Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Free Scrappy Knitting and Crochet Projects

What do you make with your Chanukah Yarn?  Your advent calendar yarn?  Collecting 10-20 g mini skeins can be a lot of fun, and there was a time when I was trying to get as many as I could possibly find for the beekeepers quilt.  (This isn't a free pattern, but one of my personal hibernating scrappy projects!)  Below I'll try to collect some options for fun scrappy projects that are free patterns. Even if you don't want to make the exact pattern I've linked, it might inspire you how to use the yarn with another of your favorite designs.  I am also going to include some of these patterns of examples of what you can do with one of your favorite existing patterns. 

Free Scrappy Knitting Patterns

  • Ombré, designed by me!  This is a hat pattern that uses worsted weight, but you could increases the stitches in multiples of 4 to blend thinner yarns for the hat.  I love using this with scraps of solid colored yarn I have on hand, but it would be also fun to blend variegated ones. 
  • Scrappy Marl Hat - A stockinette hat with a ribbed brim that is a great way to show off a lot of colorways.  Knit with two strands of fingering held together (or DK weight yarn) 
    • This hat shows off how a lot of fun stockinette hat or sock patterns can be used with remnant yarn.  If your yarn has a lot of speckles or color variation, then a stockinette pattern can show it off well.
  • Scrappy Socks  - This pattern is a free Ravelry Download. A simple stockinette ankle sock knit with fingering weight yarn.  The pattern shows off two socks that are knit in different colorways, so you can visualize a pair of mismatched socks. 
  • Scrappy Ski Hat - Knit with worsted weight yarn, this is a fun colorwork pattern for blending different yarns.  
  • Scrappy Bias Shawl - uses 200 g of fingering weight yarn.  It looks like it is knit in garter stitch.  I love blending different yarns together with garter stitch projects. 
  • Happy Scrappy Fingerless Mitts -   This pattern is a free Ravelry Download.  This patterns shows off solid yarn, but imagine the fun you could have with the Chanukah Sampler yarn!  This pattern is written for fingering weight with a self striping yarn, but you could put your won stripes into it. 
  • Scrappy Block SocksThis pattern is a free Ravelry Download.  Knit in fingering weight yarn 400-490 yards.  Want to go a bit beyond stripes or a fade?  Pick minis that have some contrast and work them in this fun colorwork pattern. 
  • Super Scrappy Socks This pattern is a free Ravelry Download.   This is a super fun pattern that includes some contrasting colorwork between color changes to really make the different sections pop.  
  • Sideways Scrappy Scarf - Knit in garter stitch with DK weight yarn, you can use up remnant yarn for a fun vertical stripped pattern.  
  • Scrappy Bias Scarf - Knit in Aran weight yarn, but you can adjust the number of stitches to do this with fingering or DK weight.  A bias is a great way to blend different colors because the diagonal stripes are super fun to wear. 
  • Scrappy CowlThis pattern is a free Ravelry Download.   This is a fade to blend different minis together.  The pattern is written for fingering weight yarn, but it wouldn't be hard to adapt for a DK weight project. The Chanukah Samplers aren't designed to be a fade set, but you could still blend the transitions in a super fun way. 
  • Remnants Shrug - It is written as a one size fits most pattern, but I did look at the pattern and it would be easier to make bigger or smaller since it is knit as a rectangle.  I would personally double check my arm span measurements and then also measure a towel across my back to get a sense of the dimensions that would work for me personally.  However, I'm including this in the list as an idea of what you could do with another stockinette shrug or even sweater. 
  • Garter stitch projects are wonderful for blending different yarns together, even if they aren't intended as a fade.  

Free Scrappy Crochet Patterns 

  • Scrappy Corner-to-Corner Crochet Blanket - I haven't doing any C2C crochet projects yet, but I've always wanted to do a colorwork version.  I love the idea of a scrappy blanket to use up remnant or miniskeins! The sample was knit with DK weight yarn. 
  • Scrap Yarn Crochet Basket - I adore this pattern.  It is written for you to hold multiple strands of yarn together, which I don't love to recommend for the Chanukah yarn... BUT I love the idea of taking remnants from a bunch of projects and including them in a basket you use to hold yarn or other works in progress.  
  • Scrappy Blanket 2 This pattern is a free Ravelry Download.   A chevron throw blanket that features so many different colorways. Since it is a blanket you could use almost any yarn weight.
  • Scrappy Bucket Hat - written for worsted weight yarn,  but you can imagine how you can combine different colors for a more structured hat.
  • Granny Square Projects - In general yarn scraps are wonderful for projects made out of these fun blocks.  I'm not linking to a particular pattern, but a lot of scrappy granny square projects are available.

Other Recommendations

The following video was recommended to me in one of the Chanukah premieres.  I haven't watched it yet, but I wanted to share another source recommending scrappy projects.  A Lovely Yarn "A Very Scrappy Episode ~50 Patterns Using Mini Skeins, Yarn Scraps, or Advent Yarn Kits"

Sunday, December 18, 2022

The 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Special is Here!

Welcome to the 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Special!  Every night of Chanukah (plus a few nights beyond) there will be a new yarn dyeing video on the ChemKnits Tutorials YouTube Channel published at 8:30 PM Eastern Time. 

