As always, TNNA Market was a lot of fun! What is Market like? Lots of booths, lots of samples knit up, lots of pretty colors, lots of designers, lots of classes, and lots of walking. I go to connect with our vendors, check out the new things for you, learn some new things in classes, and place a lot of orders. 🙂
The days start early, especially if you’re taking advantage of the many classes that are offered. There are classes that pertain to business and classes that pertain to skills and techniques, and I usually try to fit in a mix of both types while I’m there. (That does take a certain amount of commitment. Classes start at 8 am. When my alarm goes off to get up at 6:30 am, that’s 4:30 am Colorado time. Have I mentioned that I am so not a morning person? So. Not.) I have seldom taken a class there that wasn’t worth the early morning wake-up call though, so that’s good.
One of the classes I took this year was with Sally Melville. She brought lots of samples and I really liked the cuff on this sweater. She did a few rows of garter stitch, then a few rows of ribbing, then a few more rows of garter stitch to end the sleeve. The garter stitch makes the sleeve edge roll slightly, giving it almost an i-cord look (but a lot quicker and easier). If I ever get better at actually finishing sweaters (and not just starting them), I’m going to do things like this on my cuffs. So much more fun looking than a plain rib, don’t you think?
Of course you want to know what I bought, right? Besides getting in quite a few re-orders and re-stocks while I was there, I also added some extra lines from some of our favorite companies, as well as some new lines. (And one really cool exclusive thing that we’ll have in about 60 days, but since it’s so far down the road, I can’t tell you about that yet. But it will be fun!) We put orders in for all of the new Malabrigo Roving, which is as beautiful as all of the colors that Malabrigo does on their yarn bases. And we also added in Sweet Georgia’s BFL Roving (again, done in her awesome color combinations.) We do have more of her Tough Love Sock and CashSilk Lace coming soon, from an order that we put in awhile back.
I spent a lot of time in The Fibre Company’s booth, because their yarn is just luscious. We already carry Tundra and Road to China light. I added in Canopy Worsted and Canopy Fingering while at Market. This yarn is 50% alpaca, 30% merino, and 20% tencel. It’s gorgeous and soft and I can see us all knitting quite a few projects out of it! I also ordered the new colors in Spud and Chloe and Blue Sky Alpacas, as well as new gradient color kits (with mini skeins, shown here at the top of the photo) from The Alpaca Yarn Company. They had a beautiful shawl done up in one of these gradient kits and I’m looking forward to making one soon.
There were new Chelsea Kits from Dream in Color that I ordered, as well as new Boy and Girl Tulip Sweater kits that will arrive soon. I added in a couple of brand new lines – 3 different yarn bases from Fable Fibers (a DK weight, an MCN fingering weight, and a big-skein – 600 yards, fingering weight. Shown here on the bottom left.). And the merino fingering weight base from Wonderland Yarns (put out by Frabjous Fibers, shown here on the bottom right). We may add in their MCN and Worsted weights as well, but thought we’d start with the fingering weight. There are a few more lines that I got samples from and am still contemplating for fall additions, so of course the shopping isn’t done yet. The yarn shopping is never done around here. I’m always finding more fun things for all of us. I love that part of my job!
That’s almost all the market news. You might have heard that we’re expanding our shop in Fort Collins. They’ve been making progress with the construction and this morning they knocked down the far wall! If you visit, you’ll see a big plastic sheet hanging across while they continue to finish out and blend together the spaces over the next five weeks. Now, with all that extra space we’re going to need a few more Loopy Elves, so we have some new positions opening up here at the shop (both full and part-time). If you or a friend are a local, enthusiastic quilter/sewist interesting in working at a growing company called The Loopy Ewe, please send a resume to jobs@theloopyewe.com – we’d love to talk with you more over the next couple of weeks. Actually, have I mentioned that the TNNA Market isn’t the only market I’ve had fun at recently? I was at Quilt Market last fall and then again this past May …
Well, I hope you’re as excited about some of these new things as I am. Stay tuned to the blog for more fun things (and additional details about our new space) as we get ready for our Seventh Loopy Anniversary in August!
Sheri whohasawholelotofnewsampleyarnstoknitupandplaywiththisweek.
NotthatI’mcomplaining.