It’s time for the 2nd Quarter Loopy Ewe Challenge! Last year, our second quarter was all about knitting for someone else, and this year we’re doing something similar. Melissa has been talking about knitting socks for those dealing with illnesses and cancer, and how comforting it is to have a pair of handknit socks on when you’re sitting there going through various medical treatments. (Join her Power Socks group on Ravelry!) Others of you have wonderful Prayer Shawl groups going on, knitting shawls (and knitting your prayers right in there) for friends and family who are going through tough times. We like doing things for others here at Loopy Central, so we’d like to focus this quarter’s challenge along those lines. Knit something (socks, shawl, scarf, sweater – whatever fits the person and occasion) for someone who needs some extra love in their life. It can be someone you know well, or someone who would be completely blown away by your generosity and kindness. We’ll let you figure out the proper recipient. (And if you really don’t know someone who might need this, you can send your item to us and we’ll find someone who would love it.) This Quarterly Challenge goes through the end of June, and all photos should be up in the Photo Gallery by July 7th. As usual, there will be a drawing for a Gift Certificate to TLE from all participating photos, as well as a “Knitter’s Choice” award, based on voting. We hope that you’re inspired to do something wonderful for someone who will be blessed by your efforts!
Speaking of prizes, we also need to vote on the Q1-08 award! Check out the Gallery and email Susan-the-awesome-assistant (susanATtheloopyeweDOTcom) with your vote for favorite project. I’ll announce the Knitter’s Choice winner and the random drawing winner a week from today. The Challenge first quarter was to knit something you had never knit up before (or to try a new technique). I always love seeing how people come up with things for our challenges. I will show you what I did for the Challenge after the Spring Fling. 🙂
I know a lot of you already caught the Sneak Up last night, because we’re busy wrapping wrapping wrapping today! But just in case you haven’t found it yet, make sure you check out: Numma Numma Toasty, Lime & Violet Mermaid, Yarn Nerd, Fleece Artist Merino 2/6, Lorna’s Laces Fiber, Lawre’s Laine BabyBags & NeedleBooks, The Tabletop Caddy, Loopy Legends, Zen String Bellissima Lace, and our Loopy-Red Water Bottles! Also – here’s a sneak peak at what else has arrived over the last two weeks – the sweatshirts, t-shirts and hats that you’ve been asking for with Loopy on them. These will go up the week after next, we think. The shirts and sweatshirts are available in S – 3X. (I tried to take the hat off of Loopy when this mini-photo-shoot was over. He won’t give it back. FPS.)
Sheri alsogotsomenewcoolfiberintoday&itmakesmewanttogohometospin
I had been wondering about your spinning lately – how has it been going for you? And, what a great idea for the 2Q challenge!! : ) I heart that loopy hat – too cute – can’t wait for it to go up! And, the other stuff too!
Hope you have a wonderful afternoon! : )
Sheri, speaking of fiber- have you tried the new Lorna’s Laces roving?? It is so pretty!! but i don’t have a wheel yet and I can’t justify buying it until i have a way to use it:) it looks gorgeous!!! i am dying to feel it – esp. the Amish, and well, i put it all in my wishlist!!! I will have to wait until I can use it- maybe you can post up some if your creations so I can spin vicariously thru you;P
YES…tees, sweatshirts and hats! I can’t wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really like the new quarterly challenge. As you know, I really like knitting for charity.
WooHoo!! Love the Loopy wearables and can’t wait to sport Loopy on my head and over my heart! I am one proud Loopy Groupie!
Since I got back “into” knitting through Project Linus and prayer shawls, I’m happy that you’re drawing attention to the need for charity knitting. I’m also going to make some power socks. You might even see one of my prayer shawls at Fling.
I like the new wearables and will definitely be wearing some of these items. See you next week.
The Q2-08 is a grand idea. I already have a person in mind-now to decide if the gift will be socks or shawl.
Love the hat and t’s! Is Loopy’s hat actually pink?? (It’s hard to tell from the photo).
So looking forward to next week! I did buy just one skein of yarn today (I had promised myself ahead of time that if you had “String Theory” by Yarn Nerd I would be allowed to buy it!). And then the water bottle just fell into my cart at the end – truly!
See you soon!!!
