The Loopy Ewe Blog

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Tag: Challenge

Second Quarter Challenge

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second-quarter-challenge-flocked-mittensWe’re ready to jump into our Second Quarter Challenge! Join us for some knitting fun. This quarter, we’re working on simple colorwork projects.

Project: Use two colors of yarn, 500 yards total or less, for this month’s project. Your pattern needs to mix the colors with stranded work (so just doing solid stripes doesn’t count).

Dates: You can start as soon as you have your yarn. All projects must be completed with photos uploaded to our Loopy Ewe Second Quarter Photo Gallery by July 1st.

Yarn: If you need to buy yarn for your project, we’re offering a 20% discount on the yarn if it’s purchased between today and Wednesday, April 10th. Yarn must be Sport, DK or Worsted Weight, and the discount is valid on two colors, up to 500 yards total for your project. In order to get the discount, you must leave us an order note telling us which two colors you will be using for this project. We’ll apply the discount after your order comes through to us. If you’re going for free shipping in the U.S. (over $75), please make sure your discount won’t take you below that amount.

Need some fun ideas?

Mittens & Mitts: Snowfling Mittens, Northman Mittens, Houndstooth Check Mittens, Flocked Mittens, Bird in Hand, Bird and Vine Mitts, Vanamo Mitts, Rigmor’s Selbu Mittens, Meta Mittens, and Bacon Mittens (ha!).

Hats: Norwegian Star Earflap Hat, Marius Hats, Flora, End of May Hat, Moose in the Woods Hat, Sequence Hat, Double Diamond Argyle Hat, Diamonds on the Mind, Modjeska Hat, Min Ulla Hat, INSULATE! Hat, and Opus Spicatum Hat.

Other: Luvbots, Snowflake Boot Cuffs, Norwegian Star Slippers, Gyre Cowl, Snowflake Christmas Stocking, Easy Fair Isle Headbands, and Japan Cowl.

Yarn possibilities: Cascade 220, Cascade 220 Superwash, Cascade Superwash Sport, Stonehedge Fiber Worsted, Stonehedge Fiber DK, Amy Butler Aran, Amy Butler DK, Blue Sky Worsted Hand Dyes, Spud and Chloe Sweater, and more. Just be sure to use solids or semi-solids so that your colorwork shows up well.

See that mitten up there? That’s my attempt at colorwork, awhile back. There is a reason the mitten is not on a hand. It turned out way too big! I might just re-do that same pattern (Flocked Mittens) for the Challenge. I really want to get this colorwork skill down. There are so many fun things you can do with colorwork. I figured starting out with a two color project is best.

Sheri who,admittedly,didnotdoagaugeswatchforthatmittenupthere

Hand Maiden, Fleece Artist, Madelinetosh and More

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I’m thinking about cooler weather. Not because it’s cool here (it’s not), but because I find myself feeling ready for Fall. My first post-Camp Loopy project is going to be a Charleston Tea and I know I will love wearing it when it is done. If you’re feeling the same way – thinking about Fall and sweaters, then you might want to snatch some of the Madelinetosh Sport that just went up. It would be beautiful for a Charleston Tea! Or several other things. We’ve just added in:

Madelinetosh – Sport. More than 70 colors, just in time for fall sweater and vest knitting. Here are a few patterns to check out: Marly (a cute short-sleeved sweater for warm fall days), and Eisen (loving the texture in that one). And someone was knitting Cavallo Point last week at Knit Night and I immediately wrote down the pattern name. It looks like a winner and would be beautiful with Madtosh Sport. (Shown above in Fathom.)

Hand Maiden – Casbah. This is one of the first Merino/Cashmere/Nylon bases that we carried, and it continues to be a favorite. The colors, the feel – all gorgeous. I like this yarn for socks and shawls. Did you see the Estuary pattern in Knitty? Or the Summerside Shawl? For socks, try Copper Penny Socks, or Brigid.

Fleece Artist – BFL Sock.A great base for socks, but you’ll see pretty shawls made with it, too. Need pattern ideas? Try Chamfer or Inlay. I love Hunter’s sock patterns. (Shown here in Blomidon.)

Swan’s Island – Organic Merino Fingering. Great yardage and pretty, soft colors makes this a wonderful yarn to work with. We have also added in their pattern line tonight. I think this would make a great Beautiful Cobweb shawl, or a cute short-sleeved sweater like Urban.

