April Featured Artisan

In April we are giving away* stitch markers from WeeOnes! Get to know Jillian with the interview below and make sure to check out her Etsy Shop!

How and why did you get into stitch marker making?
I was an avid knitter and had been making little clay creations for years. I was looking around on Etsy and was inspired to open my own shop. My love of knitting and love of sculpting combined beautifully and WeeOnes was born. I named the shop after my Pomeranian, Wee'un.

Where do you find inspiration for new stitch markers?
My travels, my husband, and most importantly, my customers.

1. What is your favorite word? Perspicacious. I can't say I use it often, but I do love the way it sounds.

2. What is your least favorite word? Crapper or any other crude nickname for the toilet.

3. What turns you on? Traveling

4. What turns you off? Too much stress

5. What sound do you love? Thunder

6. What sound do you hate? The sound my dogs make when trying to get my attention ("Muh"). It's just so repetitive.

7. What is your favorite curse word? I think a tortured indecipherable growl/yell

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?I enjoy making a living in an unconventional way. I'm not sure about another profession, but it would need to be self-made!

9. What profession would you not like to do? I wouldn't want to be a writer. I'm just not creative in that way and really don't enjoy it.

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? All the family and friends you've lost over the years are here waiting for you!

*a free stitch marker will be included in any non-club order over $30, while supplies last

Triangular Shawl Math

Because its the weekend of the Final Four basketball games I found myself at home alone on this Saturday evening while my husband watches the Big Game at a friend's house. And so I thought to myself, what better to do with this quiet evening than to do some math? The truth is that we have had instructions for calculating where to make Gradiance transitions for rectangular and circular shawls for a long time but we didn't have instructions for triangular shawls yet. The delay was due to my fear of math. But tonight I made myself do it and you know what? It wasn't that bad after all! And in case you aren't convinced that my math is entirely trustworthy (I wouldn't blame you) I had my work checked over by my high school math teacher friend, Alli, and she gave me an A+.

You can read over the new Triangular Shawl math, as well as the math for rectangles and circles, here. I hope you'll let me know if you use any of these tutorials and if so if they made any sense. Its really hard to write out math in an understandable way, but I did my best!

Caffe Marco

This month's Sip n Stitch Club shipment contains coffee from a roaster named CaffeMarco located in Paris, KY. When I moved from NC to KY last spring I was so sad to leave all the great coffee roasters in the area but thankfully I found a new roaster to keep me caffeinated!



CaffeMarco is a one-man operation; Mark Newberry roasts and packs every batch by hand and then delivers them to the local co-op grocery store and farmers markets. With a background in wine making, Mark approaches coffee roasting with an eye- and palate- for quality flavor.




The CaffeMarco roastery and storefront is located in Paris, KY- one of the many small towns outside of Lexington. The drive out to Paris takes you past beautifully manicured Thoroughbred horse farms into a small country town. Downtown Paris shows signs of a long distant glamor that is just beginning to dust itself off and put on a fresh face to great modern visitors. Life in Paris runs at a slower pace with plenty of time to window shop at the antique shops along main street or sip from a cup of good coffee. You can see a few pictures of my visit to the Caffe here.

When I was working on the colorway for this month's yarn I was inspired by the warm, vibrant colors on the Caffe Marco website especially the photo of the stacked bowls. I hope you enjoy it!

Good Shepherd Farm

If you signed up for the Fresh From the Farm Club this winter you'll be receiving your package this week! I won't spoil the surprise of the pattern or yarn for you but I will reveal that the extra goodie in this package is a bar of handmade soap from Good Shepherd Farm, located in central Kentucky. I had the pleasure of meeting Colleen at a workshop on lambing hosted by the University of Kentucky's agricultural school. They raise Friesian sheep for their milk which they make into a delicious semi-hard cheese. Unfortunately I can't include cheese in your club shipments, but I found out that they also use some of their sheep's milk in rich, creamy soaps. When the batch of soap I ordered for the club was ready to pick up a few weeks ago my mom (visiting for the weekend) and I drove out to the farm to pick up the soap and get a tour of the farm. We picked a great time for a visit-- it was one of the first warm, sunny days of early spring and they were in the middle of lambing season which means there were precious little lambs everywhere- from a day old to a few weeks old. In order for a dairy to be productive the ewes have to be bred and have lambs every year. The lambs are left with their moms for a week or so to get a healthy start in life but then they are taken away and put on milk replacer until they are ready to eat grain so that all the mothers' milk can be used for cheese and soap making. These "bottle babies" are very sweet and love people because, of course, they associate people with food. I wonder if they'll have any extra lambs that need to come live on the Unique Sheep farm this summer...


While visiting the farm we were lucky enough to be able to taste some of last season's cheese and it is delicious! I cannot wait until this season's cheese is available. Their cheese is so popular that they completely sold out of last season's cheese except for a bit that they held in reserve. This season's cheese still has to be aged before its ready to eat. They sell at the local (Lexington, KY) Farmer's Market but out-of-towners can also purchase it on their website.

March Featured Designers

This month we are featuring TWO of our newest designers: Trish vanKuyk and Patti Waters.

Trish's first pattern with The Unique Sheep is the Carrefours Scarf. This pattern uses a Gradiance Sock Set, a unique but easy to master stitch pattern and turns everything sideways for a uniquely constructed scarf that is as fun to knit as it is to wear!

Here is the interview with Trish:

Part 1:

When did you learn now to knit/who taught you?

I learnt to knit as a child (age 7 or 8), I'm not sure if it was my Mum or my Gran who started teaching me, but it was definitely my Mum who taught me increases and decreases, cables, and basic color work -all in the guise of making clothes for my dolls. I'm pretty sure she made the patterns up herself as well.

