Have you seen this? This nice picture of the Mona Lisa…

… was made from 3604 cups of coffee (with differing amounts of milk added to each cup to create the different tones and shades.) It measured 20 feet high by 13 feet wide and was created for The Rocks Aroma Festival in Sydney, Australia – a coffee-lovers event.

And look – apparently you can paint with coffee, too. Who knew? (I think I’ll stick to drinking it while I knit.)

We received another batch of ChiaoGoo Lace needles in yesterday and put them up on the website – just in case you’ve been waiting for them.

Sheri nowsuddenlyneedingtobrewacup.Andknit.

We’re busy getting things pulled together to move the shop cross-country, and we decided to put all patterns and all Mary Hadley Pottery on sale this week for 20% off. We’d rather ship it to you than ship it to Colorado! (We’ll re-stock the patterns and pottery again once we get everything moved out here. We’re not dropping those lines.) If you’ve had your eye on some interesting patterns or a cute Hadley Loopy Groupie pin, mug or yarn bowl – now is the time to pick one up.

We also have a new exclusive colorway from Studio June for you called Loopy’s Colorado Christmas. Jill did this on her 8-ply Eight Bells base – a heavy fingering weight with 400 yds. to the skein (shown here). I love how it turned out. This would be great for socks, a one-skein shawl, or a pretty hat and mitts.

We put the rest of our second batch of The Sanguine Gryphon’s anniversary yarn up (shown here – Colorado Hairstreak). This is our very last batch of Sanguine Gryphon, as the two partners are stopping that business at the end of this year and moving on to pursue their own things. We still have a few more colors of Bugga, Skinny Bugga, and Mithril Lace in stock, but when that’s gone, there won’t be any more.

We won’t’ have an official update next week (or for a couple of weeks) but we will be adding a few more re-stocks in the next week or so. I’ll post on Facebook when we add those things in and will also add it to the blog.

Sheri whosnuckthisblogpostinLATEtoday.Shhhh.

Today is Veterans Day – a day in which we celebrate the people who have served our country in war, for the freedoms that we enjoy. Here is a picture from Arlington National Cemetery.

From the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs comes this explanation, which I have paraphrased: World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. However, fighting actually ceased months earlier when an armistice (or temporary cessation of hostilities) went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918 is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars”. In 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the first commemoration of Armistice Day, honoring the veterans of World War I. In 1954, President Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation, making the November 11th holiday a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” John F. Kennedy

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” Cynthia Ozick

“Freedom is never free.”  Unknown

“In war, there are no unwounded soldiers.” Jose Jarosky

“It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you.”  Unknown

“Lord, bid war’s trumpet cease; fold the whole earth in peace.” Oliver Wendell Holmes

If you have served, have a family member who has served, or have someone currently serving – thank you.

Sheri

(This also means that there is no mail today. We’ll get orders out on Monday!)

Well, as promised, I have made another cowl – a Summer Wind Cowl, just because I so enjoyed the first one. This one is out of our Loopy Legends Janice’s Sunshine in Winter color. The colorway represents a mixture of snow and cold (white and blue) with a brilliant winter sun shining through. I love it. Also? I’m pretty sold on the idea of these long loop continuous cowls.

You can wear them long:

You can wear them looped twice around your neck:

Or you can wear them more like a scarf:

I’m making another long cowl in a different pattern, and …. I’m bored. Oh, the cowl will be nice when it’s done and I’m knitting it double-stranded with Wollmeise Lace, but it’s sucking the knitting mojo right out of me. Each night I think I’ll knit and then I don’t want to pick that project up. So guess what? I think I need to start a new project. Don’t you think? Maybe I can talk myself into a set of 4 rows on the boring cowl (because that’s the pattern repeat) and then I can hop over to the more interesting project. That might just get me through it.

I’ve been keeping my cowls, scarves and shawls draped over this mannequin (bought for $10 at a shop going out of business), in my little office by the front door. It’s easy to grab one on my way out, and I like seeing them layered there.

Although, to be honest, it usually looks quite a bit messier. More like this:

Also? I don’t like that front door and I don’t like the terra cotta colored tile in this new (to us) house. But both items are way down on the “gotta change that” list, since they are perfectly fine and serviceable for the time being. Darn it.

Do you have a place to keep your most wearable knits out and easy to pop on as you walk out the door?

Sheri hopingtogetmyknittingmojobackagainsoon

Maybe now that I’ve gotten that out of my head, I’ll be able to write future Monday posts without a song echoing on in my brain. Although now I have that Friday song going round and round in my head ….

• Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted – this is one of the softest superwash worsted yarns that I’ve seen, and you can’t beat their color combinations. (Shown here in Hullabaloo.)

• Lorna’s Laces Helen’s Lace – 1250 yards per skein and a beautiful 50/50 silk/merino base, makes this a special yarn to use for your favorite shawls. I’d tell you that it would make a wonderful yarn for gift-knitting, but I think you’d finish the project and decide to keep it all for yourself.

• Lorna’s Laces Sock and Solemate – since we have orders in with Lorna’s all the time, we get colors of Sock and Solemate at least a couple of times a month. They’re good about filling in on our orders as they rotate through their colorways.

• GoKnit Bags- I know the Small Fur bags sold out in a blink last week, so we got more quickly, shown below. We also have the Small Ostrich and Small Crocodile in stock. (Note – the Fur, Ostrich and Crocodil only come in the Small size. And you know they’re all “faux”, right?)

