After years of being a fairly dedicated gift/small project/accessory knitter (with the very occasional sweater thrown in for good measure,) I do believe I’ve made the switch to become a full-on sweater knitter. In fact, I can’t stop thinking about sweaters. And planning out each little detail (the pockets! the neckline! the hem!) of the vast number of sweaters I need in my closet. Right. NOW. And browsing Ravelry for hours in the middle of the night, marveling on the daily just how many glorious sweaters are out there. And of course, I’m buying alllllll the yarn. For the sweater I’ll knit after the one I’ll knit after the one that’s currently on my needles. Ahem.

I know I’m not the only one. Take a little stroll down Instagram Lane, follow along the #memademay or #slowfashionoctober hashtags and see if you don’t fall down the rabbit hole yourself. (Many of these posts also incorporate handsewn garments, but that’s another tangent entirely.) There’s SO much talk out there about both the capsule wardrobe and the handmade wardrobe and for good reason: if you’re going to spend your precious time knitting sweaters (hundreds of hours, in many cases,) don’t you want to maximize the wear you’ll get out of these sweaters? Shouldn’t they stand the test of time, both in classic style and quality of materials?

For years now, we’ve been talking about creating a color palette for a Wool & Honey signature yarn line, one that’s comprised of colors that define Northern Michigan, based on some of Leelanau’s most beloved landmarks. Not unlike what we do with the Sleeping Bear Yarn Club, but with colorways that are available to all customers and the colors themselves being solid or tonal in nature, vs. variegated or speckled.

We’ve also been having a similar discussion with Sarah and Hayley about a custom Plucky Knitter palette for the shop, one that may be available in limited quantities in the shop a few times throughout the year.

Coincidence? I think not.

Introducing the newest collaboration between W & H and TPK: The Plucky Knitter Leelanau Palette.

The first four colors in the Leelanau Palette are some of our favorites–four unique variations on classic colors to create statement pieces, either for knitted accessories or, as we envisioned, handmade garments that will be both showstoppers and wardrobe staples for years to come. Each of the yarns are named after places that are sacred to all of us; Liz and I are Leelanau County natives–this is and always has been our home–and Sarah and Hayley have spent their entire lives vacationing Up North. Plucky + Northern Michigan inspiration + classic wardrobe colors? It truly couldn’t be a better match. The base we chose is Primo Fingering. a favorite among Plucksters new and old–a fingering weight blend of Merino, cashmere and nylon that is polished, luxurious and yet holds up exceedingly well (all necessary attributes of capsule-worthy garments, I’d say!)

Fishtown. Quintessential Leland. Read also: the exact color of the Janice Sue. (All the fishing paraphernalia pictured here belonged to our maternal grandfather, who spent his entire life fishing Michigan’s many inland lakes.)

Manitou. Pretty much the perfect navy. The deepest of blues with black undertones.

M-22. Deep, smoldering red, again with murky undertones. Beautiful bold lipstick red–the red of our dreams.

45th Parallel. Deep, dark purple, with a base layer of black. Think of the darkest purple wine grapes at the height of harvest.

As I said before, we’ve been thinking a lot about sweaters these days. A lot. So much so that we put together a few ideas for you–sweaters you can knit, but also a few outfit/wardrobe ideas to go along with these beautiful sweaters. We know that sometimes when beautiful yarn presents itself, you’re at a loss. All you can think about is how beautiful it is…and not what you’re actually going to knit with it. We find that if you have the right plan, you’re much more likely to make smart purchases. When you have specific patterns in mind, it’s even easier to decide what to buy–the only decision left is which colors to choose.

We’ve created a few idea boards for you to get your creative juices flowing, but this by no means even scratches the surface. Click on the links below and you’ll visit each pattern’s Ravelry page, where you can read descriptions, determine exact yardage amounts and plan your ideal color schemes. Please support these independent designers by purchasing their patterns directly from them. With the clothing items, you’ll find links to pieces produced by ethical, environmental and transparent companies you can feel good supporting.

  1. Camilla Tee.
  2. Prague.
  3. Igawa.
  4. Mount Airy.
  5. Ilia.
  6. Harper.
  7. Natsumi.
  8. Lake Effect.
  9. Anker’s Sweater–My Size.

  1. Josette White Stone.
  2. Slim Button Voile.
  3. Sway.
  4. Light Trails.
  5. Mount Airy Tee.
  6. Serena Sandal.
  7. Navigate.
  8. Benton.
  9. Arrow.

  1. Brussels Overalls.
  2. Parisian Painter Smock.
  3. Mignon.
  4. Slim Button Voile.
  5. Melanie.
  6. Austin.
  7. Redford.
  8. Lori.
  9. Threshold.

  1. Kowtow.
  2. Imogene.
  3. Luxa.
  4. Evelyn.
  5. Waterhouse.
  6. Ava.
  7. Jackdaw.
  8. Aisance.

The Leelanau Palette is being dyed-to-order: we are taking pre-orders now through May 11th ONLY–or until supplies last.  Orders will be available for pickup in the store at our annual Memorial Day weekend party on Saturday, May 27th. Orders that need to be shipped will ship on Tuesday, May 30th. There will also be one more surprise at the holiday weekend party–but even we don’t know any more than that.

We’re so excited for this collaboration–we hope you’ll find something you love! I know I’ve already planned a sweater in each color…

Photos courtesy of The Compass Points Here.