Three things I don’t like about The Loopy Ewe Spring Fling:
1. Lack of sleep. Someone will point out that this is entirely my own fault, but I would disagree. How can you go to sleep when there are people in the Knitting Lounge, having fun? You can’t. You must stay up.
2. An overflowing “To Make” list. Next year I will just have to ban all of those knitted items that people wear to the Fling. Never mind that their fellow knitters are the perfect audience to appreciate what they’ve made and are wearing. Seeing the beautiful variety of knits always instantly triples my To Make list and FPS, who has time for that?
3. Telling everyone goodbye at the end. The weekend seems to go so fast and I always wish I had had more time with each person. Also, every year I say “This was the BEST group we’ve ever had. We need to bring them all back next year so that we can do it again.” I said it again this year and I mean it. (I guess I might’ve said that in past years, too.)
Three (or rather, a bunch of) things I love about The Loopy Ewe Spring Fling (besides the Dessert Reception and awesome teachers, which I shared with you on last Friday’s blog already):
All of the people who set aside a few days of their life to fly in and share their love of knitting with everyone around them.
The Conference Center Manager John, who loves our group so much that he took a photo of the group with his cell phone (because he said he needed a photo “of my ladies”.)
And who wanted to learn to knit, so he sat down with Sarah and jumped in.
And who then left us this note on the conference center screen on the last night.
Also, watching people shop in person at Loopy. It makes them happy! And even though they shopped in groups of 35 at a time, they remained happy and calm. Because they’re awesome that way.
And knowing that they also have all the patience in the world while waiting for others to check out, because they’ll just take a seat and knit.
Seeing several people go back for just one more thing they wanted to take home (like Cindy who had to have this gorgeous bag, so I made her pose with Web Guy while she was checking out.)
And watching the enabling extend past yarn and into shoes, as Angela helps Mya order shoes on her cellphone on the shuttle trip to and from Loopy. We love yarn. We love shoes. What can I say?
Also, having international travelers – Claudia came from Germany for her third Fling, and Linda from Australia and Sarah from Canada. Plus Web Guy from Colorado, Knitting Daughter from Indiana and Janice and her daughter K and my mother in law who all drove in from Iowa. And cake balls. And door prizes. And secret surprise yarn. Yep. It was fun from beginning to end. When can we do it again?
Sheri whostartedanewprojectattheFling.
Iknowthatdoesn’tsurpriseyou.
You only started one? I started two. And made an actual dent in an ongoing project! It was great! Wonderful! Glorious! And I can’t WAIT to do it again! Next year? BFF Liz and I with bells on! (She’ll remind me I said that so we really can show up with bells, just watch.)
And don’t forget: seeing all the wonderful people you know from the year before, and meeting all the one’s you’ve never met before! You enable so much more than yarn, knitting, crocheting, spinning, shoes, and desserts! There’s a HUGE enabling of friendship, too! Don’t forget that!!
Ok – I’ll be expecting you with bells next year. I like that!
And I agree – lots of great friendships being built during the Fling. That’s because all of the Flingers are just so great.
And now I want to know what the shoes are… Inquiring minds and all… 😉
Best. Yarncation. Ever. Sums it up perfectly, I think : )
Sounds like fun!….recipe for cake balls?…
My 4th year at the Fling and it keeps getting better!!! Thank you Sheri for putting your heart into making us some happy Flingers!
I had the best weekend in memory. Thank you and all of my friends new and old for making it happen. I laughed until I literally cried, took notes of lots of projects that I want to make, watched the Royal Wedding in great company and shopped until I dropped at TLE. I will do it again as soon as you tell me I can, Sheri!
Did I need more yarn? (no) Did I buy more yarn? (umm yessss) I realized when I posted my stash enhancements photos today that I now have enough for 12 new projects (8 purchased + swap, WM, etc). I am calling these “enhancements” my “Loopy Fling Club”. I must knit a project a month before next year’s fling. If I can even accomplish part of that tall order, then I can shop again next fling (and maybe every month between now and then). Sheri, you do SUCH a great job of inspiring and enabling besides bringing all of us together for one giant knitting party!! And the queue grows ……..
someday I will be a Flinger!!!!! I am so glad it went so well!
“Yarncation” – love that term, Faith! Also “Loopy Fling Club” from Linda. 🙂
Linda – here’s a link to Janice’s cakeball recipe. She and her daughter K made them for the Fling: http://jarladysrecipes.blogspot.com/2009/06/cake-balls.html
Mandy – hoping Mya sees your comment and shares what she bought. I never did see them up close.
Thank you, Sheri – It was so fun that I’m having a really hard time with reentry! What is with this work thing? Shouldn’t I be knitting from (early) morning until (late) night???
