Hello dear readers!

We are so excited to share more about our latest project we released with Nerd Girl Yarns The Minneapolis Collection.

We wanted to show you the colorways and yarns and give you an idea about the inspiration behind each design and color.

Click on any photo to view the colorway on Nerd Girl Yarns’ site. You choose the yarn base when you order, but I will mention which ones we used so you can decide if you want to follow the pattern exactly or tweak it with another yarn or colorway selection.

Colorway: Nicollet

Design: Nicollet Ave Tie

Yarn: Beans (fingering weight 100% soybean yarn)

Inspiration: Influenced by the upbeat downtown area, this colorway draws in the buildings, lights, and vibe of a night on the town. If you’ve never visited Nicollet Ave, it’s like attending a big classy party that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and best of all, never ends. The only vehicles allowed are buses so the entire street is filled with the noises of people chatting, dining, shopping, making music, and having fun.

Colorways: Stone Arch Bridge, Mighty Mississippi, Heritage 

Design: Stone Arch Bridge Scarf

Yarn: Parlay (worsted 60% merino, 40% bamboo)

Inspiration: These three colors, inspired by the mighty Mississippi and the beautiful walking bridge that spans its waters, remind us how important this water feature was to the city in days of old when the force of the river powered the mills, and when steamboats traveled the waterway. Today, a stroll over this bridge makes a beautiful afternoon destination. We love the bustle of life and mid-western spirit that fills the bridge!

Colorway: Institute of Arts

Design: MIA Ascot

Yarn: Trifecta (worsted 80% Superwash merino 10% cashmere 10% nylon)

Inspiration: The Minneapolis Institute of Arts’ (MIA) interior is filled to the brim with inspiring art but the exterior is a lovely place to explore in itself. The architecture is incredible! I love how this colorway captures the depth of colors within the marble and the play of a sunset bringing a rosy hue to its sheen.

Colorway: Franklin

Design: Franklin Street Beanie

Yarn: 8-bit (sport weight 100% superwash merino)

Inspiration: I lived in this neighborhood before I was married and Maria’s Café and The Franklin Street Bakery are up there on my list of “favorite places on the planet.” Maria’s holds so many dear memories for me: sweet conversations with friends while washing down plates of huevos pericos and banana pancakes with seriously strong Colombian coffee. Live music adds to the joyful atmosphere on the weekends.

Colorway: Sculpture Garden

Design: Sculpture Garden Cowl

Yarn: Luscious (heavy worsted 60% superfine merino, 40% silk)

Inspiration: Everybody thinks snow and ice when they hear MN, but people don’t always know that Minneapolis is crazy about art, theater, and small presses. It’s a great city to browse for bookstores and museums. We love the contrast of man-made sculpture and natural beauty in this garden. It’s the perfect place to be playful or contemplative.

Colorway: Lake Calhoun

Design: Lake Calhoun Park Mat

Yarn: Rant (super bulky 100% superfine merino)

Inspiration: MN is famous for its lakes, and Minneapolis was built to nestle around not just one, but nine within its city limits. Concrete city meets natural beauty here. Lake Calhoun is the largest in the chain of lakes and circled with bike and walking trails, providing a beautiful nature escape for urban dwellers. While I’m not one to swim and get sticky with sand, I love sitting in the grass near the water soaking up some sun and picnicking with friends.

Colorway: Uptown

Design: Uptown Tunic

Yarn: Heart You (light fingering weight 100% superwash merino)

Inspiration: Everybody rubs shoulders with each other in uptown, and this tunic will celebrate the bold colors and effortless expressionism of the people and artwork filling the streets. Beautiful graffiti decorates the sides of buildings where people come to eat, shop, and play. We love the diversity of people and art here.

Colorway: Farmer’s Market

Design: Farmers Market Bag

Yarn: Squish (bulky weight 100% superwash merino)

Inspiration: City-folk and country-folk alike come in flocks to the downtown farmers market. There’s everything from fresh baked goods to handmade items and of course – produce in abundance! I love picking up the seriously affordable gigantic bouquet of fresh cut flowers!

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Okay… are you drooling yet?

Christa of Nerd Girl Yarns dyed these yarns especially for this collection and she beautifully represented Minneapolis – this was such a beautiful collaboration!

The Minneapolis Collection eBook 

More soon,

Abbey

Ps. We are going to change things up a bit here around The Firefly Hook after the New Year.

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Our new site will be more of a portfolio and tutorial hub rather than a blog.

Thanks for creating with us over the years and we hope you will continue to find crochet inspiration at The Firefly Hook.