Each video will air as a live premiere, so we can watch the video together and react in a live chat in real time.  After the video is finished it will be available on demand like a regular YouTube video.  To help you know what to expect, here are the runtimes and nights I will be in the live chat room:

  • 12/18 Night 1 - Runtime 32 minutes
    • I will pop into the live chat but I may be a bit late and it might be a short visit in the chat room.  (I'm celebrating the first night of Chanukah in person with family and friends! I won't have footage of this for the vlog, but I'm super excited!
  • 12/19 Night 2 - Runtime 36 minutes 
    • I will be in the premiere live chat!  
  • 12/20 Night 3 - Runtime 32 minutes 
    • I will be in the premiere live chat!  
  • 12/21 Night 4 -  Runtime 30 minutes
    • I will be in the premiere live chat!  
  • 12/22 Night 5 - Runtime 35 minutes 
    •  I will be in the premiere live chat!  
  • 12/23 Night 6 -  Runtime 33 minutes 
    • I will be in the premiere live chat!  
  • 12/24 Night 7 -  Runtime 34 minutes 
    • I will not be in the live chat for night 7.  Christmas Eve is our big family Christmas celebration with my husband's family. I grew up celebrating Chanukah, and my husband grew up celebrating Christmas. We are a blended family now and celebrate each other's traditions together.  
  • 12/25 Night 8 - Runtime 34 minutes
    • I will try to be in the live chat but it is tentative.  I will update closer to Christmas Day! 
  • 12/26 Bonus DK Colorway - Runtime 31 minutes
    • I will be in the premiere live chat!  
  • 12/27 Bonus Sparkle Colorway -  Runtime 32 minutes
    • I will be in the premiere live chat!  
  • 12/28 Chanukah Vlog (behind the scenes) -  Runtime 53 minutes
    • I will be in the premiere live chat!  
The entire schedule of when I will be in the live chat is subject to change, so see the pinned post on the upcoming premiere in the YouTube chat for the latest updates.  I'll also try to update this post as I have notice. 

If you miss a video, don't worry!  All of them will be in the 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Special Playlist so you can catch up on any videos you missed.  


The 2022 Chanukah Samplers have sold out, but you can still pick up some awesome hand dyed ChemKnits yarn on Etsy. Want to make sure you know when I launch special preorders in the future?  You can follow me on Patreon even if you don't sign up for any of the tiers.  I always announce in a public post when new preorders are available and you can get an email notification that the post is up.

Friday, November 25, 2022

ChemKnits Creations Black Friday Sale!

The ChemKnits Creations  Black Friday sale is here!  Over 100 colorways are 10-40% off plus there are some fun mystery bundles available.  

Sale ends 11/28/22 at 11:59 PM EST.  Prices are as marked deals are available while supplies last - some deals are more limited than others. Etsy doesn't let you use coupon codes on top of sale items, so check to see which will give you the biggest discount.  

In addition to the above deals, there are a lot of new colorways and even some new merch that I just listed.  Thank you so much for checking it out! 

Extra Special Black Friday Deals

  • Extra Special Black Friday Deals: Buy a skein of "Thanksgiving Berry" yarn and you can add a mystery skein of yarn for just $10!  This mystery skein will be a surprise yarn weight (sock-bulky), fiber content (will be at least 50% animal fiber), and could be either superwash or no superwash.  (mystery skeins may come from current shop inventory. There are no progress keepers with this mystery skein.) Watch the video to see me dye the Thanksgiving Berry Yarn and to here me talk about more of these deals. 

  • 300 g Mystery Yarn Bundle - Buy a project bag stuffed with at least 300 g of hand dyed yarn and fun extras.  Full retail value is over $100.  You can pick between sock weight, DK weight, or non-superwash worsted weight yarn, but the colorways will be a complete surprise. This isn't intended to be a fade set, so the 300 g may or may not coordinate together. 

  • Add a Mystery Surprise Skein to the 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Sampler!  If you order a Chanukah Sampler during the ChemKnits Black Friday sale you can add a mystery skein for just $10!  This mystery skein will come wrapped with a progress keeper.  This mystery skein will be a surprise yarn weight (sock-bulky), fiber content (will be at least 50% animal fiber), and could be either superwash or no superwash.  (Mystery skeins may come from current shop inventory.) 
    • Please note that this is a new listing!  The original ChemKnits Chaunkah listing is still there and doesn't show the option for the add-on mystery skein. 

  • Stitch Marker Bundles!  6 stitch markers in either a new surprise bundle or a bundle you can see from last year.  All of the progress keepers have a lobster claw clasp.  The mystery bundle may overlap with the 2021 bundle but also have new items. 
You can find all of these special listings under the "Black Friday" shop tab.  Sale yarn up to 40% off can be found under the "On Sale" Tab. 

All of these deals are available while supplies last or thought Monday 11/28/22 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Unfortunately Patreon coupons do not work on items that are already discounted, Etsy will override the sale price to use the coupon.  So please check to see which is a better discount!

Watch the Black Friday Video

In today's YouTube video, I will talk a little bit about my Black Friday specials, plus you can watch me dye the "Thanksgiving Berry" yarn that is featured in one of the special offers above.  


