It’s time for a new challenge! We do two different things around here, and we take turns from quarter to quarter. KAL’s (Knit A Longs) are where I specify a certain pattern or a certain yarn. This year we did a Clapotis KAL the first quarter and a Girasole KAL the 3rd quarter. During the 2nd quarter, we did a Challenge where I encouraged you to make a pair of socks that were a masterpiece to you. You picked the pattern and the yarn. Now it’s time for a Challenge again! This time, the Challenge is to knit a shawl, where you pick the pattern and you pick the yarn. (In order to be eligible for prizes in the Challenge, the yarn needs to be a line that we sell here at Loopy.) If you’re new to shawl knitting, you might pick a pattern with more garter stitching and use a fingering weight or heavier yarn. If you’re a shawl/lace pro, you might pick something that teaches you a new pattern, construction or technique. All projects must started 10/1 or later, and must be completed by 1/1/10 and a photo submitted to our photo gallery by 1/7. (This gives you time to wash and block.) There is a thread on the Loopy Groupie board entitled “Shawls”, if you want to talk about what you’re doing, or have questions that you need answered from your pattern. I finished my first Multnomah (now blocking, photo on Friday) and am starting a second one today. Yeah, the Multnomah was kind of addictive.
Another fun thing that we do here is to send Loopy on vacation with all of you in the summertime. He first went on the road in 2007 and had an awesome time. So much so, that he wanted to go again in 2008. (This was the year that many of you took your stuffed Loopy’s, in addition to the postcards.) We sent him out again this past summer to see what trouble he could stir up, and you all rose to the challenge. For example, Loopy:
– went to China:
– and the Taj Mahal:
– tried to read the signs near the Dead Sea in Israel:
– topped a wedding cake:
– took a plane ride with some friends:
– got revenge on that crab from two years ago:
– went canoeing:
– and even hung out at the office:
Now it’s your turn to vote on Loopy’s summer! Please take a look at all of the photos in his photo gallery – there are lots more – and send us an email (support @ theloopyewe . com), telling us:
Which photo was most creative?
What was the best “farthest place” that he traveled?
Which photo made you wish you were there?
We’ll award prizes next week!
Sheri whatwouldLoopybedoingTODAYifhewerehangingoutwithyou?
He’dbestartinganewshawlifhewerewithme.
I’m in! My first shawl (ever!) will be the Multnomah in Autumn Apples Casbah yarn.
I’m in – I have a shawl in mind and am waiting for the yarn to arrive at your location (a little bird told me it shipped to you yesterday and hopefully won’t go up until after Rhinebeck please, lol)
One of these days I’m going to be brake and do a shawl. Not yet.
If Loopy were here he’d be doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms and creating a best times spreadsheet for my son, he’s set his sites on going to Sectionals in swimming in 2011, and going to another swim meet.
I was going to start my Order to Chaos Shawl sometime this week anyway. I have been waiting for my Emily-bag from Keri so I would have somewhere to put it. And it got here today!
So I guess I’m in!
Loopy would have gotten to get help with Picture Day at school and tomorrow he would be able to help in the Motor Lab for kindergarten and helping First Graders with their reading fluency.
I don’t know about the shawl. I haven’t finished my Girasole yet 🙁
Loopy would be helping me with my new laptop at work, working out at the Y and then collapsing on the couch (after a shower, of course. How well do the Loopys hold up in a shower?)!
Will likely join in on the shawl. I’ve got a pattern in mind, just need to pick the yarn. 😎
Loopy DOES hang with me, and he helps out a lot. He helps with the dog and the cat, he keeps Mama company all day, helps with the house cleaning sometimes, and even babysits for Bear and Frog. He says he wants to help with the gardening next year. We’ll have to see how that goes. I think he just wants to meet the bunnies who live in the back yard.
I loved the picture in which Loopy went canoeing. It’s so real. And creative. And I would love to be there. Calmly canoeing on the river. I think the farthest travel must be where Loopy is in a basecamp and if it is not the farthest it surely is the highest. Thank you Sheri for taking care that I had to wait only 5 days (just five, 5, 5,5!!!!! to the Netherlands) before I got my order. Did you fly in here yourself and put it in my mailbox?
This is just the kick-start I need! I’ll rip back the goofed-up neckband for the shawl I’ve just started and try again. Were Loopy to hang out with me today, he could help me create a spreadsheet to track an upcoming academic conference, help me decipher my boss’ notes on a different conference panel proposal and calm me down as I start to panic about two lectures I need to give tomorrow afternoon. This evening, he could do a load of laundry, so I don’t have to lecture in a “Tell your kids it’s not nice to point at me” t-shirt and jeans. In exchange for all of that work, I’d invite Loopy back when our office holds its “Chocolate Tasting” event next month — he just missed “Cheese Tasting,” and the previous Salsa and Mustard tastings (separate events there, not both at once ;).
Yay! The shawl I started the day before yesterday is eligible!!!!!
Sheri,
I have a lot of projects already started, but why not start another one! (my unfinished girasole is whining in the corner now…can you hear it?!) 🙂
I think I’m going to start the Multnomah tonight with some Knittery yarn that I bought from you a while back. I love the color (Sea Breeze), but didn’t want to knit socks with it.
