Today we have Stacy from Tempted Yarns in the Loopy Limelight! Stacy has been one of our indie dyers since last spring and her line has been very popular here. It was especially fun to have her at our first Spring Fling to get to know her in person. (And I wish you all could sit and watch her spin. It’s almost as relaxing as spinning yourself!) Check out the brand new Tempted Cashmere/Merino roving that we just added to the website.  It’s amazing.
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Loopy: Hi Stacy!  Thanks for being in the Limelight today. First things first – how long have you been a knitter and who taught you to knit?
Stacy: I began knitting by accident about 6 years ago, shortly after the death of my sweet, amazing, talented and inspiring grandmother.  I was feeling a little nostalgic one day while doing my shopping at the local Super Wal-Mart and wandered into the craft section.  I had always been very interested in crafts and I love working with my hands and making something. This is a tendency of almost all the women in my family.  My Granny had tried and tried to teach me to crochet throughout my childhood but I just never could seem to get past a chain. In fact on a few occasions I think she was about ready to throw the hook at me – I was hopeless.  While I was strolling down the craft aisle I reminisced over some of my early memories of her, playing under her current quilt in progress, laying down on newspaper so she could trace me to make me a new play shirt, and playing drums with her knitting needles. (I know I bent a few).  I finally got to the yarn and saw a ‘Teach Yourself to Knit’ kit and got to thinking about all of the failed yarn attempts in my youth. But this was not crochet – this was knitting, so maybe I could do it! I bought some good old cheap yarn and the knitting kit and ran home to try.  I did fine with the stitches and since no one close to me knit, I started off with a scarf and attached hood for my 5 yr. old daughter. What a disaster.  I had absolutely no understanding of gauge or what yarns are appropriate for what project and I swear it might have fit a small giant (and the yarn was way too heavy).  Before too long I was introduced to a Yarn Store… OMG I think I walked around with my mouth wide open and drooling. I had no idea there were so many delightful, wonderful, yummy fibers out there.  I am from a very small town and if Wal Mart didn’t carry it we didn’t have it.  It wasn’t too long before I decided to make a pair of socks.  I had made sweaters and scarves but never anything in the round, and I had been totally self taught up to that point.  I think I tried for a week to cast on the cuff with no luck at all. Looking back on it I feel kind of stupid but I just couldn’t understand how to join in the round.  Finally I broke down and drove the hour it takes to get to the LYS and got help from the kindest woman.  I Got It!!!  I was off and running.

Loopy: I love that you were inspired by your grandmother. She’d like knowing that you are a knitter and spinner and dyer after all this time! What is your favorite item to knit now?
Stacy: That’s a tough one. I love the first sock of a pair but I seem to have a horrible time with the second one.  Right now I have ‘Linear’ by Norah Gaughan, ‘Frost, flowers, and Leaves’ shawl by Eugen Beugler, ‘Casablanca’ by Annie Modesitt , a poncho for my 1 1/2 year old niece and several pairs of socks – 2 by Wendy Johnson and 1 pair by Cookie A, all on the needles.  I am not a monogamous knitter but I love them all completely at different times.  I am planning my next project continuously.   I guess my answer is whatever is in my hands right now.

Loopy: I don’t understand monogamous knitters, anyway.  It’s always fun to have lots going on. What is the most challenging thing that you have knit to date?
Stacy: Well I would have to say that it was the ‘Little Red Riding Hoody’ from DomiKNITrix.  The pattern wasn’t terribly hard or challenging but I decided to spin all the yarn for it, so it became a very challenging project. Considering that I had only been spinning for about a month when I decided to start it, it would have to win as hands-down, the most challenging.

Loopy: It was very fun to watch you spin at our Spring Fling. You make it look so easy! Have you been a spinner for long? And what prompted you to learn?
Stacy: I have been spinning for about 2 1/2 years and I am still constantly learning more and more about it.  I had this wild hair about wanting to own sheep and alpaca.  One day my little girl and I took a trip to an Alpaca farm just outside of Tulsa.  When I saw them I just fell in love – they are so cute and soft.  I think we spent about 3 hours there and in that time I learned that they had all this fiber in bags just sitting in a corner of their house.  I was eager to get my hands on some of it. I was such a fanatical knitter that it seemed blasphemous to have the fiber and not have a plan for it.  I bought a little and as soon as I got home I started researching spinning: where could I find a wheel, were there classes, and above all, how quick could I get one?  I am all about instant gratification!  I found a spinning guild in Tulsa and also a Louet/Schacht dealer who sold wheels out of her house.  I called her and as soon as I could, I set up an appt. to meet and try a wheel. Seriously, I was a woman obsessed.  She was kind enough to let me borrow one and try it for awhile.  I also bought some dog brushes and did my best to card the alpaca fiber. Looking back, it was dreadful, but boy was I proud of myself!  Eventually I made it to a guild meeting and one of the kind ladies there offered to share some of her fiber stash with me. I have no idea what breed of sheep I had but I carded and spun it on the borrowed wheel.  I then knitted it into the ‘Hip Hop Coat’ by Ann Bud and gave it to a very good friend.  No one told me it was too big of a project or that I needed to practice and hone my skills and I didn’t think there was any reason my first real spinning project couldn’t be a big ol’ coat.  Kinda like me rushing into knitting – I just see it and then do it. Honestly I think if I put too much thought into it I would freeze up and never get anything done.