ChemKnits Creations Holiday Shipping Update

Any orders placed through ChemKnits Creations between 5 PM Friday 12/2/22 and Monday 12/12/22 will ship after Tuesday 12/13/22.  The shop processing times will be updated to reflect these changes and the shop will remain open so you can place orders. Thank you for your understanding.  Everything purchased during the ChemKnits Creations Black Friday Sale will ship next week.

This means that for the best chance to receive your ChemKnits Chanukah Yarn Sampler before the first night of Chanukah (12/18), order by the end of November! (Note: this link will take you to to the regular Chanukah Sampler listing, not to the Black Friday option with the mystery add on - see that link above or in the Black Friday shop section!) 


Other Yarn Retails Black Friday Deals

The following list includes affiliate links to KnitPicks, WeCrochet, KnitCrate, and Paradise Fibers, and I make commissions from purchases made through these links. 

  • KnitPicks & WeCrochet - Save 25% off sitewide with the code "CARTFULL25" 11/24/22 - 11/25/22 for Black Friday! See websites for full details.  
    • Which site should you shop with?  There are a few things to make the decision:
      • WeCrochet has a lower minimum for free shipping ($45 in the US) vs KnitPicks ($65 for US customers.)  
      • Most bare yarn is only available at KnitPicks. 
      • WeCrochet carries Lion Brand Yarn
      • There are some other exclusive tools and patterns that vary between the websites, too. 
  • Save 20% off KnitPicks and WeCrochetSitewide with the code "GIFT2U22" 11/26/22 through 11/28/22.  See websites for full details.  
  • KnitCrate - Use the code "BLACKFRIDAY22" to get 50% off the Black  Friday collection of yarn.  This stacks with active member discounts.  Sale ends 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday 11/30/22 and cannot be combined with any other coupon codes.  See website for full details. 
  • Paradise Fibers - Unwrap up to 20% off Black Friday Deals
  • Knomad - Save 50% off your favorite yarn bases (prices as marked) plus free shipping on US orders over $250. 
    • I haven't tried their new select lines yet, but I hope to try them out in 2023!  I am not an affiliate with Knomad, but I have received product for free in the past. 


Wednesday, November 9, 2022

2022 KnitPicks Big Sale - Summary and Best Deals!

The KnitPicks Big Sale starts 11/9/22 and goes through 11/21/22!  I'll be updating this post as new deals come through KnitPicks and WeCrochet. Sometimes these sibling websites have the same deals, and other times they vary.  At the bottom of this post you can find links to my previous years tracking the big sale and predicting what may come.  You can see where I'm right and where I was wrong! 

I am a KnitPicks & WeCrochet affiliate marketer, so the links in this post are affiliate links and I do earn commissions on sales made through my links.  



2022 Weekly Deals - KnitPicks

Some deals last longer than others, here are some of the deals that are available on KnitPicks and WeCrochet in 2022.Most coupon codes are limited to 1/person/website, so you can often use the same code on both KnitPicks and WeCrochet. 

In previous years of the Big sale, there have been some freebies that lasted the entire sale.  This year it looks like the deals are more limited, which means we may get more freebies later on?!?

  • KNITPICKS: 11/9/2022-11/14/2022: Pick your Promo! Items will be automatically added to your chart when you use the promo code. Spend $75+ Get a free chart keeper with code "CHARTGWP", Spend $150+ and get a Free Needle Clutch with code "CLUTCHGWP", Spend $300+ and get a free interchanable needle set with code "MOSAIC300" or "PRISM300" 


  • WECROCHET: 11/9/22-11/13/22: Spend $75+, add a basic chart keeper to your cart, and use code "CHARTGWP" at checkout.  


  • KNIPICKS 11/15/22 - 11/21 - Buy an Everyday Tote and get a free basic travel pack with your purchase using code "TRAVELGWP" at checkout.  I ADORE these every day tote bags and have them in multiple colors.  The KnitPicks bags have a stockinette print on the inside, or at least they have in previous years.  There are a few totes on clearance for $8 and those work with the promo code.  UPDATE: It looks like the tote bags are the same on both websites, so some will have the KnitPicks stockinette pattern on the inside and the others may have the WeCrochet crochet hooks on the inside. 


  • WECROCHET 11/15/22 - 11/21 Buy an Everyday Tote and get a free basic travel pack with your purchase using code "TRAVELGWP" at checkout.  I ADORE these every day tote bags and have them in multiple colors.  The KnitPicks bags have a stockinette print on the inside, or at least they have in previous years.  There are a few totes on clearance for $8 and those work with the promo code.  UPDATE: It looks like the tote bags are the same on both websites, so some will have the KnitPicks stockinette pattern on the inside and the others may have the WeCrochet crochet hooks on the inside. 



  • Coming soon!

The WeCrochet website consistently updates its deals a few hours before KnitPicks.  The KnitPicks website updates at about 8 AM Eastern Time, and WeCrochet a few hours before that. 

2022 Daily Deals

What specials will we have in 2022?  Will we have one day limited deals? Check out how they compare to the 2021 sale!

KnitPicks Daily Deals:

  • KnitPicks 11/10-11/11/22: Save 30% off all KnitPicks Exclusive needles and hooks.