• Chic-A – more yarn keepers from some of the back-ordered colors. I really like their yarn keepers. I’m knitting a cowl with double-stranded lace right now, and the Double Yarn Keeper is what is keeping me sane during the process.

• Alisha Goes Around – we have another new yarn base from Alisha. This one is called Tracks of Bison in a fingering weight. It’s 90% superwash merino and 10% bison down. It is so warm! I made this cowl out of a skein of it, and I have been wearing it out and about this fall. (Shown here in Deciduous.)

• Cascade Heritage Silk Handpaints – the Heritage Silk line has been especially popular for socks and shawls. The 85% superwash merino / 15% silk combo gives a little extra strength for socks and a little extra sheen for shawls. Now we have it in subtle handpaint colorways, to add to the solid line that we’ve carried for awhile.

Today I’ve been thinking about sweater knitting. I think it’s the Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted that did it to me. I’ve always wanted a sweater out of it. So here are some sweater links to get you thinking (in several different weights):

Worsted – in Lorna’s Shepherd Worsted, Cascade 220, Dream in Color Classy, Cascade Eco Alpaca, Spud and Chloe Sweater, and Blue Sky’s Worsted Hand Dyes.
In Threes Baby Cardigan (maybe it’s because I know too many people having babies right now, but I am itching to knit this! Just bought it and printed it out.)
Dark and Stormy (I am addicted to Thea’s sweaters. I also love her Irish Coffee, and her Vodka Gimlet. And in “addicted” I mean I want to knit them all. I haven’t yet.)
Ranger or Brownstone (great guy sweaters and I’m picturing them in Cascade 220.)
White Pine (what a pretty cardi, with plenty of interesting stitch work to keep you entertained.)

DK/sport – in Lorna’s Shepherd Sport, Alpaca Baby Twist, Amy Butler DK, Madelinetosh Sport, and Cascade Ultra Pima.
Peasy (simple, but with interest up at the top)
Rivel Cardigan (Miriam Felton is another designer whose patterns I always love)
Thornfield Cardigan (loving the ruffles and sweet details)
Talamh (another sweater with great details)

Fingering/Lace – in Alisha Tracks of Bison, Madelinetosh Merino Light, Schaefer Anne, Shibui Sock, Cascade Heritage Silk and Heritage Silk Paints, and Swan’s Island.
Tempest (I like the thick and thin stripes)
Myrtle Cardigan (I bought this forever ago. Still want to make it.)
Elphaba Pullover (such a flattering style and I like the edging detail)
Making Waves Cardigan (rushing – what a great edging addition)

Enjoy the new things and the Elves will work on getting your orders out in the morning. We only have one more Monday Update from St. Louis after tonight (next week). No updates on Thanksgiving week and then we’ll have two Monday’s off from updates as the shop moves cross-country. But no worries – I’ve already had shipments arriving here in Colorado for our first Monday Update from the mountains. We’ll have plenty for you after the temporary Monday dryspell!

Sheri spendingtheeveningknitting-whatareyoudoing?

We have winners today! First of all, the winners of our Camp Loopy Project Two awards. It took us awhile to tally up all of the votes, but we had a Reader’s Choice winner. That goes to Christina in CA for her beautiful Owlie Socks. We also drew four winners from all of the entries, and those go to: Jessica in NM (Eugenia’s Mittens), Samantha in IL (Sammi’s Convertible Mittens), Rebecca in VT (Sprouting), and Eve in PA (Sweet Loopy Socks). Each of the winners has received a $25 Loopy credit, and I know they’ll spend it well!

Now please help us choose your favorite project from Camp Loopy’s Project Three Gallery. You can send your response to us at support@theloopyewe.com and we’ll report back soon.

We also have winners of last month’s blog contest, which I snuck in at the last minute. We’re sending a skein of Wollmeise to Diane in MA, Patricia in WA, and Jen in CA. Congratulations to all of you!

Today’s recipe is one I tried earlier in the fall and it was a hit. I found it on Pinterest and it comes from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. I hope you and your family enjoy it.

Baked Penne Chicken, Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1 bunch broccoli (about 1.5 lbs.), cut into small pieces
12 oz. penne pasta
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 md. onion, minced
6 md. garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 c. flour
2 c. chicken broth (I used low sodium)
1 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into small pieces
3 oz. smoked mozzarella, shredded (I used regular – couldn’t find smoked)
8 oz. jar oil-packed sune-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

Topping:
3/4 c. bread crumbs mixed with 2 Tbl. melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bring water to boil in large pot, add 1 Tbl. salt and the broccoli. Cook the broccoli until it is bright green – 2-4 minutes. Remove from water and add pasta to the boiling water. Cook until al dente (about a minute less than you might normally cook it). Drain and toss with 1 Tbl. olive oil.

Drain water from pot and add 1 Tbl. oil. Put on med. heat until you see the oil shimmer. Add the onion and cook about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme, mixing well. Slowly whisk in the broth and cream, stirring as you bring it to a simmer. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and cook through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes and mozzarella.

Add the pasta and broccoli to the sauce, and stir to combine. Transfer to a greased 9 x 13 pan and sprinkle with the topping. Bake at 400 degrees until it’s bubbling and the crumbs are lightly brown (about 15 minutes). Enjoy!

Sheri thinkingaboutcastingonahatthisweekend.
Gotafavoritehatpattern?