When and how did you get into knitwear designing?

I guess I started designing a few years ago when, despite the billions of patterns on Rav, I still couldn't find a pattern exactly as I wanted. So I started modifying things -using a different lace or cable pattern on a glove for example. I didn't really consider it designing, just modifying. Then I fell in love with The Unique Sheep's Gradiance colorways. I naturally lean towards symmetry, so was looking for scarf patterns that were knit lengthwise, but couldn't find one I liked. So I ended up knitting the Carrefours scarf. I took it along with me to The Unique Sheep's Retreat in 2010 and ended up promising to write up the pattern for some of the lovely ladies that I met there, and was also encouraged by Laura to write it up as a pattern to sell.

What is your favorite fiber/weight yarn to work with?

I do believe all fibers and yarn-weights have their uses. As I enjoy knitting lace I tend to use mostly lace and fingering weight. For lace I prefer wool and wool blends (such as silk, tencel) as the "memory" of wool means that lace keeps the shape you blocked it to for longer. For its irresistible tactile qualities I have a couple of skeins of silk/camel blend, but I haven't knit with it yet.

What are you designing now?

I have been working on a lacy scarf/small shawl pattern which is made using a novel construction method. On my needles is a sweater I am designing purely for myself which was inspired by the yarn I am using.

Part 2:

1. What is your favorite word?
tintintabulation. I remember it since seeing it as a child when I was reading the dictionary to expand my vocabulary, but I have rarely managed to use it in conversation.

2. What is your least favorite word?
fantastic. I had a boss who used it constantly, and after a while I couldn't help but doubt his sincerity. So when I hear the word "fantastic" said in a particular way that reminds me of him it brings out my inner cynic.

3. What turns you on?
a warm summers breeze; the floral perfume of wattle in bloom; the taste of sun-warmed tomatoes eaten straight from the vine; the combination of good food/wine and good company

4. What turns you off?
arrogance or inconsiderate behavior

5. What sound do you love?
The caroling of Australian Magpies. You can hear what they sound like here

6. What sound do you hate?
anything that is painfully loud

7. What is your favorite curse word?
"bloody hell", although it a more a phrase than a single word

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Botanical Artist. It would fulfill my inner scientist's need for accuracy while still nurturing my creative side's love of color and flowing forms.

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Statistician. For my day job I work as a Research Scientist (Biologist). Recently I have been analyzing a data from a very large experiment, and am sick of the sight of spread sheets, ANOVA reports etc.

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
G'day Trish! Nice to finally meet you. Continue straight on through the gates and take the path up and over the bridge. At the fork in the road turn left. On the right you will see a dirt track that leads into the bush. Continue along the track till it hits a small stream, cross it. You will then be in a field of wild flowers where your loved ones are waiting to greet you.

You can follow Trish on Ravelry where she goes as Bandknito.






Patti's first pattern with The Unique Sheep is the Lady Godiva Sock Pattern. This elegant sock pattern uses one Gradiance Sock Set and features delicate cables on a reverse stockinette background for an eye catching result.

Enjoy Patti's interview below:

Part 1:

When did you learn now to knit/who taught you?

I learned to knit when I was eight years old from my mom. She kept telling me I was too young to learn, but I was persistent and eventually she relented and taught me. I have been going to her for knitting advice and help ever since.

When and how did you get into knitwear designing?

I started designing when I had an idea for a sweater that I thought would look really great. I really wanted to see it in real life, so I designed and knit it. It is my Hannah Sweater design, which you can still get on Ravelry.

What is your favorite fiber/weight yarn to work with?

Of course it depends on the project, but I definitely use fingering weight yarn the most. It is so versatile, great for socks, shawls, hats, mitts, sweaters, anything really. I also love to wear things made with lightweight yarn, you don't overheat.

What are you designing now?

I always have a bunch of ideas kicking around my head. I sort of let them all simmer in the back of my mind until they are fully developed. Right now I have ideas for a tank top, a sweater out of sport weight yarn, and a collection of cabled knits where you can interchange the cable on each of the projects. Its sometimes hard to tell which ideas will need to stew longest, and some of them never make it past the back burner phase.

Part 2:

1. What is your favorite word?
Tough to pick just one, but I guess I could go with dragon. I am never disappointed when I am reading a book and that word comes up.

2. What is your least favorite word?
No. I never like hearing that one, and when I do I usually try to get around it.

3. What turns you on?
Creativity and originality.

4. What turns you off?
Anything boring.

5. What sound do you love?
The ocean.

6. What sound do you hate?
My alarm clock.

7. What is your favorite curse word?
frak

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
Astronaut

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Anything with too much stress, I like to be calm and relaxed. I can usually handle anything so long as nobody else is freaking out.

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Here is the knitting room.

You can follow Patti on Ravelry. Make sure to check out her new e-book Winter Blooms!

Introducing...Dahlia!

We are so pleased to release the brand new Dahlia- A Modular Shawlette by Jolie Elder. Dahlia is not only eye catching and dramatic to see but a fun, unique experience to knit! The shawlette is knit one modular section at a time but don't worry, the pattern walks you through the new techniques with clear explanations and helpful hints about stitch marker placement, where to "fudge" if you don't have the right number of stitches and how to carry your yarn from one motif to the next.

The pattern is available for immediate download or as a kit. The kit can be ordered in any of our Gradiance yarns. It'll be a bit different than our normal Gradiance kits because it only comes with three skeins rather than our normal 4 or 6 and the color transition will be more abrupt from skein to skein to give a more defined, dramatic look in the shawlette. If you have any questions about picking our your colors for this or any other project don't hesitate to contact us at laura@theuniquesheep.com or kelly@theuniquesheep.com.