Loopy: That’s probably true about a lot of people – we overthink things and get a bit paralyzed. Much better to just jump in and not be afraid of what you don’t know! How did you go from knitting and spinning to dyeing?
Stacy: You can probably tell that I am kind of a jump-in-with-both-feet kind of person.  Once I had started spinning and realized how much control I had over the yarn, dyeing just made sense.  I had been in search of the perfect red yarn for a long time (hadn’t heard of Wollmeise yet) and my step daughter had just learned to knit and decided to make her mother-in-law a pair of socks.  We discussed what yarn she might want to use and eventually I said she ought to dye it herself, to make a personal gift even more personal.  We did, and it was kind of like potato chips. We just couldn’t stop with one!

Loopy: So you started because you needed a good red. Now how do you come up with your colorways, and  do you have a favorite?
Stacy: Colorways….colorways…sometimes it is easy and sometimes it seems so hard.  I see everything in potential colorways anymore, whether I am driving to pick up my daughter, watching the sunrise or TV, or shopping. I try to remember and sometimes even make notes of what colors I have seen and how they interact.

Loopy: We know that you have some special helpers with your business.  How did you meet your two fun knitting lady friends?
Stacy: Well what can I say about Kaye and Del? They’re otherwise known as ‘the Gray Ladies’, or ‘the Tempted Slaves’ (if you ask them) or ‘my minions’. It sounds like I am in control but that is far from the truth!  They have quickly become some of my very best friends. We meet almost every Tuesday and spend the whole day together. When I started spinning I met an extraordinary woman who had owned a knitting and spinning shop for years. She had moved it to her home at this point and although Bette had been legally blind since birth she was an expert when it came to the fiber arts. What an inspiration.  She was a part of a local kniting guild that I didn’t even know existed and she asked if I would be interested in coming and if so, would I mind giving her a ride?  Spending any time with Bette was like having every knitting and spinning book right there with you. She was a fount of knowledge and I jumped at the opportunity!  So I began going to the Guild meetings and picking up Bette and that is where I met Del and Kaye.  I was very privileged to be invited to an exclusive meeting at Bette’s house that she called her ‘Cozy Crew’ of which Del and Kaye were a part.  It was kind of like being the first kid picked for Red Rover – I was very happy and grateful to be included.  Way too soon after I met her, Bette passed away.  One of the requests she made of her daughters was that after they had gone through and picked everything that they wanted from her stash/store, that they have her ‘Cozy Crew’ over to take the rest.  The ‘Cozy Crew’ met at Bette’s one night and we spent all evening picking through a full yarn store. Del, Kaye and I ended up spending most of that evening together and what was already a great friendship was then set in stone.  Even more amazing and shocking was that Bette’s family gave me one of her spinning wheels, a ‘Rio Grande’ wheel. What an honor.  As Kaye has told me ‘Bette was our rock’ and I give her a lot of credit for bringing us together before and even after her death.  Since then we have spent a lot of time together and when I get a little too serious or stressed out they will get me laughing to the point of tears and remind me why I love to knit, spin and dye.  Actually I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have them to lean on.  Kaye has been a business woman most of her life and is very handy to have around when I need to make big decisions, and Del is an enabler and encourager extrordinaire. She never lets me get discouraged. Now if I can just get her to break out that Matchless of hers and learn to spin (she has had it for over a year).  I don’t think that Tempted would have become what it is now without them and lucky for me they will work for yarn.

Loopy: What a great story!  You make a great point as to why it’s so important to have other knitting friends in your life, and it’s very fun that they help with your business. What is your favorite part of your job? And your not-so-favorite part?
Stacy: My favorite part is putting the dye to fiber and seeing what everyone makes from it. I love hearing what has become of the yarns and fibers.  Thank goodness for Ravelry! The least favorite is the paperwork and re-skeining.  It’s just nowhere near as fun.

Loopy: I think that would be a good question for people to answer in the comments.  Do you like seeing yarn skeined or unskeined? Personally, I like it un-skeined. I think the colors look bolder and the dyework is clearer (in how they mix and blend). I like getting an idea of the colors straight from the dyepot.  Maybe if more people prefer un-skeined (aka: not re-wound after the dyepot), you could save some time there! Is there anything else you’d like to add today?
Stacy: I would love to let Loopy, Sheri and everyone at The Loopy Ewe know that it is so amazing to get to be a part of the Loopy family.  The Loopy Ewe has the most wonderful customers, I have made so many great friends because of the Loopy Ewe, and it is so so much more then just an online yarn store. It is much more like family.  Thank you!

