It was so fun to attend Elf Cassie’s wedding last weekend! We miss her around here, after having her all summer long. Unfortunately we couldn’t talk her into quitting school and joining us full-time. (As a parent, that’s a good thing. As Head Loopy, that’s sad.) She looked beautiful and her new husband is a cutie. Loopy was excited to be able to attend the wedding and wish them well. They’re off on a honeymoon to St. Thomas this week, and then will head back to Chicago to Trinity College, to finish two more years of school. We know they’ll be back to visit when they’re in town. (Right, you two??)
The noise mess demolition continues next door. Here’s a picture of our kitchen (it used to look like this) – notice the hole in the wall? This kitchen has to go in order to link the two spaces, but there is another kitchen in the new space so the red microwave and coffee pot will soon have a new home. When I put my camera into the hole, the second picture is what I see. Part of what I see. Hard to believe that 
this will all eventually come together to make a bigger and better Loopy Central. (No worries – they have big plastic sheets sealed to the walls to prevent any dust from coming into our area and getting into the yarns.) Actually, I took these pictures on Monday. Now the kitchen wall is completely gone. Joe works quickly. In about a week, he’ll take down another big wall between the two spaces. We’ll keep you posted!
As promised, here is a photo of the first thing I have knit with my own handspun. This is roving from The Sanguine Gryphon that spun up just beautifully. Since I spin thicker than I want to (need more practice), the scarf isn’t very long. More of a neck warmer that will look nice with a shawl pin, I think. (Pattern is a combination of a chevron pattern, interspersed with a few rows of garter stitch.) It’s very “springy” feeling, and that’s because I am obviously still putting too much twist into my spinning. sigh. I finished up another skein of handspun as well. This one is from Yarn Love and I love the colors! 
(Well, perhaps that’s because Katie at Yarn Love took my favorite colors off of my Ravelry profile and made up a colorway for me. Gotta love Katie.) 🙂 This is YL’s regular superwash. We currently have their merino/bamboo blend in stock and someone emailed me specifically to tell me how much they LOVE this roving (and to tell me to thank Wendy and LB and Julie and Alice for getting me into spinning!) I started spinning up some of the Lorna’s Laces roving last week and am almost finished with that as well. I definitely need to spin more of that. I’ll photo it when I get it done!
Short week this week as I’m out of town on Friday for the weekend. I’ll check back in with you on Monday, when we’ll have the Elves in the Loopy Limelight! College Guy and Knitting Daughter College Girl both leave for school a week from tomorrow. I can’t think about it.
Sheri tryinghardtobuildarovingstashthatrivalsmysockyarnstash,apparently
Nice scarf. I think I’m going to make fingerless mitts from my first handspun which is some Louet sliver which I bought because it wasn’t very expensive. I’m spinning my Creatively Dyed Fairy Dust roving now. I’ve plyed some of this and “caked” it. Still have about a bobbin and a half to spin then will ply. I think that will be socks but may be scarf.
Due to space constraints, my roving stash is limited. It takes a long time for me to spin it up because I only spin about 30 mins a day right now.
Sheri, it’s so exciting to see the soon-to-be-expanded progress. Sorry to hear you lost an elf (at least it’s for a happy reason), but if you need another, I’ll send you my resume ; )
The handspun neck warmer is beautiful and am happy to see the YL Sweet Sheri spun up. That was a colorway I was considering for my last order, but couldn’t picture the finished colors. They are beautiful. You may feel you need to spin differently, but I think it looks lovely and the twist looks superb.
Have a great long weekend!
Enjoy your long weekend! Congratulations on College Guy and College Girl heading to college. It will be an adjustment but will be grand for all of you. Tuck a little yarn into her suitcase as a surprise! They will be home soon and think of all that dirty laundry they will bring with them. Having them both away will “make” you take longer weekends to go visit.
Can’t wait to see the expansion…good timing…will keep your mind occupied…as will spinning and knitting.
College will be OK.
