Tuesday, October 31, 2017

What Was Inside

A visit to Ryan always includes a trip to The Loopy Ewe. I don't know how I was lucky enough to have Ryan attend grad. school in the same city as this incredible yarn (and fabric) store, but I'm very grateful that he does. (Especially because TLE began in St. Louis, but moved to Fort Collins just a year and a half before Ryan did!) I've been very careful not to buy too much yarn on previous visits because the skeins needed to fit in my carry on luggage. This time was a little different. So what was in those packages?


I wind all my skeins by hand so I'm almost always knitting from a ball. I've debated a yarn bowl for several years, but when I found this beautifully glazed one from Pawley Studios, I had to get it.


My hands were also full of several skeins of Tumbleweed Yarn Aurora in Lariat. The striping sequence is lovely, and it includes the best bright blue I've ever knit with.


Then there was the Wollmeise. The Loopy Ewe used to arrange their yarn in cubbies, but they've recently switched over many of them to wall display hooks. There is simply no resisting when you see the multitude of colorful skeins as soon as you walk in the door.


Part of the reason I love having Ryan shop for yarn with me is that he almost always spots something I might never have considered otherwise. That was the case with these skeins of Wollmeise Pure in Spice Schwammerl. These are not my usual colors, but I was drawn to them as soon as he pointed them out.


I kept a skein of the Tumbleweed Yarns and the Wollmeise to knit with on the way home, and with Loopy Elf Anne B's careful packing (and several skeins for further cushioning), my yarn bowl arrived safely in NJ before I did.

But wait, there's more! Overcome by yarn fumes, I hadn't thought much about what I was actually going to knit with this yarn. Ryan had requested fingerless mitts with the Aurora, but that Wollmeise deserved to be more than another Hitchhiker. Clearly my only choice was to go back and look for yarn that would work with the Wollmeise. I found the perfect match with Leading Men Fiber Arts Show Stopper in Copper Cloud. I think these will be a Match and Move, but for now I'm happy to just admire them together while I finish a few other projects.


Ryan also requested a hat in this gorgeous Wollmeise Pure in Single Malt, and this one last skein of Berry Colorful Yarnings in Happy Life was a must to add to the second yarn shipment. It will probably become fingerless mitts to remind us of hope and happier times with Obama. So there you have it. Loads of yarn, (some might even say too much), but it all makes me incredible happy and I'm looking forward to the knitting.

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Tomorrow is November 1st, and that means NaBloPoMo. Do you ever wake up on Saturday or Sunday, grateful for the weekend, but still wishing that the blogs you read would provide you with posts every single day, even weekends?  Well, it's going to happen, starting tomorrow! I can't promise mine will be good posts, but for November it may be quantity over quality!

21 comments:

  1. Oh, you made a good showing for yourself at L-Ewe, Bonny! (I totally tripped over that Wollmeise display myself on my way in when I visited last month . . . where I bought enough for a sweater. . .) Your yarn looks wonderful -- and I love that Ryan helps you pick it out. (He has excellent taste!) (I adore that copper color.) My sister gave me a yarn bowl (that she picked up at L-Ewe, living so nearby) for Christmas a couple of years ago. I love it. Happy knitting! XO

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  2. I've already done three of the Match and Move and could easily knit nothing else for years if I don't watch myself. That Schwammerl tempted me a great deal and you MAY have pushed me over the edge. That is such a fun project not the least of which is picking the colors. I'm so jealous of your visits to Loopy Ewe. Thanks for sharing them with us.

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    1. I'm glad to hear your high praise for Match and Move! I feel the same way about her Hitchhiker pattern, but the Wollmeise told me it wanted to be something else, and once I found the Leading Men Copper Clouds, a Match and Move was a done deal. I need to finish up a few things first, but I'm anxious to cast on!

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  3. Oh, my, Bonny, so many goodies! No wonder you were smiling in the doorway of the TLE! I love all of it, but especially that Wollmeise. I have a simple sweater on my list for some Wollmeise, but it is very difficult to pick it out online, and there are no sources locally. This colorway is especially gorgeous! And that yarn bowl! There is nothing superfluous in any of your purchases. I look forward to watching the progress of your makes!

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    1. I've ordered from TLE for years and even though their yarn photos are good, seeing and feeling the yarn in person is a whole other world. I think the Loopy Elves can be quite helpful, so if a visit isn't a possibility, you may be able to call them, describe what you're looking for, and they can offer suggestions. Even if you end up choosing something on line, I don't know if you can go too far wrong with Wollmeise! Good luck, and let me know if I might be able to help (I might be back again in June 2018?).

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    2. Bonny, how kind of you to offer! If I need "eyes on" help, I will certainly ask.

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  4. What a beautiful bowl. And yes! I am very happy to know folks will be posting on the weekends.

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  5. Love that combo for Match & Move! Gorgeous colors. Knitorious in St. Louis carries Wollmeise but the best I could manage when we were there was standing agape in front of the display. (Maybe next time!)

    "...the second yarn shipment." <<< That made me smile.

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  6. WOW - JACKPOT!!!!

    I plan to do NaBloPoMo as well - I've enjoyed it in the past couple of years. Like you though, I make NO guarantees. :-)

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  7. Oh, LOVE! Every.single.bit! That yarn bowl... I love it! And, yarn addicts everywhere are oogling that photo of the wall of Wollmeise! I have some serious yarn envy this morning!

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  8. You chose such beautiful yarns and I hope you enjoy knitting with them...and that bowl! I LOVE that yarn bowl!

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  9. There is never, ever, ever too much yarn! Your choices are stunning. The yarn bowl is pretty sweet too. I have one that Dan made for me in high school...it doesn't get a lot of use but it is a nice reminder of him!

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  10. Those are gorgeous purchases you made at Loopy Ewe!

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  11. Oh my gosh! Fabulous purchases Bonny. The bowl is gorgeous. And a Match & Move with that Copper color will be spectacular. I think you showed great restraint!!

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  12. The copper clad is perfectly paired. LOVE it. Your bowl is great too. I' post 6 days a week usually,. Im thrilled others will post often for november!

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    1. I'm so excited that I finally have plans to knit something besides a Hitchhiker and can barely wait to cast on with those wonderful yarns!

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  13. Wow! I always love seeing what you pick, and hearing about Ryan’s influence on the process!

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  14. Oh. My. Yarn-y. Goodness! (yarn bowl, too!) Looks like a wonderful haul, and I'm looking forward to some non-Hitchhiker posts next month. along with 20-some other posts about whatever else you care to share. We're in this together, and it's going to be FUN! (right?!)

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  15. Your Loopy goodies were worth the wait! I LOVE the color of your yarn bowl (my favorite!) and the names of each skien of yarn is almost better than the color itself (almost, but not quite)! The copper colors have Ryan's touch written all over them! Good work, both of you!

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  16. lovely yarn adoptions! I'm glad you can get to that STORE and indulge in some well deserved goodness :)

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  17. Isn't it amazing how someone else can point out something we love, even though we hadn't even noticed it? Your Match and Move combo is perfect. And that pattern has now entered my queue; it will work better for some stash yarn that I had designated for a different pattern. Thanks!

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Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment! :-)