Mondays are always a lot of fun around here. Our Inventory Manager Rebecca gets to unpack boxes of colors and wonderful things in the stock room during the week, and on Mondays we get to see everything that is going up in the night’s Update. Woohoo – so much cool stuff! Besides getting your weekend orders out, we also spend Mondays working on stocking the new things on the shelves, so that it’s all ready to pull and pack up to ship to YOU during the rest of the week. (That part is fun, too. We like seeing what you pick out.) Last night’s Monday Update included:

Madelinetosh Merino Light – this beautiful single ply fingering weight is awesome for shawls, cowls, sweaters, gloves – all kinds of wonderful things. We have it available in over 100 colors. Here is a picture of the Faberge shawl that one of our Thursday Knit Nighters – Cricket – knit up and let us borrow for display at Loopy. She made this with Merino Light in Glazed Pecan and Earl Grey. It’s a fun knit, and you get to incorporate beads into the border, too.

Madelinetosh Sock – a handful of pretty colors from a back order. 11 in all, added to what we already have in stock.

Manos del Uruguay Serena – a wonderful Sportweight yarn that we’ve just added in. Serena is kettle-dyed on a base that is 60% Baby Alpaca and 40% Pima Cotton. It is so soft! Each skein is signed by the artisan who dyed your yarn and the village she resides in. We have it in solids and multi-colors. Try this yarn for cowls, shawls, mitts, scarves and sweaters. (Shown here in Hummingbird.)

The Loopy Ewe Sock Blockers – re-stocked in all sizes of the red plastic blockers.

Conductive Thread Bobbins – hold this thread together with your regular yarn as you knit the thumb and index fingers of gloves. You’ll then be able to use your touchscreen devices (phone, iPad, etc) while keeping your fingers warm. You’ll find this in the Knitting Gadgets section on the website.

Wooden Yarn Caddies – George has been down from Wyoming to bring us more of his beautiful yarn caddies! We’ve re-stocked both the small and large sizes. (Shown here in Red Cedar.)

Knitter’s Pride – we’ve re-stocked all needles and sets.

ChiaoGoo – we’ve re-stocked all needles.

Kollage – sizes O, 1 and 2 are now being made and we have them in stock. Some people find that these square needles are easier on the hands when knitting.

Knitting Notions – we’ve re-stocked a variety of notions, including the magnetic Chart Holders in small and large sizes.

Have fun checking out the new things, and pop in on the Webcam. You might see us packaging up your Box of Fun! (And you did notice Valentine Loopy on the Webcam, right? Elf Roberta continues to keep him outfitted in the best costumes.)

Sheri goingovertogazeuponallofthatlovelyMerinoLightonemoretime

We’ve carried Heichi for quite awhile, but I hadn’t made anything out of it yet. That will change. We received several garments from Shibui for an in-store trunk show, and it’s just beautiful knit up. Heichi is a worsted weight yarn that is 100% silk and comes 105 yards to the skein. All of these patterns are in the book Heichi, by Shibui.

Trace (the tank) using 6-8 skeins of the color Fountain, and Ripple (the dark blue blanket) using 8 skeins of the color Canal.

Echo (the long sleeve cardi) using 4-6 skeins of the color Steel and 4-6 skeins of the color Tar, and Reflection (the short sleeved sweater) using 6-9 skeins of the color Column.

Element (the tank dress/tunic) using 6-9 skeins of the color Lichen.

Shadow (the vest) using 10-15 skeins of the color Tar.

Dusk (the long sleeved sweater) using 9-14 skeins in the color Steel.

Dusk is the one I have my eye on, although I also like Reflection a lot, too. But you know my history with sweater knitting. I seem to be unable to finish many. At all. I need to change that. Maybe a new pattern (Dusk) and yarn (need to decide which color) would help? If I’m going to have to walk in the door at Loopy every morning and see those beautiful knits for a few weeks, I’m going to have to jump in and knit one. Which is your favorite?

Sheri likingthemoreneutralcolors,Ithink

This was a project made with lots of love. My BFF Monica (author of the crazy-popular blog The Yummy Life) is getting her first grandbaby soon. So exciting! And of course when I first heard, I immediately thought of all the fun things I could knit for that new little person. I finally settled on a baby blanket, because when I had Web Guy oh-so-many-years-ago, someone sent me a wonderful handknit baby blanket and I used it all the time. I wasn’t even a knitter at the time, but I loved that sweet blanket. Here’s the one I just finished:

I have had the Pine Forest Baby Blanket on my favorites list ever since Knit Nighter Robyn made one last year and worked on it on Thursday nights. It’s such a beautiful pattern and a little more interesting than the same old knit and purl baby blankets that are out there. I picked Spud and Chloe Sweater because I like that it’s machine wash/dry, and it’s 55% merino, 45% cotton (so not as hot as all wool). I used these cute heart stitch markers between repeats, and it was a nice visual of all the love I was knitting into that blanket as I worked along.

