You all have made it a very very (very very) busy month for us here at The Loopy Ewe. And we SO appreciate it! We’ve had fun packing up your orders. You might notice that we’ve sent out some of the sale orders sans tissue paper. It was either that, or take an extra 2 days to get all of the orders out. We figured you’d just as soon have the yarn quicker. Once these anniversary sales are over, we’ll get back to orders as usual around here. Although if you want to keep up this pace, I can always hire more Elves. We’re up for it!
Wow – 1800+ comments on last week’s contest blog. How fun is that? It was interesting to see where you heard about us. Yes, we DO love and appreciate Wendy an awful lot. And Lime & Violet. And the Yarn Harlot. And … well every single one of you who have ever passed our website on to your friends and knitting groups via podcasts, blogs, emails, Ravelry posts, and word of mouth. Our goal is to always live up to the positive things that you have said about us, and we promise to take good care of your friends, here, too. 🙂 We are sending out 8 prize packages, from randomly selected comments off of last week’s blog. The winner’s are: Janice in VA, Laura in UT, Maria in MN, Natasha in VA, Meredith in MI, Ann in OH, Melissa in UT, and Rachel in VA. (I think that Virginia and Utah were well represented this time.) I’ve sent emails to the 8 of you, so check your email in-box if you think it might be you. We’ll pick the last round of winners from this post, and we’ll announce them next week.
Today’s Anniversary Sale (our last one) includes 20% off all Fiesta Yarns, 20% off all Monica Knits Patterns, and 20% off all Loopy Ewe Accessories. (In stock items only.) We hope you have fun picking out some new things. We’ll be including a free sock pattern if you purchase 2 skeins of Baby Boom (the sock is shown here), and a free scarf pattern if you purchase a skein of Ballet. All free patterns are while supplies last.
In addition to the Sale, we’ve also added in a whole bunch of stuff for the regular weekly update. Just in, you’ll find:
Polar Knits Worsted Weight
Dream in Color Classy re-stocked (including our exclusive Don’t Be Blue colorway)
Dream in Color Smooshy re-stocked
Dream in Color Smooshy Sock Summit Exclusives
Lorna’s Laces Whidbey Island (exclusive Sock Summit Colorway)
Ella Rae Lace Merino
String Theory Caper Sock
Hand Maiden Casbah (so many great colors in stock)
Tempted Luxe Girl (new cashmere line)
Opal Rainforest Five
Addi Lace Turbo 16″ circulars
Addi Click Tips and Connectors
Fiesta Baby Boom in new colors
So hop over to shop! But before you go, answer this question in the comments for your chance to win a prize package in our last anniversary contest. (Of course we’ll be back with our September Blog Contest before you know it.) Question: Who has had the biggest influence on your knitting? It might be a pattern designer, or a blogger, or a friend, or a group on Ravelry, or a podcaster or … even yourself. Maybe you’re good at poking around and inspiring yourself to learn new things and branch out. Food for thought. And then for a blog comment. 🙂
We’re taking pre-orders on the new Namaste bag colors, which we expect in within the next week or two. If you’d like a RED Hermosa, or a BLACK Zuma, or a BLACK Laguna, simply send us an email (support AT theloopyewe DOT com) and we’ll reserve one for you. The Hermosa’s are $75 and the Zuma’s and Laguna’s are $69.
We’re heading up to Indiana to take Knitting Daughter back to college this week, so I won’t be blogging again until next Monday. Maybe I can get some of these half-finished socks done enroute so that I’ll have photos to share by then. Or maybe I’ll be too busy shedding tears. You know how that goes. I’m hopeless.
Sheri thinkingthatfallisintheair
eventhoughLaborDayisstill
twoweeksaway
My friend have been an influence on what I’m knitting, I’m constantly queing new projects after seeing what they’ve knit up or have queued themselves.
My mother has been one of the biggest knitting influences in my life. She taught me to knit, fixed goof-ups, and has helped me get out of some of the biggest yarn tangles ever. Since we both have the hobby in common we frequently use it as an excuse to go on trips together to Stitches, to yarn shops, and hopefully TLE Spring Fling next year. 🙂 She is one of my best friends and it has been wonderful to share this common interest.
Cookie A and the Yarn Harlot inspired me to knit socks.
Alice Starmore was the one who inspired me to work on new techniques, to discover texture and colorwork, to take on big complicated projects and see them through. She was the first (but certainly not only!) designer to show me you can have great respect for traditional forms and patterns and yet produce your own modern and original creation.