It’s so exciting to see your scarf; it looks gorgeous! I have spun some Sanguine Gryphon roving, too, and am thinking it would look lovely as a hat for my second daughter, so you’ve inspired me to try it. I just finished my first handspun socks and they actually look like decent socks. Spinning is so rewarding, especially when it utimately yields beautiful knitted garments.
The scarf looks great Sheri. I finally have some handspun that I am thinking I will make something with. I think having a fiber stash as big as your sock stash is a good goal. Enjoy your long weekend.
Love your scarf! And, also like the YL roving you spun! : ) Have a great long weekend. : )
I think you have chosen a great forum in the scarf to show off your handspun. You know you are not satisfied, but it does “what it is” very well! Pretty!
I gotta learn to spin 🙂
Ooooohhh Sheri, I’m feeling sad for you! I can’t imagine how it will feel to send them BOTH to college … does it feel like yesterday they were starting pre-school?! Mine are 16 and 12 so still time left but that 16 yr old son is getting closer and closer – I imagine myself to take to my bed (with sheets pulled over my head) for at least a week when the time comes 🙂
Your scarf is amaaaaazing – love it!
Your scarf is beautiful – love the colors. Best wishes to your kids as they return/head off to college. My older daughter returns for her sophomore year, and those feelings I had a year ago keep popping up. It is great to watch them take those next steps, but sad at the same time. I know you will send wonderful care packages to both. My knitting daughter is armed with several projects to take with her, and the red Loopy tote she stole from me earlier this summer. Enjoy this next week with each of them. I take it you could not persuade her to go to ISU? LOL – go Cyclones!
Kristin in VA – who should learn to spin…hmmm
Oh Sheri, your scarf if just beautiful. I think it is great that you have learned to spin. Hopefully the reovations will move right along. Have fun the kids while they are stll there. Danny knows the college scene already and soon KD will too. Have a great fun weekend. Hugs
Oh, how lovely! Excellent spinning there, Sheri! (And the knitting is pretty swell, too.)
I think everyone is going to envy College Girl having the cool parents. College is a wonderful time, and I really hope everything is just marvelous for her. Oh, and that she wins a full scholarship, so it’s marvelous for you, too. 😉
Ooohhh I love your scarf, it turned out beautiful and the colors are gorgeous.
I don’t even want to think about the college thing, but the nearly 17 year old daughter keeps talking about it. Mine start back to school tomorrow and I think we will all miss being able to sleep in.
I don’t see how your fiber stash wouldn’t want to be equal with the sock yarn stash, you have such beautiful rovings in the shop.
Have a great weekend!!!!
awww….I’m totally blushing right now! (And I’m supposed to be putting together my grocery list for the week, FPS)
Love the Loopy wedding shot! It’s priceless!
Hi Sheri,
Love your new scarf with your new spun yarn.
How long have you been in your new space? It does not seem very long to have to expand so soon so much. I but your landlord is surprised that you would need so much space for “Yarn and Knitting”!!
Have a great weekend.
I just sent my son back to college early this morning so I know how you feel.We were lucky to have him home since the end of April but it is still hard.At least the remodeling will help to keep you very busy for awhile.Knitting and spinning(beautiful yarn,Sheri) will help,too.I’ll send “strong mom “thoughts your way!
I keep telling myself that I’m going to keep up with my spinning and practicing, but I just don’t think I have the patience for the spindle. I think I’m going to have to save up for a wheel (it’s on the list after about a half dozen other things).
Is that the Ravenswood colorway from the Sanguine Gryphon? It’s gorgeous! Great job spinning and picking a knitting pattern to show off the colors. Gotta get my wheel going …
Hugs to you and TTFN waves to college-bound kids!
Hey, love the photos and the example of roving spun up.
There is a red refrigerator by Amana – not a really bright red, but red. Didn’t want to put the link in the comments, but just try googleing red Amana refrigerator.
nice knitting, awww, wedding pics! the noise will be worth it in the end!
Wow! can’t wait for the new loopy central – is there a projected finish date?