Loopy: Awww.   Well we agree that we do have the most wonderful customers and Loopy friends!!
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This week’s Sneak Up has snuck up! Tonight you’ll find: Cherry Tree Hill Select Supersock re-stock, The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga, PolarKnit Fleece yarn, PolarKnit Yarn Dots, Tempted Cashmere Blend Roving, 3 AM Enchantments Knitting Bags (coffee fabric!), ShibuiKnits re-stock, Chewy Spaghetti Laceweight, Dream in Color Don’t Be Blue Classy and a one-time only Dream in Color Classy Flame Season (an oops color that they offered to us – and we love it!). Come check it all out.  Later this week, we’ll have more Sock the Vote colorways up for you. The first large order that arrived here was all pre-sold before we could put it up!

Sheri hadsuchalovelyweekendwithKnittingDaughterhome.
36daysuntilsheandCollegeGuyarehomeagain.
Yes,Idocountthemdown….

I’ll admit it. I’m totally smitten with the yarns and roving that come by the case-full from The Sanguine Gryphon. The subtle (rich, classy) blend of colors are simply amazing, and I have a hard time keeping my hands off of them. Today, you get to meet the Gryphon behind The Sanguine Gryphon!
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Loopy: Hi Gryphon!  We’re so glad to have you in the Limelight today. I think you might be our first belly-dancing indie dyer.  Or at least the first one who has sent us a photo! How long have you been a knitter and who taught you to knit?
Gryphon: My mother taught me to knit when I was a teenager and I had a burst of enthusiasm, but then put it aside and forgot all about it. Five or so years ago I saw a woman knitting on a train and asked her to show me. She tried to teach me to throw the yarn and I was all muddled and awkward, until I tuned her out and let my hands take over. In an instant I was zipping along, continental, as my mother had shown me. I haven’t put the needles down since.

Loopy: I guess our brains and fingers really do remember things from long ago! So what is your favorite item to knit?
Gryphon: Anything involving a technique I don’t yet know.

Loopy: So what will you do when you run out of new things to learn?? Well, thankfully, people keep coming up with new things to challenge all of us. Before being a dyer, what other jobs have you had in life?
Gryphon: Oh dear. You sure you want to ask this, Loopy? Let’s see? I’ve done a lot of teaching and private tutoring, recently knitting and spinning classes, but before that Latin, German, chemistry, composition, math, and probably other things I’ve forgotten. I did the usual waitressing and bartending that follows the acquisition of a BA. I was – ahem – a ‘dancer’ and occasionally a bouncer in some seedy joints in Baltimore for waaay too long (am I making Loopy blush?), followed by a stint as a molecular biologist at the National Institutes of Health (the fabulous thing about having a degree in philosophy is that you can talk your way into ANYTHING), and then some office work for an environmental science company. Oh, and I had a historical costuming business in college.

Loopy: Wow.  Yes, I’m really glad I asked!  What a history of experience. We’re glad that you ended up here with us. How did you go from knitting to dyeing?
Gryphon: When I decided to launch my business I thought I’d just sell spinning wheels, fiber, and handspun yarn. And then my dear friend and fabulous dyer Kate of Dragonfly Fibers (who also dyes some of The Sanguine Gryphon colourways for The Loopy Ewe) taught me to dye and it completely rocked my world. Really, I owe Kate much of my present existence, aside from the fact that she puts up with a lot of craziness from me.

Loopy: How do you come up with your colorways, and do you have a favorite?
Gryphon: Many of my colourways are based on paintings or photographs, especially nature images. Others are just mixes that seem like a good idea, and a few are the creations of some of my elves or my friends’ children. My favourites tend to be the murky greens, like Gorgias or Glaucon. In fact, sometimes I look up at the drying lines after a day of what should have been varied dyeing to see golden green beside brown-green beside moss green beside olive green?

Loopy: That Gorgias is the first skein of Sanguine Gryphon that we started knitting here, too.  We love it. Of course it’s sold out again – you need to make more for us.   Another thing that’s fun about your line is that you have some interesting colorway names.  Is there a story behind that?
Gryphon: Almost all of them have stories! Some are named for the painting or image that inspired them, some for lines from poems, some for various dances, etc. The Eidos names come from Plato, either characters in his dialogues, or concepts from them, which is why they tend to be unpronounceable Greek names. ‘Eidos’ means the type or essence of something, its ‘form’, an important concept in Plato. At some point I may branch out to Aristotle. Just putting that philosophy degree to good use!

