Hello, My Fabulous Friends!

How is it August already?? I do hope your summer, thus far, is everything you ever wanted it to be! For me it’s days spent with my boys (camp mom in full effect), working on my side-hustles and of course creating creating creating for VanReyKnits!! I mean, after all, Sweater Weather is COMING! Gah! Yay!

As per the usual, I am constantly searching for that next tidbit of inspiration which will result in a fab VRK design, but as of late all I’ve been seeing is BAGS! Everywhere!! Bags! Bags! Bags! Knit ones! Crocheted Ones! Sewn ones! Designer ones…uh 🤤!!

"Always be yourself, unless you can be a mermaid. Then, always be a mermaid."

Hello, My Beautiful Friends!

I hope you’re all enjoying your summer thus far. I don’t know about you, but ever since I was a little girl, I turn into a mermaid whenever I happen to be in a body of water. For me that even includes the town pool. It’s no wonder, since I grew up loving the movie Splash. All that to say, I am trying my best this summer to savor each day (even if it’s hot as Hades), lean into things that bring me joy and really enjoy time with my boys (especially while Teddy Bear is still little and let’s me squeeze him).

Speaking of spectacular sirens, for this months newsletter we dive into the magical world of Mermaid Core and explore the depths of creativity and the waves of inspiration that come with all things sea inspired. Thank you so much also for being here week after week and sharing my love for fiber and community with you… and themes!! You know I love a good theme!

Come along with us to find a treasure trove of projects, trinkets, beauty and baubles that will make your crafting heart sing like a siren. 🌊🧜‍♀️💕

Ready to make a splash?

It's the VanRey (Kn)IT LIST, Mermaid Core Edition!!

Summer is Here!

Hi My Beautiful Friends!

The Summer sun is finally upon us! I feel like I was just at Rhinebeck, blinked, and now long warm days at the pool and evenings of firefly catching are here! It is always said that when you have kids the days are long and the years are short, which is so very true.

Lately, I’ve been doing my best to be present for all of my sons’ end-of-the-school year activities. There are so very many! Ben is almost 11, taller than me and growing up too fast! Teddy is 6, that delicious age where he is so sweet, funny, and still actually wants me around to hug and cuddle. I’m really trying to savor every moment with them.

Let’s Just Sit Back and Unwind…

Helllooo Friends!

It’s finally June, and you know what that means… Summer is upon us! You all know I live for a Fall moment and all things sweater weather, but I also have such a pure love for summertime. Endless glasses of ice tea, the beach glistening during summer sunsets, time with my beautiful boys, flowy dresses with fab sandals, and of course working away on light and airy knit/crochet projects!

As the days stretch luxuriously long, it's time to swap out our cozy wool skeins for vibrant cottons, breezy bamboos, and luxe linens. I can’t wait to be knitting under the summer sun!

Greetings, Beautiful Friends!

I hope you all had a fabulous week full of sunshine! The last couple of weeks have kept me super busy! I’ve been spending time with my kiddos on their Spring Break, taking care of some health stuff, and doing my best to finish up two accessory pattern designs, which are all knit this time, no crochet. Can you even believe it?

You’ve already met Le Backpack, but today I’d like to introduce Le Cinch, the 2nd of the three sister designs. A fab corset belt with a textured basket weave design (pictured below). Your new instant favorite accessory! It gives a beautiful waist to all those shapeless summer mumu dresses and tells everyone your knitting isn't just for show… it has function too!

Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking…

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping… tulips and daffodils are peeking out of the ground! Spring is ready to do its thing!

As we bid farewell to winter's icy grip and usher in the blooming beauty of spring, it's time to knit and crochet our way into a new season of style, stitches, and sensational colors. From bold hues that pop like peonies in full bloom to intricate stitches that dance like cherry blossoms in the breeze, Spring 2024 knitwear trends are here to shake off the chill and wrap us in cozy couture. I hope these trends inspire you to breathe life back into your handmade wardrobe.

Hello Lovely Friends,

I hope February finds you as fabulous as can be! How are we a month and a half into 2024 already? Time just flies and flies….

It was so wonderful to see so many of you last weekend at Vogue Knitting Live in NYC! I absolutely love interacting with you all online, but there's just something that hits differently when hugging at a live event!

Dani and I stayed in a fab room at the Marriott Marquis from Friday to Sunday and had the best time! I don’t know what it is, but there is just something so magical about that hotel! Maybe it’s that it’s so stuffed with fiber friends, magical makers. vendors and yarn that weekend. The fumes just make me so happy!!

Helloooo Gorgeous Friends!!!!

The 7 Wonders Shrug Pattern is LIVE !!!!!!