I hope non-human charity knitting counts too. I’ve been making snuggles for one of our local animal shelters on and off for over a year now. We had a heart-breaking story release a month or so ago and there has been some gross negligence in one of the shelters run by the county (it’s just sickening) which has fired me up even more to continue with my snuggles knitting as my ongoing charity project. This doesn’t use any of TLE yarn (shelters specifically ask for machine wash/dry acrylic/wool blends). The statistics are quite amazing as to how much more quickly a cat or dog is adopted if they’re seen in a somewhat “homey” situation with a handmade blanket. And that doesn’t even begin to cover the difference between them sitting on cold concrete or a cage mesh versus a nice, thick blankie. Sorry, didn’t mean to sound like I pulled out my soap box.
Love the trees! We passed that bloom stage a couple weeks ago which is why the forecast of SNOW for this weekend is so darn out of place!
Sheri,
I love the hat and sweatshirt (does it zip?)…trying to knit a few pairs of socks before I buy more yarn, but may have to get the Loopywear.
Cute! I will seriously need some loopy swag to wear to the sheep shows we go to this summer!!
I feel like this challenge was made just for me. We just found out a few days ago that my soon to be sister in law (my little brother and she are getting married next month) has cancer. She’ll be having surgery in less than a week, getting married, then starting chemotherapy. All of this at 23 years old. I’ve been desperately trying to think of what I can do for her because I feel so incredibly helpless. I honestly didn’t even think of socks. What a blessing this post has been.
YAY! More Loopy accessories! Love the hat on Loopy! It’s very becoming!
As for the Q2 challenge, I guess this means I actually have to take some of the yarn I’ve bought for exactly that reason and actually make something out if it, huh? 😉
I love your idea for the Q2 challenge. There is something very special about knitting something for someone else, and expecially for someone else who is in need of any sort.
Very nice challenge — I can think of more than a few people who could use some knitted love 🙂 I’m with you on the spinning; I wish I were home right now with the lovely roving I got in my last order. Soon…soon…
Wheeee! Wearables! Now we can all be walking adverstising for The Loopy Ewe! Wait… that means the yarn will sell out faster. Hmmm… I gotta rethink that. 😉
Love the new challenge idea, Sheri.
Loopy Swag – How cool is that?
See you next week!!!!
I behaved this week! There were *so* many beautiful things that just wanted to hop into my cart, but I refused them all. – I’m holding out to spend my $ in person next week. (Squeee!) I definitely plan to purchase some Loopy-wear. And the hat w/b perfect timing (since I’ll probably have lost, or be losing, my hair by then)!
Also love the Q2 challenge. I’m a Power Socks recipient, & wore them to my 1st chemo session 2 days ago. I’d managed to stay pretty calm, right up til the pre-treatment preps were underway, when I started feeling a bit anxious. Then all I did was scrunch my feet around in those socks, remember that someone (whom I’ve never met) knit them for me, & that there are *so* many people – quite a # of whom I’ve never met & may never get to meet – are pulling for me, & that helped me regain my composure. (The treatments went fine, & I’m actually feeling pretty well so far.)
To Katie @ 1:46pm: So sorry to hear about your future SIL’s diagnosis. That is awfully young. Please give her my best wishes. I was diagnosed in mid-February; I had 2 surgeries (3/13 & 4/3, and just had my 1st chemo treatments 2 days ago. My best advice to you (& anyone else among her family & friends) is to ask what she needs & when. So many people want to help up front, but it’s a long haul, & she’ll need help & support throughout. Socks are great as are any comfort-type item. (Beware of scented items though; once she starts chemo, scents might cause nausea.) If you’re on Ravelry, please feel free to PM me. If you’re not, I’m hoping that Sheri would agree to give you my e-mail address, based on my comment here.
What a wonderful challenge. This is just what I need to kick me into gear with charity knitting! 🙂 I’m thinking I’ll be knitting hats for sick Children in Honduras. My church has a group that goes down and cares for these beautiful children many times during the year. They are always in need of warm woolies for the babes. Many times, our church has heard stories of these children not making it… but when they did pass… they at least were not freezing cold…they were warm because of the knitting/crocheting of our church memebers. I really need to get busy to help out these kids! Thank you for this challenge~ 🙂
Yea! T-Shirts! And is that really a zip front sweatshirt? If so: Woot! raised to the tenth power. (I’m such a nerd sometimes, sigh.)