Your spinning is great! My trick for over twist (I tend to spin that way too… is to wind the singles into a center pull ball, then ply from that – so far (now I’m jinxing my self) every skien has been perfectly balanced!
I’m soo going to plan a visit to loopy central!
The scarf in your handspun is beautiful!
You are learning so FAST!
You got skillz!
Great job!
Even if your handspun is too tight it is still pretty. Kudos for even *trying* it. (smiley)
Whoo Hoo! The Schacht Matchless that I ordered from you arrived day before yesterday & this afternoon my girlfriend, Carma, who teaches spinning/weaving and is in the local guild is coming over to finish putting it together and fine tuning it…also gonna show me how to use it. I drop spindle, but am not good on a wheel yet.
Can’t wait to get started….and my roving stash doesn’t quite come up to my sock yarn stash either….oh well, there is time for that I ‘spect.
One thing that doesn’t stop changing is change.
sounds like you are enjoying every moment of every season…..isn’t it good to know that our kids are NEVER alone no matter where they head off to???!!!
Loopy….a wedding crasher??? cheeky sheep….what’s next?!
Sheri,
I really like your scarf! Maybe you’ll have to keep your roving stash at Loopy Central or take over the bedrooms soon to be vacated by College Guy and College Girl!
I’m trying to sort yarn stash and make it fit into the space I have because more space isn’t an option at the moment (of course, it would probably help if I stopped buying more yarn!).
Awwww, poor Sheri. I hope both CGs are planning on calling mom often to help her make the transition. And remember, spinning is very soothing…
The scarf is amazing! Really gorgeous. Good luck on all the remodeling.
Your scarf is gorgeous! You’re actually ahead of me now. I’ve knit with my handspun, I just haven’t finished anything. 🙂
Wow, Sheri, I am so impressed by your handspun—and the gorgeous scarf! You’re definitely tempting me over to the dark side. LOL, if I took up spinning and built up a fiber stash anywhere near the size of my yarn stash, my family would have to move out of the house!
I know it won’t be easy to adjust having both kids off to college—I remember how eager I was to go, and only now can I appreciate how tough it was on my folks, but in the end it was a good experience for all. As everyone else says, knitting and spinning and remodeling Loopy Central will help distract you…!
We’re finally packing to go on vacation—must find go find Loopy so we don’t forget him!
Wow, there’s alot going on at Loopy Central, expansions and wedding and big steps off to college. I hope CG and KD have a great year!
If that scarf is any evidence, you’re definitely spinning thinner and more evenly than I am! LoL! So pretty…love the colors! Spinning is almost more addictive than knitting…because at the end, you can justify it as “well, I can pay just this much, get hours and hours of enjoyment from it, and at the end, still end up with yarn to knit with!”. *sigh* love it
Dear Sheri, Wow, your scarf is just gorgeous…you ought to give us the pattern, too..please. I am better with written down:) I have been gone on vacation, and thus, computer-less for three weeks to Cape Cod, among the dunes and seagull….ah, it was divine. I am working on that apple laine shawl I started last Sept…half done, so maybe there is hope for it to get finished. We start school on Aug. 25…and I won’t even go there on that one. SO, I have just been on the blog and see all the new things going on…oh…I love looking at the photos, too. Can you tell me…on that photo of the shoppers with those HUGE BLUE TOTE BAGS…will you ever sell them???? PLEASE!!!! I could really use 1 or 2 for all the stuff I take back and forth to school. They would be perfect. And I love the logo on it, too. Please!!! I know, I an bad, but I do love it. I feel as if I have been out of the Loop, literally, too for these 3 weeks. It IS heaven to be gone…takes a lot of tension out of me, but is a lot of work, to get all the bills out and paid ahead of time, and to lose contact…I even missed the CONTEST! How bad is that? But I have missed you a lot and was delighted with the blog. Thanks for everything..you guys are the BEST..love, Jo
Already expanding, and you just moved to the new location not long ago!
Wish you a great time this week with your kids. They grow up so fast.