Our first Colorado Spring Fling is over, and we’re left with lots of fun memories (and another full list of things I “must” knit. Sigh.) We had a surprising 22″ of snow the week of the Fling, which caused some interesting delays in travel. But I’m happy to report that the snow didn’t keep anyone from getting here safely. We began the retreat with our annual Dessert Reception on Thursday night. There were lots of wonderful things to choose from. (Click on photos to make them bigger. Or not. It might make you hungry.)
Friday and Saturday were spent in classes, shopping at Loopy Central, and knitting knitting knitting. This year, we decided to transport everyone to The Loopy Ewe in style, with two stretch limos. Each limo could hold 25+ people and I’m pretty sure we totally confused people here at the shopping center when both limos pulled up. (“Who takes a stretch limo to shop??”)
The aisles were full during the shopping times, and after checking out, the knitters enjoyed hanging out on the red couches and knitting, waiting for their limo back to the hotel. (Or – in many instances – checking out what each person bought and then hopping up to get something else and check out a second or third time …)
Cindy from Iowa found the perfect roving to match her phone case. 🙂
We had four awesome teachers at the Fling. We were delighted to have (L-R) Ann Budd, JC Briar, Susan B. Anderson, and Wendy Johnson join us for the weekend.
Susan came in a day early to teach her Fair Isle Hat Design class at the shop on Wednesday night:
and then do a book signing here on Thursday morning. Her new Topsy Turvy book is full of awesomeness. And each of her toys are adorable. I feel a toy-knitting binge coming soon.
We had fun goodie bags for each of the weekend participants. Included – a cute canvas bag, a skein+ mini from our Loopy Ewe Seasoning Series, a skein of yarn from Cascade, a pattern from Shibui, a Loopy Spring Fling mug, and a Soak Heel and Wash sample pack.
We had lots of great door prizes, donated by some of our wonderful yarn and accessory companies. A huge thank you to Cascade (who provided yarn for each attendee, as well as lots of cool door prizes and kits), Malabrigo, Notions Marketing, Dream in Color, Wollmeise, Soak, and Shibui Knits.
Saturday night, there was much knitting going on. (All that new yarn from their shopping trips to Loopy, I’m sure.)
(Look – there’s Web Guy checking out the knitters! He’s always here for Fling weekends, helping check people out at the shop and helping with door prizes on Saturday night.)
(Look – it’s Loopy Office Manager Lynn on the left! And Loopy Honorary Elf Sheryl, who helped out at the hotel the entire weekend. That pretty green shawl is one of several she wore during the weekend, all equally inspiring! Edit: Sheryl’s Shawl is the Kate Shawl pattern. And Loopy Elf Roberta, peeking out behind Sheryl with the purple shawl on. If you’ve called in to Loopy, you’ve no doubt talked to Roberta.)
We always make an oversized sock blocker so that we can get all of the Fling participants to sign it each year. We hang these big socks up at Loopy so that we can remember the fun people we had here! We now have five of these big socks hanging on the walls, from 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2013. (Regular sized sock blocker included in the photo to give you an idea of how big this blocker really is.)
What a wonderful group of Loopy knitters. We were delighted to have everyone here, and so look forward to having you all back again the next time. We did decide to move the Fling to Fall, in order to avoid future snowstorms. (Not that we’re guaranteed not to have them in September, but it’s less likely than April.) So our next one will be the Fall Fling of 2014. I’ll let you know dates as soon as we have the weekend confirmed.
Would you like to win one of our Spring Fling Goodie Bags? I made four extra bags for this blog contest, and we’ll draw names for winners next week. Leave a comment below if you’d like to be entered into the contest!
Sheri whoenjoyedsharingthemountainsandLoopy’snewhomewitheveryone
Thanks for the detailed and photographed blogposts! Although you are too far away for me to visit in person, I am not above living vicariously! And I do “visit” your blog and website frequently.
Looks like everyone had a wonderful time!
Wow! Looks like everyone had a great time. Would love to come to one!
I hope to come to the next retreat. It looks like alot of fun.
Thanks for a chance to win a goodie bag!!