And what a great idea for the next challenge. I’ll be working on something toward that for sure. Not sure what yet but I have been thinking I really ought to make at least one BSJ in my life. So maybe I will do that for a charity.
OMG…I LOVE the Loopy garb! Will we have them in time for the retreat?????
OOOO sweatshirt!! I gotta have me a sweatshirt!!!! Loopy swag is a necessity. period.
Love the Q2 challenge. I have started my CIC knitting and this will be even more motivation to get busy with it.
Love all the Loopy gear I may have to have a water bottle, and maybe a shirt too.
I love the idea for the challenge! Our church puts together care packages for church members who are battling cancer. I have almost no time to knit right now, but once school gets out I would love to knit up some hats and socks for the care packages. Thank you for the motivation–I had no idea about the cancer support program at my church until I decided to do some research for the challenge!
Loopy swag! Too cool! I can’t wait! Loopy looks adorable. I wouldn’t have given back the hat, either.
I love this challenge, Sheri. Haven’t decided what I’ll do yet, but I’ve gotten some idea from the other comments. There are so many good causes. I know you’re going to get a fantastic response.
too cute. can’t wait for the stuff to go up, and looking forward to the challenge.
Love the new challenge I couldnt honestly join the last one, cause I just cant find anything i havent tried yet. I guess that happens when you have been knitting as long as i have, I started with 12. NOW that was when that challenge would have made sense.
SHeri honestly you need to put the option in of more than one wishlist, cause mine will make Loopy fall over and play dead, or I need an inheritance. THere are so many colors and people I love that they fit, let us not talk about myself, and then for the swaps, oh my. My daughter already asked where was i planning to put all that if i ever get a chance to buy most of it! FPS, all over of course! Tiger Lily would be in cat heaven if I did!
I am getting a hat or two for sure! I have to wear hats most of the year because my eyes dont like too much light and i already wear tinted glasses, FPS! And in the spring-fall I have to be careful outside not to burn, because i have no pigment on my face since about 15 years now, sigh. I get so tired of suntanblock!
I know I have to call about my TLE Dontbebluekit but i am waiting for my promised scholarship check, we are suppose to get them Friday, then comes the struggle of getting the check into the bank. Plus i have 2 swaps i need to order for, and then sockwars as well.
loveya
One question about the charity knitting. I am a member of Socks For Soldiers, would the socks I knit for them be considered a “Charity Type” item for this challenge? They are Black, Olive Green or Desert Tan and are sent to Service menbers serving in Iraq or being deployed to the Sandbox. If not thats ok, I have other charities I can knit for (MIL has been trying to get me to kknit blankies for project Linus) but as a Veteran the SFS group is near and dear to my heart.
I love the Q2 challenge. I have been knitting chemo caps for my cousin lately, who has Metastatic Breast Cancer (stage IV). She is undergoing weekly rounds of chemo for the next 12 weeks, then another CT scan to see if the spots recently found on her liver have shrunk or gone away.
SHAMLESS PLUG ALERT: I’ve actually started a Ravelry group for her and other patients at the Winchester Medical Center in Winchester VA- Sublynnmimal Healing.
Sherri – Would you ever look into getting Wick? It’s a soy based yarn, and knits up chemo caps beautifully. Plus, since it’s soy, it has natural antibotic properties (to help with sweating heads and such).
Oh, I also love the baseball caps. Must have one. It will go perfect with the water bottle I picked up in the last sneak up, along with the Yarn Nerd (I love his yarns!)
Knit for someone else? Seriously?
Do the seven shawls that I’m supposed to knit for my seven aunties but haven’t started yet count? ^^;
…goodness, I’m a bad niece, aren’t I…
I love your challenge. I’ve been giving socks to people with cancer for some years now. The feedback has been wonderful until a few days ago when my closest friend said that she hopes NEVER to receive any of my damn socks.
I’ll be knitting socks for premies for a local hospital 🙂
Jammies?
Does this have to be for PEOPLE?? I ask because there’s a mini drive going on on Ravelry for black kittehs http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/lolravelers/174822/1-25#1 and i would like to make some lil blankies for black kittehs in the pound.
you’re going to read the stats and be very sad. i’ve been chasing after my dear luna all the time with hugs since i’ve heard this 🙁