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’ll second the vote for This American Life (and you can even subscribe to the podcast via iTunes).
Also, I love the band Over the Rhine (they’ve been described as artpop, alt-folk, adult alternative, none of which I disagree with, but they’re all missing something). One of their members, Linford Detweiler, has some great solo piano CDs as well.
Check them out: http://www.overtherhine.com
Gee, this is the second time this week that someone has asked my favorite musical group. It’s a really unbelievably tough question.
Mostly, I listen to classical and Baroque anymore. But there’s a guy who sings at our church, his name is Gavin Coyle, and he’s REALLY REALLY good. My mother will go far out of her way to see/hear him. You should check him out.
http://www.gavincoyle.com/
Oh, and what did I answer for my all-time favorite? Siouxsie and the Banshees, which isn’t really good knitting music. I stick with my classical, Baroque, Gregorian Chant, and opera for that. (Maria Callas rules, baby!)
I like country and folksy mucsic. Allison Kraus is a favorite here.
Depends on what mood you want to be in. When doing serious work that needs to be done but in no way is fun to do (like housework), there is nothing that moves me more than the early rock n roll hits of the 50’s – Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Elvis, Everly Brothers, and all the rest. One can’t help but move to the music!
Alternatively, if you have an iPod, create a playlist of all your faves, invest in an iPod speaker system and listen and sing along to songs you love, all day long. My faves playlist is over 1,000 songs – takes days to play – lol! This platform is also great for audio books if you like them. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve listened and knitted to the entire HP series.
P.S. If you sort your playlist by song, you’ll get an automatic random playback. It’s fun to be ‘surprised’ by whatever song comes next.
Dear Sheri,
I am very new to this, but I learn fast. I am just so in awe of all the yarn you have. it is a true addiction. I HAVE to log in to see what’s new…hmmm…did I say ADDICTION or OBSESSION. I am also a weaver, so I KNOW the pull to spin. So far I have resisted, but I am not one with will power. I have been known to buy without thinking where textiles are concerned. Well, I just bought the new Celine Dion CD, Taking Chances. It is a good one. Thanks for everything. Take care guys….don’t over do it wilth the spinning…it may just lead to weaving,,,, 🙂 Jo
Let’s see …music to work by….
Beautiful and usually at a good clip so it’s good to work to: Cherish The Ladies (Irish/American group of very talented women playing Irish music)
Christmas music: Elvis’ classic Chrismas album or even Bing Crosby (can’t beat the classics.)
If you need to concentrate (no words): Rally Mad about the Classics (a little Ravel, Tchaikovsky etc.)
Best Oddball: Brady Bunch Movie sound track (sometimes you just need to get a little silly)
Something completely different: Belly Dancing Superstars (a bit of exotic sounding music with a good beat. )
Have a happy Thanksgiving!
I love Michael Buble, it makes me think of dancing
Sorten Muld, Mark II and III. A Danish group that does Scandanavian folk songs to an electronic beat. The music is sometimes peppy but mostly soothing; of course, the lyrics are all about lost love and violent revenge and such, but it’s all in Danish or other Scandi languages, so unless you speak them you won’t look up from your packing and go, “They just said WHAT???”
Other groups I like:
Le Vent du Nord (Quebecois folk music, some instrumental, some French lyrics)
Brave Combo (punk polka, some instrumental, some vocal)
Great Big Sea (mostly Canadian maritime province folk, mostly English lyrics)
The Electrocarpathians (mostly Balkan folk tunes to rock beats, very energetic, mix of instrumentals and lyrics in Slavic languages)
Varttina (Finnish folk rock, Finnish & related language lyrics)
I am totally jealous of your new wheel. I started spinning last month at our local fiber guild, and use thier borrowed Ashford Traveller. It is fine, but held together with duct tape in places!
As for music …
Norah Jones
Eva Cassidy
Mick Sterling – a Minnesota Blues guy
Jack Johnson
DonMcClean
My list goes on and on
Some of my favorites – anything by Paul Sullivan (River Music), he’s a pianist with the Paul Winter Group and lives in my town. He just released “My Irish Soul” and it’s wonderful.
For Folk – I like Sarah MacLaughlin (sp), David Mallett, Alison Krauss; Country – I like Sara Evans.
Anonymous 4 has several wonderful albums, including “American Angels.”
There’s a great Christmas album called “Hark” which is jazz sax by Richard Stolzman. Also Shawn Colvin has a wonderful Christmas Carols and Lullabyes album.
Enjoy your turkey!
Rusted Root!! They get me moving. Best band to clean house.
What a fun question! I would recommend Cake, They Might Be Giants, The Ditty Bops, and Lynn O’Brien. They are all fun, quirky, and generally upbeat which I think would be excellent music to pack orders to. The last one if a local artist so I don’t know how available her music is but she has some on her MySpace page if you want to check her out.
I have to put in a vote for MADELAINE PEYROUX! In a quick scan, I haven’t noticed her mentioned, and I LOVE her voice!! Her music is so wonderful. I’ve even heard her having been convinced to do a commercial or two. Another less-known band with a lovely female lead is HEM.
