I have the best Sockret Pal out of the whole bunch. Clearly. Look at these amazing socks that arrived in the mail today! I absolutely love them. Included in the box was a “read me first” note. (And I promise, I did read the note first, before opening the socks. But it took iron will to do that.) When this swap first started, my pal emailed me to let me know that she had found a yarn that I didn’t carry, to knit my socks out of. Well I just thought that was so nice of her. Of course I love every single yarn we have here at The Loopy Ewe and would’ve been delighted with any of them, but my pal wanted me to have something different. So she contacted a swapping pal in England and arranged for this cool yarn to be sent over for my socks. Imagine how she felt, then, when she read a few weeks later that we’d be getting Wollmeise in at The Loopy Ewe. (Yes – my new socks are Wollmeise. Did I luck out, or what?) Of course I mentioned in my blog that I was knitting some socks out of one of the colorways, and had taken another colorway out for my stash. I failed to mention which colorways. So my poor pal stopped working on my socks the whole time I was on vacation, waiting for me to come back and share which colors. 
(At this point in the note I was reading, I was starting to feel really bad. I was just so sure the story would end with her telling me that she was using the same colorway for my socks.) Fortunately – the colors were different. So that means that I am now the proud owner of a new pair of Wollmeise socks and I’m so happy! But does it stop there? No. Because she also included such fun things in my package. This beautiful sock bag (love the fabric), some very handy DPN holders, notecards, Burt’s Bees products, and a magazine from her home state. (That reminded me that I forgot to include a postcard from my area when I sent off my Sockret Pal box to MY pal. Darn.) Zonda, you’re just THE BEST. I totally lucked out in getting you as a pal for this swap. Thank you so much! (And for those of you who are now thinking that it’d be a lot of fun to be in a swap – you’re right. It is! You can google swaps and find info on different ones going on right now.)
In addition to getting fun things in the mail, we’ve also been having a great time with our friends who are visiting. (Go visit Janice’s blog and leave a comment – you might win a skein of Duets Skinny which she pulled right off the Loopy shelf!) We went yarn shopping today. We stopped by Knitorious and found a few things that needed to come home with us. Then we stopped by Trader Joes on the way home. Do you have a Trader Joes? I took this photo to show you some of the chocolate-covered items that are available. Pretty unbelievable. We walked all the rows once and then Iowa Girl said, “Let’s go back to the chocolate-covered row.” It was a marvelous idea. (Among other things, you will find chocolate covered: almonds, pistachios, edamame, raspberry sticks, blueberries, cranberries, pretzel bits, figs, orange sticks, Peanut butter maltballs, cherries, macadamia nuts, cherries, ginger, mint creams, raisins, banana chips, sunflower seeds, espresso beans, cashews, and almonds. Just to name a few.) We really like Trader Joes. 🙂
Sheri tryingtofigureoutawaytomakeourfriendsstayafewmoredaysandnotgohometomorrow
I am so happy for you, that you have had a terrific week with your friend Janice, and her daughter, Iowa Girl. It’s really nice to have good friends visit, it’s the best. I am really glad that you took the time for yourself to enjoy it all. Yes, we have a Trader J oes an awesome store. I don’t go very often as my husband is shopper and cook. You must have had fun shopping at a yarn store. Hugs
Ahh! See what the correct sockblockers can do!!! They look much better now! 🙂 Now you know why I titled my post Socks on Trees LOL! It was a hint. 😉
Oh how I wish I had a Trader Joes, they’d probably have to hand carry me out of that chocolate aisle!
I recognized that as a Trader Joes aisle before I even focused my eyes on the picture, haha! There’s one very close to my house but it’s always (always, 9am-9pm) slammed, and crowded grocery stores make me nervous.
I can say that the chocolate covered pistachios are divine.
I can neither confirm nor deny accusations that I have eaten an entire container of chocolate covered pistachios in one sitting.
I so need a trader joes. now.
Glad you are having a great time with your friends. My brother left yesterday after visiting me for several weeks – I miss him already! And, yes, we do have Trader Joe’s here – I just don’t go there often enough!
