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
I think I mostly knit to challenge myself, but learning new things actually relaxes me, so it is both. My favorite part of knitting is learning new things, whether it is a cast-on, a bind-off, a technique, or a new finished object, I just love learning new things. That was my favorite part of Loopy Academy and Camp Loopy. They are constantly challenging us to try new things.
I took up knitting because I had moved to Minnesota and decided if I was going to be a winter couch potato, I’d at least be a productive one. In the next 30 years I’ve knit for a variety of reasons (haven’t we all?), but I find that these last couple of years, I knit to relax and stay calm.
I knit to challenge myself and the process then becomes relaxing as I no longer focus on the stressors but the process. And end up with something wonderful in the process (usually! 🙂 ). Shades of Winter looks interesting
After many years I started to knit for my grandchildren. I have learned so much over the last 14 years. Knitting is very relaxing but it has afforded me the opportunity to meet so many other creative people in my travels
I knit for both, but mostly to relax.
I’m 100% a relaxation knitter. I call myself the queen of garter stitch shawls. If it hadn’t been for the Loopy Challenges I’d likely be drowning in Hitchhikers and Lintillas!
I enjoy the challenge sometimes, I like cables and am now going to attempt double knitting, but my happy place – my comfort zone – is simple knitting with amazing yarn.
That’s a hard question to answer. I find knitting to be relaxing, especially when I get a regular pattern and rhythm going. However, I have this tendency to jump into projects without thinking “Hey, this could be really difficult”. That’s not so relaxing sometime, so it’s a wash, I guess.
I would like to live in your neighborhood. I think I could enjoy neighbors like Loopy and Interweave!
Shades of winter. I knit for both. I’ve had a few yrs of very hardships and knitting helps my mental health.
Well after seeing all that Dimi has created and knit, along with knit in 3.5 years and held down a teaching job, I am going to start challenging myself! She is an inspiration! Her work is gorgeous! I love both books, would choose All New Homespun Handknit!
I really knit for the mathematical thrill of it but of the 2 options, I’d say to relax. Doing all that math and having all those numbers racing around in my head relaxes me.
Shades of Winter — .
Both to challenge and to relax. Currently making a variety of charity beanies for kids of all sizes using some donated yarn. Have been trying various decreases in shaping the crown as well as practicing a couple new cast ons. Trying out different stitches to increase textural interest and to see how they hold up that interest in the crowns.
Thank you for the opportunity.
all new Homespun Handknits. I knit to challenge myself . I spin to relax
Most of the time I knit to relax, with a good challenge thrown in every once in awhile. Then I follow it up with a very relaxing knit.
Shades of Winter.
51% of knitting to relax, 49% to challenge myself:)
I knit mostly to relax. The Shades of Winter book would be my first choice, since we have about 6 months of it here in Wisconsin…
I mostly knit to challenge myself, though not always successfuly. I like the shades of winter book
I knit mostly to relax! If I knit to challenge myself it’s more because I want the product, I think. Usually. Sometimes? But yeah, mostly to relax. 😉
I’d have to say primarily to relax. I love to learn new things, but after work, just watching a movie with a simple knit is what I need. Shades of Winter looks awesome, thanks!
My primary goal for knitting is to challenge myself. I am almost 70 and want to prevent as much mental decline as possible. Challenging myself to learn new stitches and techniques helps keep me sharp, I hope.
If I win I would love the Shades of Winter book.
Shades of Winter, maybe not in that color for me, but that looks nice.
I knit to relax, almost exclusively.
I knit to relax, and meditate. I love making sweater that fit my body and not what some stranger thinks should fit.
I would love the Shades of Winter book, since sweaters are my good to knit.
I’m a mix, but mostly to relax and not want to kill people, lol. I tend to have a challenge knit on the go and a couple of relaxing ones as well. If I were to win I’d choose the Shades of Winter book since I already have the other one.
