Yesterday, Adrienne visited The Loopy Room. She lives in Chicago and was on her way to a spinning workshop (how cool is that?) in LaMars. We were talking about spinning wheels when she came in, and she graciously offered to get her Lendrum that was in the car, so that I could try it out. (Knitters and spinners – aren’t they just the best?) She gave me some great spinning tips and it was very fun trying out her wheel. The Lendrum and the Schacht were the two that I most wanted to try out. We made her pose for a photo so that we can start the Loopy Wall of Fame. (Of course I totally forgot to take pictures of the fun people who stopped by today. I must leave the camera out so that I remember….) After shopping hours today, I left Loopy Central in the very capable hands of Susan-the-awesome-assistant and The Elves, and went to my favorite LYS – The Weaving Department. If you live in St. Louis, you know why that’s my favorite local shop. We have some great shops here, but Nancy and her gang have an awesome selection of yarns, always make you feel welcome and appreciated, and are just lovely to deal with. She also sells wheels and looms, and she had a Schacht for me to try. I never should’ve tried it. I was sold on it pretty quickly. 🙂 It helps that Kay – who works there – was an expert teacher and had me spinning away in just 10 minutes. I think I finally “get” it. It just so happens that they have a spinning class going on, so tomorrow I will go to the class (with my second class on 12/1) and at the end of the class tomorrow, I’ll take my new Schacht home. I’m excited!! (And now I’m in the poorhouse. But I’ll be spinning in that poorhouse, so all is well.) I’ll keep you posted on things as I progress. I have also started talking to some roving dyers, and am excited to have that coming here in the new year!
As promised, here is the decadent Pumpkin Dessert recipe that I promised you. Pay no attention to the 2 sticks of butter on the top. (Well, I mean YES, you do need to add those to the top, but NO, you do not need to obsess about how many calories it might add in to your dessert.)
Christy’s Pumpkin Dessert
1 large can of pumpkin (28 – 30 oz)
1 can evaporated milk (10 – 12 oz)
3 eggs
2 sticks of butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 cup of nuts (optional)
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon.
Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil and grease it. Pour the pumpkin mixture in the pan and sprinkle the dry cake mix on top. Pat the cake mix down with a spoon. Sprinkle with nuts (if desired) and drizzle the melted butter over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour (check it at 45 minutes and put a piece of foil over the top if it’s getting a little brown.) Let stand 10 minutes and turn out on a board to cut into pieces, or refrigerate. Great served with whipped topping or ice cream.
And now the November Loopy Loot contest (where you answer my question in the blog comments and I draw a name next Friday to win a gift certificate to The Loopy Ewe!) We love having music going here at Loopy Central, and I think we need some new tunes. Tell me your favorite one or two musical artists. (I know it’s hard to narrow it down. Ok, go ahead and tell me however many you want.) For instrumental music, I really like Matt Bachrach and Michael Faircloth. Matt was an artist that I ran across at our mall, of all places. They had him playing on a stage one day during the holiday season a couple of years ago. Michael has played at our church a couple of times. Both are amazing pianists and I think I have collected all of their albums over time. So suggest some new names – instrumental or otherwise, and I’ll check into them! (Note – this isn’t for playing while people shop here, since we’re not “open” most of the time – it’s just music for us to pack orders to!)
Sheri doanyofyouhavedaughterswhospin?IwonderifKnittingDaughterwouldlikethis?
Congratulations on your new wheel! How exciting. While I haven’t done any spinning for years, my old Ashford still sits in my living room, and I love it. One of these days…
Just a few on my i-Pod: Amy Winehouse, Otis Redding, Patsy Cline, Aerosmith, Bob Dylan, Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday. I also love the soundtrack from “Wicked”. And the music of the 20’s is hard for me to resist–my Mom sang a lot of those old songs to me when I was a kid.
I like a lot of the music that the Dave Matthews Band does. Also, you can’t beat the Eagles. We recently acquired their new CD – Long Road Out of Eden. It is nice and mellow and just as great as their earlier works. Then today I heard James Taylor perform a couple of songs on Ellen and thought, “You know, he has always done great music.”
