I'm at the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling, and it's been an awesome weekend. This is the first time I ever met Wendy from WendyKnits. This was really cool because the first sock I ever knit was Wendy's Generic Toe-up Sock Pattern. So Wendy has definitely had a part in my current sock obsession.
I got to see Sheri again. She is just the sweetest yarn seller ever. And look at how cute she is! (She wanted me to take a picture of her without glasses, but this one is better. Sorry Sheri!)
I got to sleep in this gorgeous king-sized bed. It was so big I wasn't sure what to do with all that space! You see, normally I share a full-sized bed with the husband and the cat. Those of you who have cats probably know that they somehow end up taking up a HUGE chunk of the bed by pushing you over slowly at night until the next thing you know the humans are all squished on one side, just about ready to fall off. I spent the whole time sleeping on one-third of the bed.
We got goody bags, but I'm going to leave my goodies wrapped until I get home so I can extend the surprise and presents just a little bit longer.
There were also patterns in the goody bags especially designed for the Spring Fling -- one from Wendy and one from me. Mine is on the right and is knit in the wonderful Wollmeise 100% superwash yarn.
It is named Moselle after the Moselle River that runs through Germany (though Moselle is the English name for it). The sample sock was knit by Amy and we IMed one evening brainstorming for names. The German river idea was perfect because the pattern zigs and zags like a river and the yarn is from Germany. The pattern will be available for download from cookiea.com sometime after I get home (expect May 1 or 2).
Claudia, the maker of Wollmeise yarn, flew in from Germany to attend the Fling. She is a riot and just absolutely wonderful. Whenever she gets excited she starts to exclaim "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" It's always three times. We went to a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant and she was in wonder over the tender beef, the flames, and the food tossing. She is camera shy but allowed photos of her beautiful socks. I love the asymmetry of it all!
Of course I headed to Loopy Central. Here are some pictures to show you just how cute it is there.
The sock wall. There are a couple Monkeys there!
Comfy sheep:
And of course, tons of yarn. I especially loved seeing yarns from Indie dyers I've met or have talked to such as Nancy from Chameleon Colorworks. The Evolution is sooooo soft. (We'll be together at TNNA in June.)
Gryphon and I exchanged e-mails back before she started the yarn business to talk about our futures in knitting. Back when we were starry-eyed knitters. Okay, I think we are still starry-eyed knitters in love with all things knitting. It's great to see how popular her yarn has become that this is all that's left:
This was one of the Dream in Color walls at Loopy Central. The gals who run DiC have kids who go to school in the town where I grew up. Small world, eh?
I even got to meet new-to-me dyers like Sarah of Tempted Yarns. Here she is showing off some of her own handpainted yarn.
The Loopy Elves were absolutely wonderful. They made the cutest little cupcakes EVER.
Unfortunately (and I am TOTALLY banging my head over this) I forgot to bring the battery charger for my camera, so I missed all sorts of goodies I wanted to take pictures of including:
- Janice and the other elves
- Webguy, Knitting Daughter, and all-around handy husband
- Allen of Numma Numma yarns
- Kellie from New Zealand!
- Dawne from Winnipeg. She was surprised I've been there!
- Valerie from Toronto. I <3 Toronto.
- Karen's Freshisle Fibers Watermelon sock.
- Capi, the Loopy Legend, and all the other Loopy Groupies
- Knitters singing a song just for Sheri
- The absolutely stunningly beautiful blanket knit for Claudia
I'm sure someone else got pictures, so please send me the links if you have them! I'll take pictures of the goodies and yarns I may have gotten when I get home to recharged batteries. In the meantime, I leave you with this beauty I absolutely could not resist.
And now that I've called security on the party-goers next door to me (strangely blasting rap and singing along with it), it's nice and quiet and perfect for sleeping. Good night!
Hurray Moselle! Also, I agree about the cash/silk love. So. Gorgeous. Hope you're having fun!
Posted by: Amy at April 27, 2008 12:41 AMAt this very moment the tenants in the apartment above me are blasting Bohemian Rhapsody and singing along. Maybe I could call your hotel's security on them.
Posted by: Amy at April 27, 2008 8:31 AMThanks for sharing so us guys that didn't get to go can participate vicariously. You sure have an eye for color! Love your sock pattern. Is one of those tissue-wrapped packages some Wollmeise?