My inspiration for knitting comes mostly from Ravelry. I’ve lately joined several knit alongs with Goddess Knits–and I do like Renee Leverington’s patterns of shawls. As I look back in my life, it was my Grandmother who taught me to knit and I will always be grateful that she did. Today, knitting is what provides me with the calm influence is an otherwise hectic world.
R-A-V-E-L-R-Y!! I spend more time looking at other peoples’ projects then knitting myself. I mean, I find a great skein of yarn that someone on Ravelry is talking about, then find dozens of projects done by knitters all over the world using that yarn… it’s really amazing.
I’ve been sitting here trying to decide who has been the biggest influence to me, and you know, I have no idea. I taught myself, don’t have any friends IRL who knit and none of my family knits either. But I’m inspired everyday by the fabulous designers who come up with the most gorgeous patterns and of course, the many talented knitters that I see online.
Interestingly, even though I’ve never discussed knitting with any of them, I’d have to say my dozen great aunts. I really get something important out of being from a big family of (awesome) knitters. And Nicole and Jenny from Stash and Burn have inspired me to be more adventurous which, while it hasn’t always turned out well, has been way more fun.
I do my own thing so much of the time with knitting I guess I don’t always have an influence. Or at least I didn’t before Ravelry- now all the F5 girls convince me to try things I never would have before. They are the most amazing group of women and knitters!
Franklin Habit, the Panopticon. When I see his lace knitting and the lovely things he makes for his remarkable niece I get so inspired.
My sister has been the greatest knitting influence for me. She taught herself to knit when she started to go to chemotherapy for newly diagnosed cancer. Many friends were recepients of scarves and blankets that she made during those sessions. She loved to knit and thankfully I started to knit as well.
Thanks for asking such interesting questions. It’s been fun to read what everyone has to say!
I really don’t know if I could pinpoint any one influence as being the greatest. Maybe Spin-Off magazine and related spinning books/internet sites/blogs. I was spinning for several years before I started knitting, but seeing the beautiful things that others made with their handspun inspired me to learn to knit (again!) The Mystery Stole-Pink Lemon got me interested in lace, the Yarn Harlot seems to be so human (well, of course she is), she seems to make big goofs just like the rest of us, so, you know, no pressure, no knitting police! All the hand dyed yarns are very inspirational. My sheep influence some of my knitting-I guess my Shetland flock would have been the original influence, since they were here first! Many forces at work here, influencing and inspiring me!
Melanie Falik’s book ‘Kids Knitting’ was the instruction that started it all. Kristen Nichols did the daigrams. I owe it all to these two amazing women. Thank you!
I love knitting lace! Always have. And as a self taught knitter was limited in ability and finding patterns and yarn to match that I could afford. Then I purchased an old copy of Martha Waterson Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls and Stoles. Nirvana!!!! Not only did I love the patterns, I learned enough design techniques to design my own shawl. If you are out there somewhere reading this Martha, please know how much you and your work are loved.
I think it is just me. I have a need to learn new things and knitting always eluded me. Why?
Because my mom knitted left, and frankly, my left hand is good for one thing… a paper weight!
Blame stubborn streaks… and all those people on Ravelry who hooked me on the Loopy Ewe.
8D
Thanks !
Ravelry has to be the biggest influence in my knitting life. I am so inspired by everyone’s projects I see there.
I would have to say it’s been blogs in general, followed by Lucy Neatby. I am so inspired by fellow knitting geeks who will try every variation on, say, short row technique they can find and decide which one they like best, what’s going on with each method, etc. Nona was one of my favorites, and I love the TECHKNITTER, but there are so many others who have posted great stuff. If I am wrestling with a particular problem I can almost always find someone who has wrestled with the same problem and written a wonderfully insightful post about it. We are so fortunate as craftspersons to live in this information age.
And Lucy. What can I say? She’s got a fabulous mind for knitting and teaching. Marvelous.
Though I find an immense amount of inspiration on Ravelry, I have to say that my greatest knitting influence is Elizabeth Zimmermann, or more specifically, her books. I was a fledgling knitter when I first was introduced to her philosophies, and I’ve been an avid student ever since. When I cannot knit, for whatever reason, I find myself picking up one of her books to re-read, and I am always drawn back into the stitches…
I’m completely self-taught so I can’t say it was a teacher or my mother.. although my mom taught me to crochet and that was sort of a jumping off point. I guess it would be Cookie A. I was really blown away by her crazy sock patterns and it made me look at knitting in a whole new way. The patterns I thought were cool suddenly were so vanilla.
My Mom….She was a great knitter. I started knitting projects when I was much younger but they were large and either never got finished or didn’t fit. Then after retirement I found socks! How great is that?