And the heat and humidity has caught up with us – I think Wendy’s blog entry for today recap’s what its like here in Alexandria, VA today…
Enjoy the rest of your time with your friends! : )
What a great package!!!
I got to go to a Trader Joe’s once. I was in too much awe to buy anything… 🙂
What a wonderful package you received from your swap pal!
I just finished my first sock ever, so I still need to knit quite a few more before I feel confident enough to knit one for a swap pal. Hope to someday though 🙂
I too love Trader Joes. I always walk out of that store with items not on my shopping list though hehe
I LOVE Trader Joes!!!! I waited for 5 years for it to come to NYC. Before that I would go home (Boston) and stock up on everything and bring it back with me 🙂
Awesome looking socks 🙂
OK, so now having seen just a smidgen of your yarn wall on Janice’s blog, I am so curious about what the rest of the Loopy “operation” looks like. Any thoughts of having a photo essay – the life cycle of a loopy ewe yarn, arrival to departure? Maybe it’s just me who’s interested 🙂
The closest Trader Joe’s to central Colorado is in Santa Fe! It’s a good excuse to go on a trip down there, though. I really love their wine selections. Drinking wine and knitting a sock is the most fun, but it does slow down the progress of the sock. No wine during heel turning!
Those socks look GREAT!
Your gift socks are beautiful and I’m not a purple person. I also live very close
to Trader Joe’s. Unfortunately, I cannot eat all their chocolate, but I do take
some home often. Their box soups are very good and their avacodo salsa is
delicious. I hope you have tried them. Keep taking your guests to cool places
and maybe they will stay a while.
Oh those are beautiful socks! You are indeed lucky. I ended up with a lovely pair of Monkey socks out of swap I participated in.
No Trader Joe’s here but my mom has one….they’re all over Cali. I can go when I visit her. 🙂
What a great pal! I have been seeing those on her blog, but not knowing that they were for you all along!
Ah yes- Trader Joe’s. We have to drive an hour to get to our closest TJ’s. I don’t go very often, but many of my friends make that trek regularly.We keep hearing tumors that they will be putting one in the area, but they just keep making more Starbucks LOL
What wonderful socks! The colors are fabulous! Wollmeise! You know how I love it. Claudia sent some to me in the mail today! Trader Joe’s? I’ve never even heard of them – that’s how sheltered I am! Actually, that’s how rural we are! 🙂 Enjoy your company and a week without a sneak-up!
I just moved “home” after eight years in Los Angeles, which is lousy with Trader Joes. there is ONE in Pittsburgh, and I think I’m going to have to go on a pilgrimage to TJ’s JUST to get their dark chocolate covered pretzels. Seriously. They are THAT good. Best. Treat. Ever.
I also love Amy’s suggestion of the journey of Loopy yarn from arrival to departure. That would be SO cool!
At the end of the last post you asked why you live where you do. Now you know the answer—Trader Joe’s! We sure don’t have that in Canada, as far as I know.
Ohhh…Trader Joe’s has the coolest snacks for the gluten intolerant/celiac person. They have papadums which are indian and lovely. I particularly adore (and can eat an entire bag in one sitting but for the after effects of uncomfortable…err…digestion) Tandoori Masala – ahh, the spice, the cilantro, the lime…sigh….
They also make a nice guacamole, and a nice brown mole, and this wonderful stuff for tuna…Trader Joe’s is a bit of a drive for me, but sometimes on Thursday nights people bring me little gifts of papadums during Drop-In Knitting. It’s the loveliest thing!
I don’t think we have a Trader Joe’s, but I’ve heard much about them. I also wish we had an IKEA. You’ll probably get that before we do!
Of course, we did get the Nebraska Furniture Mart, so Nyeh nyeh nyeh.
Seems like you had a really good Sockret Pal!
trader joe’s is my temple. three words: chili spiced mangoes.
Your socks are so gorgeous, Sheri! That’s a wonderful package. Do you happen to know what Wollmeise colorway that is? I really love the bright blue.