  • KNITPICKS Daily Deal 11/12/22 - 11/13/22: Extra savings! $10 Yarn Bowls and Ball Winders, $15 Spindles.  (Prices as marked, no coupon code needed.)
  • 11/15/22 on Both KnitPicks and WeCrochet - $1 / $3/ $5 yarn day! Limit 5 balls per color per order.
  • 11/16/22 KNITPICKS - 40% Off KnitPicks eBooks, & extra 20% off all clearance books


  • 11/17/22 KNITPICKS - Select Kits and Value Packs 30% off.  This is how I started accumulating a stash, I'd buy clearance kids with Palette since I used that base all the time for colorwork.  


  • KNITPICKS November 18-20, Spend More to Save More!  Save 10% off $100 with codue "STACK100", 15% off of $200 with code "STACK200", and 20% off $300 with code "STACK300" If you're buying yarn that is available on both KnitPicks and WeCrochet, go to WeCrochet because the discounts are bigger.  (see the discounts below under WeCrochet daily deals) 
  • 11/21/22 - The last day of the Big Sale!

  • WeCrochet: 11/10/22 Only: Get the Cozy Cabin Ebook on WeCrochet for $9.99 or patterns for $2/each. Sale ends 11/10.


  • WECROCHET Daily Deal 11/11/22 - $30 Yarn Swifts and $10 Ball Winders (Prices as marked, no coupon needed.)  This is a 50% off discount on these items, and it can stack with the other coupons. 
  • WECROCHET Daily Deal 11/12/22-11/13/22 - $5 Bright Hook Set (prices a marked, no coupon code required.)
  • WECROCHET Daily Deal 11/14/22 only - Buy a Hank of Alla Prima Yarn and get a Free Skein of Tuff Puff with code "FREEPUFF" 
  • 11/15/22 on Both KnitPicks and WeCrochet - $1 / $3/ $5 yarn day! Limit 5 balls per color per order.
  • 11/16/22 WECROCHET - 40% Off WeCrochet exclusive eBooks, & extra 20% off all clearance books, and $3 individual patterns 
  • 11/17/22 WECROCHET - Stuffed Alpaca 40% off today only! (I have one of the handpainted ones and it is SUPER DUPER cute.)

  • WECROCHET 11/18 -11/20, Spend More to Save More!  Save 10% off $75 with code  "STACK75", 20% off of $150 with code "STACK150", and 25% off $300 with code "STACK300" KnitPicks has a similar deal, but the discounts are bigger with smaller purchases with WeCrochet.  One main difference between the inventories is that most of the bare yarn offerings are only available through KnitPicks. 
  • WECROCHET 11/21/22-11/21/22 (The Last day of the big sale) - Spend $50 and get a free zipper pouch with code "FREEZIP50"  This promo lasts one day beyond the big sale! 

Best Bare Yarn Deals

Coming soon! Once the big sale starts I'll share my picks for the best value in bare yarn. There are a lot of bare yarns in the 30-40% off category. 

  • Bare Chroma Twist Bulky - 50% Off
  • Bare Chroma - 50% Off
  • Bare Hawthorne and Stroll Sock Blanks - 30% off each
  • Bare Curio #10 - 40% Off
  • Bare Chroma Worsted - 40% Off
  • Bare Yarn Minis - 21% Off (these are 10 g mini skeins that you can sample popular bare yarn bases - they do not offer them in bulk.) 
  • Don't forget that you can dye pastel colored yarn, so if there is a pale pink or green in a yarn base you love that is 60% off, this is a great candidate for overdyeing

30% Off Bare Yarns - There are a lot of bases that are 30% off, so I'm going to list them here rather than put them all in a list.  In general 30% off is better than any coupon code we ever get from KnitPicks.  Bare Wool of the Andes Roving, Bare Wool of the Andes Superwash Wortsed, Bare Wool of the Andes Bulky, Bare Woodland Tweed, Bare Super Bulky Soft, Bare Swish Bulky, Bare Swish Fingering, Bare Twill, Bare Stroll Sport, Bare Shimmer, Bare Shadow, Bare Palette, Bare Paragon,  Bare Reviere, Bare Rustic Wool, Bare Muse Sock, Bare Muse Aran, Bare Merino Wool DK, Bare Luminance, Bare Lindy Chain, Bare Journey Tweed, Bare Imagination, Bare High Desert Worsted & Sport, Bare Hawthrone, Bare Hawthorne DK, Bare Hare, Bare Galileo, Bare Gloss DK, Bare Gloss Fingering, Bare Glass Roving, Bare Felici Sock, Bare Capretta Superwash, Bare Capretta, Bare Cadena, Bare Aristo, Bare Andes Del Camp, Bare Alpaca-Merino Boucle, Bare Andean Treasure

20% Off Bare Yarns - Bare Wool of the Andes Worsted, Bare WOTA Superwash Bulky, Bare WOTA Sport, Bare Swish Worsted, Bare Swish DK, Bare Surefoot Sock Yarn, Bare Stroll Roving, Bare Eco Superwash Alpaca Sock, Bare Cotton Boucle, Bare CotLin, Bare Comfy 100g, Bare Array

10% Off Bare Yarns - Bare Woolen Cotton, Bare Wonderfluff, Bare Stroll, Bare Curio #3

On further inspection, it looks like every single type of bare yarn is at least 10% off for the big sale! 

