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?
I don’t have a spinning daughter… nor am I a spinner myself. Someday, when I have money, I’ll learn. And maybe, in at least 10-15 years and 6 months, I’ll have a daughter who will want to spin. Or knit. Or maybe a son. We’ll find out out whether it’s a daughter or a son in a month and a half, and it will be a few years yet before I find out whether s/he wants to knit 😉
As for music… I really like Angels and Airwaves, and Nickelback. I like a LOT more, too, but I’ll leave it at that. Oh, and if you want something “softer,” Josh Groban (I think that’s how you spell it) is really good. I have a friend who LOVES his music.
Congrats on the spinning classes/wheel!
Music ideas – none.
Okay now! Photo with wheel needed! I knew it wouldn’t be long before you got one. That is so nice you got one – I want to know all about it. Still looking and wading thru the choices for me but acquiring the fiber…Oh well spinning in the poorhouse doesn’t sound bad 🙂
I have a Louet S10 DT I got from Myers House, and a nice stash of roving to spin. If the class is with Carol Hagen you’ll have a great time and learn tons!
For music, the most unusual one has to be Greg Patillo. He’s a flute player, but I’ve never seen anyone play flute like him! He beatboxes while he’s playing and it sounds amazing. Listen to the “Inspector Gadget” track on the website, it’s the first of the video clips.
throughout the holiday season, i like to listen to beth nielsen chapman’s “hymns” album– it is beautifully simple, still has a holiday feel without being jingle bells… it’s perfect.
I am so glad you like to spin. I have not been spinning since you opened TLE.I might start again if you have roving. I also find I like to spin in the winter. No I will have to get myself in gear and make more time for knitting AND spinning.
My favorite roving always came from Interlacements who you already know. I would love to try some other Indie Dyers as well.
As to the music, try Liz Story. She writes her own music and plays piano beautifully. i think you might enjoy her.
Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers are one of my favorites. Along with Eddie from Ohio. And Bon Jovi.
Happy packing!
Oooh, music! One of my favourite things, next to knitting. Personally, I like old jazz standards, so I listen to a lot of Mills Brothers, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, State Street Swingers, Billie Holiday, Artie Shaw, etc. On a more modern note, I adore Sting & U2. Pretty much everything Sting’s ever done has been awesome, I think. I also like classical, primarily Mozart, because that’s what I’m most familiar with thus far, but I’ve recently discovered Liszt (I’m probably misspelling that one), and that I’m fond of things in minor keys…really dark sounding. My husband is a professional musician, and he’s in college right now working on a degree in Music Education, with a minor in Instrumental Performance, so music is almost always in the house. 🙂 I feel very lucky sometimes.
I can always be swept away with a little Barbara Streisand, Anita Baker and Celine Dion. HOWEVER>>>>>>>> this time of year class for a little Connie Francis and some “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”! 🙂
Definetely give Nickel Creek and Tonic Solfa a try.
Nickel Creek is very blue-grassy and Tonic Solfa is an acapella men’s group (and one of the members is from my hometown.
Ooh, I forgot to mention Ben Folds Five! It’s a nice blend of old jazzy sounds with newer melodies & lyrics…just awesome.
I like to listen to local groups so Go Fish- http://www.gofishguys.com -is one of my faves. They’ve gone into children’s music lately but I’m a kid at heart and all their CDs are wonderful. They’re guys that met at college and started a group. Love their version of The B-I-B-L-E. It will get your toe tapping!
It depends on the mood, of course. I am fond of most anything Enya, Yusef’s (former Cat Stevens) “An Other Cup” CD, Bob Marley, JS Bach.
The pumpkin dessert looks wonderful-I’m doing a mental pantry list to figure out if I can make it today without running to the store!
So hard to choose… Anything composed by John Williams (listening to the first Harry Potter soundtrack right now.) Also, I love Tori Amos and Train.
i love the new Shins album, it is on constant rotation in my craft room. other than that, Mozart 25, aka the little a minor, is my all-time favorite Mozart symphony. also the Mozart clarinet quintet performed by David Shifrin is sublime. other than that, we have heavy acid rock playing at my place because that is what the significant other listens to in his office. i end up spinning some great singles to his music because it is so regular in the way of tempo and loud and quite often, angry. *smile*
my new kromski wheel is so much fun, you are going to have a blast with your schacht! i can’t stop spinning though, it is insanely addictive!
Your decadent pumpkin dessert looks scrumptious! I am looking forward to trying it!
