Ok. I’ve always said that I like rainy, cloudy days. I’ve always thought that I’d like to live in Seattle with their ratio of sun to cloud (and good coffee stands). I’m hereby declaring that I’m done with rain and clouds. Possibly forever. Our annual number of rainy days is 111. Seattle weighs in with 150. (And if you go to Quillayute, WA,  you get 209 days.) I couldn’t find it anywhere, but I’m pretty sure we have already flown by 111 and it’s still October.  I’m actually tired of rain and clouds. I never thought I’d see the day. So far this week: Sunday? Cloudy and rainy. Monday? Cloudy and rainy. Today? Cloudy, no rain yet. Tomorrow? Cloudy and rainy. Friday? Cloudy and rainy. Saturday? Partly sunny, but we’re driving to Ohio for a wedding. The forecast there for Saturday? Cloudy and rainy. It’s enough to drive a person batty.

This morning I woke up and thought that I really need a pair of yellow socks for a day like today. There might be no sunshine outside, but there ought to be sunshine in the knits. I found lots of options (and hey – look – they fashioned themselves into a sun!). Yellow is definitely a “Frank” color for me. I wear more “Marthas”. If St. Louis is going to pretend to be Seattle every year, then I will need to add more Franks to my sock stash. I do have a beautiful pair of red/orange Wollmeise socks that a friend knit for me. Those are my favorite Franks. But I still need to make Sunshine Socks for these cloudiest of days weeks months. And I think I need to carry them around in this sunshine-y bag. What is your most favorite BRIGHT pair of Frank socks? Or do you live in one of those near-constant sunshine areas and you need more calm/cool/Martha pairs?

Sheri goodthingitissobrightandcolorfulhereatLoopyCentral
Thatmakesthingscheerfulevenonthegrayestofdays

I’ve learned some things this week. That’s always a good thing, right? I’m trying to be on top of the techno-stuff, because I think it’s important. Consequently, we’ve had some construction going on (inside and out, as it turns out). Here are a few things I’ve learned:

1. A “Group” and a “Page” are different on Facebook. Our “Fans of The Loopy Ewe” that I told you about earlier this week, is a Group. Web Guy pointed out that I should have an official “The Loopy Ewe” Page on Facebook, because “we can do more with it”. So as of this morning, we now have an official Loopy Ewe Page! This Page will be good for me to talk to you and for you to talk back to me. This is the place where I will do the postings about things going on at Loopy Central. (Sneak Up Previews, knitting woes and wonders, and anything else going on in the shop.  I’ll do an occasional contest there, too.) You do have to click and become a fan of the page if you want the updates to show up, even if you’re already a member of the other group that I mentioned the other day. I’ve already added in some news about recent arrivals! (My own Facebook page has a little Loopy stuff and a lot of regular life stuff. Feel free to friend me on there if you’re interested in that, too!)

What I learned: Talk to Web Guy first before jumping into something….

2.  You can hide things on your Facebook homepage. (My friend Janice showed me that last weekend.) It’s not that I’m not interested in your Bejeweled Blitz level or what color M&M you are, but all of those apps do take up a lot of space on that page. Now I’ve closed the apps and I get to actually read about YOU and your status messages. I like that!

What I learned: I really know so little about Facebook.

3.  Twitter continues to be a big thing. I don’t really get it, but I get that other people get it and like it. Therefore, we’re linking The Loopy Ewe Facebook page to our Loopy Ewe Twitter account. (Remember, I said I’m trying to stay on top of the important techno stuff.) If you like getting status updates via Twitter, feel free to add us to your Twitter list.

What I learned: Twitter is important to many people. Maybe I’ll eventually get it. But we’ll be on there for those of you who like it.

4. While we’ve been busy making these technology changes inside Loopy, the street crew has been busy making changes on the street outside our building. (Remember this summer when they cut through our phone lines? Yep. It’s still the same project going on out there.) Now they are breaking up the entire street. With this. And I swear, they drill down several feet, then they bring the jackhammer head up, move it over 6 tiny inches, and repeat. Consequently, it took them the entire day yesterday to do about half a block. Our brick building shakes like we’re having earthquake tremors.

What I learned: Jackhammers give me a headache.

(Edit – for those who were concerned: I will continue to blog regularly and participate in the Loopy Groupies on Ravelry – no worries!  Facebook and Twitter are additions, not substitutions. I promise.)

This month’s contest question: What’s one lesson you have learned lately? Leave your comment below and I’ll draw the winners next Wednesday. I saved some Wollmeise for the prize!