Posted by: Tan at April 27, 2008 9:08 AMMoselle is also the name of the river that runs through an area of France coming from Germany . It also gives its name to one of our departement (Moselle dpt ) and to another one (Meurthe et Moselle ) wich are part of the Lorraine area in the north east part of the country where Quiche Lorraine was born . LOL . Beautiful sock !!!!!
Danièle
Great pics from Spring Fling! Love your Moselle sock pattern!
I was on the phone enough with Wendy and Tempted's Stacy to hear what a fantastic time everyone was having!
And I understand about the bed, though in my case it would be getting a pillow all to myself! Lucky stretches across the top of my pillow,but slowly takes it all over until I wake up flat on the mattress!
Great pictures!! I wish I had been there.
And most of all I'm jealous of that bed - we have 2 cats who think the bed is ALL theirs.
I live in St. Louis (5 minutes away from Westport) and had dinner with Liz, who was in town for the Spring Fling. After our beer at Trainwreck, we stood outside and talked for a few minutes. At one point, she said, "Did you see the woman who just walked by? That was Cookie A." (I swooned.) Such an amazing weekend for such an amazing group of people.
Posted by: Angela at April 27, 2008 10:49 AMI love the new sock pattern it looks awesome. Sounds like you are having a great time.
Posted by: Keatyn at April 27, 2008 1:44 PMThanks for your posting. Everyone gets a real impression of the Spring Fling and the fun there.
The Moselle socks look wonderful and the name sounds better than Ilm - the small river where Claudia lives an can be pronunced better than Isar by non German speaking poeple, the typical river of Old Bavaria.
Posted by: alpenfee at April 27, 2008 2:45 PMI totally wanted to go to the fling (though that was before my Paris trip was scheduled for this week) in St Louis to meet Wendy and Sheri. I totally love TLE. I have a good portion of my sock yarn stash because of Sheri! I am hopeful my work project will be far enough along to get to see you at Boba on Thursday.
Posted by: Teenuh at April 27, 2008 3:19 PMokay - so I'm thinking that I'm totally jealous here now, since you not only got to be at Loopy Ewe - and meet the wonderful folks there AND drool over their incredible stock, but you also got to meet Wendy too.
She's great, isn't she. I hope to meet her in person someday!
That last purchase in Rainforest is stunning. Are you sharing the source?
Posted by: Teyani at April 27, 2008 6:24 PMSo Claudia wears two, completely contrasty socks? Cool!!! Looks like you had a great time, sounds like it was so much fun. Yes, tell and show more if you can - esp. of yarn!!!
Posted by: Terry at April 28, 2008 5:59 AMYour photos are great, Cookie. It was so nice to meet you and your class had so much information in it that I'm still trying to get it all straight. Unfortunately, I pulled a needle out of my sock-in-progress, so it didn't get very far, but I'm planning to go back, get it on track and see how I do in my first design attempt. Thanks!
Posted by: Laurie at April 28, 2008 8:45 AMThanks for info about sock pattern name. I received two skeins of Wollmeise (one from my exchange partner)and was going to knit both special Fling patterns in that yarn. Knowing that the pattern's named for a river helped me decide which to use for your pattern. Thanks for the link to Fresh Isle Fibers too.
I've backburnered my design socks to finish up the other pair I was knitting. I'll post pics when finished.
Posted by: Timmie B at April 28, 2008 9:44 AMThanks for all these great photos. The one of Sheri really is very cute, especially with the glasses! Thanks for mentioning me and Toronto; Shelridge Farm is near a place we go hiking many weekends so if you do ever go again I would love to accompany you.
How's that Handmaiden scarf coming?
Your class was amazing and I am so happy that I got to meet you in person after admiring you for so long. And you can call me Sarah anytime, LOL.
Hooray for blogs. How would I live vicariously through others in their knitting adventures if not for this.
GREAT pics. So much fun to actually SEE THE LOOPY EWE. WOW! It's like Mecca for knitters.
Posted by: rani at April 29, 2008 9:54 AMI'm definitely still a starry-eyed knitter. I hung out with Toni Neil this weekend and was just reminiscing to her about having asked you what sock yarn is and what to look for in it. You wrote me a fantastic, lengthy reply, most of which was totally over my head since I had never knit a sock. Now look what I've gotten myself into. I blame you entirely!
Posted by: Gryphon at May 5, 2008 6:16 AM