Loopy: It’s important to use those degrees. We also love your Kypria line with the stories to go along with them.  How did that come about?
Gryphon: I learned about the existence of the Kypria (or rather, its non-existence) some years ago and became obsessed with it for awhile. The idea that there was a lost prequel to the Iliad and the Odyssey was really exciting to me. I did a massive amount of research on it with the intention of reconstructing the book, but when it came to actually sitting down to write, I froze up. How do you write a Homeric epic? So I put the whole thing aside. Only recently I hit on the idea of combining it with the yarn. When I think only in terms of writing a little paragraph at a time it’s not daunting, I never have to think of the whole thing, just that tiny fragment. I’m telling myself that it’s a clever marketing idea, but really I’m using it to indulge the part of me that wanted to grow up to be a classical scholar.

Loopy: We like that each different colorways gives a new piece of the story. What is your favorite part of your job? And your not-so-favorite part?
Gryphon: I love touching the yarn. I have elf helpers now, but I still prefer to be the one to bring the yarn in off the lines and wind the hanks, so I can touch it and look at it more. What I don’t enjoy is the amount of time I spend in front of the computer. I can’t even figure out what I do there, but it eats whole days and the to-do list never seems to diminish.

Loopy: It seems like your time is better spent dyeing! Would you like to tell us about your family?
Gryphon: I have the best husband one could possibly ask for. He does all the shopping, cooking, and dishwashing, never complains about the way 90% of the house is taken up by yarn, and never asks how much I’ve spent on yarn or why I need a 14th spinning wheel. Our daughter is similarly marvelous: she never complains that in a 4-bedroom house she doesn’t have her own room because there’s too much yarn. Of course that could be because she’s not quite two and doesn’t know yet that it’s a problem. She is, however, terribly jealous and one of her earliest phrases was, “All done yarn, Mommy.” I have to be careful not to knit something for her when she’s around, because she’ll resent the item and refuse to wear it.

Loopy: “All done yarn, Mommy.” – that’s funny!  Hopefully she’ll grow up to be a knitter and spinner and will totally understand the yarn all over the place.  I see you have started her early on spinning. Are there other hobbies that you enjoy?
Gryphon: Well, I’ve already incorporated the classics research into the business, so that doesn’t count as ‘other’ anymore. Belly dancing. I really love that. I dance much of the time while I’m working.

Loopy: And what would be your favorite way to spend a day off?
Gryphon: A day off from the yarn? Hmm, I sure would love to get some knitting and spinning in, and maybe process some of my fleeces.

Loopy: A day off, and you still want to be involved with yarn and fiber? We totally understand that. Anything else you’d like to add?
Gryphon: I’d dearly love to spend all my time wearing medieval and renaissance clothes, and maybe live in a castle. But I think those re-enactor people are really weird.
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The Sneak Up just Snuck Up! This week, we added in: HiyaHiya Bamboo DPN’s, Lantern Moon Rosewood Sox Stix (in the new 6″ length), Celtic Swan Forge Sterling Silver DPN’s, Atenti Bags, All Things Heather Merino/Bamboo, All Things Heather Merino/Tencel, Numma Numma Saucy, Perfect Day Yarns, Lorna’s Laces Silk/Bamboo Amy-Friendly yarn, Noro Silk Garden Worsted, Neighborhood Fiber Lace, Zen String British Wool Roving, Fleece Artist Trail Socks, and The YoYo CashSport. Over the weekend, we also re-stocked: Cascade 220, Opal Harry Potter, HiyaHiya Steel needles, GoKnit Bags, Wendy Knits Patterns, Lane Borgosesia Cashwool, and The Dyeing Arts Roving. Check it out!

Sheri it’saNo-Mail-Mondayhere,butneverfear,we’llgetallofyourordersontheirwaytomorrow!

Today’s Limelight focuses on Claudia, owner and dyer of the beautiful yarn that comes from Claudia Hand Painted. When we opened here at The Loopy Ewe, this was one of our first lines (along with Cherry Tree Hill, Schaefer Yarn, Regia, and Opal.) We’ve grown a little since then!  But I knew that Claudia’s yarn was something that sock knitters would love just as soon as I saw it at that first TNNA Market (before the website had even opened for business).  We have carried it ever since. I know you’ll enjoy getting to meet her today!

Loopy: Hi Claudia!  We appreciate you taking the time to talk today. Have you been a knitter for long?  And who taught you to knit?
Claudia: My mother taught me to knit.  Of course she taught me to knit right handed.  I did not knit much as a child, but about 12 years ago, I picked it up again.  I have been a voracious knitter and have taught myself to knit left handed.

Loopy: I think there are a lot of people out there who tried it as a child and then came back to it years later. (Of course some of you tried and and stuck with it the whole time!) What is your favorite item to knit?
Claudia: I am a sweater knitter.  When I first got back into knitting I could only knit solid colored garments so I began to knit cabled items.  Everyone told me socks were too hard, so I put off knitting them for years only to discover that they are not that difficult.  So, now I tell people to knit whatever items they are interested/passionate about.