My problem is that I like too much music. Not a problem, really, but hard to just name a couple. S- Melissa Etheridge, Carrie Underwood, Andrea Bocelli, and really – Credence or the Allman Brothers – you can’t go wrong with them.
ooooooo….. music to pack by…..
Probably want to go with something very peppy and upbeat like Fat Boy Slim
If you want something to knit by:
Michael Buble
Il Divo
My favorite is Diana Krall. Just hearing her kicks me into relaxation.
Mmmmm….pumpkin. I’m going to have to try that one for sure.
In the interest of making sure that my comment doesn’t take up the space of the other before me combined, I have one thing to recommend: Pandora. It’s interactive (or not) internet radio. You go to the site (pandora.com) and they ask you for an artist or song that you like, and then it builds a station just for you around your selection. If you rate a song thumbs up it’s more likely to come up again, thumbs down and it won’t play it anymore. You can make bunches of stations and have one for every mood. I’m so addicted, and it’s great for work because I can just put in on and leave it. Plus, you’re almost guaranteed to like everything you hear!
Have a great week/end! =)
Michael Buble…Rascal Flatts…Bob Seger…Mercy Me…soundtrack to Pride and Prejudice…David Crowder Band
Have fun spinning!!
You might want to try Vince Gill’s CD These Days, Marc Cohn’s Cd Marc Cohn and Andrea Bocelli’s CD Sogno. All are great!
I have everything from Beethoven to Metallica on my iPod. My favorite album of all time is the soundtrack to the movie Somewhere In Time. Did you know you can wear out CD’s? I’m on my second copy of this album.
Another favorite (and local – Colorado) artist is Chuck Pyle. You can hear him here: http://cdbaby.com/cd/chuckpyle10 His song “Colorado” is just magical. 🙂 Especially if you love Colorado (and I know you do!)
Congrats on the new wheel! I’m still trying to figure out the drop spindle. Don’t think I’m drafting right.
Music favorites: Johann Sebastian Bach and Billy Joel
Here are a couple of my favorites that I would recommend to anyone no matter what their taste in music.
If your looking for something that is just simply beautiful check out Ludovico Einaudi. I fell in love this artist while I was living in England and listening to ClassicFM on a daily basis. He’s a contempory classical composer/pianist.
I’m also a big fan of the Wailing Jennys. I first heard them on a Prairie Home Companion and promptly ran out to buy as many of their cds as I could find. They are a folky female trio.
I hope you discover some great artist!!
Hmmm. I love Beth Nielsen Chapman & Diana Krall for mellow/jazz sounds. And since the holidays are coming how about Trans-siberian orchestra? Good luck with the spinning class.
It is very hard to choose, especially when my favourites change so often. I have a tendency to listen to a few things until I start hearing them in my sleep, and then get tired of them and listen to something different for a while (I do usually go back to them again after a break). Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Frigg (a Finnish fiddle band) and J.D. Crowe (bluegrass).
Mmmm, I can’t narrow down musical favorites. But I’ll throw out a few good names. Jimmy Smith, Keb Mo, Taj Mahal, Oscar Peterson.
When I am actually able to sit and chill with some music and knitting, I pop in some John Legend and Music from the Wine Lands by Putumayo World Music (a cd I picked up at a little coffeehouse we loved on vacation that they were playing). It is mellow. Perfect to relax and knit a little to.
I only listen to Loreena McKennit and Enya, anything really by them.
Shephard Moons by Enya was probably my favorite album from her.
Hang on Little Tomato by Pink Martini.
The Wollmeise Lace is de-lish!
I did not read all 222 comments, so this may have been suggested — one of my favorite pianists to listen to is Jim Brickman. Gorgeous, gorgeous music. I just love it.
I just bought a new Schacht also and I love it. As for music, how about some good ol’ Lynyrd Skynyrd.
For this time of year, I love Diana Krall and Norah Jones. I love the mellowness and the “coziness” (can music be cozy?) of them both.
You are going to love your Schacht. I have had mine for a little over a year and although it is expensive it is worth EVERY penny. Smooth and easy, you will never regret your descion. Good Luck and Enjoy!
Music, well I am a hugh fan of Sting, anything with him Classic Police and all through his solo career. Sometimes I need something with more of an Up tempo, Santana, Daughtry, Gwen Steffani, or anything 80’s should make you move a little faster. lol
Wow I just so excited about you getting a wheel, it took 8 weeks for mine to come in and it seemed like it lasted forever. Congrats
Stacy
For something new but gentle, I like a CD my 26 year old son gave me by the group Iron and Wine. I do have a daughter that is about to attend Yarn School to learn to spin. I am a spinner, but it was she who was first interested in it and I have her to thank that I have found a love for it. It will be a good extension of her love of animals and for sustaining resources. We have a Jensen Tina II castle style wheel and a Kromski Sonata which is a traveling wheel. I also love to spindle spin. A warning: this all will lead you to a LOOM eventually. I know, I said I wouldn’t do it either, but wait until you see what handspun does on a loom. Kathy
A few that have been mentioned with my favorite albums….