Regarding the wheels you tried….what was it about the Schacht that made you choose it over the Lendrum? Just curious.
Right now all I have is a drop spindle (or two) and I am resisting going any further with spinning because I am trying to get back into oil painting. With knitting, counted thread embroidery, reading, painting, sewing and working full time I don’t see that I can take on another major hobby without giving up something else.
Good luck with spinning – I would love to learn but just can’t find the time!
As for music, here are some suggestions – Celtic Woman, Maroon 5, Sara Bareilles, KT Tunstall, Matchbox Twenty, Yo-Yo Ma, I could go on for hours but I won’t. Hope that helps!
P.S. Thanks for the new wish list feature – just in time for Christmas! 🙂
Yeah!! I knew once you had that bit of taste it would not be long, and you thought you had not time to knit before 🙂 My daughter (13) spins on a drop spindle – mostly because I will not let her touch my wheel. I’m looking into getting a second one and boy is she cheering me on for that one so she can use the one I now have. (It’s a Louet and I’ll never let her go)
I’m totally brain dead at the moment and can not think of one single music selection – but I’m sure you have plenty already listed to keep you busy for a bit.
I don’t have daughters (or sons), nor do I spin myself, but this reminded me of an essay my great-great-grandmother wrote in 1862. I’m posting an excerpt. The entire essay is on my blog. The “_____” are where I couldn’t decipher her handwriting.
The Spinning-wheel Versus the Piano
An Essay. Composed Dec. 14, 1862 (?)
Martha Mariah Teeter
Valparaiso Male & Female College
(partial transcript)
The time honored wheel which was thought to be indispensable, always carreid with it a good influence. The young ladies of that age were not such pampered slaves of fashion; not such perfect emblems of vanity and idleness; were not all follies, _____, and frivolities; were not all weakness, delicasy, timidty and fearfulness; they cherished not such an antipathy to labor; they did not look upon useful employment as a hard necessity to be avoided if possible; No, but with rosey health beaming in their faces, buoyant life in their steps, they gracefuly completed a days work at the wheel and attended to other household duties.
The entire essay is posted on my blog. Thank you for reminding me of this. It’s been quite a while since I transcribed it.
I love piano music….my favorties are Jim Brickman and George Winston! They make me happy 🙂
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Maureen McGovern, Ella Fitzgerald, Linda Ronstadt – beautiful voices, all.
Since Christmas is around the corner, I’ll share my 2 favorite Christmas groups. My absolute favorite Christmas CD is Robert Shaw’s “Song of Angels”. For a more modern sound, I love the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CDs.
I can’t hardly wait for Thanksgiving so I can “officially” play my Christmas CDs!!! I love Christmas. It’s may favorite time of the year.
Congratulations on the wheel!
As far as music, I’m a vocalist and I gravitate to vocal music. So let me recommend three great Nordic groups (they seem to handle the genre the best): Rajaton, Real Group, and my personal favorites, Club for Five. (www.singers.com carries the CDs) Club for Five has just released a Christmas album, and although it’s all in Finnish, it’s totally mind-blowing. I finished the foot of a sock while listening to it.
And thank you for the lovely sock club kit. I can’t wait to get started.
Congrats on your new Schacht! Although I have a Lendrum, I liked the Schacht a whole lot too. Are you going to name it? 🙂
How about KC and the Sunshine Band?
I love instrumental music, especially bagpipes, and just came across this great group called The Tartan Terrors. They are a Celtic band/comedy group so their some of their CDs have a blend of their amazing music and part of their comedy act. I’ve been listening to it none stop lately and they just came out with a Holiday CD that I need to check out.
Spinning is completely addicting and I can’t wait until I can get my first wheel!
WooHoo – You got a wheel…I am so jealous! Have a great time learning to spin! Since I graduated in the late 70’s, my old favorites are the Eagles, Styx, Kansas, Little River Band…I could go on and on. My music tastes are pretty eclectic as well…for instrumentals, I love Kenny G and Yanni, For country music I like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw (especially their duets), Garth Brooks, Martina McBride and Allison Krause. My weirdest music right now is Creed…I don’t know why, but I love their music!
