We are celebrating Veteran’s Day here in the U.S., a day to honor all of those who have served in the military. Whether you live here or in countries far from here, most all of us know someone who has been a part of serving their country at one time or another.

I was curious as to how this day came to be, so I did some research. Back in 1918, World War I ended with the implementation of an armistice (temporary cessation of hostilities until the final peace treaty could be signed in 1919) at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November.  In 1919, President Wilson proclaimed the first official “Armistice Day” to honor those who had died in service to their country. The idea was that all businesses would stop for two minutes at 11:00 am on 11/11 to honor these people.

In 1921, Congress passed legislation declaring 11/11/21 a legal Federal holiday to honor all who had participated in the war. In the 20′s and 30′s, most states established 11/11 as a legal holiday, and the President gave an annual proclamation to observe this at the Federal level.

In 1938, Congress passed legislation making 11/11 a permanent legal Federal holiday, Armistice Day. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed legislation to change the name to “Veteran’s Day”. During the 60′s and 70′s, the observance varied between state to state, from the 4th Monday of October to November 11th. In 1978, the celebration was moved back to November 11th for everyone.

I’m sure that I learned about the history of this day as I went through school, but I didn’t remember how it came to be. I’m glad that we have a day to stop, remember, and honor.

Sheri includedinthisFederalholidayisnomailservice.
We’llgetbacktothattomorrowforyou.

Ok – many of you emailed or commented to say that you don’t want the term “Sneak Up” to go away. Truth be told, we will always refer to it as the “Sneak Up” here at Loopy Central, because … well, because it’s ingrained in our brains that way. So call it whatever you’d like, but you know that it means new things going up on Mondays, and that’s the most important part. Things are always hopping here, and we plan to keep it coming!

We have another whopper one for you today because so many things arrived over this past week. One line that I’m thrilled to have back in the shop is Sweet Georgia. If you’ve been with us since the beginning, you know that Felicia’s line is one of the first few indie dyer lines that we added in here. After carrying it for quite awhile, Felicia decided a year-long dyeing break was in order and off she went to travel the world. She came back with more color ideas and a desire to dye, which was good news for all of us! We have our first shipment from her, which is her popular Tough Love Sock Yarn, in many beautiful colors.

Another new dyer that we just added in is Huckleberry Knits. I found Scarlet at Sock Summit this summer. Or, rather, her yarn found me. I was sitting in a talk by Barbara Walker and the person in front of me was knitting the brightest (happiest) colorway I had seen in a long time. Since the session had already started, I couldn’t ask her what it was. But I did walk the marketplace later that afternoon, determined to find it. Sure enough, there it was in Scarlet’s booth. Success! This is the sock that I knit up with it and I really love it. We have Scarlet’s worsted line here right now, with the fingering weight line coming sometime in January. (I wanted the Worsted line, too, because I think her colors would make some really great sweaters.)

We’ve also added in: More Dream in Color Starry, Baby and Classy, more colors of Lorna’s Laces Worsted, Shepherd Sock, Shepherd Sport and Helen’s Laces (also from Lorna’s, the Loopy Ewe colorway in Sock and Sport), 50 colors of Madelinetosh Worsted, a new batch of Sereknity Yarn and Fiber, Mind Your Knitting Beanie Baggies, 3 AM Enchantments bags and wrist tags in the Sheep-y fabric you all love, the new Red bags and accessories from Namaste, and a new pattern from Wendy Knits that gives you fun things to do with your sock yarn leftovers. Come on over and check everything out!

And that’s why we were so busy around here last week. This week is shaping up to be the same way. We like that.

Sheri startedmyTravelingWomanShawlovertheweekend
andIhopetohaveitdonesoon.Greatpattern.

Yum. I tried these Homemade N(ot) O(reo)‘s (because you can’t use that “O” name) and they are so good. Are you one of those who has to take the two chocolate sides off and eat the cream center first? Not me. I like them stuck together, along with a big glass of cold milk.

Homemade NO’s
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups sugar (plus 1/4 cup to flatten the cookies)
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 eggs (room temperature)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Vanilla Cream Filling (see below)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients.

In mixer, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and beat well. Slowly add in dry ingredient mix and continue beating until the dough is well mixed.

Scoop out 1 Tbl.-sized balls onto baking stone (or parchment-lined cookie sheet), about 2″ apart. Dip bottom of glass into sugar and press to flatten cookies to about 1/4″ thick. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool on pan/stone for 2 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Vanilla Cream Filling
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup solid vegetable shortening
7 cups confectioners sugar
2 Tbl. pure vanilla extract

Cream butter and shortening. Gradually add in sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix to combine.

Spread on flat side of one cookie, then top it with the flat side of a second cookie and press lightly.

Filled cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.  Makes approximately 3 dozen sandwiches.

*Note, you can also half the recipe and get just 16 sandwiches. But why would you want to do that?

So much to get done this weekend. I’m still trying to knock off some of the half-finished items from my “to knit” list, so that when I write about it in the blog next week, it won’t look quite so bad…

Sheri madetheselastweekandtookthemtoWebGuyinOhio
NowI’mwishingIhadonetogowithmycoffee.