Chocolate covered pistachios? I’m so going to Trader Joe’s tomorrow!
That is a beautuful colorway. There is a Trader Joes about 40 miles from here, but I have never been. I may have to go though to check out all the chocolatey goodness.
Beautiful socks! And I am a huge fan of Trader Joe’s. The chocolate covered pretzel bits are fabulous.
no trader joe’s here, so i’m not listening. LALALALALALALALALALA!
neither whole foods or wild oats has that kind of selection. sigh
Not to mention chocolate covered soy nuts. They must be healthy, don’t you think?
What a sweet swap pal!
I think if you planned another trip to the chocolate covered aisle your friend might stay longer…
We moved away from TJ’s. Wah! I think my favorite is the chocolate covered banana chips. An odd combo. And I don’t like banana chips really. But I was intrigued… and once I tried them… oh. my. goodness. When she comes to visit my sweet MIL makes a TJ’s trip for us. Yum.
Sometimes I think I should make a trip alone back over to Seattle just to load up at TJ’s and Ikea. lol! When we go as a family there is not even enough room for us!
I love Trader Joes…it is the best place in the USA to go shopping. Wish they were everywhere. Glad u are having fun with your visiting friends. Take good care of those wonderful socks..they look yummy
Waiting for the sneak up
Lucky break for your Sockret Pal over the colours. I’m glad the story didn’t have a very sad ending. And I thought I’d mention that if people are looking for swaps there’s a blog that updates regularly when swaps and knit-alongs start with sign up deadline dates at http://knitalongs.xaviermusketeer.com/
Do I know Trader Joe’s??! I’m from southern California—I can remember when there was only ONE Trader Joe’s in the whole world, and people would drive for hours to get there (and then circle for hours trying to get a space in the postage-stamp-sized parking lot by the railroad tracks)! Then I moved here….Luckily every member of my family, all over the country, now lives near a Trader Joe’s, so I can indulge no matter where I’m visiting!
I second Amy’s suggestion—A Day in the Life of a Loopy Skein?
What a nice swap pal package!
I love Trader Joe’s and my favorite things to buy are simmer sauces, lemon zest olive oil, pomegranate vinegar, coffee, and their flash-frozen wild salmon. They have the best whole grain pancake mix in the world and great prices on maple syrup. I do love some sweets like the dark chocolate hazelnut bar and my latest favorite – cinnamon almonds. I can’t keep away from those. Oh – I love those papadums, too!
We just got an Ikea where I live. The first thing we bought there was a large shelf for my yarn.
First, those socks are gorgeous! Are you going to get that colorway in next time??? 🙂
Second, you have a TJs – I’m so jealous!!!!! The closest one to us is near my sister’s house – over an hour away. TJ won’t come to Charlottesville – there has even been a petition to bring them here, but they said that we aren’t big enough for them. But I digress. Have you had the chocolate covered ginger? That’s son’s and DH’s fav. Chocolate Raspberry? My fav. Chocolate covered Cherries – cousin’s fav. Oh, and they have great wines from Chile for $3.99/bottle. It’s a steal and really good wine!
Man, now I’m hungry.
I love the Chocolate Row at Trader Joe’s….love your socks….lucky you to have such a great swap pal!
Enjoy your time with Janice and her family…I left her a comment….hopefully I will win the contest and score some more yarn..
Off to Baltimore, MD for the weekend and the Red Sox game….8 hr drive…..lots of knitting time!
Blogless Diane
Zonda IS the best! I have an amazing needle case she made for my options needles.
Why oh why is there no Trader Joe’s in Florida?? We all eat here too!!! 🙂
Oooh, great socks! And I love Trader Joe’s – but we don’t have one. We stop every time we’re in St. Louis.
What a wonderful swap pal! Very nice goodies indeed! My best friend was also visiting this last week, and I’m trying to figure out how to keep her from heading home as well… Could we tempt them with yarn?