ChemKnits Big Sale Strategy

I love the KnitPicks Big Sale and getting freebies for yarn that I would purchase anyway.  At the beginning of the sale, I make a list of the yarn that I would like - but I don't purchase all of the yarn right away.  I try to make sure I have enough to get free shipping ($65+ USD) and then look to see about getting the minimum needed for a freebie.  I also hold out in case there is a daily deal (think $3/yarn day) so I have enough for free shipping on those days, too.  

In past years, I had advice on discounted yarn to purchased during the big sale versus waiting for a (hopeful) Black Friday % off coupon.  KnitPicks recently made some changes to bulk bare yarn purchases, adding some wholesale options for indie dyers and removing bulk discounts from the retail website.  This means that my advice on when to buy bare yarn during the big sale has changed a bit.  

KnitPicks Wholesale bare yarn discounts range from 20% off packs of 20 to 40% off packs of 100 (on select bases.) These discounts do NOT stack with coupon codes from the retail website, which means that I'm no longer waiting to use a 25% off coupon on Black Friday to use on a 20 pack of bare yarn (25% off of the bulk pack that was already15% off is ~36% off the base price.)  My old advice was to get anything that was 40% off or more.  This year, I'm not recommending holding off on purchasing any bare yarn if the discount looks good in early November.  

Personally, I will probably jump on any bare yarn I love that is over 20-25% off.  At the time of writing this post (11/8), the big sale hasn't started.  But I'm hoping we get some new Special Reserve or Limited Edition bare yarn lines! 


Build Your Own Value Pack

The Build Your Own Value Pack discount stacks with the big sale, at least as of 4:45 PM 11/9/2022.  With this sale, add 10 or more skeins from a featured yarn line and use the code "MYVALUEPACK" for 20% off this personalized pack.  I just purchased 10 stroll sock blanks, 30 skeins of Bare Swish DK, and 10 skeins of Bare Wool of the Andes Superwash Worsted... and got 20% off all of it with this coupon.  

I did not expect this discount to work on the big sale, and in fact earlier in this post I wrote "however I do not expect it to stack with any big sale discount."  This may change.  However, in my livestream we also realized that this works on more than just the yarn bases listed below.  There are many bare yarn lines that work under "MYVALUEPACK" - see the listing description to see whether the yarn works with this sale.  


These yarn bases include in this promo include: Wool of the Andes (Sport, Worsted & Bulky), Swish (DK, Worsted & Bulky), Palette, Stroll Fingering, WOTA Superwash (Worsted & Bulky), Twill, High Desert, and Brava. Note that the KnitPicks bare yarn options are not linked under the Build Your Own Value Pack link, so you will need to search for those options separately to add them to your cart.  (Bare yarn seems to be mostly removed from the WeCrochet website as of 11/8/2022.)  As of 11/9/22, this code works on a lot of different bare yarn lines, check the description of the listing to see where you can get this discount! 


What Are My Favorite Discounts From Previous Years?

  • Free items with minimum purchase.  I'm a sucker for enamel pins and tote bags, especially when I'm buying yarn I would buy anyway! 
  • $1/$3/$5 yarn
  • Limited edition yarn.  Some years we get awesome new skeins of bare yarn.  

Want to see how this Big Sale compares to past years? 

Watch me chat about the Big Sale in a Livestream!


What time do deals start?

As of 7 AM Eastern Time 11/9/21 the KnitPicks Big Sale Page hasn't updated, but there are some cool promos.  The WeCrochet Big Sale was up when I woke up this morning - but the yarn page didn't work yet.  I did get an email about the WeCrochet Big sale at 3 AM Eastern Time 11/9/22. 

Things seemed to update at 8 AM eastern time (5AM pacific) 

What about Black Friday?

In 2021, KnitPicks had a 25% off coupon on Black Friday and a 20% off coupon for cyber weekend.  We will have to wait and see what will happen in 2022!  I'll update this post so we can track the pattern for future years. 

Update 11/24/22 - On Thanksgiving morning the Black Friday sale is starting!  Save 25% off KnitPicks and WeCrochet sitewide with the code "CARTFULL25" 11/24/22 - 11/25/22 for Black Friday! (affiliate links) See websites for full details.

11/26 - 11/28/22 Save 20% off KnitPicks and WeCrochet Sitewide with the code "GIFT2U22" through 11/28/22. See websites for full details.  







I am a KnitPicks and WeCrochet Affiliate which means that I earn commission for sales made through my links.  I made all of the recommendations and product selections on my own and purchased them myself. 

Friday, September 16, 2022

NEW! KnitPicks Wholesale for Indie Dyers + Build Your Own Value Packs for Retail Customers

KnitPicks now has a wholesale option for indie dyers with discounts of 20-40% off of bulk packs of yarn! (Affiliate link) This is an exciting change for business owners who love KnitPicks yarn. 

In this post I am going to answer some questions about the new wholesale accounts. These answers come from the perspective of a customer, I do not have any inside information to KnitPicks. I did not reach out to KnitPicks for clarification on any of these questions. Please note that this post contains affiliate links to KnitPicks which means ChemKnits earns commissions on purchases made after clicking on the links. 

I found signing up for the wholesale account to be a fast and easy process. You will need to create a new account with an email that isn't the one you use on the retail website. I got personal assistance from a representative who reviewed my application to make sure that I had everything set up correctly.  My account was approved within a few hours of the application.  

