You’ve Got Snippets: July 5, 2025

Dear knitter,

Happy Saturday!

All of a sudden: July! We hope you’re keeping cool over this holiday weekend in the US, and spending time connecting, communing—and crafting.

To help you with the crafting, we’re keeping the summer workshops coming at MDK.

Our Newest Offering

On August 8, we’ll welcome a wonder from down under, Australian designer and teacher Ambah O’Brien. Ambah will be teaching a virtual workshop on a design that has totally charmed Team MDK: her Bliss-Bloss Shawl. It can be small, medium, or large, depending on the number of blossoms, and it’s a scraptastic project for small amounts of DK or worsted-weight stash.

For everyone who has asked us for a simple entry into intarsia knitting—this is the one! Find all the details and register here.

MDK Summer Camp 2025

On August 15, we’re going to be back in the craft hut (the virtual one, of course) with the brilliant Anna Hrachovec.

What are we making? Tiny dogs. The tiniest! Read all about it. Last year, Anna taught us tiny cats. We who had never knitted an animal of any kind were smitten. So clever! So fast!

(On these and all our workshops, MDK Society members save 10% with your coupon code. And always, we’ll send a recording afterward.)

Our Next Sunday Afternoon Knitting Party

If you’re in the Nashville area, join us on Sunday, July 20, 2-5 pm—for a casual hangout at MDK World Headquarters, 441 Atlas Drive. Friends, shopping, snacks. No charge! For this one, we’re expecting to be joined by a jolly bunch of local fans of Knit Stars, who are gathering all over the country for in-person meetups. If you want to meet some dedicated local knitters, this is a great opportunity!

Gearing Up

Nash Yarn Fest vendor applications are now open. Details here, if you’re in the mood to come to Nashville April 17 and 18, 2026 to ply your wares. We cannot overstate how excited we are to be hosting this weekend of fun. Breaking news: there will be a hootenanny!

Meanwhile . . .

We had a big time on MDK this week.

Lorilee Beltman is returning, and we’re floating on air. Join us on August 1 for a workshop in mosaic knitting that focuses on the light-and-luscious, color-saturated Floating Squares Wrap by Amy Christoffers.

Technical wiz and mindreader Kate Atherley has timely tips on intarsia.

Tag along with Samantha Brunson for a fiber-arts focused visit to the Met’s amazing “Superfine” exhibition.

Felix Ford’s soulful, liberating approach to journaling is a balm in hard times, and a joy in joyful ones.

One thing about MDK: we love a party. We’re getting knitters together in Nashville whenever we can, and we sure hope you can join us soon.

DG Strong recommends only the simplest knitting for this new Scandi-noir series.

Your Support Is Everything—Thank You!

Seriously grateful that you hang out with us at MDK. In person, at virtual talks and workshops, and in our comments section—we love to connect knitters, and connect with knitters.

One way to support all that goes on here: the MDK Society. Your MDK Society membership will repay you in fun, connection, and community. (And 10% savings on classes and full-price stuff, plus special opportunities now in the works.)

Questions? Email us anytime at he***@*****************ng.com, and you’ll get a prompt response from a real live MDK person.

Stay healthy, take care of each other, and knit on.

Love,

Ann and Kay

PS Please forward this Snippets to a friend—we appreciate it so much!

The MDK Calendar

So much going on, here’s a list so you don’t miss a thing. ; )

July

Friday, July 11: Weird Things Made by 19th-Century Crafters: A Lecture with Franklin Habit.

Wednesday, July 16: For MDK Society members. The Snippets Show with special guest Amanda Hesser, founder of Food52 and bestselling cookbook author.

Friday, July 25: Doggie Designs Virtual Workshop with Dana Williams-Johnson

August

Friday, August 1: Floating Squares Wrap Mosaic Workshop with Lorilee Beltman

Friday, August 8: Bliss-Bloss Shawl Intarsia Workshop with Ambah O’Brien

Friday, August 15: MDK Summer Camp: Tiny Dogs Virtual Workshop with Anna Hrachovec

Wednesday, August 20: For MDK Society members. The Snippets Show with special guest Jillian Moreno, who knows an astonishing amount about yarn, fiber, spinning.