You HAVE to check out Ingrid Michaelson and Regina Spektor. My absolute favorites. I would love to burn you some copies if you’d like…Just need your address. I also REALLY am loving Grey’s Anatomy Season 3 soundtrack right now. :0)
My first order from from Loopy Ewe was waiting at my door step this evening, yeah!
My favorite music: Ella Fitzgerald, Lyle Lovett, Nancy Griffith, The Chieftains, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Buena Vista Social Club, Nickel Creek…..
Happy Thanksgiving!
Congrats on the wheel!
My two most favorite musical artists, would have to be James Taylor and John Denver. But as much as I love their stuff, and have memorized many of their lyrics, my two favorite groups seem to have written the soundtrack of my life. So my recomendations would have to be Carbon Leaf and Nickel Creek. I hope you enjoy!
PS – I would try Nickel Creek’s “House of Tom Bombadil” or “Old Cold Coffee on the Dashboard” to pep you right up. If you need a little more rock in order to roll, then try Carbon Leaf’s “This is my Song!” or “Life Less Ordinary”
I love Colbie Caillat. She has the most beautiful voice. Listening to her sing just makes me down right joyful!
I really don’t listen to music much. In the car and in my office, I am always listening to NPR.
Here’s an indie artist for you that I bet no one else will recommend–she’s sort Tori Amos/Nora Jones-ish– Vienna Teng. You can listen to some of her songs on her website http://www.viennateng.com . She’s really great live. I also really like Rachael Yamagata, who is also on the indie side (another piano playing woman).
When I need to be a little creative or just get into the mood of expanding my mind, I pop in a blue grass version of Dave Mathews. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005B69D/ref=reg_hu-wl_item-added
The kids in my class love this too! They say it helps them to brainstorm and get started on their writing. It’s also just a good way to start the day!
My favorite musician is Eric Frampton – he’s got a myspace page – myspace.com/ericframpton … and I’m totally biased cause he’s my boyfriend!!
For something a bit different and calming and new agey (instrumental and chant): Deva Premal
For something interesting and that you can feel good about listening to may I suggest THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO SAVE DARFUR 2-cd set of John Lennon songs covered by current artists. It’s called Instant Karma and proceeds go to help Darfur!
I love to listen to Diana Krall. Lovely smoky voice and great on a piano. Also, any of the 60s instrumentals like Henry Mancin and Dave Brubek. Got to start pricing wheels now.
Down the Line is a local Chicago band that is catchy, you can sing along to it, and their live shows will knock your socks off. I’ve never seen four people have so much fun playing music. Check it out!
My daughter spins, wonderful almost lace singles. Your daughter may enjoy it as well.
So, for music, at work we enjoy Pink Martini, a local group that travels internationally now. You would be surprised at all the different genres that come through the speakers at BMFA!! It’s great, anything from 50’s to current. Some jazz, some country, some rock, it’s all good!!
At home I enjoy listening to Enya, Celtic Women, and recently stuff from my teen years, Air Supply, Bryan Adams, the Bangles, Bette Midler, Foreigner, etc. I was given 3 CD’s for my birthday, all 80’s music!
Have a great weekend, I hope to make apple pie. 🙂 Oh and knit more on my Christmas presents.
Congrats on your new wheel! My knit night gals are trying to lure me to the dark side by lending to me (by force, haha) a drop spindle. Not gonna budge yet though 🙂
If you’re looking for some instrumental music to pack order to, I think I have somethin for ya. 🙂 This summer, I was fortunate to catch Geoffrey Castle play live at a lavender festival and he was awesome! He plays an 6 string electric violin and his music influence is varied, from celtic to middle-eastern influenced to his little take on “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. I purchased his “Mist On the Mountain” CD (you can get a taste of what some of his songs sound like here: http://www.theviolincase.com/716.shtml
Two of my favorite tracks on that album is the “Underhill’s Waltz” and “Darwin”
I just found out that he’s coming out with a Christmas album – I may have to check that one out 🙂
Congrats on the new Wheel!