Hi Sheri,
The loopy photo contest:
Loopy who went the farthest would be the Taj Mahal photo
The most creative would be the Canoeing Loopy
And the one that I wished I was there would be the Loopy at Claudia’s (wollmeise store or market) photo.
I so love the loopy stuffed doll. It is amazing what positions you can get them into.
If Loopy were here, he’d be knitting a kid’s sweater, washing clothes, cooking beans and gluing together a weasel I bought on e-bay,
Hmmm… this seems like the perfect excuse to buy some of that Sea Silk 150!
I’m going to do http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/windsbraut—sommerwind in wollmeise! Yea!
And poor loopy would be going with me to the mechanics (again) to have my other car checked out. 🙁
Question…what about yarn previously purchased from The Loopy Ewe, but is a line you no longer carry? Would that still qualify? My stash is enormous, and the vast majority came from you. 😉 I’ve got a couple skeins in mind already, but want to make sure it’s kosher first…
Oooh, I was planning on designing a shawl, anyway, so this just might be the push I need to actually get the yarn and get going on it. On that note, will you be getting more Dream in Color Baby in anytime soon? I’d love to be able to use it, but the color selection that’s available on the site right now is pretty limited.
Oh great – a shawl challenge – I was looking for a good excuse to start *another* shawl LOL – Now to go and peruse the website again looking for yarn.
loopy rocks! Melody
Swallowtail Shawl in one of the the Seasilk 150 skeins that I bought recently. Probably the agate colorway. Possibly the Salt Spray colorway. I wasn’t planning on starting another shawl until I finished the one I have on the needles, but the challenge is too much fun to ignore. And it gives me an excuse to start working with that yummy Sea Silk.
Great Loopy pictures! Does he have room in his suitcase for a stowaway for next summer’s travels?
My Little Loopy is supervising my mad dash to finish a pair of Wendy’s Trilobite Socks in Wollmeise Indisch Rot. I have 44 rounds to go and hope to finish them tonight while watching a movie. Other than that, he’s catching a few zzz’s.
The loopy photo contest:
Loopy who went the farthest would be Loopy in Mombasa, Kenya
The most creative would be the Loopy goes canoeing
And the one that I wished I was there would be the Rabbit Ears Pass Loopy
enjoyed them all!
add me to the cahallenge!
loopy at the great wall!!!! I love it!!
Most Creative is – Loopy Makes Friends, Farthest Place – Taj Mahal and Wish I was there – Canoeing.
If Loopy were here, I’d hope that he’d being casting on for a shawl project for me. I’ve got a couple planned but I keep getting hung up with the actual printing the pattern and CO parts as it takes less focus to surf the internet.
If Loopy were with me later, he’d be taking my 7th grade girls small group to Starbucks or McDonald’s. I’d even get him a latte! :0)
Loopy at the Taj Mahal, the Greal Wall and Kenya. Most creative loopy canoeing.
I have my shawl picked out and the yarn was bought from TLE most recently. Griasole knitting completed in July and saddley hasn’t been blocked- so that doesn’t count. Now to get some Christmas knitting off the needles to start the shawl- but I think it will work out time wise.;-)
I’m in. I wanted to knit a shawl for my SIL, and this just gives me motivation. 🙂
Sheri: Loopy went the farthest at the Taj Mahal (great picture of him smiling??)
I agree that the most creative was in the canoe. I think I would have like to be at many of his stops!! He had a great vacation…..much better than mine!
I can’t wait to try the Multnomah shawl. I love making shawls, and this one looks like it would be quick and easy compared to many of them.
Loopy would be winding my Smooshy Beach Fog that’s about to become Anne’s Bee Fields shawl!! YaaaaHOO!
If Loopy were with me today, he would be on the plane back from a California vacation. Wish I didn’t have to come home, but was nice to see family but will be back in about 3 months.
Shawl KAL, great idea I have some yarn just waiting in my stash (I’m sure!).
I have plenty of shawl patterns in the to do list but which one……
OK I’ve been planning to do a swallowtail – this is a good reason to start it.
Also- Loopy had such fun can I go with him next year- I’ll wear a sheep outfit!
Well, I have a shawl I started on October 1st and finished on the 8th. And I’m sure I’ll make many more between now and the end of the contest. Where do we post pix? I did Clothilde in WM 100% Turkis and will likely make another out of Eidos.
I am finally getting Ishbel done from the Malabrigo sock yarn I had in my stash. I stopped in the middle of the lace section, which is just not reasonable. Hopefully I will finish in time to add another lacy project to the WIP list!
I’m in! I’m going to do the Multnomah in Jitterbug.
You’ve inspired me to knit my first shawl, and I’m almost finished with http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/milkweed-shawl in Hazel Knits. It’s been really fun, and I think I’ll do Multnomah next.
Just finished a Traveling Woman mini-shawl using Jojoland Melody. It came out great! Working on a Multnomah shawl now in Malabrigo sock. I think there’s a third one coming, too, but not sure which yet.