Can retail customers still get bulk discounts on the retail website?

Yes, sort of.  Historically, KnitPicks offered 15% off of pack of 20 skeins of bare yarn, but this option is no longer available.  However, under the "Sale" tab on the website there is an option to Build your own value pack on select yarn bases.  With this sale, add 10 or more skeins from a featured yarn line and use the code "MYVALUEPACK" for 20% off the personalized pack.  I tested the code on 10 skeins of Bare Stroll Fingering weight yarn and bare Wool of the Andes Sport on 9/15/22 and the discount worked.  (Note: this is subject to change.)   


These bases include:
  • Wool of the Andes (Sport, Worsted & Bulky)
  • Swish (DK, Worsted & Bulky) 
  • Palette
  • Stroll Fingering
  • WOTA Superwash (Worsted & Bulky) 
  • Twill
  • High Desert
  • Brava 
Note that the KnitPicks bare yarn options are not linked under the Build Your Own Value Pack link, so you will need to search for those options separately to add them to your cart.  

The Big Sale is coming up in November, so historically there are some great discounts on bare yarn then.  I think my strategy will have shifted from previous years, but I'll talk about that once we know more about the big sale.  

EDIT: 11/9/2022 - The "MYVALUEPACK" discount works on a lot more bare yarn purchases than I originally thought.  See the listing for it to be mentioned in the item description, but it works on a lot of cotton, alpaca, and other bare yarn bases, too.  (It doesn't work on everything, like Bare Comfy worsted, but it did work on Luminance and Super Bulky Soft and others.) 

What are the new KnitPicks bare yarn wholesale discounts?

All of KnitPicks wholesale bare yarn bases are 20% off packs of 20 skein and 30% off 50 packs.  Select yarn bases (some of the most popular ones) are available for 40% off packs of 100.  


What yarn bases are available in 100 packs?

  • Bare Muse Aran
  • Bare Stroll Fingering
  • Bare Stroll Yarn Sock Blank
  • Bare Super Bulky Soft
  • Bare Swish DK
  • Bare Swish Fingering
  • Bare Wool of the Andes Superwash Bulky
Some of this is surprising to me.  I'm surprised that Swish Worsted/Bulky aren't at a discount.  Same with Wool of the Andes Worsted.  However, I suppose I wouldn't buy these in 100 packs anyway, so maybe it's not so bad. 

Information as of 9/16/2022.  Subject to change. 


Can non-business owner customers who like to buy in bulk get wholesale accounts?

I don't know.  When I signed up I had to provide my Federal Identification Number (EIN) to show that I'm a registered business. I recommend reaching out to KnitPicks customer service to see what they say.  As of 9/16/2022, I know a few non-business customers who have applied for wholesale accounts, so I will update this if I hear back from them. 

The wholesale application says: "The Bare Yarn Wholesale Program is explicitly for our independent yarn dyeing customers who actively sell hand-dyed or painted yarns, and not intended for resell of Knit Picks products in their original form."

Can you use KnitPicks coupon codes on wholesale purchases?

No.  Coupon codes on the retail KnitPicks website cannot be used on the wholesale platform.  


Is there free shipping with wholesale purchases?

Yes, although the minimum purchase is higher than on the KnitPicks retail website.  As of September 2022, you can get free shipping on orders over $400. Shipping is a flat rate for purchases below $199 ($10 shipping) and for $200-$399.99 ($15).  There are also tiered shipping discounts for Canadian customers with free shipping over $600 USD.  

With the retail pricing of free shipping over $65 USD, 20 packs used to have free shipping automatically.  However, I typically would buy multiple 20 packs at once, so I don't think I'll have any issue hitting the $400 minimum.  I suppose it would be worth a cost benefit analysis to see if it is better to pay $10 for shipping or to pay full retail price through the retail website if you need to make a small order.  Also - note the "MYVALUEPACK" option on the retail website for small purchases of some of the most popular bases.  


What about WeCrochet?

WeCrochet (KnitPicks sister company that offers most of the same products) doesn't appear to have bulk 20 packs of bare yarn anymore, nor do they link to any wholesale options. As of September 2022, some bare yarn lines seem to be missing from the website, so I'm not sure if there is an update there or not. 


How do I feel about this change?

I feel fantastic! When KnitPicks  recently raised prices on a lot of their yarn lines I was considering switching to another supplier. (I was working on a whole blog post about the pricing changes and the feelings I was considering.)  The wholesale option brings the prices of KnitPicks bare yarn down to where they were years ago, and even a bit lower if I buy 100 packs.  This means I can continue to support the business where I first started buying bare yarn, so I'm thrilled.  

I am disappointed that retail prices are more expensive for the average customer.  I hypothesize that some of the price increases are to allow KnitPicks to offer such big discounts to indie dyers... and this could be the reason why Stroll is now more expensive than Stroll glimmer (historically glimmer was $1 more per skein.) The KnitPicks retail website does still have great advantages for new dyers - including solids in the same yarn lines, low minimums for free shipping, an easy to navigate website, and more. Please let me know your thoughts on these changes below.  

Please note that this post contains affiliate links to KnitPicks which means ChemKnits earns commissions on purchases made after clicking on the links. 

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Preorder the 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Sampler!

