We have had a beautiful Trunk Show from Loopy customer Dimi in the shop for the past month, and I wanted to share it with all of you on the blog. (Although this one came down from the mannequins last week, a new one went up. If you haven’t been in yet to see Sheryl’s Trunk Show, pop in and check it out. 
More beautiful things, including sweaters, shawls, and socks. Plus the cutest Fox Hat.)
You may have seen me feature Dimi’s knitting on our Instagram page. (I have posted her often enough now that auto-correct has stopped trying to make her “Dino” each time I type her name.) 🙂 She is a regular Knit Nighter, a prolific knitter, and a new knitwear designer. She has only been knitting for 3.5 years and started because her high school daughter wanted to learn how to knit. She always likes to learn something new in everything she knits, so she has some really cool projects.
Dimi is a science teacher at a local high school and loves to knit in her time off. Here are the beautiful projects we had on display this past month. (You can click on the photo to make it bigger.)
Left: Gardens of Giverny by Alina Appasova (knit in Malabrigo Mechita)
Right: Art Deco by Nadita Swings (knit in Malabrigo Sock)
Left: Sandbank by Lea Vikteria (knit in Wollmeise Lace)
Right: Brioche is All Around Me by Natalie Volyanyuk (knit in Wollmeise DK)
Left: Opposite Pole by Joji Locatelli (knit in Malabrigo Rios)
Right: Off Script by Dimi Reed (knit in JulieSpins SW Merino Lace)
Left: Uluru Shawl by Sue Grandfield (knit in Wollmeise Pure & Twin)
Right: New Caesar Shawl by Susan Ashcroft (knit in Wollmeise Pure)
Left: Miss Grace Shawl by Skeino LLC (knit in Wollmeise Pure)
Right: Hillbrook Shawl by Brigitte Elliot (knit in Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted)
Left: Ode to Eyelets by Dimi Reed (knit in Knerd String Sport)
Right: Viajante by Martina Behm (knit in Wollmeise Lace)
Left: Exploration Station by Stephen West (knit in Madelinetosh Merino Light)
Right: Shrug and More by Martina Behm (knit in Cascade 220 Superwash)
Many of you may remember hearing that we moved next door to F&W Media (Interweave) this summer. A happy coincidence! We love being near so many wonderful, creative people. They are consolidating some offices and gave us some new books to offer as giveaways. From now until the end of the year, we’ll be giving away two books every Monday on the blog. Here are the two books we have today. Let us know in the comments which one you’d prefer. And the question for the contest – do you mostly knit to challenge yourself or to relax? I know we all do both of those things. But which is the primary consideration? For me, I mostly knit to relax. Leave a comment to enter and we’ll announce the two winners next Monday (when we will have two more books up for a contest).
Sheri and The Loopy Ewe Crew
Both! I knit to challenge myself, and crochet for relaxation! Switching back and forth between crafts keeps my hand nimble.
I’m playing for the Homespun Handknit book.
I knit to relax and fill time while waiting for/on others.
I knit to relax. I usually have more than one project going so I occasionally will knit something challenging if I want the end product.
Relax!!! It’s the best way!
Mostly to relax but once in a while I like a challenge 🙂
I generally knit to keep myself relaxed while waiting on things to be done. Everyone is much happier that way.
The “Shades of Winter” book looks interesting.
I knit primarily to make useful garments…hats, mitts, socks, big, cuddly blankets, or my favourite—sweaters! (I live abroad in a cold climate, so we really do need our woollies!). But along with that, knitting helps me to relax. When I am under a lot of stress, I knit. There’s just something amazing about keeping my hands busy and watching the fabric unfold that keeps my mind from racing and my heart rate under control. I love working with natural fibres, and I love ordering from Loopy Ewe! Thanks for this inspiring post. What an artist Dimi is! (Oh, and because of our long winter, it would be “Shades of Winter” for me. )
What a great question! I knit to relax. Plain and simple. It’s my stress relief, even when the project or technique is difficult to master or it’s one of those days when everything seems to go wrong.
I love sock knitting contests, so I guess I mostly knit to challenge myself. I do have an Attic 24 crochet afghan going, and I’ve been doing one stripe every day—that is my relaxation.
What a wonderful giveaway!! I love the shades of winter.
I love to challenge myself, so I would say that is my focus for most of the time. Knitting in any form is my way to unwind.
Knitting is my therapy. I knit every night, no matter how early I have to be at work the next day, just to relax and let the day slip away. Also, this way I don’t kill people 🙂
I’ll take Shades of Winter, please.
Mostly, I knit to relax. It’s such a great stress reliever!
I’m playing for the Shades of Winter book. Lovely!
I primarily knit to relax. Sometimes I challenge myself, but it’s never so challenging as to cause stress. Sitting with my knitting is something I look forward to every day so I can promote calm and deal with the other stress around me. I’d love to knit from Shades of Winter; it looks lovely!
I knit to relax and the sense of accomplishment when I finish something very large or challenging for me.
mostly to relax and do something that takes a different kind of brain power.
Shades of Winter appeals to me.