Knitifacts – This is a new line of stitchmarkers that we picked up at market. I love their snag-free pretty colors. I also like that there is nothing dangling to get caught up in my knitting. We also have their Bumpers and Bitty Bumpers – little rubber rings to put on the ends of your needles when your knitting is at rest. (Stitchmarkers shown here in the Purple Rain color.)

We have a winner for the Reader’s Choice Award from the Second Quarter Challenge, and a winner from the random drawing as well. Both winners have received a $25 Loopy Credit in their accounts! The Reader’s Choice Award goes to Allen in GA for her Simple Shellseeker, which looks really comfy and was made with Spud and Chloe Sweater. And the other award goes to Julie in OH for her cute Spring Garden Tee made with Cascade Ultra Pima. Congratulations to both of you!

Sheri someoneturnedonthe”peppyuppy”musicstationtoday.
I’vebeentappingmyfoottothebeatalldaylong.

Camp Loopy Project Three!

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How in the world did we get to Project Three for Camp Loopy already? This summer is flying by. I hope you’re having fun camping along with us! Today begins Camp Store Week for Project Three, and here are the details:

The Project Three Dates: Starting date is 7/27 and ending date is 8/27, with photos uploaded to the Project Three Gallery at The Loopy Ewe by 8/29.

The Challenge for Project Three: This project should:
1. contain two or more colors (because the Olympics are about working together in harmony, right?) plus,
2. must be at least 500 yds. single knit (not 250 yards doubled), plus,
3. be a pattern that you have not done before.

(Note – two colors meaning two different skeins, not two colors within one colorway/skein).

Camp Store Week for Project Three: If you need to purchase yarn for your project, we are offering a 20% Camp Loopy discount for the yarn during this month’s “Camp Loopy Store Week”.The discount for Project Three, is valid on one camp project’s worth of yarn purchased during Camp Store Week Two (Wednesday, July 11 – Tuesday, July 17). To get the discount, you will need to leave us an order note on the order, telling us which yarn will be used for your Camp Project. We can only apply the discount to one order, so you’ll need to calculate carefully and order what you need in a single order. We’ll apply the discount when your order comes through to us. If you’re going for free shipping in the U.S., please make sure that your discount won’t take you below the $75 level, or the website will add the shipping charge back in after we do the discount.

Another benefit: In addition to the 20% discount on your yarn during Camp Store Week, we’ll also double your Frequent Shopper Benefits from that yarn purchase, if your project is done and a photo of it is uploaded to our Camp Loopy Photo Gallery by the deadline. (Yarn must be purchased during this month’s Camp Store Week, 7/11-17, for the double credits benefit.)

Please review the other details and FAQ’s on the May 9, 2012 blog post to insure that you know the ins and outs of how all of this camp stuff works.

Camping Groups on Ravelry – if you’re on Ravelry and would like to chat about your Camp Projects, pop into the Loopy Groupie board and jump in! For Project Three, we’ll be dividing you into different Tents. Your Tent Number can be found on your Loopy receipt from your Camp Store Week purchase (on Loopy’s luggage tag in the drawing). If you’re using stash yarn, you’ll be in Tent 6. Those groups will go up on the Loopy Groupie board sometime within the next week. Right now, the bug groups for Project Two continue!

A reminder – to earn the free extra bonus yarn at the end, each project yarn needs to have been purchased during Camp Store Week or after, for that project.
Yarn used for Project One purchased: May 9 – June 25
Yarn used for Project Two purchased: June 11 – July 25
Yarn used for Project Three purchased: July 11 – August 25
Plus, all three finished project photos need to have been uploaded to our Loopy gallery by the due dates for each project.

It does take us an extra day or two to get all of the orders out during Camp Store Week. Just know that everyone is working extra days and hours in order to get your yarn to you as quickly as possible. We know you’re anxious to get it! (Although that’s always the case, right? Not just during Camp Loopy.)

So – what’re you going to make for Project Three? Thoughts? Ideas?

Sheri hopingoneofyourideasinspiresme.Stillundecided!

(Loopy has been outfitted for Camp, all summer long. He and his pal Socks oversee all Camp Loopy order packing. Socks is an old friend. He came from St. Louis Elf Susan’s mom’s childhood, and Loopy is glad to have Socks by his side at all times!)