Yarns to Love
Really Big News: Atlas x Madelinetosh
Happy day over here at MDK!
We present with all the joy in the world the fruits of one of the most delightful collaborations we’ve experienced.
A whole new world of color for our Atlas yarn.
Here’s What Happened
More than a year ago, I ran into Libby Butler-Gluck, the Ambassador of Buzz for Madelinetosh, the yarn company whose hand-dyed yarns are legendary.
It was one of those quick conversations that went along the lines of “We should do things together,” the kind of conversation that often results in a sparkly moment of wishy, fleeting dreams. Libby seemed really smart, really nice.
I didn’t actually understand what Libby was about.
Libby is really smart, really nice. And she is also a force of nature—she’s all about making things happen.
And when Laura Zander, owner of Madelinetosh, joined the conversation, it all gained amazing momentum. Laura is famous for her open mind and extreme gameness. She is the word yes in human form.
Thanks to the unstoppable energy of these visionary women, something really beautiful has come together.
We did a thing together!
What Happened? So Much
Libby and her team welcomed our undyed MDK Atlas yarn to their dye house in Ft. Worth, Texas. They made sure our base—climate-beneficial, U.S. grown, 100% Rambouillet wool—would work with their dyeing style. They helped develop a palette of 24 colors for our light worsted, nonsuperwash yarn.
Tonals, semi-solids, variegated, speckles. Speckled Atlas? We had never dreamed of such a thing.
We agreed on a set of patterns that would show off these new colors. Yarn was dyed, so fast and so well. Samples were knitted. Photography in Austin and Nashville has resulted in a lookbook that presents it all to you.
So here we are: sharing with you this beautiful new yarn that has a lot of love and care built into it.
A Lookbook to Savor
Early response has been so exciting—we hope you’ll take a break and spend time with our Atlas x Madelinetosh lookbook.
Whether you’re a tonal fan, a variegated fan, or a speckle fan, Atlas x Madelinetosh is the sort of fun that even we longtime, hardcore knitters adore. It’s a complete joyride, a light-worsted funfest that you are going to love.
We’re Zooming with Laura and Libby!
A free Zoom party! Join us on Monday, March 24 at noon Eastern for to celebrate the arrival of Atlas x Madelinetosh. We’ll be getting into the world of Madelinetosh yarns and the possibilities for our new yarn. Sign up here and we’ll send you the Zoom link on the day of the event.
These yarns are so beautiful. Sadly, I am Canadian, and cannot allow myself to spend any of my dollars to support a government that wants to destroy my country. I hope this terrible time ends soon because the US has always been my friend and neighbour.
I’m a US citizen and I feel the same way about our current situation and I hope it ends soon
As an American I fully support your decision! Hopefully in four years America will be returning to sanity and kindness again.
Please don’t give up on us. We feel the same as you do. (I’m half Canadian….my mother would be so, so sad…)
I apologize to all Canadians for the horrible person in office and agree that Canada should not purchase anything from the US
Carole, I urge you to support MDK. Ann and Kay have been pretty open about their own views, they do NOT support this administration. Many of us Americans are horrified by how an attempt is being made to dismantle everything we cherish about this country.
To support the makers and small businesses who share your values is an act of resistance! By all means boycott the American businesses who support the administration (this information is easy to find online). We are with you Canadians! Elbows up!
Very well put!!
Well said, Deepa!
I do not support 45 or his cronies. Knitting helps keep me sane.
Please know that most of us here do not support this heinous government either –as evidenced by credible polls and a majority of the popular vote. Even many who did vote for it are starting to realize they were lied to. Spending money with companies like MDK, which signaled in a previous post that they do not support it either, actually helps us build our strength to move forward to get back to the way things should be: actually caring about people and the world. Most of us love Canada and its people! We are heartbroken these outliers have taken power and are hurting you this way!
I do support our government. Maybe “most of us at MDK” think that way but the majority of American voted for this leadership. We knit and love beautiful yarn too. Could we knitters keep politics out of the knitting world? Political opposites can find common ground with our love of yarn .
Less than 50% of voters selected Trump for President. NOT a majority.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke
It is impossible to keep politics out of any discussion because of the overwhelming amount of garbage that comes out of Washington daily. I’m 72 years old and I am afraid that our Democracy will not survive without the active support of all non-trump Countries
Terrie, you are welcome to your views. Fortunately, it is (still) a free country. The majority of Americans did not, in fact, vote for this administration. A very slim plurality of votes decided this election.
The “Keep politics out of knitting” thing gets old. Politics is in everything. Think of MDK as Ann and Kay’s living room, where we are all graciously invited. If you don’t like the art and rugs, or the other people at the party, you can always leave. You don’t get to censor people’s opinions.
No, whether we are knitters or not, we will be affected by the kind of politics that is carried out by the current president and his enablers. I would say many citizens of US, Canada and other countries will be (and many already are) hugely and negatively affected. So, absolutely not, we cannot “keep the politics out of knitting”. Wake up and smell the coffee… errr… the future.
I’m so impressed by the number of people who have been vocal about our current government.
Nope.
Carole, please do not forget that so, so many of us continue to be your friends and neighbors. I cried when I watched Justin Trudeau speak of the Canadian relationship with the U.S. Then I emailed him expressing thanks for his strong words and the support of many citizens here. I call my two Senators and Congressman almost nightly with comments on the recent debacle of the day. A group of my senior citizen friends gathered at my house on Friday evening to craft signs for a nearby rally protecting democracy. I (and many others) feel as if our world has been turned upside down. For me, the open level of ugliness and lack of empathy expressed is difficult to bear.
