Loopy Friend Lori emailed me this week to say that the Farmer’s Almanac calls for this winter to be “Numbingly Cold” in the Midwest. Can I just get a big “Woohoo!”? I like cold weather just about as much as I like a rainy day! But before we get to Winter, we need to go through Fall. I love the fall. WH took these pictures at a local garden/nursery, just a block from Loopy Central.

I posted a question on our Loopy Ewe page  on Facebook over the weekend, asking for everyones favorite shawl patterns. If you’re on Facebook, click over to our Loopy group and read all 53 suggestions. Fall, Winter and Spring are perfect seasons for shawls. (And perhaps summer, depending on where you live. Most days, you would not want a shawl sitting on your shoulders here in Missouri in the summer.) Doesn’t that mean that we ought to be stocking wardrobes with seasonally colored shawls? With that in mind, I walked through Loopy this morning and pulled a few good fall colors that would look pretty done up in shawls. (And I think I just added another project to my list.)

I started my Multnomah over the weekend. It’s an easy knit and has one of my favorite lace patterns on the edging – Feather and Fan. The one I’m working on is gift knitting, but now that I have pulled out Colinette Jitterbug Sahara, I want one of those for my own. Other great Jitterbug fall colors: Autumn Leaves and Chamois. The pattern uses approx. 412 yards, which means 1 1/2 skeins of Jitterbug would work. (Don’t you love it that we sell half skeins of Jitterbug?) If you haven’t done much lace knitting before, the Multnomah is a great place to start. It has a lot of regular garter stitch, until you get to the edging, and it’s a small shawl. (You can make it bigger by adding more repeats, or knitting it in a heavier weight yarn, like Hand Maiden Sea Silk. YUM. I pulled out Fleur, Cezanne, and Autumn Apples for this photo.)

The other shawl I have ready to cast on is Traveling Woman, and quite a few of you mentioned that one over on Facebook, too. It is also made with fingering weight yarn. (Just over 300 yds, unless you want to make it larger.) I think the Hand Maiden Casbah would be gorgeous for this. I’m making mine out of Swiss Mountain Super Sock or Lorna’s Laces Pearl – I haven’t decided yet.

The most popular shawl pattern on Ravelry right now is Damson, by the extremely talented Ysolda Teague. It comes in her book “Whimsical Little Knits 2“. She made the cover one in Malabrigo Sock Yarn, but I also think it would be stunning in Alchemy Juniper Sock, in either the multi colors or the semi-solids. (Shown here in Chickasaw Ground, Hidden Place, Fireburst, and Montreat Path). It takes approx. 440 yds, so you’d need 2 skeins of Alchemy. It’s a fun pattern with a ruffle on the bottom. Come to think of it, that would be a great style for spring, too. We’ll have to talk about that again next March!

I have car time coming up in October, which means extended knitting. This weekend, we visit College Girl for Parents Weekend, up in Indiana. I’m so looking forward to seeing her! She’s good about keeping in touch, but I miss hugging her. That’s a little difficult, long-distance. The last weekend of the month we’re traveling to Ohio for the wedding of two of Web Guy’s friends. I’m really looking forward to that, too. I haven’t seen Web Guy since the end of July, which is entirely too long. We won’t get much time with him that weekend, but I’ll get my hugs in.

Photos of knitted projects coming again soon. I have about forty three in progress. (Or fifty seven. Or eighty nine.) Are you knitting anything up specifically for the fall weather?

Sheri noblogonFridaybecausewe’llbedrivingtoIN,butI’llbebackonMonday!

WH and I went antiquing this weekend, just for fun. We’ve been poking around in antique stores and flea markets since our dating days. (Do we sound fun, or what?) This weekend I was looking for different old containers to organize my scrapbooking area in the basement. I like the look of tins and bins and old wire baskets better than the perfection of something official looking that comes from an organizing catalog or company. (For that area, anyway.) While we were looking around in one shop, Paul pointed out this book, which cracked us up! If it wasn’t $22, I would’ve bought it just to see what they think gives a person “instantaneous personal magentism”. And don’t you love the lightening bolts around the title? Old books can be hilarious. I wonder if people will find our books dated and weird, 50-100 years from now?

In addition to walking through some St. Louis shops, we also headed down to St. Genevieve, MO, which is about an hour south of here. It’s a quaint little town, full of old houses and shops in old buildings. This town was severely flooded over 10 years ago, as it’s close to the river. It seems to have weathered that ok, even though this main street had water about halfway up the houses. Many of the buildings/houses have a plaque with the original owner’s name and the date it was built. I think the earliest one we saw was 1791. I can’t imagine a house with dust that old in between the floorbeams. I found this little bench nook along the main street, which seemed like a perfect spot for a bit of knitting, but I didn’t try it out.