Pink Martini (Hang on Litttle Tomato)
Flogging Molly (Whiskey on Sunday)
They Might Be Giants (Flood)
Sting (10 Summoners)
Enya (Shepherd Moon)
The pumpkin recipe sounds good. I love creative recipes for cake mix.
I’m spending a lot of time checking out all this music!! It’s fun and almost as expensive as your sneak ups!! There’s lots of good music mentioned. I just listened to the new Josh Groban Christmas CD today. It’s awesome!!
Debbie
Norah Jones
Instrumental – I discovered Ehren Starks through the Sticks and Strings Podcast. He has two albums downloadable through www. magnatunes.com, and you get to name the price you pay! You can listen to the music for free through the website to make sure you like it before you download it. I chose “The Depths of a Year”, and will probably purchase the other one soon.
Other music – I like anything by Sting, Ben Folds, Harry Connick Jr., The Beatles / Paul McCartney. Oh, I’ve just started to listening to Christmas music! I love it, and it’s just about the only thing I listen to this time of year 🙂
Mitzi Collins– http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.asp?z=y&CTR=94697
The Dady Brothers–http://www.dadybros.com/
Awesome to work to!!
Oh, and now I think I might have to learn to spin, thanks.
Don’t enter me in the contest, becuase I already won some yarn from you, but I really love to listen to Norah Jones and Jim Brickman. I think you would enjoy both of them.
Congrats on the new wheel! Isn’t it amazing when you “just know” which wheel is the right one?
Elliott Smith & The White Stripes. Neither of which are instrumental and both are from different genres, but great none-the-less.
So hard to narrow down to just 2.
So, for good measure, I’ll add in The Roches 😉
Congrats on the new “wheel” wasn’t something mentioned in a previous blog post that your MOM was going to “gift” you the wheel…
Music…..to keep the elves a hoppin how about some Christimas Music…..I especially like Joy To The World by John Williams….
And to just keep moving…my favorite cleaining music is Mary Chapin Carpenter’s
Come On Come On..
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family….off to get a few chores done (oh the holiday cleaning patrol) before football and knitting…….
Blogless Diane
I have been on a kick of the Rolling Stones lately…and I also like Bon Jovi (what a hottie!).
Oh my goodness Sheri, congrats on the Schacht. It was one of my finalists, but I ended up ordering the Majacraft Rose. So, I too am in the poorhouse. 🙂 I am sure you will love your wheel, and I cannot wait to see some of your handspun. Hey, does this mean that there may be a Loopy Handspun line for sale in the future?? Hmm, I know I would pick up a skein or two. 🙂
Music suggestions…well I am partial to anything 80s pop so that is a given. I also suggest that you try out a CD called Appalachian Journey. It is fantastic album that features Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O’Connor, James Taylor and Allison Krauss. It is one of my favorites, and the last track was my wedding processional.
Hi Sheri, The Schacht is way at the top of my “recommended wheels” list! Congrats!!! I hope you are getting one with double treadles.
I do not have any children at all, but I recently taught a 15 year old girl to spin and she loves it and is doing incredibly well with it!! I think Knitting daughter being a knitter who enjoys good yarn would be very interested (uh-oh, you’re going to need another wheel very soon!).
Good luck
Beth
Congrats on the wheel Sheri! How fun….hopefully you can spin to your heart’s delight during this holiday week!
My music range is crazy! Anything from James Taylor to Kiss… John Denver to Fergie. For instrumental… I’m into Nine Lives of a Healer by Jesse Stern. Only problem with this one…I frequently fall asleep while listening! 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
–Sarah
My favourite music would be “Sheri and the singing elves” latest album “FOREVER ADDICTED”! Impressive sound and sensational leg work on the stage at the Loopy-Ewe rooms.
Congrats to the new Schacht 🙂
Hugs
Claudia
We listen to a wide range of music in our house. We have been listening to Hall and Oates greatest hits, and Steely Dan. On my iPod I listen to country, especially Sugarland, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Starting in the Holiday season, I like to listen to Windham Hill. My favorite at Thanksgiving time is George Winston’s December.
Happy Thanksgiving!
P.S. I had Starbucks 3 days in a row and I thought of you! My favorite is a no whip Mocha.
Vicki
Not sure I am the right person to be recommending music. 🙂 I’m more of a rock n roll type of girl. One of my current favorites is The Fratellis, they are from Scotland, and you have probably heard their music in Ipod commercials and Shrek commercials. I believe. The music is a lot of fun.
I don’t know about daughters who spin (mine is 4!), but I love to spin (I’m 22). My LYS has spinning classes and there is a 12 yo girl there who spins. It’s an indiscriminating addiction.
I love listening to the Windham Hill artists. These folks put out musical collections such as “A Winters Solstice” and I swear that I listen to those (there are 6 out now) all year long!