Look – a PAIR! I knit this first String Theory sock on vacation in Colorado this summer. I loved the yarn so much that I immediately started in on the second sock. However, somewhere between that vacation and the Sock Summit hullabaloo, it got stalled out. Now that the weather is getting cold, I needed the second one done so that I can wear them! I used the Celebratory Socks pattern (free here on my blog under Free Patterns). This was a great combination of one of my favorite yarns plus one of my favorite patterns. A true pleasure to knit up. Several of you have asked when we will have more String Theory. They were busy busy busy with Stitches East and then a retreat, but are now busy dyeing up more orders for us.  Watch for it later in November or early December. (We’re also adding in two more of their lines, so that is something to look forward to as well.)

November Sock Club invoices went out today, so if you’re in our Sock Club, check your in-box. It always amazes me how quickly most of you find those emails and pay up so that we can get your boxes out to you! I’ve been busy working on the 2010 Sock Club and am excited about starting up the next one. We’re working with some great dyers and designers again for next year and we have added quite a few more spots for 2010, as well as a fun tweak or two. Details and signups for the 2010 Club will go up in mid-January (so watch the blog and the monthly customer email newsletter in early January).

I enjoyed reading about the things you always really really really wanted when growing up. Many of you felt the same way about Easy Bake Ovens and horses. I laughed when I read Jean’s comment: “I wanted the EasyBake oven and a horse too!  Never did get the oven – mom’s argument was that she’d let me use the big oven any time I wanted, Why did I need a tiny fake one?” That was exactly what my mom said. She was always happy to have me do any baking I might want to do in the real oven. Of course nothing really compared to baking a couple of tablespoons of cake batter by lightbulb. I was also glad to read that Helene finally got the dog she has always wanted (and named her Happy)! I love reading all of your blog comments.

Speaking of getting gifts – I’m realizing that the holidays will be here too SOON and I have much knitting to get done. I’m making a list and will share it with you next week. You know, just so you can tell me that  1) I’m nuts or  2) your list is a lot worse. Either response will probably make me feel better.

Sheri wishyoucouldseealloftheyarnboxesthathavearrived
inthepasttwodays.Holycow.Muchphotoinggoingon.

We had a great time at the wedding in Ohio this past weekend. The groom was one of Web Guy’s college roommates and the bride was his long-time girlfriend. (Nathan’s long-time girlfriend. Not Web Guy’s long-time girlfriend!  That didn’t come out right…) It’s so fun when you know both the bride and the groom and can celebrate the long road that has brought them to this place. Here’s a photo of the three roomies (handsome fellows) and the beautiful bride. Web Guy is the tall one on the right. One of the sad things about your kids graduating from college is that you don’t get to see their college friends nearly as often. I miss them (and their nice parents – Hi Jari!).

I worked on Sock Number One of my “if it’s going to be gloomy then the least I can do is WEAR sunshine” socks. This is out of Lorna’s Laces Sport in Butterscotch (I love the golden color), and I used the Monica Knit’s Swirl Socks pattern. Changes to the pattern: I knit them toe-up with a short-row heel and used 60 stitches instead of 70. I’ve already started the second sock. I think Swirling Sunshine Socks (say that three times) will be perfect for gloomy days, inside and out. I know that many of you said you were also going to knit some sunshine socks, so you’ll have to let us know what yarn and pattern you have chosen. It’s good to have mood-enhancing socks, don’t you think?

We did a big Sneak Up for you this afternoon. Actually, some of you may have noticed that I have started referring to them as “Monday Updates” instead. A few people get all wigged out over the idea of  ”sneaking up” and think that it’s a marketing scheme. (That always cracks me up. It was simply a survival scheme. As in “let’s just put things up quietly so that the website doesn’t crash from too many people on at once” strategy. We said, “We can’t announce the exact time any more, so we’ll just sneak it up for you and then you can stumble upon it when you check the site.” This started being referred to as a “Sneak Up”.) We went to a much larger server over a year ago and so far it has handled even Wollmeise updates without completely crashing. Most of you know that we put a big batch of new things up most Mondays, so I’m now going with “Monday Update” and hoping that it’s a term that everyone can handle.

In tonight’s Monday Update: 6 more colors of Fleece Artist’s specially priced Nyoni, Dream in Color Starry (some of the colors have arrived back in stock. We’ll add the rest as they trickle in via UPS). Also, Dream in Color Baby, Perchance to Knit 24/7 Sock, Lorna’s Laces Worsted (more colors arriving as they get dyed up. This is such beautiful yarn!). We also added Black Bunny Fibers Classic, a re-stock of Woolpets (along with two new kits – Chickadees and Sock Monkey), Offhand Designs (in 2 new styles – Suzannah and Daisy, which is reversible so that you can have all of those pockets on the inside or the outside of the bag), Della Q needle cases (I love having my needles all organized in Della’s organizers), more Marie Mayhew patterns, and a re-stock of Addi Clicks in the new smaller soft-touch pack which makes it easier for traveling. Whew. I think that’s it. Come on over and check it out.

Sheri ithasbeenareallybusyMondaybuttheSUNisSHININGtoday
soalliswell!