Looks like a fun time had by all. I hope to be able to attend a fling in the near future. Thanks for the chance to win a goodie bag.
I was lucky enough to attend the very first Spring Fling in 2008 … some of my fondest memories ever 🙂
Glad to see everyone had so much fun 🙂
Wish I hadn’t had to pass up the Fling this year. So much fun.
OMG! It looks like a lot of fun! I hope to one day join you at Spring Fling.
Spring Fling looks like so much fun! I hope one day I get to attend 🙂
Looks like a lot of fun was had. I would love to win a bag.
The bags look nice. I hope Im lucky enough to win one.
It looks like so much fun! I would love to get there someday.
Soon wanted to be there again, maybe next year,
How fun! Quite a large group ~ I’m sure everyone had a fantastic time!
Someday I hope to attend this event. It always looks like so much fun!
This looks like a totally cool trip!! I am going to try and make it in 2014
🙂
I love Cascade! How wonderful that they donated such wonderful stuff!
Just heartsick that I couldn’t come and be with you. Would love to add theSpringFling 2013 mug to my speciality collection.
The goodie bags look like so much fun – bag included!!! I’d love to win one. Would love to make it to retreat in person one day.
Looks like a lot of fun and knitting was had by all. It would be wonderful to be the recipient of one of the Goodie Bags! Was everyone required to be color coordinated for the group photo? It looks great.
What a cute bag!
Good like everyone had an awesome time, entry me in the goodie bag!
How fantastic to have so many good people gather together to share their knitting expertise, Maybe someday I will be able to attend. So wonderful of you to offer
Loopy Ewe Spring Fling Goodie bags. I would love to win one. Thank you so much.
P.S. I love the new website layout. So refreshing.
So jealous of all the people who got to go!
Wish I was there! Would love a gift bag though!
It looked like a lot of fun!
I live on the wrong side of the country 🙁
Looks like all had great fun and I can hear those needles flying on those red couches!
I love that goodie bag! I was going to ask you if you had any for sale for the loopy groupies who couldn’t attend!
One day, I will be a le to make it to a fling , but in the mean time, I would love to win one of these bags.
I would love a Spring Fling bag of goodness! Thanks for sharing the pics of the Flingers. I picked out Carin from the Round the Twist videos right away! Also saw a few others I knew! Just making me want to attend all the more!
OOH – If its not too late, I would love to be in the running to win a Spring Fling bag!! I love al my Loopy Ewe stuff and this bag and goodies would be a great addition to my knitting world!!
Oh how fun this looks! I would have loved to have gone!!! Please enter me in for a goody bag. Thank you sooo much.
Looks like an absolutely awesome time was had by all! Definitely on my wish list to go to Spring Fling!! 🙂
I really wish I could have been there with you all but it is a bit far to travel from Scotland. Maybe one year. Just to say also how much I love your shop. You always send my goods quickly and I look forward to my parcel dropping on my mat. Keep up the good work.
One of these days I so hope to make it to Fling! I guess the next best thing would be to win a goodie bag!
Sounds like fun was had by all. Yippie!
I am kicking myself for not trying to get a spot this year, but fall works better for me. Hope I can attend in 2014!
Wow! Can’t believe how many knitters you had at the Fling!
Oh my, an awesome give-away! Thanks for the contest. The yarns are so pretty and every knitter needs a tote bag.
When I saw the goody bag on Round the Twist I thought it was fabulous! Thanks for an opportunity to win one. Maybe next year I’ll get one at Fall Fling.
Would love to be able to attend some day. Thank you for the oppportunity to win one of the goodie bags!
Thank you for the chance to win a Spring Fling goodie bag!
The Spring Fling Bag looks amazing! Green is my color for spring / summer this year; so into it for some reason?!?!?! ;)Maybe some year I will actually be able to attend the event!!!!!!!
Looks like you all had so much fun!
I would LOVE to win a bag. I love everything I’ve purchased from the Loopey Ewe, and one of your attendees this year has a video cast that I watch and I got to see her goodies. It would be awesome to win! Thanks!
This looks like so much fun. Maybe next year”
How fun to enjoy the fling with photos. I would love to win a goodie bag! Thanks for a chance.
Wish I could have been there!