There is a large antique mall about 10 miles beyond this town, which we had never checked out. In all of my years of going through places like this, there is one thing that I have never found. Strawberry glasses. In particular, this pattern. These are from my grandparents and they were the everyday “good” glasses. (As opposed to the everyday “use them for just the two of us for lunch” glasses, and the fancy “everyone is coming to dinner and we’re eating in the dining room with china” really good glasses.) The strawberry glasses were brought out to use at lunch when the kids and I visited them and shared lunch in the kitchen. I have two or three of them and never use them. I keep looking for them to see if I can add to my supply. There are a bucketload of glasses from this era, with red/green/white designs, but I have never found this exact one. I’ll keep looking.

Fun Sneak Up today - we added in a re-stock of Loopy Legends, more Fiesta Boomerang and Fiesta Ballet, and a NEW Fiesta Baby Boom (with a bit of nylon added to the mix for durability, as well as now coming in large skeins that will do 1 pair of socks, AND at a new, lower price!). We were also able to get big skeins of Hand Maiden Sea Silk again. We can only get these when their mill mistakenly sends them 150g skeins instead of the usual 100g skeins. I know how much you love these bigger skeins, so I always hop on it when they have it available. The big skeins come with 600m (656 yds), and the regular Sea Silk has 400m (436 yds). We have it in 21 colors, while supplies last (meaning until their mill messes up again and sends them more. It usually happens about once every 12-18 months, it seems.) Last but not least, we added in new patterns from Kirsten at Through the Loops – socks, hats and shawls. Fun new designs!

I loved reading your Knitting Survival Kit comments from Friday’s blog. Now I just need to make mine up and keep it handy. 

Sheri thinkingmaybeIoughttocollectoldbookswithweirdtitles
Itwouldmakemydescendantswonderaboutme…. 

It’s Friday. Wait. Let me say that again. It’s Friday!!!! Weekend!  Here are a few things going on at Loopy today:

People are shopping for yarn (like Sharon and Lori):

People are winding up newly purchased skeins (like Dr. Jackie):

Susan is talking to one of you on the phone (and printing shipping labels):

Donna is eating M&M’s (and packing orders):

Wendy is photographing yarn for next week:

More yarn is being unpacked:

There are pumpkin bars from Karen and tomatoes/peppers from Donna in the kitchen:

And the big topic of discussion here today? A knitting survival kit. You know, in case of an emergency. We decided that everyone needs one project all packed up in a bag, ready to grab. What would be in your Knitting Survival Kit?  I think I’d either put something in there that would be brainless knitting while I focused on other things (kind of like doodling to keep my hands busy), or I’d need something really challenging to keep my mind engaged and off of whatever emergency pushed me out of the house. Or maybe both. How about you? What items would go into your idea Knitting Survival Kit?

Sheri somepeopleshoppingheretodayweresupposedtobeatwork
Can’timaginewhytheydidn’twanttobeinthephotos….. 