I like Chicago, Blood, Sweat, & Tears, & The Alan Parsons Project (the latter because they just did 2 huge concerts at my College Guy’s university, and my son got to work closely with them on the sound stuff part), the Canadian Brass, Doc Severinson, Gerry Mulligan & Dave Brubeck, John Williams, Lee Murdock, Beethoven’s 5th, some pipe organ, Peter, Paul, & Mary, Julie Andrews, a number of Broadway Musicals, some movie soundtracks (Pirates of the Caribbean), and Weird Al Yankovic. I’m sorry I can’t really narrow my list down to 2. I am another former music major who has some very eclectic tastes. 🙂
Music? NP
I’ll send you this really FAB group- it’s called the “wedon’tputsubliminalmessagesinourmusicthatsaytosendtraceyinmialltheyarnespeciallywollmeiselace” group
They have this rockin single: “alltraceywantsforchristmasissomeloopyeweyarn”
😉
Manheim Steamroller for Christmas. But for pumping up, packing orders – Newsboys. For that good old Christian music with a boost – Jars of Clay, Big Daddy Weave and Shane and Shane (Love, love, love their harmony)
I am watching your post carefully. I am hoping for my first wheel soon.
I think ya’ll should rock out to Bon Jovi while packing orders in the Loopy Room. I love, love, love them.
My 10 yo daughter would say Fergie. But I love listening to a lot of different types of music. Some examples would be The Who, Keith Urban, Melissa Etheridge, Matchbox 20, & Carbon Leaf
Well, it’s not music, but I enjoy listening to the many knitting podcasts on iTunes while I knit. Also, it’s that time of year so I’ve been listening to Christmas music. All the classics by singers like Bing Crosby.
Ah music…well, of course I lean toward the classical, especially the cello! (C’mon James…chime in here). Among the ultimate cello works are the Bach Suites for Unaccompanied Cello and the Dvorak Cello Concerto. Yo-yo Ma has really expanded the repertoire and has a wide variety of interesting CDs. My favorite classical composer is Brahms…all four symphonies are spectacular. And Beethoven…the 5th and 9th Symphonies. And the rest…too many to mention here, but that’s a start!
That being said…when cleaning my basement I resort to the Oldies! Gimme that great rock & roll from the 50’s and 60’s! And in the basement, I can sing along at the top of my lungs and nobody can hear me except the dogs!!!!
BTW…congrats on your wheel! Can’t wait to see it!
Eagles, John Mellenkemp, Enya, Sheryl Crowe, Sting, Billy Joel – you need to download iTunes if you don’t already have it – load all the songs you have on CDs on iTunes and just let it run while you are processing your orders and packing!
Favorites have to be bluegrass, Tim O’Brien, Nickel Creek, and on Sunday after church, Sirius Radio Bluegrass Gospel.
Also love opera.
You’re tempting me with the spinning…..
I’m in the contest with John Legend, who was know as John Stephens around here for most of his life. He’s only relatively new, as his first album won many awards and his second one is out now. Really good to see a successful grad of the local public schools. He’s also coming home to do a Christmas Eve concert at his high school.
I am on a big Tracy Chapman kick, but have also been really listening alot to Michael Tolcher and the soundtrack to “Into The Wild.”
Hmm. I’ve been in love with Matt Nathanson and Erin McKweon for the last couple of years. Both pretty mellow and awesome in concert.
Bruce Springsteen is my ultimate favorite. I never get tired of listening to him. I recently discovered The Frames and am really into them right now.
Dont laugh at me…the soundtrack from “Saturday Night Fever”. My mom and I used to put it on when we were cleaning house and it always got us energized. I still play it. I also like the greatest hits from Seals and Croft.
I love all kinds of music…my MP3 player has Il Divo right after Whiskey in the Jar by Metallica, but a few of my favorites are: Feist (I love her sound); Matt Dusk (think classic Sinatra) and Sarah Slean (try Lucky Me). All of these Canucks make me proud to be Canadian!
I totally agree with the recommendation for the Cheiftains & Lorena McKinnit, I own everything they both have out.
If I want to sing out of tune I listen to country: Wynonna, Brooks & Dunn, Travis Tritt… But if I want calming I listen to the Jane Austen Companion. Polar opposites aren’t they!