My granmother taught me to knit and my Home Economics teacher helped me to perfect it. However, the Ravelry group has to be my biggest influence. I feel that the KAL’s and Swaps have helped push the envelope and expand my skills. I get imspired by the projects and want to try new and different techniques with every swap. Their siupport system is also great!
Thank you Ravelry. Also thanks to The Loopy Ewe for the great yarn to inspire us all.
I would have to say that Ravelry has had the greatest impact on my knitting life, I don’t know what I would do without it.
I’ve always wanted to knit and couldn’t get the hang of it. My mother knew how, but hated doing it, so she wasn’t good at trying to teach it. I learned to crochet from her, though. I tried reading books and watching Internet videos, but to no avail. I fell in love with reading the Yarn Harlot’s blog after seeing a spot on the television about her book signing at a local book store and was determined that I would learn to knit. I finally found someone to teach me at a LYS. Stephanie was definitely the biggest influence. Then there is Ravelry…
Cat Bordhi has been the biggest influence in my second life of knitting after a long break. Her socks with personality gave me permission to experiment and explore. I now have many socks with personality too 🙂
My Grandmother taught me to knit when I was 5. She used to stay up all night to knit and finish a project. Knitting must be in my blood. I do not sit up all night but I try and grab any spare moment.
My friend Kristie got me back knitting again, so her influence started this whole obsession thing! I love her for it.
The handspun fibres, colours and textures guide me to look for the most suitable designs to plan projects for each one of them and these are mostly sort of found either online or from some keen knitting buddies. Socks are my favourite so designing different colours whilst dyeing then trying not to start before the yarn is completely dry becomes hard. Cannot wait to see what random dyed yarn will turn out like.
Ha. My boyfriend had the biggest influence on my knitting. I haven’t been knitting long and it was because of him that I now do. Two christmases ago he got me a little kit with a book to teach yourself how to knit and I’m definitely hooked. Although, now he keeps saying things like, “More yarn again?!”
My biggest influence is my former teacher Ellen at my LYS, Village Yarn and Tea. I found her when I came back to knitting after taking several years off, and she gave me the skills and encouragement to take my knitting to the next level. Thank you, Ellen!
The Wollmeise, Claudia, has had the greatest influence on my knitting. I never knew socks could be so satisfying and addictive until I saw what knitters on Ravelry were doing with her yarn. I wanted to make these elegant, intricate creations too (even though I had only knit one pair of hiking socks with worsted and then felted them when they were too big). Now I always have two pair OTN – one for mindless take-along work and one that requires careful attention (and goes SLOWLY).
I would have to say that the Internet has been my biggest influence in knitting. It has exposed me to so many techniques, stitches, books, patterns, yarns, accessories, yarn shops etc. And most importantly people and their ideas in various online groups, including Ravelry. Right now my head is so full of ideas, my stash overflowing and my thumb drive loaded with both free and purchased patterns. Yes, the Internet and all it has to offer has, is, and will continue to be one of the biggest influences in my knitting.
I’d say that the creators of Ravelry, Jess and Casey, have had the biggest influence on my knitting. That’s sort of a cheater answer, but . . . there you have it. Ravelry has really changed knitting for me, from what projects I tackle to what yarns I try. It’s really amazing! I can’t remember what knitting was like before it!
The yarn and my Dad! I got one of those teach yourself books when I was a teenager. It said to hold the yarn in your right hand. Dad told me that was wrong, his Mom (who was from Finland) held the yarn in her left. I’ve been a lefty for 40 some years now. I LOVE the fun and beauty of yarn and designing projects to go with it. Of course, my stash is getting bigger all the time and I doubt I’ll ever be able to knit all the way thru it!
I feel very fortunate in that I have many influences in my (knitting) life.
My Mom & Nana are very important in why I do and love fibre arts, but paradoxically, not so much my own knitting (they did so much, so beautifully, I didn’t have to!)
Books from Anne Bourgois and Cat Bordhi got me going and shaped my interests, but the biggest influence has been a non-knitting friend Lisa, who introduced me to the Yarn Harlot books, from whence I found the blog, and then the larger on-line community with its inexhaustable links to further sources of inspiration!
I lived in the Netherlands for a year in 1952, when I was ten. My neighborhood friend Machteld always had ball of white wool and 3 or 4 short needles with her, in her pocket. She would pull it out and unobtrusively knit , keeping the ball in her pocket, while she walked and talked and looked after her little brother. She knit all the socks she and her little brother wore! Later I went to Carleton College in Minnesota where many girls knitted while we all stood in line for dinner. Lovely nordic style sweaters would gradually materialize: I’d see them later on various boyfriends. That’s when I started to knit and have knit ever since.
