all-around gem! Read along to learn about Andrea’s past career, pen collection, and precious personality.

Tell us about yourself. 

I was born and raised in Michigan, and moved back here with my husband about 5 years ago.  After leaving my job as a pastry chef to have our first child, I finally had the space to try my hand at designing knitting patterns. From there, the stars aligned and everything just fell into place! I feel like the luckiest person ever!!

What does your design process look like?
My design process has always felt very organic. An idea pops into my head and there is almost an urgency to getting it onto my needles. If I can’t cast on right away, I make sure to draw a little sketch, as my memory cannot be trusted! I have a lot of notebooks and quite the pen collection, and I always have at least one of each with me. From there I swatch and cast on. I am “write-as-I-knit” designer, so I always have my notebook or laptop next to me to write out the pattern.

What is your most favorite design and why? 

Hahaha – typically, whatever I have just finished is my most favorite because it is what I am currently the most excited about! It’s hard to pick just one, as it sort of feels like trying to pick a favorite child! Lately, I find myself always grabbing my Briochealuscious shawl. It has some of my favorite colors, and perks up whatever outfit I am wearing.

How do you choose what you will design next? 

Ideas just seem to pop into my head! Mostly, I would say I am inspired by yarn. Often times for me, the yarn comes before the design, and tells me what it wants to be. When I’m traveling, I do love to see what people are wearing in different cities and what they choose as their travel clothes. After I get home from a trip I usually have a lot of new ideas, I think just from having a break from my daily routine and surroundings. It gets my brain percolating again!

Who taught you to knit? 

I was really fortunate to have my grandma teach me the basics when I was little. From there, I used books by Elizabeth Zimmerman and Debbie Stoller to teach myself the rest.

What designers do you admire?

Oh my gosh – so many! Norah Gaughan would definitely be at the top of my list!

What are you currently knitting?

Well, I am FAR from a monogamous knitter – so right now I’ve got a couple sweaters, a cowl, some slippers, a few shawls, and a hat…to name a few 🙂

How do you balance designing with your personal life?
Isn’t this the question? I am a work at home mama, so this one is tough. I am always trying hard to achieve balance, and failing most of the time! Ha! Thankfully, I have an incredibly supportive husband and family and we just make it work. Some days I work too much, and others not nearly enough, but that’s life I think.

What are your hobbies/interests outside of the fiber community?
I love to cook and am really interested in nutrition and the healing power of food. So if I’m not knitting, I’m typically in my kitchen!

Do you have plans to expand? 
Yes! Always expanding 🙂 I am actually beginning to design full time in just a few weeks, and have loads of new collaborations and big projects happening this year. I have a number of book dreams, and hope to tackle that next adventure soon!

Do you have anything you’d like to say to our knitters/crocheters?

Aren’t we so lucky to be part of such an amazing community?? I’m so happy to be one of you, and I hope your knitting or crochet brings you joy each and every day!

We would like to sincerely thank Andrea for taking the time out of her busy schedule to do this interview for us! It was a pleasure getting a glimpse into your life and, if it was possible, we adore you even more. Have a comment or question for Andrea? List them in the comments below!

MCN DK from Northbound Knitting has quickly become one of our favorite go-to DK weights. We would categorize it as a light DK and find it perfect for everything from small accessories like hats and cowls to larger projects like a mid-weight sweater. After we are done admiring this base for its quality and softness, the fantastic colors that Lisa Mutch has created are next. There are spectacular semi-solids like Vixen & Tidal and vivid variegateds like Metallurgy & Flotsam. All around, we love this yarn so take a look at the pattern suggestions below for inspiration for your next project!

Feminine yet bold, Fortress by Lisa Mutch looks spectacular in MCN DK. The original pattern calls for Merino DK but greensnake (project on right) used MCN DK for the added strength of the nylon & softness of the cashmere.

The superb stitch definition created by MCN DK would lend perfectly to Alicia Plummer’s Campside Cardigan. The eyelets and lace edging will hold up well post-blocking and the ribbed edging gives a great stretch when you wrap up in the lovely cardigan.

We suggest choosing a solid colorway for this project. You may lose some of the pattern if you go with a highly variegated color. The inspiration for Campside is quite magical, “Large dots of golden sunlight swish through the leaves on the trees, dancing in patterns across the bare floorboards.”

If you love a beautifully combined mash-up of textures, this pattern is for you! Featured here in the color Saffron, Rambled by Dani Sunshine truly comes to life in MCN DK. The combination of warmth, softness, and structure make this pattern a no-brainer for your next hat.

Snuggle up in lace repeats with Dinner in the Eiffel Tower Shawl by Jessie Dodington. See Merrick79’s MCN DK rendition here. She chose to use a bold NBK color which we think was absolutely the right choice. Whether you choose something neutral to go with everything in your wardrobe or a more unusual color to complete an outfit, this shawl is sure to be worn time and time again!

Have you knit something amazing using MCN DK? Share with us below! We love to see what you all are working on.