Music to pack by, I am going to chime in with what I know has been posted already but Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Mannheim Steamroller for the holidays. Also Mannheim Steamroller has some good music for halloween which you can play in say August to add a little gothic music to your day. Also as I was a teen of the 80’s I would say anything by Queen. Nothing can beat listening to Bohemian Rhapsody or Another One Bites the Dust. If you want something mellow Chuck Mangione is good. Lastly but not least is a local Detroiter Bob Seger. I guess my music tastes are wide range but I have fun. 🙂
Oh my…well, you need some upbeat stuff, like Celtic music! I think this is the best to work with …..nice to listen to and a little fast at times and sometimes slow. Do you need some recommmendations? There are lots, but I listen to Chelsea House Orchestra (1999) when I want to make the work more fun.
And then there’s nothing like the full circle of spinning and listening to the music of the land. :0)
I have been listening recently to a CD by Bill Douglas called Stepping Stones. It is all piano.
Bon Jovi and Aerosmith. I’m a child of the 80’s.
Josh Groban. He makes me feel very worldly and sophisticated. Plus, it blows me away how talented he is at such a young age!
Louis Prima – amusing lyrics and upbeat, but easy to ignore if necessary. And I think I saw someone else mention them already, but Pink Martini is really quite good. I like their first album best (Sympatique).
I am loving LeAnn Rimes’ newest album right now (Family)…but I run the gamut cuz I am also listening to Linkin Park (Minutes to Midnight) and Jay-Z (American Gangster). And my favorite classical composers are Mozart and Bartok. I think I have eclectic musical tastes.
Try Gaelic Storm – vocal as well as instrumental pieces. Great Irish music to pack to!
I love to listen to Secret Garden Music, I will listen to it will I am knitting, reading and baking. It is so soothing and all my troubles go away, almost like knitting.
I saw George Winston mentioned already. We play his CD “Plains” almost every day during our kindergarten down time. For vocalists I’ve been listening to “Bethany and Rufus 900 Miles” (loads of Cello here too–it really sings)
http://bethanyandrufus.com/
And anything by Ann Reed http://annreed.com/
Try Altan and Leahy (two different groups…) You will work fast listening to their music! Irish/Celtic/sort of eclectic music.
And yes, I have two spinning/knitting daughters, daughter #2 started first, then we got daughter #1 a wheel, then I started a little over a year ago. We have 2 Lendrum and 1…I can’t remember what daughter #2’s is!!
Happy spinning!
Hey! Thanks for the recipe. I think I’ll try it next week. My daughters don’t spin and I’ve been holding onto a spindle and some roving til I “have the time”. But I’m afraid to start…you know what I mean! And my favorite music artist is my brother Steven Karambay. He’s a local out of Colorado near Vale. He has a couple of cd’s out but they’re of his own production. I’d love to copy them for you if you’d like them. It’s nice guitar with vocals. No worries..he won’t mind!
dang! sorry i can’t be of any help – i dont really listen to music, let alone instrumental. anyway, good luck with finding new artists and thanks for the new recipe! i love pumpkin:o)
Congratulations on your new purchase…you deserve it! And thanks for the recipe…perfect for me…quick and easy…and it sounds delicious! I’ll make it to take to my daughter’s for Thanksgiving.
I don’t have time to read all 178 of the posts to see if my favorites have been named, so it may be a duplicate: Josh Groban, Chanticleer, Kenny G…and, of course, The Davis High School Madrigal Singers’ performance at Llangollen, Wales, International Eisteddfod…a fond remembrance of our times there with our granddaughter and grandson (they won “best chamber choir”!)
Happy Thanksgiving, Sheri…
For amazing acoustic guitar try Leo Kottke. My husband just started me listening to break of reality, a group of three cellists and one drummer from University of Rochester who cover old rock such as Metallica.
I’m still resisting the spinning – my pile of knitting UFO’s helps me resist.
Have fun using your new spinning wheel. 🙂
I listen to a variety of music but my all time fav is country. If I had to narrow it down to a few I’d go with Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw and LeAnn Rimes.
Happy Thanksgiving!
You’re never going to be able to try all these! What fun. For instrumental give Trio Globo a try (eclectic global jazz fusion group – and there’s a harmonica). For singing along, Nanci Griffith.
I like Bonnie Raitt, Allison Krauss, Sheryl Crow….any chick wailing a good tune! I haven’t tried the spinning thing yet…I need to stay unbitten by that bug until I can afford the time or space for another hobby!
Thanks for the recipes!
One of my favorite things are sound tracks. An all time favorite is the “Knight’s Tale” movie. Great songs like We are the Campions-Queen, The Boys are back in town, EYe Conqueror-Third Eye Blind, Further on up the road-Eric Clapton, Golden Years- David Bowie. To many to name them all.
Very up beat and I can listen to it over and over!