This Week’s Top Tip

This week: Top Tipster Patty Lyons helps us say farewell to floppy button bands. Read “Ask Patty: Keep It Tight” here.

The Return of Franklin, Lecturer

We have never had a dull moment with Franklin Habit, our correspondent in Paris, our beloved storyteller.

So when he told us his next virtual lecture is titled “Weird Things Made by 19th-Century Crafters,” we didn’t even blink.

This is going to be vintage Franklin. Friday, July 11 is when we all learn (and laugh) a lot. Register here. (MDK Society members save 10% with your coupon code—and a recording goes out to all participants.)

Puppy Dreams

Thanks for all the love for our MDK Poochbook, with dog sweaters designed by some of the cleverest designers. Have a peek at the sweetest furry friends, all wearing sweaters you too can make for your dear beastie.

The queen of dog sweaters, Dana Williams-Johnson, will teach a virtual class in the fine art of adapting a human yoke sweater for your dog. Doggie Designs is coming Wednesday, July 25, noon Eastern; recording available afterward.

Tiptoe to the Tulips

Are you intrigued by our faves, the Tulip Interchangeable Needles, but want to try them first?

Here’s how: order one set of replacement tips in a size you need, plus a single replacement cable in the length of your choosing. If you love them as much as we do, you’ll be ready to treat yourself to a whole set with confidence.

What’s so great about Tulips? Here’s what Jillian Moreno has to say.

Visit Our New Shop MDK at Atlas

By popular demand, we are now keeping regular shop hours at beautiful MDK World Headquarters, minutes from downtown Nashville.

The address is 441 Atlas Drive, and we’re open every Monday and Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Our dream is to bring a great mix of knitters to our spacious, welcoming home. Bring your pals, and sit and knit for a while! Warm light, chill vibes, and a super cute shop await you.

A Yarn is Born

Have you heard about MDK’s collaboration with the genius hand-dyers at Madelinetosh? Read the story of Atlas x Madelinetosh here.

We are basking in the warm glow of knitters’ response to this yarn—thank you for loving it, buying it, and most of all: knitting with it. We hope you’ll spend time with our Atlas x Madelinetosh lookbook.

Even better: grab your knitting and enjoy a great conversation with the brilliant team at Madelinetosh.

Get Ready for 2026: Nash Yarn Fest Returns

Mark your calendars:

Nash Yarn Fest will return to the Fairgrounds Nashville next year!

The dates: April 17-18, 2026.

We can’t wait to throw this party again, and we hope to see you there. For a taste of the fun to come, read our recap of the 2025 festival here.

In the meantime, make sure you’re on the Nash Yarn Fest mailing list (scroll down for the signup box), so you don’t miss a thing.

It’s the Place to Be

Have you heard about the MDK Society? It’s the knitting community we’ve dreamed about, come to real (and virtual) life. Our charter year is off to a great start, and we hope you’ll join us.

The benefits of charter membership are many—and we will be adding more fun all year long. Members save 10 percent on our wonderful virtual workshops, and in the MDK Shop, throughout 2025.

Each month we present a new episode of The Snippets Show, plus breakout rooms, conversation in the MDK Society Lounge forum, and more.

Our next Snippets Show: Wednesday, July 16 at noon Eastern. Special guest Amanda Hesser is one of the people who most inspires us. She’s a bestselling author and founder of Food52, the legendary cooking site. She has much to say about the creativity of food, as well as what it is to make a home. She’s in the midst of an epic home renovation, so we are really looking forward to talking with her about that little project.

Our Snippets Show guests so far: Arne and Carlos,  Franklin Habit, Natalie Chanin, Jeanette Sloan, Clara Parkes, and Dana Williams-Johnson. The video recordings of our chats are available to all MDK Society members, indefinitely. Sign up now, and you’re all set for great conversations to knit to!