Sheri nowtiredfromallofthistechnology.Imayneedanap.

We had a fun weekend in Chicago! We met our favorite friends Steve and Janice for the weekend, so that Janice and I could go to Stitches Midwest to celebrate my hubby’s birthday on Sunday. I love Chicago. I spent my first two years in college in the Chicago area and there is lots to do and see. We decided that we don’t travel up there often enough, so we’ll be back! Here are a few photos from the weekend.

On the way up, we stopped at an antique store somewhere in IL. This was the statue out front. (??) He was about 3 stories tall and … eating an ice cream cone. I still don’t understand it.  Maybe I’m not supposed to. I found a nice shelf (formerly a drying rack of some sort) for my office. I’m running out of places to put yarn samples in here.

Up in Schaumberg, we stayed in a hotel that just happened to be near the Ikea store. (And I love Ikea!) In fact, this picture was taken out our hotel window. I zoomed in a little, but not much. I was happy to be so close. We made that our first stop of the evening, followed by dinner at Big Bowl. Yum.

On Saturday, Janice and I headed over to the Convention Center to shop at the Stitches Marketplace. Lots of booths, lots of yarn, and lots of fun people to see. I didn’t buy a single skein of yarn, but I did find two cool baskets and a sweater patttern.

While we were shopping, the guys were spending the day downtown. It was gorgeous weather. If you click on the Cloud Gate photo here to make it bigger, you’ll see Paul and Steve taking pictures of themselves in the reflection.  They were having so much fun downtown that Janice and I beat them back to the hotel and got in a couple of hours of knitting before they showed up to take us out to dinner.

Sunday was Paul’s birthday and we celebrated by going out for a great breakfast at Richard Walker’s Pancake House. I wish we had those in St. Louis.

After telling Steve and Janice goodbye, we headed over to the Renegade Craft Fair and scouted out the fun items for sale. There were over 300 vendors and it definitely wasn’t your typical craft fair. Lots of unique things.

Today we’ve been busy getting out your weekend orders, unpacking a ton of boxes that UPS and the mailman brought, and getting things set for the update tonight. (Check out what just went up. New colors of Mini Mochi, a new cool yarn that I love – Panguipulli – from Araucania, Wendy’s shawl patterns, and more.) Later this week I’m doing a big Cascade restock, so if you’ve been waiting on some colors to return, they’re coming.

Lastly, come join our “Fans of The Loopy Ewe” group on Facebook. I’ll keep you updated there on things as they arrive, and we’ll have some fun Facebook contests as we go along.

Sheri didyoudoanythingfunthisweekend?

I was reading through Twist Collective again, and read Ann and Kay’s article on Stash. (Read it here – great article). Sidenote: am I the only one who clicks through the patterns and sometimes forgets to read the articles? I’ve been thinking a lot about stash lately. From how I want to store/display it, to how much I want/need to have and how it ought to be organized. Ann and Kay’s article helped me to figure out what I did right, what I did wrong, and where I want to go from here, in terms of stash-building. Here were their points:

1. “Don’t buy single skeins.” As a sock knitter, my stash is full (full full full) of single skeins. Not only are single skeins great for socks, but they also come in handy for scarves, mitts, cowls and hats. Single skeins are great. Having said that, I did purchase an expensive single skein of fancy-yarn-with-beads while on a trip, and it continues to sit in my stash more than a year later. I still love it, but I ought to have purchased two skeins in order to make something out of it. (It was too expensive. I would never have purchased two. Instead, I wasted money on one, because I’m smart that way. FPS…) I think Ann and Kay were speaking about this exact problem. Single skeins of sock yarn are A-ok. Single skeins of pricey yarn “because it’s so pretty and wouldn’t it be fun to make something with it but you have no idea what” – not ok.

2.  ”Figure out what your flour and sugar yarns are.” Now this was a great point. What are the yarns that you will use and knit for the rest of your life because they’re just that perfect for you? I have a good list of what these are for me. Each of us will have a different list. I do find that I tend to put more semi-solids on my list (or those yarns – like Dream in Color and String Theory – that have other colors in them but they knit up looking more solid than stripey or pool-y.). I will always like these colors, and you can’t go wrong with the yarn bases, either. I’ll go heavier on these in my stash, and a little lighter on the “seasoning yarns” – those that have multi-colors that might be popular now, but I might not like in 3 years. (Well, heck – if you hold on to your stash for 20 years, you know those colors will come around again eventually. Can you believe that 80’s styles are coming back into fashion this fall?)

