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!

Happy Halloween to all of you! Our first customers of the day (on a Road Trip from Oklahoma) rang the doorbell promptly at 10 am. When we opened the door, we were greeted with masks and a loud “Trick or Treat!” So we filled up their bags and purses with lots and lots of yarn as their treats for the day. (Um, no. Just kidding. They filled up their own bags quite well!) We wanted to make sure you knew that both Big Loopy (who stands on top of one of our yarn shelves, keeping an eye on things every day) and the Little Loopies (who congregate on the Loopy Island up front) are dressed for the day. Elf Donna makes sure that they are prepared for the different seasons. And then Susan brought Halloween tattoos and made us wear them. Should I keep mine on for the wedding that I’m attending tomorrow in Ohio?

I have a new cookbook that arrived this week and I think it’s my most favorite ever. (Which says a lot, because I may be guilty of collecting cookbooks…) It’s called “The Pioneer Woman Cooks“. I can’t remember how I stumbled upon The Pioneer Woman’s blog, but I have enjoyed reading it over the past year. What I like about her brand new (first ever) cookbook is: great recipes (and ones that I will actually make), step by step pictures, and fun stuff to read about life on the ranch. Most of the new recipes that I have tried lately have come from her, and I was so glad when I read that she had a cookbook coming out this fall. I think it would make a great holiday gift for several people on my list. (You know, the ones I’m not knitting for. And since I’m only knitting gifts for a handful of people this year, there are quite a few on the “no knits” list.)

<– Look – pictures of horses! I always wanted a horse, growing up. I never got one. And I also wanted an Easy Bake Oven that never magically appeared under the tree. Do any of you remember “really really really” wanting some particular thing? (Because, you know, that’s the way we talked about such things at that stage of life: really really really. Like you’d REALLY REALLY REALLY die if you didn’t get it). So were there things you really really really wanted and … never did get? Or does anyone remember spending a few hours poring over the Sears WishBook, making your list of things you had to have in order to survive another year of life? Or does this whole conversation just really (really really) date me? Yes? Never mind, then.

Sheri whonolongerwantsanEasyBakeOven.
ButI’dstilltakeahorse,evennow.

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

Three things that we did this weekend:
1. Explored another town nearby, checking out their antique stores and lunch places. It was a nice cool, cloudy day, perfect for walking into creepy antique stores like this one. Really, doesn’t this look like someone’s abandoned garage?
2. Stopped in to two local yarn shops. I bought buttons and books at the first place, and books and yarn at the second place. (Yes, you’re right. There is absolutely no excuse for me buying yarn when I have a whole shop full of my own yarn. sigh. But it was fun to look at someone else’s yarn shop for a couple of hours.)
3. Frogged a couple of projects that I no longer want to knit. It freed up some good needles and freed up some space in my brain.

Three kinda creepy things that we ran into while out and about:
1. The Tractor Dude from a local pumpkin farm. His grin is a little menacing, don’t you think?
2. The Beard Guy with the spider in his beard. (Photo taken in another antique store which was actually quite interesting.)
3. The horn chair/stool that we found in another place. I know that some of you will probably like it, but I found it creepy. And dangerous looking. Not something I want in my living room.

Three Nine things that we just put up on the website for you to check out:
1. Madelinetosh Sock
2. Dragonfly Fiber Djinni
3. The YoYo Cash Fingering
4. Fleece Artist Nyoni yarn at a super special price
5. New colors from Alchemy
6. Stitchmarkers and Spinning Keyrings from Dyelectable Yarns
7. Dream in Color Smooshy re-stock
8. New color from Dream in Color – Prairie Grass in Classy, Smooshy and Baby
9. Cute Christmas Ornament Kits from Kalamazoo Knits (or you can use your own ornaments and stash leftovers and just get the pattern here.)

Sheri didyougetthreethingsdonethisweekend?
Ordidyouseethreecreepythings?
Ordidyoujustgobuythreenewthingsinthisweek’sUpdate?

Fall. That’s what. Lots of color (despite too much rain). We have reds and oranges and yellows.

Love all of these great colors which make the trees look like they are ablaze! Fall is my favorite time of year. (Although I might say that about Spring sometimes, too. I’m fickle.)

And there is knitting going on. Remember last week when I said that I wanted to make these cute mitts next? Here they are and I love them. Since I can’t keep my hands off of the skeins of Cascade Eco Alpaca when I walk by those shelves, I thought that I ought to make a pair of mitts to put ON my hands this winter. I made them extra long on both ends, because I like my wrists to be warm, and I like most of my fingers to be warm. (But I also like having my fingers not wrapped up in wool, in case I need to use my phone while I’m out and about.) In the “when will I learn?” category, I had to frog the first mitt when I realized that I didn’t pay attention to the cables and had one going one way and the next going the other way. Then I had to frog the second one when I realized that I paid no attention to the fact that I was supposed to be knitting the RIGHT one, not another LEFT one. (I tried just ripping out down past the thumb, but the yarn is so wonderously fuzzy that I was pretty sure it would be easier to just frog the whole thing and start over.) Really, I don’t know where my head was while I was knitting this week. Luckily, the end result was worth it and I will be wearing these all winter long. Need some quick gifts? The pair will only take a couple of evenings to knit and you’ll be done. Just pay attention to your cables and your thumbs. (Note – even with adding in extra length on both ends, it still only took 1 skein of the Eco Alpaca, with some left over. This would also knit up beautifully in Cascade 220, Malagrigo Worsted, Shibui Worsted, and Dream in Color Classy.)

There is a lot of yarn in the photo room today, getting ready for Monday night’s update. We may have filled up the whole UPS truck yesterday. I’m sure our driver was delighted to get all of those boxes out of his way, once he had made the delivery to Loopy Central!

Is anyone going to see that really scary movie that is coming out this weekend? Sometimes I like scary movies, but I think this one would cause me too many nightmares. I’m thinking I’ll pass on it. What’s another good one that is recently out? I’m in a movie-going mood and need some suggestions.

Sheri CollegeDaughterwenttovisitWebGuyinFLforherFallBreakthisweekend.
Betthey’rehavingfun!