If you’re a Wendy Knits reader, or a Loopy Legends Collector, you’re already heard about the elusive L-B! Well guess what? Loopy tracked her down and interviewed her for this week’s Limelight! She has a soft spot for animals of all kinds, so it’s no wonder that Loopy was able to talk her into the interview. It’s still next to impossible to get a photo (which makes one wonder if she truly does exist, or is a figment of Wendy’s imagination.) Here is a photo from our Fall Knitting Weekend last year. L-B tried to hide behind Maggie the sheep, but she was only marginally successful. She did give me permission to share this photo with you.
Loopy: Hi L-B! Well you’re a Loopy Legend, and you’re a Wendy Legend, right? (Which is better than being an Urban Legend, we think. Or maybe you’re that, too?) Thanks for agreeing to be interviewed today.
L-B: L-B in the Loopy Limelight? But haven’t you already interviewed Wendy? It’s commonly thought that I am Wendy’s imaginary friend. But, I’ll be happy to answer your questions and let your readers decide if I am real or not!
Loopy: We’ll read your answers verrry carefully, with all of that in mind. So when did you begin knitting, and who taught you:
L-B: I began knitting around the age of 9, teaching myself from an old book that had pictures of a baby tangled up in yarn. I began knitting doll clothes, especially dramatic, multi-color and lace hooded capes for my trolls (I remember learning yarnovers and pulling the long troll hair out from the holes!) and cabled hats for myself and freeform wall-hangings!
Loopy: Do you have a favorite thing to knit?
L-B: I love all forms of knitting now, but if I had to choose only one style, it would be Aran. I began spinning in the mid-seventies when acrylic was rampant and I wanted to knit with wool. I don’t spin as much now, but a beautiful handpainted roving or a fleece fresh off the back of a sheep at the State Fair never fails to lure me back!
Loopy: Since none of us feel like we ever have enough time in the day to knit, do you have any tips for us:
L-B: Time? I would trade much of my stash (please don’t ask) for more knitting hours in the day! My knitting goes everywhere I do–I knit on breaks at work, in restaurants, standing in the grocery line and even at stop lights (dare I admit that?). I enjoy knitting while mall-walking and one day felt a tug on my yarn. I turned to find one of the senior mall-walkers holding my yarn. The ball had fallen out of my bag as I walked and he had picked it up nearly on the other
side of the mall! He said he started rolling up the ball wondering what he’d find at the other end! Now, my challenge is to find knitting time with a puppy in my life. I’m getting good at tossing the ball a long way and knitting until Rose returns with the ball.
Loopy: We know you love animals, and they seem to love you, too. Tell us about your pets.
L-B: Rose is the most recent of my furry friends. She is a 6 month old Australian Shepherd who was unfortunately bred with double-merle genes, resulting in total deafness and some visual impairment. She was rescued by a wonderful woman with Aussie Rescue (ARPH) and I adopted her in March. She is an amazing dog who doesn’t seem to know she has any limitations. When she can’t see or hear me, she can scent me out. I’m training her with hand signals which she picks up quickly, but I have to be creative to get her attention to actually see the signs. A stick with peanut butter on the end has been a fantastic training tool! Lucky cat is well-known at Wendyknits for wooing Lucy, but they have yet to actually meet. Still, he “wears” his tuxedo at all times in the event he ever meets Lucy. Clancy, the beagle, and Molly, the tortoiseshell cat, round out the group, all of them with special challenges that constantly inspire me.
Loopy: They’re all very beautiful animals! And speaking of Lucy and Wendy, how did you and Wendy get to become such good friends. (If, indeed, you are two different people….)
L-B: Wendy and I met via her blog as we have the same passion for traditional knitting, then later in person since we both live in Virginia. Wendy is focused and prolific in her knitting while I can be perfectly satisfied knitting “nothing” with two swizzle sticks and embroidery floss as I did years ago on an airplane when my knitting needles were taken away at security. The process of knitting, manipulating the stitches, playing with color, fascinates me, which helped lead me into doing test and sample knitting for Apple Laine, Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Clara Parkes’ book, The Knitter’s Book of Yarn and , of course Wendy’s book and patterns. We are best of friends and possibly alter-egos. Wendy calls me Hippy Crunchy (I call her Bag Ho) and I boast 34 years as a vegetarian and nearly as long as an avid New England Contra dancer, whereas Wendy enjoys omnivorous gourmet cooking and has graphed Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album and knitted it into a sweater!
Loopy: So are there any tales you’d like to tell about Wendy? Now’s your chance, you know.
L-B: What do you not know about Wendy? You mean that I can share, right? 😉 Well, her generosity is well-known, but did you know she gives her handknitted socks away to the Salvation Army? No telling where you may see her socks on the streets of D.C.!