Loopy: Right – socks are not that hard at all. I’m glad you discovered that along the way. So you like cables and sweaters – what is the most challenging thing that you have knit to date?
Claudia: I designed and knit my Twirling Diamonds Coat.  That took a year for me to knit & design.

Loopy: That sounds pretty – we need to see a picture. It seems like you’ve been in this business for quite awhile. What did you do before you were dyeing yarn as Claudia Hand Painted?
Claudia: I worked with my former husband in the brokerage business.

Loopy: That doesn’t sound like a place to explore too much creativity! How did you decide to start a yarn company?
Claudia: I wanted to involve both the creative and problem solving parts of me.  I had a brush with my own mortality and as a result made some significant changes in my life.  One of which was to allow myself to be creative.

Loopy: We’re so glad you came up with your yarn company through all of that. What is your favorite part of your job? And your not-so-favorite part?
Claudia: My favorite part – the satisfaction of walking out of the dye room after a day’s dyeing.  It feels great to have “created” something.  My not-so-favorite part?  I cannot look at the yarn until it is dry.  I am always overly critical of my work while it is fresh.  Once the yarn is rinsed & dried I am much happier with the results.

Loopy: How do you come up with your colorways, and do you have a personal favorite?  I know that our favorite is our signature “Peppermint Mocha” colorway.  We use a photo of that in all of our Loopy Ewe ads and so many people email to find out what that colorway is called.
Claudia: Ocean Depth and Oops! are my favorites.  Inspiration comes from everything around me.  Sometimes I find myself just looking at the sky and trying to figure out how to achieve the exact color in a cloud.

Loopy: A cloud colorway would be pretty!  Besides knitting and dyeing, are there other hobbies that you enjoy?
Claudia: I love to garden.

Loopy: That would also be a good place to find new colorways. If you had a day off, how would you spend it?
Claudia: I love to sleep in if possible, then curl up on the couch with a good book and my pets.  I have a dog, cat and macaw (bird).  Bitsy the dog and Alice the macaw come to work with me every day.

Loopy: We’re glad that you shared photos of them with us.  I don’t think I have heard of another “shop bird” before. I like it. Anything else you’d like to add?
Claudia: Thank you to all you knitters who take the time to let me know how our yarns are working out for you.  I love to get feedback from knitters.
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Sheri anotherLimelightonMonday-oneofourbelly-dancingindiedyers.Curious?

Today we have Angelina from Zen String in The Loopy Limelight. Angelina has been one of our indie dyers for a long time.  In fact, when I found her, her company was called Cinnamon Stitches and she was just then changing it to Zen String!  We debuted her yarn in February of 2007 and you all have loved it ever since.  Angelina is the dyer of our famous Loopy Legends line (she’s working on another big batch of that, as well as a brand new batch of Loopy Legends which will come out after the holidays.)  She also came up with our fun signature colorway, Bart and Louise in the Garden (seen pictured here.) Have you wondered where that name came from?  Bart and Louise are Loopy’s siblings (officially it’s Black Bart and Sister Louise), so Angelina took that information and ran with it. We love the colorway. (More of that arriving soon, too.)  Angelina took a dyeing break this summer, but she’s back at it full force and you will see a regular influx of Zen String yarn, starting in the next month or so.  Get ready! (Other photos shown here are from the Loopy Legends line: Theresa’s Italian Vineyards and Janice’s Sunshine in Winter.)
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Loopy: Hi Angelina!  We’re so glad to have you in the Limelight today.  You are one of our long-time, beloved indie dyers and we’re happy that people can get to know you a bit better.  Tell us how long you’ve been a knitter and who taught you?
Angelina: Hi Loopy!  I taught myself to knit after many trials and errors, after my mother passed away almost four years ago.

Loopy: Knitting was probably very therapeutic at that time.  What is your favorite item to knit now?
Angelina: This is a hard one for me to answer, since I sadly haven’t knit as many things as I’d like to. Of course I love knitting socks.  Even more, I adore wearing hand knit socks.  Hats, baby clothing, scarves … those are all fun, too!

Loopy: I think one of the reasons so many people knit socks is because they’re so wonderful to wear.  We totally understand that!  What is the most challenging thing that you have knit to date?
Angelina: The most challenging thing I ever knit was my first project after learning to cast on: a baby soaker for my little one on the way. In no way was it the most difficult, but I ended up knitting the silly thing backwards and inside out!  I still can’t figure out how I did that one. Before my daughter was born, I accidentally felted the soaker, saving her from having to actually wear the thing.

Loopy: Sounds like the washing machine was looking out for your daughter. How did you make the move from knitting to dyeing?
Angelina: For me, dyeing was actually long before knitting. Before my adventures into fibers, I was a fiber artist of the fabric kind. I dyed many types of fabrics for several years before picking up my first pointy sticks. I actually dyed the yarn I used for the ill-fated soaker with Kool-Aid!  I can be very picky about colors.