You can now preorder the 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Samplers in the ChemKnits Creations Etsy shop!  Each night of Chanukah I will have a new yarn dyeing video and you can preorder samplers or full skeins from the series in the linked listings.

There are three listings for Chanukah 2022:

  • 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Samplers - Choose between Sock or DK weight 75% Superwash Merino / 25% Nylon yarn.  Each sampler will have 9 wrapped miniskeins totaling 100 g, a hand signed card from Rebecca, and multiple fun extras.  8 of the 10 gram minis will be wrapped with a number and the date that corresponds to a night of Chanukah for you to unwrap while watching a new Yarn Dyeing Video on the ChemKnits Tutorials YouTube Channel.
  • Sparkle Add-On Full Skein - 100 g skein of a sock weight Superwash Merino/ Lurex Blend featured in a bonus Chanukah video. This is a different colorway from the DK weight below. 
  • DK Add-On Full Skein - 100 g of DK weight Superwash Merino / Yak / Silk yarn featured in a bonus Chanukah dyeing video.  This is a different colorway from the Sparkle colorway above. 

You don't need to be Jewish to participate in the ChemKnits Chanukah Special!  I invite you all to celebrate with me.  This is one of my favorite events of the year because it is so much fun creating these videos!

******************  Frequently Asked Questions ******************

Most of the information below is included in the Etsy listings, but I figured that I would include it here for clarity.

WHEN IS CHANUKAH 2022?

The first night of Chanukah is December 18, 2022 and the 8th night is December 26, 2022.  I will release each dyeing video (1-8) after sunset EST on the corresponding night of Chanukah.  The bonus videos for any add on colorways will be released after the 8th night.  Release dates will be included in a letter inside the samplers.  All of the yarn dyeing tutorial videos will be publicly available on the ChemKnits Tutorials YouTube Channel.  https://tinyurl.com/2022ChemKnitsChanukah

WHEN WILL SAMPLERS SHIP?

2022 Chanukah Samplers will ship in early November 2022. 

ARE THE SPARKLE and DK ADD-ONS THE SAME COLORWAY?

No, each add-on base will have a unique colorway.  The DK and Sparkle bases on their own are quite different looking, so I will be dyeing each a colorway to complement the beautiful yarn using different techniques.  They may both be featured in the same dyeing video, or I might split it up into two different videos. 

CAN YOU COMBINE SHIPPING FROM MULTIPLE CHANUKAH ORDERS?

No.  Due to the volume of orders, in 2022 I will not combine shipping of orders of multiple samplers or add-on skeins that are ordered after the initial sampler order.  Thank you for your understanding. 

I FORGOT TO PURCHASE AN ADD-ON SKEIN, CAN I ORDER IT SEPARATELY?

Yes! As long as you ordered a 2022 Chanukah Sampler you can purchase an add-on.  Please note that for 2022 I cannot combine orders into one package, but you are welcome to place multiple orders.

CAN ALL OF THE MINIS BE USED IN ONE PROJECT?  IS THIS A FADE SET?

All of the miniskeins will feature the same 75% Superwash Merino / 25% Nylon yarn base in either Fingering Weight or DK weight.  These can easily be combined in one project, however they are not being dyed with a specific fade or colorwork project in mind.  There will be a variety of dye techniques on each of the minis ranging from speckles, semi solids, and more.

CAN YOU ACCOMMODATE COLOR PREFERENCES?

No.  The colors will be a surprise (which is part of the fun!)  While each sampler won't necessarily be identical, the techniques used for each night will be similar across samplers.

CAN I OPEN THE BOX ONCE IT ARRIVES AND AVOID SPOILERS?

You can open the box to avoid spoilers on the yarn colorways. The yarn mini-skeins are all wrapped.   The “fun extras” will be spoiled as they are visible in the box, but you won’t spoil any of the colorways or dyeing techniques by opening up the sampler box.

THE ITEM I WANT SOLD OUT - WILL YOU BE RESTOCKING THEM?

I always hold back some Samplers until after I have shipped out the pre-orders.  There will be a small restock early November.  I never offer preorders for yarn or bases that I do not currently have in my possession. 

WHERE CAN I FIND THE VIDEOS?

The videos will be published on the ChemKnits Tutorials YouTube channel starting Sunday December 18, 2022 at 8:30 PM EST.  You can find all of the videos as they are published in the 2022 ChemKnits Chanukah Special Playlist

The ChemKnits Chanukah videos are available to everyone, you do not have to purchase a sampler to join in on the fun. 

WHAT IS A YOUTUBE PREMIERE? 

A YouTube Premiere is when the video airs as a live event for the first play through. If you join the video a few minutes late, you will start watching in the middle of the video, like it were a live TV event. (However, you can rewind to start at the beginning.)  After the premiere is the video, the video will be available to watch on-demand.  

One fun feature of premieres is the live chat room, where you can chat and interact with other viewers while watching the video.  

WILL CHEMKNITS BE IN THE LIVE CHAT FOR THE PREMIERE? 

I will be in the live chat during the video premieres as often as I can, but I may miss some nights due to family holiday celebrations.  Chatting in the live premieres is one of my favorite parts of special series like this, I love watching you predict the colors and techniques that are coming up. 


Monday, May 23, 2022

2022 Spring Mini Skein Mini Series!

Welcome to the 2022 Spring Mini Skein Mini Series! The first episode premieres at 8:30 PM Eastern time tonight on YouTube, Monday May 23, 2022.