We have new Loopy Groupies to celebrate! (Note – and a few announcements below.) Congratulations to these knitters & crocheters who most recently received their Loopy Groupie gifts: Amanda from ME, LaDonna from WV, Lindsey from OH, Dee from OK, Carol from WA, Vickie from VA, Kathy from PA, Robin from CA, Lois from CA, Jennifer from IL, Carol from IL, Judy from CA, Suzanne from CT, Kate from ID, Alexandra from IN, Melissa from VA, Brooke from CA, Mary from CT, Jackie from IA, Rebecca from VT, Melissa from SC, Stephanie from CO, Megan from VA, Kim from Canada, Genia from KS, Jerri from Kuwait, Angela from AK, Danielle from WA, Deb from CA, Sharon from MI, Sharon from PA, Tanya from WA, Aglore from CA, Lulynn from TX, Cassandra from OH, Amanda from VA, Valerie from MO, Myrna from IL, Linda from DE, Connie from MA, Donna from MI, Kathleen from NM, Shawna from CA, Roslyn from Canada, Amy from NY, Cindy from PA, Toni from CA, Carolina from NY, Barb from TX, Annette from NC, Gail from SD, Aimee from MS, Laura from NY, Jeanne from PA, Caryll from VA, Karen from AZ, Gail from CA, Fiorenzo from MA, Hannah from IL, Elaine from ME, Christine from WI, Kelly from VA, Jo from CA, Colleen from OK, Candra from PA, Stormy from MA, Erica from NY, Erica from NY, Susan from ME, Kristi from NC, Becky from SC, Neva from VA, Amanda from PA, Sarah from TX, Courtney from MO, Monique from CO, Elisabeth from MA, Ged from the United Kingdom, Maura from MI, Gretchen from KS, Susan from IL, Ann from VA, Amy from MA, Gail from OR, Amy from NJ, Laurie from CA, Victoria from MI, Nancy from GA, Mary Anne from MA, Anne-Mette from Denmark, Tabby from MO, Jennie from GA, Belle from NJ, Eileen from WA, Megan from CA, Laila from France, Elaine from CO, Sandy from NJ, Catherine from NC, Hannah from NM, Hillary from VA, Vicki from MI, Patti from OH, Melissa from AL, Renada from MN, Amy from NY, Jennifer from OH, Jaye from PA, Sophie from France, Nora from NJ, Susan from SD, Robyn from GA, Laurie from CA, Cathleen from VT, Andrea from GA, Victoria from WI, Lynne from D.C., Melissa from MD, Marcia from CA, Lisa from WI, Patricia from ME, Jamie from MO, Debra from FL, Rebecca from MO, Erin from NY, Terri from NJ, Melanie from MN, Katherine from CA, Linda from IL, Amy from OH, Susan from WA, Stephanie from CA, Kathy from CA, Kristin from VA, Natalie from OH, Kathy from MA, Nia from MI, Linda from FL, Jennifer from IL, Elizabeth from PA, Kristen from MD, Shelley from MN, Linda from IN, Kristen from NC, Nanette from NY, Hazel from GA, Kyle from MA, Nicole from PA, Deborah from NJ, Tia from CA, Andrea from Canada, Annette from MI, Janice from VA, Hokari from Japan, Didi from CA, Jennifer from CA, Brenda from VA, Sandra from MT, Colleen from WI, Jenae from KS, Nicole from WA, Kay from CA, Melissa from Canada, Judy from MA, Joanne from KS, Debbie from Canada, Lynn from WI, Brianna from MA, Mimi from VA, Nancy from MA, Joy from MO, Charlene from CA, Nancy from MA, Becky from GA, Sarah from MO, Marianna from WI, Sarah from MI, Reni from ID, Alexander from CA, Kristin from GA, Tracy from GA, Donalie from OR, Melina from Canada, Allison from CT, Anne-Marie from WA, Melissa from NC, Laura from NJ, Joan from Canada, Denise from VA, Ellen from NY, Gayle from CA, Deborah from AL, Vanessa from IL, Karen from WA, Christine from CA, Karen from IL, Cathy from MO, Gloria from WI, Sharon from OH, Samantha from MN, Christel from FL, Sarah from CA, Karen from NY, Debi from CA, Dawn from OH, Janice from NY, Sheila from NC, Sherry from PA, Marilyn from ND, Marianne from NH, Nancy from TX, Barbara from MA, Kelly from MO, Samantha from IL, Nuala from the UK, Audrey from Australia, Sara from MI, Shirley from MN, Karin from CA, Kathryn from TX, Lynda from VA, Yvonne from LA, Karen from CO, Selina from Germany, Carolyn from MN, Sarah from TX, Audrey from IL, Samantha from SC, Sarah from NC, Karen from NY, Elizabeth from D.C., Lori from CA, Cyndy from NE, Mary-Ruth from MA, Karen from ID, Elizabeth from CA, Dawn from Canada, Karen from NY, Martha from CT, Pamela from TX, Nadia from NJ, Kathy from IA, Ray from CA, Kathleen from MI, Linda from CT, Nikki from Australia, Roseann from VA, Cindy from MN, Stella from Canada, Judy from Australia, Yekaterina from NJ, Kimberley from OR, Lynne from D.C., Gail from NY, Mary from VA, Liz from IA, Vicki from IL, Melissa from TN, Beverly from ME, Amy from AZ, Susan from TX, Wendi from Canada, Andrea from GA, Dorien from CA, Linda from MI, Stephanie from TX, Pamela from SC, Jessica from OH, Becca from IL, Meredith from SC, Sheryl from VA, Meg from CA, Kelley from MA, Windy from D.C., Lynn from CA, Ivette from NJ, Leslie from FL, Julie from MI, Jennifer from PA, Dana from CA, Kelsey from NY, Betsy from NY, Barbara from TX, Jennifer from CA, Yvonne from IL, Megan from OH, Quanda from TX, Daniel from NE, Ariana from MA, Lisa from PA, Kristin from MN, Heather from MO, Patricia from CA, Abigail from WI, Rhonda from Canada, Katherine from WA, AJ from CA, Mary-Lou from NY, Michelle from Canada, Amanda from WI, Nancy from Canada, Beth from AL, Erica from NY, Julie from GA, Patsy from PA, Teresa from WA, Sarah from DE, Christine from D.C., Doris from FL, Sarah from SD, Karen from WA, Regina from NJ, Helen from CO, Julie from MA, Phyllis from WI, Joan from DE, Devi from WI, Melanie from OH, Ashley from VA, Elizabeth from TX, Katie from NY, Vinnie from NY, Ann from MA, Bonnie from VA, Leslie from CA, Kathryn from VA, Gudrun from MA, Rori from NM, Ro from GA, Nissa from CO, Janet from AL, Christine from TX, and Mary from KY. How do you become a Loopy Groupie? With your 6th package from us. (Although all of the multiple Wollmeise orders kind of screw things up in all of that. Never fear – we mark you Loopified when you get your bag, so we know if we still owe you one, even if you didn’t get it in the Wollmeise frenzy!  We’ll send it with your next order.)