Loopy: I don’t know many people who dyed the yarn for their very first knitting project. I’m sure that’s a record of some kind! How do you come up with your colorways, and do you have a favorite?
Angelina: Usually I find inspiration for colorways by looking into nature.  Sometimes I have a particular thing or person I wish to celebrate in color.  Gosh, one favorite is an awfully hard task!  Jamie is a special colorway to me as it is a tribute to my sister … Georgia tends to be my pick for my daughters … the boys really love the red ones like Soloman …. do I really have to pick one?

Loopy: Ok – we’ll let you off the hook on narrowing it down to just one.  But speaking of family, tell us about yours.
Angelina: I have 4 kiddos: 2 boys and 2 girls, ages 10 to 2.  They help with small Zen String tasks, and let me know when they think a color doesn’t quite work.  All of the kids want a spinning wheel of ther own, and continually add to my “to knit” list. (Though none of them are proficient knitters or spinners yet.)

Loopy: Does anyone else in your family knit?
Angelina: I taught my sister a few years ago.  She loved it intermittently … and I still have to cast on new projects for her.  I did begin teaching my son, though he loatheed the bulky acrylic yarn that came in the kit. (Good Boy!)

Loopy: Well it sounds like you’re raising him right! It must be all of that good quality yarn he is around, day in and day out. What would be your favorite part of your job, and your not-so-favorite part?
Angelina: The absolute best thing about what I do is definitely seeing the yarn to its finish.  I think of myself as an art supply provider, and the crafters as the real artists.  It’s what keeps me going and thinking of new dye techniques and fibers.  I am simply giddy to see a colorway worked up for the first time.  As for the no-fun part – overselling carts and backorders, without question!

Loopy: Do you have other hobbies that you enjoy?
Angelina: Along with knitting and spinning, I really love organic gardening, sewing, photography, pottery, and I like to dabble in many mediums of art as well.  There’s a craft for every occasion around here.

Loopy: Wow – I have no idea how you fit all of those wonderful things in, with your dye business and four kids.  What if you had a day off – what would be your favorite way to spend it?
Angelina: Oh this one is easy!  I’d spend the day under a grove of giant sequoias, knitting.  Preferably a sweater for me, because I’ll never get a quiet moment to start one if I’m not isolated in the woods somewhere. If I could be so bold, I’d request some berry lemonade and fresh fruits and veggies.  Back in reality, I love spending my days off with the kids, playing and lounging, mostly.

Loopy: You need to jump in and start yourself a sweater, even if we can’t provide the sequoia part!  Thanks for being in the Limelight today. Anything else you’d like to add?
Angelina: I feel like the luckiest mama around, doing what I love and spending my days with those I love.  Thanks so much for the chat, Loopy!
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I hope y’all had a great weekend and stayed safe with the storms. On Wednesday’s blog, I have a few “The Day Loopy Almost Flooded” photos to share with you. (aaack!)  On Friday, I’ll tell you about our next Loopy Ewe Challenge, which is going to be fun.

Sheri stillllllworkingonCascade220photos.Iswearthecolorsaremultiplyinginthecubbies.

We’re lucky to have the best people working with us here at The Loopy Ewe, and we wanted you to learn more about them today. I added Susan in to help here after we’d been open for about 10 months or so (before that, my family did all of the helping with orders!). Within a few months, we had added in Vicki and Anna and Sue. One day, James stopped by to shop and commented on “The Loopy Elves” and how busy they were, and the name just stuck. We’ve been fortunate to find a few more great people to help out here in the meantime. They work hard and they work fast and we are so thankful to have them here, helping get all of your orders out in a timely manner. I asked them all some questions and have used different answers from different people to put together the interview for you today.
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Loopy: Hi Elves! You all came to be with us in different ways – tell us how some of you ended up working here at The Loopy Ewe?
Elves: Most of us have Susan to thank for letting us know about the job openings! We’re neighbors and friends of hers (or know her from our kids’ schools) and she is always one of the first people to know when The Loopy Lady is looking for more help. Of course Donna and Marianne have different stories. Donna says: “I was shopping at The Loopy Ewe and overheard Sheri telling Susan that they were going to be shorthanded, since someone was leaving. ‘I would love to work here!’ just flew out of my mouth!” Marianne was with Donna that day and says: “I was an innocent in-store shopper (first time shopper, mind you) and the next thing I knew, I was wrapping 300 skeins of Smooshy!”

Loopy: You just never know when we might be adding new Elves in, I guess! What is your favorite thing about working here at Loopy Central?
Elves: We all like the other people who work here. As Vicki says, “Several of the people who work here are neighbors and friends of mine, so it gives us an opportunity to see each other more frequently. The others are very fun to be around.” We all like the flexibility of the job, too. People are always willing to fill in when we need to be off. Mary added: “Driving to work today and seeing all of the kids going back for the first day of school made me realize that I am able to work without affecting my kids that much. My family is the one reason I was always hesitant about working and the main reason I will always appreciate The Loopy Ewe!”