Loopy: I think you probably just started a run to The Salvation Army. You two invented the phrase “Sock Yarn Doesn’t Count as Stash.” (Which you have graciously lent to us for a few fun products.) How did that come about?
L-B: Our phrase “Sock Yarns Don’t Count as Stash” was born out of our agreement last year to knit from our stash until we met at Stitches East. But, we were addicted to The Loopy Ewe and also wanted to rejoin the BMFA Rockin’ Sock Club, so we decided to amend our “tongue-in-cheek “rules” to agree that sock yarn and spinning fiber did not count as stash. But, man, did the sock yarn stash grow! (again, don’t ask!) I was already hooked on yarn from Apple Laine, Blue Moon Fiber Arts and Claudia, but The Loopy Ewe introduced me to my newest favorites, Tempted, The Sanguine Gryphon and Zen String! I really do need to put the sock knitting down sometimes to knit the aran and lace weight yarns that are being neglected.
Loopy: We like that you’re a bit addicted to sock yarn and we don’t think you need to put it down for a second. But we might be biased…. Thanks for agreeing to be in The Limelight with us today!
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The Spring Flingers are coming! We’re so looking forward to having some of you here in just a few short days. (But we really wish that all of you could have come. Next year?) Due to preparations for the Spring Fling, The Loopy Ewe will be closed for in-person shopping this week. However, the online shop never closes and we’ll keep shipping orders, so you can keep shopping online during this time. This week’s Sneak Up will include: Duets, Hand Maiden Casbah, Numma Numma BabyBoo, Scarlet Fleece (more new colors), Noro Sock Yarn (only part of our order came, but we’re happy to share what we have so far), Pattern Tamers, and Gales Art Roving (this is Black BFL, hand-dyed – amazing stuff). So, lots of fun things to look forward to this week.
Sheri sotellme,isL-BafigmentofWendy’simaginationandthephotoissomeimposter?
Bag Ho? BAG HO?
Well, okay, that’s true. You Hippie Crunchy, you! 😀
Hi LB,
I read her blog everyday and she has helped me out a time or two. I think
Wendy gets a lot of knitting done with the time she has and she knocks things
out so quick. I love to see what she’s making. I have a pattern or two of hers.
Maybe next time Loopy can interview her cat. That would be interesting since
they live together. It’s great that she’s so kind to the animals and helps the
handicapped ones also. I presume that they all love living together. Have a good
time at the Spring Fling and as far as photos, I have seen Wendy in photos on
her site. I hardly ever get photos on Sheri’s site. The computer fairies always
shut me out.
Thanks LB. That was a great read. I had often wondered how “sock yarn doesn’t count as stash” was born. But I wholeheartedly agree.
Thank you Loopy for interviewing L-B. Since she won’t be attending the Spring Fling, I won’t be able to meet her in person, so this is the next best thing! : )
And, I’m not sure if my wallet can handle a sneak-up this week – some yummy stuff coming up – I’ll have to try to resist or otherwise, I won’t be able to buy anything in person at the Fling.
I can confirm actual L-B sightings and would have to vote on the side of her being more than a just figment of Wendy’s imagination! (Unless someone slipped me something and she really was a figment!) Wonderful interview L-B! Sure wish you were making an appearance at the Fling!
I am convinced that L-B is a real person and not a figment of Wendy’s imagination because I have seen a photo of her where her face is not hidden behind that blamed sheep.
I loved Loopy’s interview with L-B! That was so much fun! I even read the part about dropping the ball of yarn in her mall knitting/walking out loud to my 16-year old son. We both got a great chuckle out of that! Thank you, L-B for being a great friend to Wendy and to so many different animals! I would love to be able to meet you in person some day. BTW, I adore your stone wall, made with the rounded rocks! Did you build that yourself, rock by rock? That is just super cool!
PS I forgot to mention that I love L-B’s sheep that she’s holding in that picture! That’s awesome!
Great interview L-B. I think it is so cool that you and Wendy became best friends thru her blog. I am so happy that you are an animal lover. I am too. I have 4 cats (3 from rescue) and l from daughters rescued pregnant cat. 2 dogs they are so awsome. One from people who could not take care of him anymore, and one from a breeder who didn’t want her anymore. If you can imagine that. They all get along and are very loveing. I lost a cat about the same time that you lost Hiedi. Very sad, like loosing one’s child. I know about that too. So glad sock yarn doesn’t count as stash. Best of luck to you, you seem so real and I am happy that you found a new pup.
WOOT! Yay for L-B! I met L-B and Wendy at Stitches East and I have a GREAT pic of L-B… But she’ll shoot me if I share. 😉 Wonderful interview! Have a great time this week Spring Flingers!