I am so glad it was fun for everyone! Fingers crossed I can go next year.
It was so much more fun than I had hoped! So many fantastic people, wonderful knitting classes, great food and topped off with a trip to the Loopy Ewe to see all that beautiful yarn! Thank you, Sheri, for the wonderful weekend!
Fling was wonderful and even better than last year and I didn’t think that was possible. Great food, the hotel is wonderful, and four days of fashion show of wonderful knitted shawls, scarves and a gorgeous skirt. Thank you, Sheri, for a great weekend, wish we could do this twice a year!
What an awesome weekend! Ah yes my shoes! They are Jambu Sweden! http://www.zappos.com/jambu-sweden They were on SALE! I had to have them. Thank goodness for smartphones and the internet. Can you believe they still aren’t here yet? Usually Zappos is much quicker shipping but not this time. UPS tracking says they will be here today. I’ll be sure to share a picture of them with my handknit socks in that yummy Madeline Tosh sock yarn I picked up at Loopy.
I am SOOO ready to Fling again!!!! It is always one of the highlights of the year! As far as the cakeballs go…. one of our ‘secrets’ is to use homemade buttercream instead of the canned frosting. Way better. (Often we use homemade cake as well.. but that doesn’t seem to be AS critical….) Here is a link to the buttercream recipe that we have found to be THE BEST: http://www.easy-cake-ideas.com/buttercream.html
I really need to save my pennies for this in 2012. I don’t mind alternating between which knitting mini-vacation I take (this year I’m going to Squam, which has me super excited).
I am, by nature, one of “those” solitary knitters, and that will never completely change. On the contrary, I wouldn’t trade my wonderful Fling week-end for anything. Meeting incredible knitters and seeing the wealth of awe-inspiring handknits with my own eyes, while at the same time having ample opportunity for tranquility was truly my definition of having it all. Kudos Sherri, to you and the Elves, the Sheraton Westport (what amazing customer service!), my fellow Flingers, and to the instructors – you are all rock stars to me! Looking forward to many more Flings!
I loved the group picture so much that I set it as my background on my computer at work. So now I can remember all of you!
I think web guy must have one of the best jobs ever! So do you and the Elves!
Cake balls…. *cue Homer Simpson drool*
Love you and all the Elves for all you did over the weekend! It was just amazing, and I can’t wait until we do it again!
Bells? Oh, lordy, what has BFF Sarah gotten me into….
Now would be good! But I may need to diet a little before the nonstop eating begins. And know I think we all know why Del had her very own pie.
It was another wonderful Fling! I hope that I can get in again next year. Just sorry we have to wait a year for the next one!
Thank you for all you and the Elves do for us.
This was my second Fling and it was even better than the first. I had a rough winter and really needed this time with 125 of my favorite knitters to get me back on the “happy path”. Thanks Sheri for having this wonderful Fling. I finished two projects and started another over that weekend.
It was worth the 24 hours door to door from Australia. I had the best time! Thank you everyone!
I’m so sad I couldn’t make it this year! It sounds like everyone had a blast! I hope to go next year and if I do, I will bring empty luggage for all the goodies I just can’t resist buying!
AWESOME! I agree 1000% with the comments. I would just be echoing all of them. Not sure how you can improve on AWESOME- but Sheri certainly did! Looking forward to seeing if I get picked to come back next year!
I love everything about this post. I am fully of envy of course, (and start to think I shouldn’t have gone for a poorly paid social work in a non-profit organization career), but I still love it.
Always fun to read about, even if I can’t go!
You can throw a fling like no-one else! What a blast… this weekend at home gardening and knitting seems so very very pale in comparison! We might have to make cake balls to spice it up a bit : )! Thankyou again for hosting, you and TLE are the best!
I truly cannot wait til next year and so hope I get in again! Mom and I had the best time ever! I never could have believed that a weekend could be better than I even imagined.
My knitting to do list is so long now, but fortunately I know a place I can get yarn for each project. 😉
Sheri and Elves , What a wonderful time , you all really know how to throw a party. This was
My fourth year. I can truthfully say every year gets better. I hope that my name gets chosen
Again next year. I have met some very nice people.
My love and best wishes to all of you!
KAYE STAFFORD
Going to the Fling just makes me sooo happy! I love it. Everyone is wonderful, and it is just LOVELY!
You asked how long we’d been knitting. I started at age ten and am now 67 – 57 years. I didn’t knit much while I was raising 4 children, but I am back full force now. My 31-year-old daughter is quite the knitter and I am learning a lot from her. She contributes to my stash a lot.