Can you believe it?? I could just cry! I dreamt up this pattern in 2019 and have been working on it ever since. Now it’s here! Someone pinch me, please !! It’s a dream come true.This is my very first stand alone pattern as an independent designer!! You can snag the pattern on both Ravelry and Etsy.

Thank you so much for all of your patience, love and support on this one. It truly means everything. I hope you absolutely love making and wearing your shrug!

✨ 2024 ✨ ✨

THE YEAR WE THRIVE!!!

Happy New Year Loveys!

It’s finally a brand New Year!! Our chance to start fresh and leave all the things behind that did not serve us in 2023. More importantly, we want to remind you that you are perfect just the way you are and you do not need to become a new version of yourself just because a ball dropped at midnight and you may have bought a new planner. You are fabulous and 2024 is lucky to have you!

With that being said, fresh starts aren't the worst idea. This year I’m looking into my own lifestyle and working towards improving small things that will make a large impact on my mental and physical health… I’m also trying to find a bit more joy in my everyday, spend more quality time with my boys and make a point of smiling much much more.

To those changes I say yes, and hope to inspire you to lean into them as well. After all, isn't the entire purpose of life to spread happiness and find your own in the process?

This week we introduce you to the possibilities awaiting all of us if we consciously choose to slightly alter our everyday actions and thinking. Simply committing to the smallest, most pointed changes, can make 2024 into the year we thrive instead of just the year we survive.

I hope these suggestions will allow you to see the beauty already inside of you and eliminate anything standing in the way of you showing the world y0ur full sparkle!

It's the VanRey (Kn)IT LIST, Fabulous You Edition!!

Hello Fiber Fashionistas!!!!

Now that we are well into the holiday season, with still a moment to breathe before the frenzy hits, it’s time to give thanks… but instead of only giving thanks for the big/usual things like friends, family, health and safety… let’s take a moment to give thanks to YOURSELF! I mean, have you ever taken stock of how much you accomplish every year, let alone every month, week, and day? A lot right?

The basic everyday things that are expected of us are still a very big deal… and being the CEO of your life is a whole job in itself, especially as of late, with the state of the world. Just getting out of bed some days is not easy! Life is heavy, give yourself all the love!

In this week’s newsletter we want to help you celebrate YOU! Please take this chance to not only appreciate yourself, but also take the steps necessary to make it through this holiday season without getting burnt out.

We hope you enjoy these suggestions for giving yourself the care you so very much deserve! GO YOU!!!

It's the VanRey (Kn)IT LIST, Self-Care Edition!!

Hello Fabulous Fiber Friends!!!

Have you ever thought about all the wonderful things that come along with crafting? Knitting, crocheting and just working with one’s own two hands in general has so very many health benefits. It has the power to help us destress, recenter ourselves, relax, mentally escape, and find a place of comfort when life becomes too heavy. It also positively affects our brain as we age.

Crafting is a huge source of pride and confidence… that feeling of pure joy when beginning to use one’s own finished object or simply being asked, “Did you make that? Well, yes, yes I did!”

It can also be a powerful tool in fostering happiness in others, whether gifting fiber objects to family or friends, or giving someone the gift of knowledge by teaching them to do it themselves! You not only have the power to make new fiber friends for yourself, but can also find something in common with pretty much anyone on the planet because everyone knows someone that knits or crochets!

In this week’s newsletter we highlight a few things you can do with a little yarn and some crafting knowledge to put good out into the world.

It's the VanRey (Kn)IT LIST, Fiber & Kindness Edition!!

Last week we were so excited to tell you that the 7 Wonders Shrug was officially in the hands of the tech editor…

Well, this week we got news that tech-editing is almost done and we can begin preparing for test-knitting! GAH! It’s all happening!!

Those of you that graciously offered to test-knit this design, please keep a lookout in your inbox for messaging from us in about 2 weeks. We can't wait for you to see why we love this design so much!

Hello My Favorite Crafters!!!!

Now that Halloween is behind us it’s officially the start of the Holiday Season… and you know what that means!! So, get those lists going and find amazing hiding spots in your house!! It’s time for gifting and gift-making!!!

We all have that person in our life for whom we never know what to get, and that finicky friend or family member that hates everything we have ever given them…Hopefully we can help you find / make something for them early enough in the season to not have to pull your hair out at the last minute.

Then there's YOU! We want you to make a list for yourself and leave it conspicuously around the house so your loved ones happen upon it and know what to get you! I know the season is about giving, but you deserve to open a little pile of love too (even if you gift it to yourself)!

