How a Yarn Store Celebrates Holi

Our dear friend Pia delivered a fresh batch of fleece today.
It looks like we're ready to celebrate Holi!

Pia Skaarer-Nielsen will be teaching a drop-spindle spinning workshop at The Loop Sunday, March 18th, 10 am - 1 pm.  She was sweet enough to drop this fibre off to us for an upcoming workshop in needle felting (Sunday, March 11th, 10am -1pm with Janine Stewart)
On her farm in the Annapolis Valley, Pia keeps a wonderful (and wonderous) blog chronicling her creative life.  Follow the link below to read about the new lives on the farm, and to see the sheep from whom we get this beautiful, hand-dyed fibre.

http://wonderouswoolerie.blogspot.com/2012/02/lambing-season-again.html

Back to School Window

This September the kids went back to school, and we at The Loop went back to work. Our job? Teaching the masses to stitch. We are now midway through our Fall 2011 schedule and there are lots of fun classes still available. Lamby recommends needle felting! Our class schedule is posted in the store's window for sneaky peeks and is always available on our website here.

I'm off to teach a crochet workshop tonight. Don't forget that The Loop also offers private lessons. Please phone the shop for more information (902) 429-5667.

You Need A Market Bag

I often ask myself "Do I need another reusable Market Bag?". I always end up answering myself "Yes." I love receiving them from foreign friends and they are a great thing to send away in return....but I crochet mine. They are a snap to craft and take just a few hours to complete. I like to add inner pockets, trick bottoms (so that the bag is self-containing) and special considerations for different kinds of groceries. For me, the Market Bag is a great go-to gift because it's quick and easy to make, usually only takes one ball, requires no special care for the recipient to worry about, and it does any kind of person on your gift list (note: this is an excellent thing to give someone you don't know very well. It's also great for someone you do know, but don't really like). Everyone is always glad to get a bag, and one more in the bottom of your purse can't do you any harm either.
This summer The Loop is running a new workshop for Crocheters. In one session we will make a class full of greener than green bags for our summer marketing (or we will at least cover all the bases and get most of the project crocheted).
The crochet pattern for this workshop is a classic. The format for the pattern has been in use here for over 100 years. You may come across Victorian versions on the internet, or spot a lookalike on Road to Avonlea reruns*.

The pattern is designed to use a certain amount of cotton (keeping the materials at one ball) but additions such as wider straps and an attached change purse will be covered in the class.

The bag pictured (my "Posh Nosh Fennel Carrier") used one ball of Rowan Purelife Organic Cotton DK, which has about 120m to the ball. Each colour in this line is plant dyed. This pretty blue was achieved with indigo. Indigo is the Pluto of the Colour Spectrum, poor little guy.

[From The Loop Website]Mesh shopping bags--called "filoches" in French--are a chic, practical, and environmentally friendly way to carry your produce home from the market. They're also a great introduction to crocheting in rounds. In this workshop, you'll learn how crochet can be used to make both firm, stable fabrics and open, stretchy ones--while making a market bag of your own.

Instructor: Morgan Forrester

2 hours

Tuesday, July 12th, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Thank you Chives & Ciboulette for the photo props. I was very glad to use the fennel; very posh nosh.

*Aunt Olivia crochets throughout the series, and uses a white version of these bags to carry groceries for the Dale homestead back from Lawson's. This was obviously my inspiration as are the Dales; Yorkshire and Jasper.

Gauge Matters

Display showing Gauge Swatches of Featured Loop Yarns worked over 24 Stitches

Confused by Gauge? Think you can get by without it? Well, you can’t. You can conquer it though, and perhaps even learn to love it as we do.

The Loop offers several workshops which cover finding, getting and keeping gauge in knitting. In truth, we’ll chat about it at any opportunity.

Workshops:

Knitting for Absolute Beginners
Beyond the Basics: A Refresher clinic
Understanding Patterns
Knit a Hat – an introduction to circular knitting
We also talk about gauge in Beginner's Crochet.

Don’t forget that The Loop offers Private Lessons during store hours. Phone to arrange a time (We remind you that Ciboulette Cafe – is closed Saturday and Sunday)

Featured Product at The Loop

This fall we're showing two new Bulky yarns. Unfortunately, both 'Bulky' and 'Chunky' can seem like subjective terms. I thought I would write a little about our new yarns, Burley Spun, and Grande to explain how chunky chunky is.

The Craft Yarn Council tops out their Weight System with their 5th and 6th categories; Bulky and Super Bulky.

The Bulky category comes after Medium (worsted and aran yarns) and includes Chunky, Craft, and Rug Yarns. Their gauges over 4" of stockinette stitch should work out to 12-15 stitches. For most knitters these yarns require needles from 5.5mm to 8mm. Crocheters are advised to use a 6.5mm to a 9mm hook.

Super Bulky is the heaviest category and comes after Bulky. This whimsical title is applied to Roving, but also to Bulky yarn. ?!?!?! Confusing or what? Best to focus on gauges. The CYC describes Super Bulky as having a gauge of 6-11 stitches (in 4" worked in stockinette stitch). These yarns should be worked with needles larger than 8mm (15mm is the biggest needle in most shops. The Loop carries these sizes and does get in circular Addi needles in sizes over 15mm. We can always special order these for you!) Crocheters should use a hook size greater than a 9mm. I would advise using the biggest hook you feel comfortable with.

Our first new Bulky yarn comes from Schulana. Grande comes in brightly coloured 50g balls. It provides 9 stitches over 4 inches, using 12.75mm needles. Bouncy, soft, and fun to work with, Grande looks great in textured stitches and cables. It's 2 plies also make it look accomplished in plain knitting.

The Loop is thrilled to provide free patterns with the purchase of 50g. Thrilled, because Schulana has put together a free booklet of four smashing hat patterns. Just take a look! You can find a growing gallery of these projects at Ravelry.

Visit the Grande Hat Gallery Here:

Brown Sheep yarns are a firm favourite with knitters, and a new addition to The Loop. Our first yarn from this company is their heaviest offering, Burley Spun. In skeins of 226g, Burley Spun's single ply looks a bit wild and untamed. It also looks like good fun, and I can't wait to make an oversized winter cowl in one of the super saturated colours. We will also be receiving Burley Spun in Handpainted colourways which will look stunning in plain knitting; perfect for beginners and for Holiday knitting.

This yarn is also considered Super Bulky, its gauge at 10 stitches over 4". The good people at Brown Sheep would like knitters to try a 9mm needle, but in my books bigger is better.

Learn more about Burley Spun at Ravelry

PS Can you guess what our inventory code for "Brown Seep Burley Spun" is? Yeah, it's double BS. Totally.