Oooo, you lucky thing – What gorgeous Wollmeise socks, and the rest of your swap package is great! I know you were soooo excited when you opened the package!! I have never been to a Trader Joe’s, but after looking at that isle, I definitely have to check to see if there is one in the Houston area…That place looks VERY interesting!!
My nearest TJs is about an hour away. I bring the cooler with me and load up. I love the chocolate covered banana chips. I can eat them until I make myself sick. The boys love the mini peanut butter cups and the UFOs (mint chocolate crops that I sometimes use on top of cookies but which they mostly eat out of the bag).
Love the Wollmeise socks. Zonda is great!
All I can say is it is a good thing that your new socks don’t fit me, or I might have been tempted to sneak them into the car and take them home with me!!! They are so gorgeous!!! Had to get up early this morning to fondle more yarn. I’m pretty sure it all wants to come home with me!!
It was my first visit to Trader Joes. Now I have chocolate to go with my yarn. All is well.
AH! You stopped by Knitorious??? You should have introduced yourself!
Ah, yes… Trader Joe’s. The place is awesome. I’m originally from California, where there was always a TJ’s within a reasonable distance. I used to treat myself every other Friday by going to TJ’s on the way home from work and buying whatever I wanted – no restrictions! Somehow, it never broke the budget… amazing… When I moved from California to Michigan a few years ago, I was bereft. Trader Joe’s was so much a part of my regular routine and they were not here, nor anything like them. Then, a couple of years ago, they showed up and built a store less than 2 miles from my apartment! How did they know I needed them and to build in my neighborhood!? I was very excited! None of my Michigan friends understood…
Those are beautiful socks, and I love the sock bag too and all the other goodies. I am definitely deprived in Oklahoma, never heard of Trader Joes. Guess I don’t get out much either! It looks so yummy!
Trader Joe’s ROCKS!! We love us some 2 Buck Chuck wine!!!!
The socks are great. What a wonderful haul you got from your pal!!!
Yikes! I’ve been out of town for a while, and almost missed the drawing deadline. My vote for how many skeins you have in stock: 5298.
And thanks, now I’ve got a craving for Trader Joe’s carrot ginger soup. Must.go.today.
We had such fun visiting you and Janice and Maya on Tuesday! Bet you can’t stop laughing when we leave! Too bad James has to go back to teaching school now and won’t be able to visit again until he gets a day off…maybe “fall break”…we’ll see. It was lovely to meet Janice…what a stash she had piled up!
Your sockret pal is spectacular…what colorway is the Wolmeisse?
And Trader Joes? Of course…but I stay away as much as possible, or I’d explode on chocolate alone!
BTW…I figured out those heels (without using the markers), and they are very nice…not too pointy. I’ll be happy to share now that I know what I’m doing! Next time I see you…
Every time I go somewhere with a trader joes I ALWAYS get some of those goodies! My favorite are the dark chocolate covered cherries.
Oh, I love those socks you got from your pal. I have resisted, but I guess I am going to have to get up in the middle of the night and try to score some Wolmeisse yarn. At least I won’t have to go stand on a street corner somewhere. LOL Thanks Sheri, the Trader Joes is about 3 miles down 170 and now all I can think about is their Sweet, Crunchy and Salty mix. I really am not the same size I was before they arrived in town.
Trader Joe’s – One of my favorite places to shop. Good thing they put it far enough from my house that I’m not tempted to go there every day. Too bad Whole Foods didn’t see fit to do the same.
Beautiful socks! You are so lucky to have gotten such an awesome pal.
I so totally love Trader Joe’s. I worked across the street from one for FOUR years (I could see the entrance from my office door). Want a snack? Walk across the street and grab something (often from the chocolate covered row).
I am so happy that you got the socks from Zonda. They look sooo good. I was with her as she was working on them but haven’t seen the final product. Good job Zonda. They look super. She was so nervous about the wool, but I am glad that you like your goodies from her.
Those socks are gorgeous – I’ll have to get some of that yarn sometime.
I love Trader Joe’s! But chocolate covered edamame (aka soybeans)? Yuk!