I do hope that one day very soon you can order this lovely yarn. And I hope that I can get a few bottles of Coureur des Bois headed my way. I badly need it!
I completely understand, support you, and am heartbroken at what has happened to this country.
Thank you. Please understand that most US citizens agree with you. I apologize for my country.
It’s gorgeous! Congratulations to you all. And thank you for setting an example of what we can accomplish when we work together!
All of the colors are beautiful. And Libby IS a force of nature. So glad I got to spend some time with her this weekend.
Wow!!!! These colors are beautiful!
I am trying to register and cannot get the Zoom link to work.
Hello Sharon! I just updated the link and it should work now.
Good morning!
The sign up form won’t let me submit for the zoom link
Works now. Thanks
Hello Merri! I just updated the link in the post and it should work now.
Of all these spectacular colors, Oeste was the color I was least drawn to, but when I saw that shawl piece – Oeste is really an exquisite color, less subtle than I thought!
The yarns look wonderful and I love the patterns.
I agree with Carole that it is so sad that our friends , the Canadians should not buy American products.
Anne and Kay you did a fabulous job!!
You all made me cry with your support. So many of my friends and family are American. I haven’t found any who think Canadians are bad guys, or Americans are bad guys. This is being played out at a level way beyond the personal. As a senior I never would have believed this, but we are shocked and scared. P.S. I love MDK. It’s my morning go to and I can’t wait to buy your products again. Knitting is the way I handle this stress. Thank you all for your support. This isn’t a political site and I won’t write about this again. I just woke up this morning and saw this beautiful yarn and looked at each colour and then was so sad that I had pledged not to spend in the US.
The site will not allow me to submit my email for the zoom session.
Hello Regina! I just updated the link and it should work now.
This morning as I was once again feeling terribly stalled by some piece of media news, I found the MDK announcement of the Atlas/Madelinetosh partnership. The positive energy and the magnificent results restored my faith that creativity still flourishes and good things happen.
You are right!! We should be the nation of makers!
The form is in Preview Mode. When you respond there’s a popup that says you can’t submit a form in preview mode.
Hello Lynn! I just updated the link in the post and it should work now.
Yes, I can’t submit it either
Hello! Congratulations, friends, on this gorgeous iteration of Atlas and for a successful launch of Nash Yarn Fest (I so wish I could have jetted in from the west coast…). I’ve spent the weekend drooling over the look book and am excited to get my hands on Atlas x MT.
Yippee
Congratulations MDK & Madelinetosh! These colors are luscious! And the sample projects are all so inspiring! Wow, an incredible weekend for you all with Nash Yarn Fest and rolling out a new yarn! Bravo!! Already put in my first order. 🙂 I also could not sign up for the Zoom link.
The link worked for me just now
As a devoted MDK fangirl with MT practically in my back yard, I am so, so happy for the collab of these favorites! The most squishy eye candy! Looking forward to the sweater I will knit and wear so happily as a result of this!
What a jaw-dropping collab! I have had SABLE (perhaps several lifetimes, need to be reincarnated) now for quite a while but feel like I cannot resist… help…
Just love these yarns! Now to decide which and what!
I was at the Nash Yarn Fest and was able to see the yarn in the MDK booth, and the colors are even prettier in real life. The samples from the lookbook were there, and they are so beautiful. I can’t wait to cast on my Cactus Bloom.
Beautiful wool! Beautiful projects! I stand with you, Carole. I am a Jewish senior Canadian, and I am appalled, dismayed and terribly upset by what is happening in the world today. I agree that we should try to keep politics out of MDK and out of knitting altogether. But these catastrophic events affect our lives whether we like it or not. Kol hakavod to Kay and Ann and everyone at MDK for their marvellous achievements and inspiring contribution to the world of making. I look forward to seeing the world come right again. In the meantime, I will continue to take refuge in my knitting which keeps me sane. And thank you to all our American friends and neighbours, including all my dear cousins, for your love and support.
I love the phrase “look forward to seeing the world come right again”. I do too! I feel like I’ve fallen into Alice in Wonderland here in the States.
I am so excited to see what the combination of Atlas and Mad Tosh has come up with. I’m off to my local yarn shop, Jimmy Beans! We are lucky in Reno to have this shop in town.
The new yarn colors are incredible! So inviting. Just want to touch that yarn.
I also live in Canada so will avoid ordering across the border, but will still participate as I can via the internet to support MDK.
The yarn is gorgeous! Canada is a neighbor and good friend – this madness has to end!
What a fabulous collaboration! The yarn is beautiful.
Libby was delightful, and I loved meeting her. I am excited to get home on Thursday, and I hope my yarn beats me there because I AM casting on a new Blanket of Joy in all the MadTosh colors. Kudos to Libby for pointing out that all your new colors are paired, since that will affect my choices in laying out the colors.
Many thanks to all our Canadian neighbors for their support, and I hope we can get past the current administration and back to a mutually supportive relationship in due time.
What abundance of color and design! So many choices and so many possibilities— congrats and THANK YOU❤️❤️❤️
Oh, wowza! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. I just love it when good people do good things that take my breath away. Great antidote to the…. stuff.
The yarns are gorgeous! Thanks for this wonderful collaboration! I hope this limited edition is totally unlimited forever!
Carole, The very idea that your country is being threatened by 45/47 is one of so many acts being inflicted on the world by the evil that re-entered the White House. I support you and join others who are doing what we can, even as senior citizens, to fight for our country. We cannot wait for 4 more years, let’s reclaim Congress in the mid-terms.
I am also incredibly grateful for MDK, for the kindness, humanity and creativity we find here every day.