Loopy: Now that you’ve all been here awhile, have you all learned to knit?
Elves: Not exactly. Donna and Marianne came to us as knitters, so they are the experienced ones of the group. Susan says: “I’m a beginner. I’m on Ravelry as ‘Loopyme2′ and have just a few scarves done. Sheri taught me how to knit and Marianne just gave Mary and I ‘purling’ lessons the other night!” Sue came to us as a crocheter, and is starting to knit as well, and Karen considers herself a “rusty knitter” and is looking forward to starting up again. Anna had one knitting lesson with her daughter a few years back and said, “The instructor was very nice and taught us the knit stitch. We set to work. As the instructor walked around the table, she complimented my daughter and then she came to me and asked, ‘What are you doing?’ I thought I was knittting – I mean I had a product hanging off of the needles. She very nicely told me she had never seen a stitch like mine. I actually have not tried since that time.”

Loopy: Hopefully we’ll get our “Knit Night” started soon and no one will have an excuse for not knitting any more! Are there certain things you like to wrap in orders, and other things that you don’t?
Elves: This is pretty unanimous, I think! Most of us love wrapping Wollmeise (we like Claudia’s nicely done skeins. Donna calls it “5 minutes of pure bliss” when wrapping those orders) and most of us love feeling the soft Dream in Color yarn, but the tags drive us nuts because they’re always poking through the tissue and ripping it. And we all have fun when Little Loopy goes into an order. Anna started posing him in orders and we’ve all begun doing that. He usually likes to hold on tight to the Loopy Kisses. Smart little guy.

Loopy: What are some fun things that we need to know about Life at Loopy Central?
Elves: Susan says, “Everyone who works here is a little loopy, so that makes it fun!” Karen likes the way everyone experiments with names as they check off the products on the orders (how can you not have fun saying “HiyaHiya” a few times a day?). And all agree that Anna breaking into song over yarn names is one of the most entertaining things of all. (Note – it’s not just yarn names. When The Loopy Lady goes home at noon to let the dog out, Anna needs to break into song – “Who let the dog out?”, too.)

Loopy: Is there anything hard about working here?
Elves: You mean besides the noise and mess of the demolition going on at the moment?? Marianne says it’s difficult to stand there and wind half-skeins of Jitterbug because it makes her stand and stare at the wall of Lorna’s Laces and wonder which color she ought to knit next. (Which then causes her to think that she needs to live to be 150 to knit everything, and at that point, will she even be able to find all of her stash?) Susan says the hardest part is leaving at the end of the day because there’s always still so much to get done. Karen wishes she was taller or the wrapping island was shorter!

Loopy: Is there anything you’d like to tell all of our great Loopy customers?
Elves: Just a big THANK YOU for our job security. You really spoil us and it was fun to meet some of you at The Spring Fling!!

Photos: Top photo, L-R: Vicki (VM), Mary (MG), Susan (SK), the rest in order: Anna (AP), Sue (SG), Donna (DW), Marianne (MM), and Karen (KB).
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Sheri wanttoknowwhopackedyourorder?Lookfortheirinitialsonyourorderform!

As promised, we have our very own Web Guy in the Loopy Limelight today. Most of you know that Web Guy is also known as “College Guy” and “Our Favorite Son”, too. We’re lucky to have him in our family AND here at The Loopy Ewe! (And we have one son and one daughter, so we can call him “our favorite son” without slighting anyone else. As you might guess, Knitting Daughter is also “our favorite daughter”. Nice how that works out.) I thought you might like knowing more about him today. We couldn’t do The Loopy Ewe without him! Thanks to those of you who emailed questions for him.
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Loopy: Hi Web Guy! So the first person wants to know: “Did Web Guy design your superb web site?”
Web Guy: Yes. When we first started, we wanted something nice and simple. The default blogging theme we were going to use for this blog seemed really simple and well laid-out, so I decided to build off of that and add a bunch of things here and there to make it good for an online shop. Since then and as we add new features, we’ve kept adapting it while trying to keep the site easy to use. A bunch of features came about because customers suggested them (like having little magnifiers on the corner of thumbnails…that’s pretty nifty).

Loopy: The Loopy Lady has mentioned in the blog before how you started building our website using one of the typical “template” e-commerce sites out there, but decided that you wanted to be able to add in too many unique things to it and so started over to build it our own the way, so that it would work best for us. I’m glad you did! Part two of the question above: “If so, did Web Guy study web design somewhere?”
Web Guy: Not really. I just end up browsing around the web and looking at a lot of different types of websites as I’m doing various projects and am always picking up new ideas to try and also ideas to avoid.