I mostly knit to relax but I try to challenge myself now and then.
I knit to relax. There’s something so soothing about creating something from a ball of yarn.
I knit to relax. Shades of Winter looks terrific.
Relax and pass the time. I’ll challenge myself to learn a new pattern but if it ends up being a challenge the whole way I’ll unravel it and do something fun instead.
I knit to relax but when I knit sometimes I like to see if there is something that I have not made or a stitch I have not done before.
I have a hard time relaxing and knitting helps. It has been a help to be able to knit.
Thanks for all the wonderful knits on the blog. Like many others, I have my “TV time” knits and my “I’ve got to concentrate knits.” I love knitting both of these styles; however, the more challenging knits are the ones I appreciate the most.
Definitely to relax~anxiety problems here. Knitting and audiobooks keep me grounded.
To relax for sure!
Love the mittens on the cover of that homespun hand knit book!
Both. Sometimes I like to challenge myself and learn a new technique. Sometimes I like to knit brainlessly while watching a costume drama.
Shades of winter, I love that eyelet sweater on the cover! I think I mostly to relax, as in the creative part is relaxing. But it’s so much more than one or the other.
I would say I knit to relax, and I make up patterns to challenge myself. 🙂 The Shades of Winter book looks beautiful!
I knit to relax and reflect.
Since I’m not much of a knitter, I’d have to say challenge (I’m a quilter). Still up for free stuff, however. I think I like the winter on best (but will take either if offered)
Most definitely relax. I do challenge myself on occasion, but I really need the down time more!
Good question, I had to think about it….. Mostly, I knit to relax. I have twin 13yr old boys and we are constantly running to practices or games. (I feel like we live in the gym or some type of field.) So I usually don’t my “me-time” until after 7pm. You can find me perched in my chair, knitting until 2-3am. I’m blessed to be able to be a stay-at-home Mom and can usually squeeze in a nap. I’m also an avid reader & just recently figured out how to do both – books on tape! Awesome!!!! (“Handspun Handknit.” I already own the other book.)
2 or 3 in the morning?? Wow. I am so impressed with that, Jodi!
Both! Sometimes I like to relax and just knit with no worries to be able to chat with friends or watch TV. Other times I want a challenge to focus and learn a new stitch or technique.
Knitting is both soothing and challenging. I keep both difficult and easy projects near by and work on whichever project I wish.
Either book would be welcome in my library, since I am a beginning spinner, the Homespun Handknit book would be best for me.
I think the Shades of Winter book looks interesting. When I first started knitting I liked to knit for the challenge. Now I like to knit a challenge, and then follow up with something relaxing. At times, I want to have a quick knit for that sense of accomplishment.
I knit to relax – and stay sane!
Love Shades of Winter
I’d love Shades of Winter, and after deciding five months ago to sell our home of 30 years and downsizing to senior apartment living, I’ve come to realize that knitting keeps me sane, so I’d have to say I knit to relax, but the knitting has to be challenging enough to keep the brain working.
To regain my sanity! Hands down.
I have 3 kids 9, 10 and 16. Need I say more
I choose shades of winter.
I used to knit to challenge myself but as I’m getting older, it’s more about relaxing. Both of the books look really fun. I think the Shades of Winter would be the one I would love to have the most. Thank you for this exciting contest!
Right now it has to be to relax, because life is far more than challenging enough.
Wow, Dimi has a great eye for color and texture! Thanks for sharing a new designer with us.
Mostly, I knit for pleasure and relaxation and I’d love to win the Shades of Winter book.
I knit to relax…so important in these trying times.
I knit mostly to relax, partly because the bulk of my knitting is at night when I’m tired. I’ve been known to use a vacation or a long weekend to tackle a more challenging project.
The Homespun Handknit book looks like fun. I’ve played a bit my drop spindle and would like to be better at it. Having projects to aim for would help.
I love to knit to challenge my brain. That Shades of winter book looks like it would fit the bill perfectly.
Definitely to relax. I call it productive fidgeting… I’m not good at sitting still, so it gives me something to do while I am relaxing. I’d love the homespun handknit – my friend’s birthday is next week, and she loves to spin and then doesn’t know what to knit with it. This would be perfect for her!
I knit to relax. It is such a great stress reliever.
I definitely don’t knit to relax because my skills aren’t at that level yet! Nor do I knit to challenge myself yet. I knit because I want to make something special for someone…right now that someone is my new granddaughter! I would love the Shades of Winter book!
I mostly knit to relax, but sometimes get into a rut where I need to try something new and different. A new stitch sequence, new technique or something else to make me think. I guess it just depends on the day.
I knit to relax and meditate.
I knit to relax. I try to challenge myself once in awhile, but seem to always fall back to a simple project. I would love the Shades of Winter book.
I’d have to say I knit to challenge myself. If I win, I’d love to have the All New Homespun Handknit book.
Thanks for the beautiful pictures of Dimi’s work, and the contest!
I knit to relax. My choice would be Shades of Winter.
I knit and crochet to relax. This year I challenged myself to enter one of my crocheted afghans in a fall fair. I one third prize.