I absolutely want to attend next year. I hope everyone has safe travels!
What a wonderful interview, so happy you are a Loopy Legend!! L-B is an absolutely fascinating person, I hope one day to get to meet her in person too. Of course my dream is to be a fly on the wall sometime when L-B and Wendy are together, wouldn’t that be interesting and hilarious.
Hey LB, wish you were coming to the fling so that we would get to meet you, too. That was a great interview.
L-B can also tend a fire. I know she is real.
As a novice spinner, I’m so happy to know that roving doesn’t count as stash. I enjoyed the interview and seeing all of your animals. Wish I could meet you at Fling.
I know L-B’s voice is different from Wendy’s…but people have made a living out of voice impersonations….hmmm….the jury is still out on this one me thinks!!!
Great interview!! 🙂
Hmmm. Could L-B be real, but have an imposter in the photo??
If that’s really you, you don’t look old enough to have been a vegetarian for 34 years!!! (So it must be really working…lol)
Note to self: Increase the veggies…
Thanks, Loopy, for another great interview!
I vote that L-B is a real person. At least I’ve exchanged messages on Ravelry with someone claiming to be L-B (and she is very nice), plus there has to be someone real taking care of all those animals! Thank you once again, Loopy! You have a real flair for this interview thing!
All you Spring Flingers, travel safe, have a great time, and takes lots of pictures for the rest of us!
I believe she is real, cause it is hard to catch me on photo either and i am real, but i love helping people, just watch me disappear when a camera shows up lol. I forgot it it Loopy limelight today so it is fun to read while i wait for my bedroom to warm up. SHHH1 I forgot to turn the heater nand itwas 49 in there. heehee more computer time, when i should be in bed. Feeling like a little child.
Loved to learn about you L-B. Cool another artist who learned young. I remember crocheting for my trolls too and my moongoon. ANd i love animals too. You won my heart. In fact my daughters have put their feet down, no animals until we have our trailered moved. THey are dreading my threat of goats and sheep and chickens as a retaliation.
I about had a heart attack when i saw no in-person shopping due to the fling, and then finally read further and saw online is allowed. I am still having to get my sneakup swap partner and my spring swap partner their goodies. sigh phew. saved. Tomorrow my check should finally make it to the bank.
Have funa t Fling everyone. ANd i hope I can afford it next year, but at that price i doubt it.
loveya
Sheri dontforgetaboutyourselfandschedulesomemetimein so westillhaveasherithereaftertheflingandforsneakups.
Forgot to say i love your cats and doggie pictures. I had two rescue dogs who just loved us and were just the best guard dogs just because of the size, not the bite. ANd i believe we had up to 5 cats somehow too,. THey have some gone to catheaven, and the two doggies have to sigh. But we are only safe until i get to the sanctuary at Spearfish, cause then o my watch out.
loveya
Ps I am also giving homes to horses and so is my adopted family. My one brother is raising a baby buffalo right now. THis is a very rare occurance as buffalo normally adopt unwanted babies, so I pray the baby will get past his illnesses and be able to go back to the herd.
It’d be a lot more interesting if Wendy turned out to be a figment of L-B’s imagination ;-). Then we’d have the whole mystery of who’s been posing as Wendy all these years….
Have fun at the fling!
I know L-B so I know she is a real person! We live in the same city and met at one of my SnB groups a few years ago. I don’t see her much these days, and I hope that changes soon. I want to meet her new puppy!
Have fun at the Spring Fling!
Great interview! I hope you guys have an awesome time at the Spring Fling!!
Oooohh Hand Maiden Casbah!!! I want some. Maybe I’ll luck out this time 🙂
The Spring Fling sounds like a lot of fun. Hopefully I’ll be able to come in either 2009 or 2010.
Another great interview, Loopy! Enjoyed reading about L-B, & also wished she was going to be at the Fling this week! (If I understand correctly, L-B & Wendy would’ve been automatic entertainment for the rest of us!) Another animal rescue person here (presently with 3 cats & 2 dogs who all get along). I’m in NoVA, sort of across the county from Wendy.
I gotta not get behind in my blogs reading. I guess that explains the answering machine at a time I was sure you should be there. I should have thought of that. I’ll try again next week.
I loved reading about L-B. I’m sure L-B is real. I’m hard to catch on camera too. Although it never occurred to me to hide behind a large stuffed toy sheep. I must remember to think of that next time. It was great fun hearing about the source of “sock yarns don’t count as stash” and learning about all your pets. They’re all gorgeous.
I know L-B is real. She has protected me from BEARS!…. and Apples! (Great to see this interview, L-B!)
Love the interview with L-B and hearing about her pets.
I know L-B is real – she sent me a prize (with extra) once! A nice, nice lady I’d like to meet someday.