On instrumental, if you like piano, you’ll love George Winston. The holidays are coming up – try downloading “December”- which is beautiful and one of my favorites. “Autumn” and “Forest” are equally beautiful…
When I’m working, I like to listen to Claude Debussey and this group called “Lanterna” which I think you’d like – it’s kind of elevator-music-y, some say – but try “Highways” or “Sands”…
Okay, I’m going to keep it to two because otherwise I’d go on all night. The first artist to come to mind has to be Colin Hay – he’s got this way of writing songs that seem right for your mood, no matter what it is. And for number two, I’m going with Howard Shore. I’ve never heard a movie soundtrack that effects me as strongly as the ones for the Lord of the Rings. Seriously, I cry like a freakin baby.
IF you have a fondness for upbeat somewhat-Celtic-ish, I can’t recommend Blackmore’s Night enough. I love those two and though they started in New York, they’re a HUGE hit in Europe. For good reason! Because what other band encourages you to dress up as a medieval tavern wench when you attend their concert? 😉
I like Ben Folds (and his earlier stuff with Ben Folds Five) and Ingrid Michaelson. Ben Folds is a pianist and there is a lot of piano in is music. I also really love the Appalachia Waltz trio music of Marc O’Connor, Yo Yo Ma, and Edgar Meyer.
If you want to bring in the holiday season, you might want to go with the Manheim Steamroller suggestions; they do some wonderfully inventive and joyful music. However, for the rest of the year I rely on my somewhat faulty memory for those voices and songs that have soothed and encouraged me over the years. They’ve come from Joni Mitchell and Alison Krauss at the “folkier” side to Barbra Streisand and Audra McDonald at the Broadway side, among others. Then sometimes I like to dig way back into the Sixties and listen to the Beatles or the Stones (or even dance to the Bee Gees — just don’t knit at the same time). After all, there’s a reason why my Ipod is full. I hope your “life soundtrack” is full too.
Congrats on the new wheel! And the new addiction 😉 I would really like to know how to spin. I have a spindle but I haven’t got the hang of it (haven’t had much time to try it either…) and there is an old wheel at our cottage, I think it works, at least it used to.
Music… my favourites are Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys and U2. Can you tell that I was a teenager in the 80’s 😉 Oh, and Eskobar. Their songs are so *beautiful*
No spinning daughters here.
Music, I like the David Crowder Band, and Phillips Craig & Dean, Newsboys, Mercy Me and Big Daddy Weave. and many more.
Have fun at your spinning lesson.
Congrats on the wheel I can’t wait to see what you spin up. It makes me want to learn how to spin now.
As for music I love 80’s and R&B
especially the cure, hall & oats, depeche mode, chicago, haha and Chris Brown, Bobby Valentino, john ledgend… a wide variety of artist…I like all kinds of music really. I don’t really knit to music but I do listen to it in my truck or while I’m cleaning and folding laundry 🙂
My son-in-law, a baritone. I can send you a recording since he hasn’t got any commercial ones. You can hear him at a href=”http://chaosvortex.zoomshare.com/files/05_Track_5.mp3″ (if the link works).
I really like sergey schepkin’s version of bach’s the well tempered clavier. It’s the piano version, and there’s 2 volumes with 2 cds each. Wonderful stuff!
My three older daughters all like to spin, although they don’t do it frequently. We actually got our wheel as a family Christmas gift when my 12 year old was begging to learn to spin. They’d all used the drop spindle and like to card fleece as well. As soon as we got the wheel my oldest daughter quickly spun some white wool (all lumpy of course) and wove it into a wall hanging as the clouds in a nature scene. Just make sure that if anyone else in your house is spinning that you have lots of bobbins. I’ve learned the hard way that if you don’t, you’ll have people with different abilities spinning over top of each other’s work, and the result may be a tangled mass! Have fun at your class today.
As for music, I can’t be of much help. With five pianists in the house, most of the music I listen to is live, and when they’re finished playing I like to enjoy the quietness!
I’ve been enjoying teh Dixie Chicks lately, and Ingrid Michaelson. Ingrid sings a song about knitting 🙂
I haven’t read all of the comments so forgive me if someone already mentioned this. My absolute favourite CD right now is Pink Martini: Hang on Little Tomato. My daughter gave it my husband for Christmas last year and I still love listening to it. Every song is from a different part of the world so there is a nice mix of Italian, French, Spanish, Japanese etc.