Loopy: Good point. It’s also good to know things to avoid as well. The next person wanted to know, “What is the most important thing he learned from his mother, and from his father?”
Web Guy: To find something you enjoy doing and do it – and it’s exponentially better if you can bring along others to help and enjoy it with you. Both have started their own businesses and, while frequently time consuming, you get to be directly involved with something that’s bigger than a plan you could have come up with individually. I mean, it’s really cool to be a part of a small, young business and community of over 30 countries like TLE. Not many kids are lucky enough to be a part of that, much less see how that happens and learn through it.

Loopy: You’d think there would be a way to come up with a business plan that necessitates us traveling to all of those countries “for business purposes”, right? The next person said, “I would like to ask WG if he liked his internship in Florida and how he compares life here and there for somebody his age?”
Web Guy: The summer in Florida has been pretty amazing (this is going to be my last week here…) and Sentry Data Systems is about the best technology service company I could have imagined to intern with. It was a bit weird living away from Home and Loopy Central – apparently they got a little crazy without me … going and doubling their space … good grief – but, it was fun. I lived with a couple friends from school (Taylor University) in Fort Lauderdale which was great. (Don’t tell the Loopy Lady – but I think every college person definitely needs at least one summer away from home … it was a whole barrel of new experiences and living/working with friends made it much more fun.)

Loopy: Ok, Web Guy. That is our secret. (But I think she agrees with you. Although I know for certain how much you were missed around here this summer.) The next person asks, “Now I want Web Guy to tell us how he got so smart, so young, that he could put together your fabulous web site.”
Web Guy: I ate my fruits and veggies as a kid. Other than that, I just like experimenting and trying new things and then applying them. It’s a vicious cycle, really.

Loopy: The Loopy Lady says you’re right – you were always good about eating those things. Another question, “I’d be curious to know how Web Guy got interested in computers in the first place.”
Web Guy: I don’t know – for as long as I remember, there’s always been some piece of technological equipment around that I could push buttons on and try to break. Lots of people use them and get frustrated when they break…I get curious about why they broke. But I guess that’s what a Web Guy is supposed to be, right?

Loopy: The curiosity sounds good. We hope that not too many things will break on the website for you to deal with, though! The LL says that you were hooked on computers from the first time you sat down to one, which was when you were about two. I guess computers have come a LONG way since then. What feature on the Loopy website was the most challenging one for you to write up?
Web Guy: Hmm, well, not sure which was the most challenging, but I think the most fun and interesting thing I’ve worked on is the yarn color finder. I’d never done much with color matching (still am a novice) so it took a bunch of time and reading, and then I’ve been experimenting ever since. It’s not perfect yet, but there aren’t too many sites around that let you find items by color, so I couldn’t resist putting that online for Loopy visitors to try out a while ago. When I first put it up, we only had a few hundred of our items colorized … now we’re up to most all of our products which is pretty cool. (P.S. – it doesn’t show out of stock products in your color search results now.)

Loopy: My personal favorite color is red. Like my socks. In case anyone wanted to know. So, what is the best and worst part of being The Loopy Ewe Web Guy?
Web Guy: There are definitely several “bests”: having a reason and purpose to learn and apply new technology/ideas, getting exposure to the business side of my Computer Science degree, and also being a part of a unique business that has such a fun community around it. As far as a worst part, hmmm. It’s a bit difficult being both College Guy and Web Guy – both are really fun and great experiences … it’s just a matter of finding the right amount of time for both. Also, maybe being relatively clueless about the various types of yarn we sell, but I try to leave that all up to the Loopy Lady.

Loopy: And I know that she is just as happy to leave the technology side of things up to you! Do you have any friends who are knitters? Do you knit?
Web Guy: Well, if you’re counting all the people I’ve gotten to meet through TLE, I’ve got a whole world of knitting friends. I do have a few friends who knit though – but being stuck in the Computer Science Department doesn’t typically lend itself to inviting the college knitting masses to bring their yarns and needles to sit behind computer screens. If you’re asking TLE Web Guy if he knows how to knit, he knows the basics … if you’re asking normal College Guy, he pretends to be a little more clueless.

Loopy: I think that the Loopy Lady just wanted to make sure you knew what this knitting thing was all about when she made you try a few rows one time! Too bad it didn’t stick, because we all think that knitting would make a good pastime for any college student or full-time employee who needs some relaxing downtime. Or pretty much anyone else, for that matter. Any sneak peaks at new features that you are working on for the website?
Web Guy: Well, let’s see. One thing that we’re working on is finding a better way to browse through our online shop. It’s kind of annoying to have to always go by category when maybe you want to go by vendor or weight or material or color. Another fun thing in the works has to do with connecting together the knitting world, blogging world, and The Loopy Ewe. Oftentimes people link their blog posts to the yarns and products they used when they are finished. Soon we’ll be showing some trackbacks for our products and vendors to let people see what the blogging world has said about them and see how products turned out. Feel free to send us your ideas, too. We’re always interested.

Loopy: Thanks for taking time out to talk with us, Web Guy. You’re the best!
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Sheri athomewejustcallhimDanny.Welikethatnameforhim,too