Two people have influenced my knitting the most. First is my mom, who isn’t a knitter. She always quilted as I grew up and taught me to crochet — she instilled a love of needlecrafts in me. Second, I’d have to say that Stephanie Pearl-McPhee has influenced my knitting the most, too. She made me love to knit socks!
Without a doubt, my friend Jo Anne has been my biggest knitting influence. When she suggested we take a knitting class, I said, “What?? In Hawaii?? Nah. Besides, I’m a crocheter. Why would I want to learn to knit?” Famous last words. Thanks to Jo, I’m an avid knitter, but I still have trouble waiting until it’s cold enough to wear any of the lovely socks I’ve knit. Makes me want to move to Seattle, actually. But then…Jo doesn’t live there. So here I’ll stay.
Ooooooo. Good question. I think that my sister, who has a yarn shop in Sechelt, B.C., has been my biggest influence in recent years.
Definitely my mom, who taught me to knit many years ago and never comes to visit without a knitting, crochet or needlepoint project in hand. However, I did take it further on my own, encouraged by both the internet and the knitting circle I started…I also want to thank Amy of knittinghelp.com, whose online videos were really helpful to me a few years back when I was getting back into knitting. I send new knitters over there all the time.
My Nana is my influence. She was the one in the family that always knitted everything that was needed. Growing up, all my sweaters were handmade by her. Now she’s a lot older and arthritis has taken her finger movements, all her old patterns and needles are sitting in my mothers attic. I can’t wait for the day when I get to go through that treasure trove and start making the stuff that she knitted for her grandkids for my kids and grandkids.
My Fairbanks Fiberistas. We are an awesome community of knitters.
I would say my biggest kintting influence is our group that meets every Monday here in Ellisville, MO…I look forward to knitting, sharing ideas, show and tell and best of all the help….It’s a great group…and of course the fabulous yarns , patterns and shops like yours out there to inspire us….
Biggest influence has to be Nicky Epstein. All her books make me drool and want to knit more.
My grandmother has recently picked up knitting and I love to show her things… not so much influence but definitely a motivator.
I’d have to say that it’s the internet in general that’s most influenced my knitting. I started out (re)teaching myself to knit. I loved it from the start, but it was a solitary activity in the beginning and when I was ready to make it a group activity, it was through the internet that I found my local Yahoo Stitch N Bitch; through that online group I learned about LYSs & found my regular group of Knit Nighters. From there, I discovered the Yarn Harlot, Franklin Habit and a zillion other great knit blogs and then found podcasts. I found TLE online (!) and then, of course, there’s Ravelry. My local buddies are integral to my enjoyment of knitting; the worldwide community and everything I can see and learn and enjoy on the internet is the icing on the cake.
I think Ravelry in general has been my biggest influence, with its superb design and vast resources! I’ve learned so much from so many since becoming a member.
My biggest knitting influence is Ravelry (well, actually all of the wonderful knitters who make up Ravelry). I love to see all of the new patterns and projects and yarns that are always being added and to read about other knitter’s experiences. I also love to see all of the different ways different knitters interpret the same pattern, adding their own style to it – very inspiring!
My biggest influence would be my Mom. And it wasn’t until after she passed away that she became this big influence one me. Mom couldn’t knit but she loved to look at my knitting and also was commissioning me to knit scarves, socks and other goodies for her friends. She loved to brag that her “daughter made that!” and to show of the knit goods that I made. I wasn’t even very good, just beginning but she loved it. She passed away almost 2 years ago and I can’t bring out the yarn or needles without thinking of my Mama.
the biggest influence? the internet! When i surf i see so many talented people doing cool knit-ish things… and i want to try them all and learn the new techniques. SO as much as the influence comes from the folks online, for me directly? it is the internet itself allowing me to view things past my front lawn.
My biggest influence would be my daughter. She taught me to knit and has gently pushed me to try new things – lace, socks…without her I would still be doing only scarves.
Originally, my favorite aunt had the most influence on my knitting…she taught me to knit and crochet when I was about 10. I spent a lot of that summer with her and she kept me occupied with lots of yarn projects. However, more recently, I would say it has to be Wendy. From her book I was inspired to try toe-up socks…and there’s no lookin’ back! I also learned from her that knitting on two circular needles with Judy’s Magic Cast-on is ever so much simpler than provisional cast-on and dpn’s.
I am the only member of my family that has any interests in handmade items, so I have always sought out classes and info at LYS and now we have the Internet to answer all our questions and entice us with yarns at all the online stores and blogs. I never feel alone as there are so many bloggers out there. I keep learning more everyday. What fun. Thank you for a wonderful blog and online store.