Loopy’s Summer Vacation: The photos have been coming in all summer! Make sure that you get your photos uploaded by September 30th, and we’ll do voting on the results the first week in October.

Speaking of photos, the Girasole KAL is winding down on October 1st. Make sure to get your photos uploaded in the Girasole gallery  by Oct. 9th and we’ll do voting on those the week after that. (I also have a new KAL in mind, so watch for that soon!)

We have winners from last week’s blog contest about your lessons learned (and there were some doozy lessons.) We’ll be sending out Wollmeise prizes to Kathleen from NJ and Mariah from IA, and both have been emailed, just in case you’re wondering if it’s you.  Congratulations to you both, and thanks to everyone for participating. We’ll have another contest for you in October.

Sheri areYOUaLoopyGroupieyet?We’rethankfulforeachoneofyou!

Thank you for all of the links and ideas you gave for excess yarn, in Friday’s comments.

(Wait. I’m not sure “excess yarn” is even a phrase that ought to be uttered. Is there any such thing? I think not. Let’s call it “stash overflow.”  

Wait. Is there such a thing as an overflow of stash? That’s probably not a good phrase, either. Let’s call it “yarn I’d like to pass on to a good cause.”  Yeah. I can live with that.)

So thank you for all of the links for recipients of yarn that we want to pass on to a good cause. I didn’t make it through my stash this weekend, but it’s on my list. I DID make it through my closet this weekend and the whole household thanks me. Or maybe it’s Goodwill that thanks me. I just know that I can actually get into the closet again, and that’s a good thing.

We just did our Monday Night Re-stock – did you catch it?  You might’ve caught some of The Sanguine Gryphon Skinny Bugga on there for a minute. (ahem). We also put up Shibui Sock and Silk Cloud, Jojoland, Dream in Color Classy and Smooshy (including Classy Flame Season – that limited edition colorway you’ve been waiting for), Fiesta Boomerang and Ballet, and Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Select.

I haven’t knit in a week. I guess there have just been too many other things going on. I have 3 socks that only have about 2″ left to knit, and I have those two shawls that I’m really motivated to cast on. Yarn caked and everything. I hope that I can come up with some time this week to work on these things. What’s the longest time you’ve gone without knitting? (Actually, mine would be 24 years. From age 16 to age 40. That was a long dry spell….)

Sheri gladthatIgotbackintoitafterallthoseyears

Here’s a “Holy Cow” moment – the UPS guy backed up (and up and up and up) to our building. The trouble is, my window is right there. Right behind his truck. I was pretty sure he was going to come right through it. (And the kicker is that he wasn’t even dropping stuff off for us, so I couldn’t “Holy Cow” him when he came in.) He did get out of his truck and walk around to the back to check out how close he was. (CLOSE. About 6″ to spare, which is only possible because he backed up at a slant, which made the corner move in closer than it normally would. Crazy UPS guy.)

Also Holy Cow:

- The Loopy Ewe Facebook Page. Over 1000 of you have joined already. We like that!

(Note – a few of you have emailed to ask if we have a group on Ravelry. Yes, we do. If you go to the group tab and type “Loopy Groupies” or “The Loopy Ewe” into the search engine, it will bring up the group. That’s another Holy Cow, as there are 3000+ of you in that group!)

- It’s Friday. Where did this week go? (Not that I’m complaining.)

- My closet. Boy, do I need to clean that out. That’s on my schedule for tomorrow.

- The yarn stash. Ditto. I have thought it through and now I’m ready to go to work on it. 

After our recent discussions on yarn stash, I’ve had several of you email and ask for names of places that could use donated yarn. If you know of a worthy cause that will make good use of good yarn, please let us know in the comments below. There are quite a few people who would like to donate somewhere, myself included.

Had any Holy Cow moments this week? (Want your own cow photo? I downloaded this courtesy of  The Pioneer Woman’s site. and she very graciously shares it for others to have. I use it as a screensaver here at Loopy Central because they make me smile every morning when I turn the computer on.)

Sheri hopingforapeacefulweekendwithnoholycows