Finally, we hope to help you on your way if you wish to do some gift-crafting! We all know knitting and crochet make wonderful heirloom pieces, so if you have someone in your life that’s craft-worthy, here are some patterns to knock out that will wow your recipient and make them feel so much joy!

Get ready, Lovies!!

It's the VanRey (Kn)IT LIST, Gift Guide Edition!!

Happy Friday, Beautiful Stitchers!!

While I’m so sad that Rhinebeck 2023 is now but a memory, I’m still aglow from all the warm hugs with fabulous fiber friends! My heart is so full after seeing so many of your beautiful faces and gorgeous knitwear.

I’m grateful to have made it to the fairgrounds this year and I’m even more grateful to have squeezed so very many of you! I almost didn’t go, but I’m so glad I did. As a dear friend put it, most importantly I went to Rhinebeck to show my children that after facing unexpected heartbreak and challenges, you can pick yourself up and go forward with happiness when you are surrounded by people you love.

This year felt very different though. I was going through my pictures and it was right in front of me. I wasn't there as part of a team or representing the ideas or endeavors of others. I was there for myself. My brand. And while this was a bittersweet realization, it was also quite liberating and exciting! Now I truly realize anything is possible! The door is open and I’m twirling right through it!

Let’s take one last look at the magic of the Rhinebeck fairgrounds, while also trying to right some of the wrongs from this past weekend by supporting small businesses that didn't quite have the experience they were expecting, or more importantly, deserved.

It's the VanRey (Kn)IT LIST, Rhinebeck Re-Cap Edition!!

Hello Beautiful Fiber Community,

The leaves are finally turning warm fall colors and float about dreamily in this newly crisp air, gracefully finding their way to the ground to be crunched beneath our feet. Doesn't that alone make you want to load up on all sorts of exquisite yarns and cast-on all the things?!!?

It’s time to unpack all the hand knits, plan our cold winter of sipping warm beverages out of handmade mugs, create simmer pots so our homes smell inviting, and craft to our heart’s content!

This weekend, the fiber festival of all fiber festivals is happening, the New York Sheep and Wool at the Duchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, New York, otherwise simply known as Rhinebeck!

Stitchers come from far and wide to attend this woolen extravaganza that never ever disappoints! From the apple cider donuts, handwoven baskets, fresh falafel and tons upon tons of yarn, NYSW is literally the World Cup of the fiber world!

If this year is your maiden voyage to RBK, fear not, we have compiled a list of not-to-be-missed experiences that enhance this once a year delight!

It's the VanRey (Kn)IT LIST, Rhinebeck Edition!!

Double Double Toil & Trouble, Fabulous Fiber Friends!!

The air is cool and sticky. The smell of fireplaces burning is all around us. It’s a time of trying new soup recipes, wrapping ourselves in cozy shawls, burying our noses deep in a good book and casting on a new project. We start to embrace the magical feeling Autumn brings as fiber festival season is upon us.

This week we celebrate all things creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky! Snap! Snap! Let the fire burn and cauldron bubble… Must be the Season of the Witch!

It’s the VanRey (Kn)IT LIST, Something Wicked Edition!

Hola, Mi Gentes!!

Get ready to spice up your stitches because we are in the heart of Hispanic Heritage Month! Every year, during the period of Sept. 15th to Oct. 15th, we celebrate Hispanic and Latinx Americans and the outstanding contributions they have made to the vibrant fabric of the United States.

This week, please join me as I honor my personal ancestry (the Reyes in VanRey) by unravelling the colorful threads of creativity that run through our crafting community, and highlight some of my favorite Hispanic and Latinx makers who add a mosaic of talents to our world of fiber.

It's the VanRey (Kn)IT LIST, Wepa Edition!!

Hello, Fabulous Fiber Friends!!

Thank you for all of the BIRTHDAY LOVE! I had such a lovely day with family and loved ones around me, which was truly the best gift ever. I’m so grateful for each and every one of you, too! All my faves showed up for me! What more could a girl ask for!!??!!

This week we are diving into the wonderful world of upcycling: reusing and repurposing materials one has on hand to create artistic masterpieces of all kinds.

We first check-in with Tin Can Knits, Engineering Knits, Slow Fashion Style & Very Pink Knits as they teach us to unwind sweaters and repurpose the yarn. Then it’s on to exploring our favorite instagram accounts for scouting outrageous vintage fashions! Next comes a little stitch inspiration to foster a happy Friday. And lastly, onto the section we fondly call The Blurbs for some lifestyle recommendations to feed all our favorite pasttimes!

Within the walls of this newsletter we hope you find something cool and different to explore that takes your crafting, fashion, cooking…etc. to new and fabulous heights!

It’s the VanRey (Kn)IT LIST, Repurposing Edition!