The videos will air as premieres with a live chat room, so if you tune in a little late you'll start in the middle of the video. You can watch everything on demand like regular YouTube videos after the premiere. I will be in the live chat room for as many nights as I can to hang out and react to the videos along with you!

How long are each of the videos?

When a video is scheduled as a premiere, you can't see the run time, so here are the approximate video lengths :
  • Night 1(5/23) - 40 minutes
  • Night 2 (5/24) - 45 minutes
  • Night 3 (5/25) - 50 minutes
  • Night 4 (5/26) - 40 minutes
  • Night 5 (5/27) - 30 minutes
  • Bonus (Night 6 - 5/28) - 1 hour
  • Vlog (5/29) - TBD
I may be a little late to the chat for night 3 (Wednesday 5/25) due to a last minute appointment but I should be there for each of the other nights. (I'll leave a pinned comment in the chat if anything changes.)

Can I still get some yarn?

Yes! There are a couple 2022 SMSMS yarn sets, add on skeins, and double stranded sock blanks remaining in the ChemKnits Creations Etsy Shop.

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Preorder the Spring Mini Skein Mini Series Yarn Sets! (2022 SMSMS)

2022 Spring Mini Skein Mini Series yarn sets are now available for preorder! These yarn fade bundles include 6 - 20 g mini skeins (120 g total) plus multiple fun extras.  They are mystery packages you can unbox while watching the dyeing videos at the end of May 2022. 

I will share more details the theme and answer any questions in a YouTube Livestream at 1:30 PM Eastern time today

When will the yarn ship?

Yarn sets will ship at the end of April 2022.

When will the series begin?

The 2022 Spring Mini Skein Mini Series will start on Monday May 23, 2022 at 8:30 PM Eastern Time on the ChemKnits Tutorials YouTube Channel.

You can see all of the videos as they are published on the following playlist: https://tinyurl.com/2022SMSMS 

Listings and Available Add-Ons

  • 2022 Spring Mini Skein Mini Series Sets - 120 g of hand dyed yarn (6 - 20 g mini skeins) set designed to work together in one project.  You can watch me dye the yarn in one of the SMSMS videos - each yarn set is wrapped and labeled with the date of the video so you can unwrap while you watch. There are many different yarn bases available in sock and DK weights. The sets come with multiple fun extras. If you want spoilers on the types of extras check out the bottom of the listing! 
  • Add On Full 100 g Skein - 100 g of yarn dyed in a colorway related to the series theme.  Choose between three yarn bases (Superwash DK, Superwash Sock, and a non-superwash Sock weight base.) The three bases will all have the same colorway. The yarn will be wrapped with a fun progress keeper so you can unwrap the yarn while watching the dyeing video. You have to purchase the mini skein set to purchase any add ons.  
  • Add On Double Stranded Sock Blank - 100 g sock blank that will unravel into two matched 50 g skeins of yarn.  Yarn base is 80% Superwash Fine Highland Wool / 20% Polyamide, Sock Weight, 357 yards / 100 g. The blanks will be wrapped with a fun progress keeper so you can unwrap the yarn while watching the dyeing video. You have to purchase the mini skein set to purchase any add ons.

SMSMS Yarn Set Yarn Base Options

There are 7 yarn base options for the 2022 SMSMS, and the videos will feature a lot of side by side comparisons.  If the base you wanted has sold out, message me to check if I have more! I am still dyeing more yarn, and will add more listings based on the stock I have on hand. 

  • FINGERING SOCK: 75% Superwash Merino/25% Nylon, Fingering Weight,  463 yards / 100 g; 555 yards / 120 g , EITHER 2-PLY or 4-PLY. This yarn base may feature either a 4 ply yarn or a 2 ply higher twist yarn with the same fiber content and yardage.  
  • SPARKLE SOCK:  75% Superwash Merino/ 20% Nylon / 5% Stellina, 438 yards / 100 g; 525 yards / 120 g.  Note the Stellina is either Silver or Gold.
  • MERINO YAK SOCK: 70% Superwah Merino / 20% Yak / 10% Nylon, Fingering Weight, 437 yards / 100 g; 524 yards / 120 g
  • MCN Sock: 80% Superwash Merino /10% Cashmere / 10% Nylon, fingering weight, 400 yards / 100 g. 480 yards / 120 g
  • MERINO SILK SOCK: 80% Superwash Merino / 20% Silk, fingering weight, 400 yards / 100 g. 480 yards / 100 g
  • SUPERWASH DK: 100% Superwash Merino, DK Weight, 274 yards / 100 g; 328 yards / 120 g
  • SUPERWASH BLEND DK: 75% Superwash Merino / 25% Nylon, DK Weight, 245 yards / 100 g total; 294 yards / 100 g

The most limited yarn bases are the "Sparkle Sock" and "Merino Silk Sock." I plan to dye more of both this week with yarn I already have. I am also placing a new yarn order tonight - I would never list a preorder on a base that I do physically have, but there is a chance that I can release more.

Let's Play with Color!

Please let me know if you have any questions. I'm super excited to talk more about the series!  The colors are stunning and I want to keep a set in every colorway and every base, I'm truly going to struggle to pick one.