3.  ”Don’t buy discontinued yarn.” I agree. Unless you really really love it and have plans for it right now. I’d go a step further and say that you ought to be very careful of sale and clearance yarns, too. (Unless it’s one of your flour and sugar yarns.) When I look at the yarns that I’m no longer happy with in my stash, 80% of them were purchased on sale and I bought them because they were “such a good deal and I know I’ll figure out something to use them for.” It’s never a good deal if they just sit there, taking up space.  I’ve learned that the hard way.

Now that I have a game-plan, I am going to spend time figuring out how to make a better stash for myself. I have plenty to get rid of, some that I want to expand (I love the flour and sugar idea, and I’m always up for single skeins of sock yarn), and some that will be tucked into a “use or lose” bin for another 6-9 months. Now I need to do the same figuring with knitting patterns, books and magazines. Any ideas? And what are your flour and sugar yarns? Have you ever given it a thought?

Sheri ifIgetridofsomebadstashyarnitmeansIcanaddinmoregoodstashyarn,right?

 …. you go to Starbucks and see that Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back on the menu. (And Pumpkin Spice Scones!)

…. you see big yellow buses driving through the neighborhoods.

.… the air has lost a bit of “humid” and gained a bit of “nip”, even if it’s not enough nip to require long sleeves or a coat, yet. (Believe me, I’m so ready for nip that I’m hyper-aware of it sneaking in, a few degrees at a time.)

…. the tree in the front yard has a yellow leaf. Not a bunch. Just one. But that’s a sign. 

…. the idea of an evening walk around the neighborhood sounds fun, (well, ok, as fun as exercise ever sounds) instead of sounding like a trip to the sauna.

…. the newspaper starts talking about flu vaccines.

…. the school supply aisles are full of brand new things (and you might feel compelled to buy a new box of crayons, even though you’re forty-something too old to color.)  Although this box did make me think that having a good yarn stash full of beautiful colors is just as important as an artist with a palette full of paints, or a five year old with a new box of crayons – preferably the big size. 

…. the list of “what I’m knitting for people for gifts this year” gets pulled out and doodled upon. Note: knitting doesn’t have to be started yet. Just the list. Does anyone have their list done yet? What’s on it?

How do YOU know when Fall is coming to your part of town?

Sheri thecrayonswereonlyaquarter,ofcourseIhadtobuyapack.

We’re in Portland! We arrived on Tuesday evening and got up early Wednesday morning to ….. run errands. Well, we couldn’t get in to start setting up our booth until 1 pm, so we went shopping instead. It seemed like a good use of our time.

When we found our booth space, it was almost impossible to get into it because of all of the boxes of stuff that we shipped out there. We blocked the whole thing. (Which led me to believe that we would never fit it all in the booth, but I was proved wrong. We have those red tables full of re-stocking yarns and accessories underneath, but we did manage to fit it all in!) We spent 9 hours setting up on Wednesday and a few more hours today. Here is the finished booth (with Susan and Knitting Daughter posing.) Loopy Groupie Lou saw it and called it “Loopy Lite”. Lou has been at Loopy Central for Spring Fling shopping and she thought it was like we had taken that and recreated it in a miniature version. I think she’s right. It feels very “Loopy” to me, from the red carpet to the red and white shelves, to the socks and Loopy presiding over all!

Last night the Marketplace was open for just two hours for students (people who were signed up to take classes) and teachers. It was crazy busy and the two hours were over in a blink. So far, the best part of being here has been meeting our awesome Loopy customers in person! It was like a family reunion at times, as we recognized so many names. The other fun part is seeing all of the famous sock designers in attendance. Nancy Bush, Charlene Schurch, Barbara Walker, Meg Swanson…. and a whole bunch more. And of course we always love connecting with Mary-Heather, Sarah, Casey and Jess from Ravelry.

I wish I had time to take all of the classes. (I did joke with Claudia in Germany that the next time I ought to just bring Wollmeise, sell out the first day, and then take classes and play the rest of the time – ha!  And then I realize what I’m saying and wise up. I’d fear for my life with a booth full of Wollmeise.)

Today is a long day at the Marketplace. The shopping is open from 8:30 – 6:30 and we’re looking forward to meeting a whole bunch more of you. I’ll post again when I can.

For those of you waiting on orders, remember that when we do a sale like we’re doing this week, the orders can take an extra day or two to ship. (And the poor Elves we left behind are working like mad to keep up with them all.) Just know that it’s all in process!

Sheri headingoutforStarbuckstostarttheday