Knitting, Spinning, and Summer 2025 Sewing Projects at Young Folk Knits

Hey y’all! Welcome back to YoungFolk Knits. If you’re new around here—hi, I’m Kaci! I share my love of all things fiber arts: knitting, sewing, spinning, crochet, and whatever creative rabbit hole I happen to fall into that week. I also occasionally share little peeks into our life on a small farm in Arkansas. So if cozy projects and countryside vibes sound like your thing, pull up a chair and stay awhile.

It’s mid-June, and surprisingly, the heat hasn’t hit us full force just yet. Normally, we’re already battling the thick humidity and blazing temps here in Arkansas, but thanks to a little rain and cloud cover, summer is taking its time—and I’m all for it. Let’s enjoy the mild while it lasts!

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A Bit of a Knitting Slump…But Still Stitching

Even though I always love knitting, I’ve felt a tiny bit of a slump lately. Maybe it’s the season, maybe it’s just the usual rhythm of life—but I haven’t been knitting quite as much as I normally do. That said, I am still working on a secret test knit (shhh!), which is nearly finished. I can’t wait to share that with y’all soon!

In the meantime, I’m also making progress on another project: another Darjeeling blouse. I finished one recently using a linen-cotton blend cone yarn from WoolyKnit, held double (though I’d recommend holding it triple if you want to hit gauge more easily). The design features a V-neck, slim I-cord edging, lace hem with picot edge, and matching lace sleeves. It’s constructed bottom-up with raglan shaping and saddle shoulders. The only hiccup? It came out shorter than I intended—something to watch out for if you’re fuller in the bust, since that can eat up some vertical length. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/darjeeling-blouse

Still, I love it enough that I went diving into my stash and pulled out some beautiful Silky Sport yarn from Craft Me Knot Yarn Co. It’s a luscious 50/50 merino and silk blend that I used before in my Party Line scarf pattern, and I had three black skeins waiting for their moment. So of course I cast on another Darjeeling—this time aiming for the medium-length version and adding some extra length in the stockinette portion. I even found the perfect buttons with a gold rim and pearly black center. Hopefully they’ll look just right once the blouse is finished!

Sewing Adventures: Summer Dresses in the Works

On the sewing front, I’ve been dreaming up outfits to pair with my rust-colored Darjeeling. I decided a faded blue linen dress would be the perfect complement, so I cut out a Skyline dress using fabric from Merchant & Mills. The Skyline is a simple pattern with no zippers (yay!) but lots of bias binding—so it’s a great one for advanced beginners who are comfortable with bias tape. https://sydgraham.com/products/skyline-dress-sewing-pattern

I also started a test sew for the Delft Dress from Madswick Sewing, alongside my friend Megha from Skeins of Dreams. It’s a super fun pattern with a fitted bodice, wide flowy skirt, and geometric shaping that gives it a twirly, dramatic flair. I’m using another Merchant & Mills linen in a mustardy yellow plaid that’s subtle enough to read almost like a solid from a distance. It’s hands-down one of my favorite summer colors.

And speaking of sewing, if you’re looking for an affordable way to print digital patterns, check your local UPS store! Mine recently started offering blueprint printing for around $4 a sheet, which has been a game changer. No more crazy shipping costs or waiting on mail—just pick it up in town and start cutting.

Tour de Fleece Is Almost Here!

Now let’s talk spinning—because Tour de Fleece is right around the corner! This year, I’m co-hosting a team called Fleece Force with Ahna from BrookWillow. We’ve got a super fun group of spinners and we’d love for you to join. There’s a section for Fleece Force on the YoungFolk Knits forum where you can post photos, ask questions, and connect with other spinners. You can also share on Instagram and tag us—we’d love to see what you’re working on!

The amazing Trisha from Yarn Jam created a custom colorway for our team, also called Fleece Force. It’s dyed on an 80/20 shaniko-silk blend and it’s absolutely stunning. If you order by June 18, it should arrive before the start of the tour—but she’s keeping preorders open until June 22 in case you miss that window. https://yarnjam.com

My Tour de Fleece Plans

I’ve got three projects I’m planning to spin for:

• Pressed Flowers Cardigan – I’m working on a combo spin to create the contrast color, which I’ll pair with a sport-weight Polwarth blend in a French blue shade from Red Stag Fibre. I’ve already spun half the fiber and need to finish up the rest so I can ply and get knitting!
• Montana Mountain Cowl by Andrea Mowry – For this mosaic pattern, I’m spinning up a fiber to use as the contrast color. I’m aiming for a consistent sport-weight spin, which is a fun challenge since my default tends to lean more lace to fingering weight. Handspun contrast yarns add such great texture and depth when paired with commercial yarns.
• Secret All-Handspun Test Knit – I’m using some Yarn Jam braids in the Young Folk Knits colorway—a custom color Trisha dyed for the podcast last year. I loved it so much I bought extra, and I’m spinning several braids for a very exciting test knit coming soon from Andrea Mowry. It’s going to be fully handspun, so I want to plan out my skeins ahead of time to make sure the color transitions are just right.

I’m big on managing color placement, especially with variegated or shifting yarns like Spin Cycle or Junction Fiber Mill. Laying out all your skeins before casting on helps you control how the color flows across the project.

Favorite Spinning Tools

Most of my spinning lately has been on my Daedalus Starling e-spinner—and y’all, I’m obsessed. It’s lightweight, portable, but solid enough to stay put on a table without sliding around. Unlike some other e-spinners, it doesn’t wobble or need to be clamped down. You can set your speed, zone out with an audiobook, and get a really consistent spin. https://shop.daedalusspinningwheels.com/products/starling-v3fp-electric-spinning-wheel

Before this, my favorite wheel was the Schacht Matchless—it’s still an incredible wheel—but now that I’ve gone electric with the Starling, I don’t think I can go back. If you’re new to spinning and want to get started with an e-spinner, I’d also recommend looking at the Daedalus Sparrow. It’s a smaller, even more portable option, and both are phenomenal tools.

On the Nightstand and the Small Screen

On the more relaxed side of life, I’ve been easing back into the Cher biography after taking a break—it started off a bit slow, but I’m hoping it picks up as it moves into her adult years. I also have Harlan Coben’s Nobody’s Fool on hold in Libby—sounds like the perfect twisty read to keep me distracted from summer heat and stress.

Speaking of stress, I’ve been trying to keep my anxiety in check by reducing screen time and watching soothing shows like Gardener’s World. I love Ned the golden retriever and all the gorgeous gardens—it’s my go-to comfort show right now. What’s yours? Let me know what cozy, familiar shows you turn to when life feels a little too full.

Check it out on Prime Video (affiliate link): https://geni.us/gardenersworld

Wrapping Up

Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Whether you’re here for the knitting, the spinning, the sewing, or just a quiet moment with a fellow fiber friend—I appreciate you so much. Be sure to check if you’re the giveaway winner from one of my recent videos (details are in the video!), and feel free to reach out to me at Ka**@***********ts.com to claim your prize.

And as always, if you liked hanging out today, hit that subscribe button and give the video a thumbs up. I’m so excited for all the Tour de Fleece fun ahead—more spinning content is coming soon!

Until next time… happy knitting y’all!