It has a wonderful sound that makes you want to get up and dance!
Favorites are anything from the Vince Guaraldi Trio, Andreas Bocelli or Bare Naked Ladies….how’s that for eclectic!
My daughter learned how to spin on a Babe’s Fiber Starter when she was 12. Great wheel for chucking across the room. She adores spinning, and has two wheels now, and teaches drop-spindling for me when I do fiber classes for homeschoolers.
Some of Nickel Creek’s instrumental tracks are mind-blowing. I’ve seen them live.
I agree with the Nickel Creek comment…also Regina Spektor. She’s an amazing singer who plays piano. She’s awesome. 🙂 Also Iron & Wine…
Ooooh, have fun with the new wheel! I’m still waiting on a refund check from our bad floor people. They did the shoddy work in APRIL. Sigh. Someday, it will come, and I’ll go wheel shopping.
My two favorite artists: Tori Amos and Counting Crows. I can listen to them constantly and still love every note. I also love The Few (http://cdbaby.com/cd/few). My 3yo and I love “Only My Love.” She calls it “her song”.
There’s a new age singer named Enya that sings beautiful music and there is a
local lady that just put out a new Harp albumn called “A Space Within”. Her name
is Amy Camie. I still like some of the people from the 80’s, like Sting, and Abba.
I love Abba’s Souper Trouper. And of course, I still like the oldies but goodies,
like Tony Bennett and Barbara Streisand. Of course, it all depends on what mood
your’re in at the time. If your daughter is packing she’s bound to have some
favorites. They may be a little different than what you like. Also someone else
mentioned the Irish Celtic Singers; they are very good. And you know
“The Weaving Department” is my very favorite LYS. Nancy’s the best. Good luck
with your spinning.
I highly recommend Beethoven’s 9th symphony. I clean house to it and it gets your blood pumping. The choral part reminds me of angels singing for joy and the music leading up to the choral part urges you on. The music also doesn’t compete with your coversation with others.
Congratulations on choosing a spinning wheel – fun ahead! And I’m sure it’s a business expense (lucky you…) ;~)).
Music: I like to listen to country/rock, unusual for the Northeast but I haven’t always lived here,, classical, pianists. A great but somewhat obscure band, EastmountainSouth, (not sure that is one word) ), Patti Griffin, Emmy Lou Harris. Diana Krall, George Winston in my iPod when I walk in the woods.)- see that he’s been mentioned. His stuff is seasonal – and his Christmas disc, December, is amazing.
I reallly don’t think you could go wrong listening to the Rolling Stones “40 Licks” set … there packing would go by in a flash! Micjk and the boys have something for nearly every taste — “Honky Tonk Woman”, “Satifaction”, “Beast of Burden”, “Paint it Black” … there are so many good ones, your time would fly (and you’d be dancing all day!)
From the VW of wheels my old Ashford, to the Lexus of wheels the Schacht…. I totally understand. I should have bought a Schacht by now. They are the best smoothest spinning you can get! Congratulations~! I am jealous.
Alice
My age is gonna show here. I’m a JOURNEY freak. I listen to them all the time, and back in the day, when kids were growing and money was tight, buying a Journey cassette for me was dollars not spent on kids’ new shoes. But I got my housework done to their music, really loud to keep me going! During the last 5 years, with the kids grown, I was finally able to attend a few concerts!! And felt 30 years younger while there!
I’m trying to teach myself to spin with a drop spindle. I wish I could say that it’s going better than it is. I think the problem is that I don’t have someone showing me–I’m a visual learner.
Music? Oh where to be begin! matchbox twenty, Rob Thomas, The Corrs, RENT OBC Recording, The Lion King OBC Recording, Leahy (an amazing Celtic inspired group, all siblings and their parents). I could go on, but, those are my favorites.
I would say Feist. She’s Canadian and wonderful. Her music is a bit of an acquired taste in some respects but it is folky, quirky, fun, and beautiful.
For more of an instrumental/latin vibe. I love Jesse Cooke’s stuff.
Another very cool bit of instrumental is St. Germain.