I started knitting so I would stay awake in the evenings once my husband came home (I used to crash as soon as the TV came on). I find it relaxing but at the same time it stimulates and engages my mind enough that I don’t snooze through family time 🙂
Now and then I will pick a project to challenge myself. But by and large, I knit for enjoyment (so I guess relaxation is the better pick).
I go through cycles. I primarily knit to relax, but when I start to get bored with mindless knitting, I challenge myself to try a challenge or contest. This usually coincides with Camp Loopy, I kid you not!
I mainly knit to relax but a challenging project tends to do that.
I knit mostly to relax but that’s a bit deceptive because very simple knits don’t relax me. I think I get bored a bit too easily. Most of the knitting I do is with lighter weight yarn, but I find myself drawn to heavier yarns this fall. Shades of Winter looks very interesting to me.
When I first started knitting, it was definitely for the challenge. This summer it was totally for the relaxation and stress relief, but I try to incorporate new techniques whatever I’m doing. I just love the versatility of knitting!
I like knitting for both reasons! Depending on my mood it might be either relaxing or challenging. “All new homespun handknit would be my choice.
I knit to relax.
Shades of Winter looks like it would have lots of useful patterns.
Initially it was for the challenge. These days I’m too stressed to do it for anything more than relaxation, though. Hopefully that’ll change soon.
And honestly not sure I could choose between the two books… Maybe I lean a little more towards Shades of Winter? They both look great!
Hi, I knit to relax, but sometimes enjoy a challenge.
I would like to have the Homespun Knits.
I knit mostly to challenge myself.
I knit for the love of knitting!!! I love being challenged to learn new things, especially in the knitting world! And I knit every evening (at least) as a form of relaxation. So its the best of all worlds for me!
A friend gave me a bunch of fiber to spin yesterday, so I’d love Homespun Handknit
I mostly knit to relax but I enjoy learning new things too. Shades of Winter would be the book for me. What a great giveaway!
I mostly knit for the challenge and i read knitting boks to relax. A knitter can never have too much yarn or too many books.
Wow! Love the “Shades of Winter”!
I knit to relax. I’ll challenge myself a little bit not too much; for example, knitting my first pair of socks, but the are very very plain. Cables on socks will come much later!!!
What lovely things! And the books are so enticing! Since I live in north central Idaho, I would love to get Shades of Winter. I knit to relax although I have enjoyed our Loopy challenges.
I knit for so many reasons-hence I usually have 3 projects on needles at once. 1-my ‘stupid’ knitting-a project that I can just work on without much thought and goes with me everywhere. 2- something lacy that needs attention paid to it for when i’m home relaxing and 3- a project that I can knit while watching TV with consults to pattern as needed.
I knit to relax but I also love that I can challenge myself as well. It’s the perfect balance–I can do whichever I feel in need of at the moment.
I knit to relax. I have plenty of challenges in other areas of my life.
I usually knit to relax. There may or may not be an adult beverage involved.
I knit mainly to relax, and to stay focused in meetings, for the most part. The only time knitting is not relaxing for me is when something goes sideways and becomes a problem. I would choose the “Shades of winter” book, I think.
I mostly knit to relax, but there has to be an element of challenge, too! If it’s boring and too repetitious, it doesn’t really relax me!
Good question! I love relaxing knitting, for the most part. However,
I love sweaters and lacy shawls, so I do like to challenge myself, too.
Nothing like a pair of socks or hat, just saying.
I knit to relax! I have many passions that need my time so it is challenging to decide what to do, but knitting calls to me when I want to sit still and reflect or calm my mind. So definitely knit to relax. I have been known to knit a pattern more than once…
I knit most of the time to relax.
I like the shades of winter Book.
I try to knit to relax but lately it is challenging myself!
I knit to relax and because I have to be something with my hands when watching tv….Love football season for knitting….would love the hand spin yarn book
These designs are beautiful! I mostly knit to relax. I find learning new techniques relaxing as well, so when I challenge myself it really achieves both goals. I do looooove me some zone-out TV or audiobook knitting, though. I’m all about those FOs!