I think I’m going to have to send Little Loopy along with the blanket, as he’s a bit enamored with the whole thing. Plus, he loves babies. Every time one comes in the shop, he hops into their baby carriage. I’m not sure the moms always appreciate that.

I might need to make this baby a sweater for next fall, too. And I’ll definitely make this blanket again. I love how it turned out. Baby things are so much fun to knit.

Sheri nobabiesinmyfamilyrightnow,soIhavetoborrowthemfromfriends

P.S. This blanket would also be beautiful done in Dream in Color Classy, Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted, and Cascade 220 Superwash – all yarns that are machine wash and dry, which is important to moms with young kids.

It’s nice to be back with you for a regular Monday Update again! We have been stockpiling things in the stock room over the holidays, and tonight we start back into sharing the new things with you on Mondays. Just up, we added in:

Madelinetosh Merino Light. This single-ply fingering weight yarn is great for shawls, scarves, lightweight sweaters, and more. I used it for two different two-color projects (and have a few more 2-color combos squirreled away in my stash for more shawls to come.) I used it for a Pamuya:

And I also used it for a Whippoorwill:

It’s a wonderful base to work with. If you haven’t yet tried it, you ought to.

Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere. This is a luscious base. Also wonderful to work with, and so soft to wear. It would make great socks, scarves, cowls, hats, shawls, mittens and gloves. I used it to make a 28′s Cousin 53:

We also added in notions from HiyaHiya – Puppy Snips, Kitty Snips, Dumpling Cases, and Yarn Ball Stitchmarkers. How cute are these Snips?

We’ve also re-stocked the HiyaHiya needles (circulars, DPN’s, Interchangeable sets and tips, etc.)

And several different scents and sizes of Soak wash.

Remember, all of your 2013 purchases accumulate points in our new Loopy Rewards Program. We keep track and send you fun little gifts each time you earn them. We’ve had a great time sending out reward gifts already this week, and we look forward to sending out many more. We appreciate you all here!

Sheri thinkingaboutstartinganewprojecttonight.Howaboutyou?

Swan’s Island sent us this awesome Olivia Cowl pattern to offer with purchase of a skein of their Worsted weight yarn. I liked the look of it so much that I whipped one up. The trouble is, this one needs to stay at the shop, so I am going to have to make another one for myself. You can wear it in a single loop, or double up to get closer to your neck. It’s knit as a long (42″) piece and then you Kitchener the edges together. I made mine in the Raspberry color.

It was quick to knit up and I really like the way the basketweave stitch is on an angle. See?

I also like the substantial looking edges on the top and bottom. It looks like an i-cord edging, but it’s just the way the pattern knits up.

Do you need a new cowl for the wintery weather? If you order a skein of Swan’s Island Worsted and would like the pattern, just leave us an order note and we will email it to you.

Sheri nowworkingonababyblanketforafriend’snewgrandbaby!

One of the classes we’re teaching this quarter is “Your First Mittens”. I wandered by the class while it was in session and decided I needed to make those mittens, too. They are incredibly thick and toasty feeling. Made from a bulky weight yarn, they really keep the chill out. You can find the pattern free (Super Bulky Mittens for Women) and I made it with 1 skein of Malabrigo Rasta. I did add a total of 4 extra stitches to the mitten to make it a little larger, and I also did 10 rows on the cuff to make them a bit longer. This pattern would be equally stunning in The Fibre Company’s Tundra or Spud and Chloe Outer. I made this pair for a gift, but since it only took me one evening of knitting, I’m planning to make a pair for myself as well.

While I was looking for that pattern on Ravelry, I came across a few other fun, bulky (quick to knit) mittens and mitts you also might want to check out: Raglan Mitts, Axel Mitts (I like the turn-down cuff), Highly Regarded Mitts, Chunky Cables Wrist Warmers, Shelburne Mittens, Basket Weave Mittens, and Herringbone Mittens.

Of course as long as you’re making mittens, you might as well make a hat to match, right? So check out these cute bulky hat patterns (and remember – bulky usually means quick-to-knit): Garden Gate Mittens and Hat, Super Chunky Super Quick Toque, Thorpe, and Bella’s Hat. With just under two weeks until Christmas, it’s probably time to do a few bulky projects. Do you like to knit with bulky yarn? Those needles (size 11) seemed so big when I started, but by the second mitten I was whizzing right along with them. Plus, I really like that the mittens are so warm and thick. I imagine it’s the same with anything you knit out of bulky yarn. There are definitely a lot of pluses in using it.

Sheri whomightbeanewbulkyfan