Eye Candy

Bulky cotton edition. 
Come and see the pretties.

Chunky Blankie

We all love the Loopy Mango Big Loop and all of its associated blanketness. Seriously, a blanket in two hours? When we heard Loopy Mango was rolling out a line of slightly less enormous but still very chunky yarn, we were intrigued.

The M5 Merino No. 5 is loopy and chunky, but knits up on a US15 or 19 instead of the US50 used for the Big Loop. It's a loosely-spun merino yarn with a stabilizing thread to keep the yarn from pulling apart. M5 comes in some really fun and bright colors, and Sally says it's easy to knit up.

She used three colors and a few short hours of her life to make this sweet and squishy garter stitch baby blanket. Just 36 stitches on a US19 and knit all the way. That's the pattern. I know those last-minute-gift ideas are usually not so last-minute, but this one really is. Throw on a long movie and you'll be done by bedtime.

It's great to see new stuff from one of our favorite yarn companies. Come check out the great colors and squish the blanket in person!

Loopy Mango and My Current Blanket Obsession

I am apparently in a knit-all-the-things-that-are-blankets sort of mood. Maybe it's this weird cold weather combined with my drafty old house. Or perhaps it is because my brain is fried from two weeks of "break" (and now two additional snow days), and all I can do today is knit garter stitch back and forth. Who knows.

My Naturalia blanket it coming along quickly. I am loving the sheepiness of this wool and the gorgeous colors. This is some pretty speedy gratification, my friends.

For even faster payoff, the Loopy Mango Big Loop is in the shop in some really amazing shades. 

Every time we get a fresh batch, I have to restrain myself. But I know should save it for you all.

Loopy Mango has several free patterns for this amazing yarn. The classic Nantucket Throw is one of our favorites. It can be made big or super big with one or two balls of Big Loop and US50 needles.

The website has patterns for scarves, hats, vests, and rugs, too. But I need to make that blanket, right?

$20 Off Loopy Mango Big Skeins

Retail Happy Hour happens again today on Alberta Street, with so many fabulous shops participating. Join us on Alberta from 3-6PM every Wednesday for great deals from some of your favorite locally-owned businesses.

We are offering $20 off the big skeins of Loopy Mango BIG LOOP, starting at 3 today until close on Sunday. We affectionately call these yarn babies, and we are always happy to see them go to a good home. One skein makes the stunning Nantucket Throw, a free pattern from Loopy Mango.

This gorgeous yarn is produced in the USA, and it is truly unlike anything else I've seen. If you have oggled it in the shop, you know how cool it is. This is a great chance to get your hands on some coveted stuff at a generous discount!

Little Stuff and Big Stuff (Summertime Sale)

Does it feel like summer is flying by?  These hot days are a little much for me, so I have been knitting small things for small people.  Baby bonnets, to be exact.  They are small enough that they don't need to rest in my lap; they require minimal thought; and they seem to fly off the needles, especially after knitting several.

I have been using the Modern Baby Bonnet pattern from Vintage Knits for Modern Babies.  We have so many lovely bonnet patterns at the shop, books and single patterns, too.  I have particularly enjoyed playing with these colors for a certain newly-arrived matched set of humans, and I have a pure white one going now.  I just keep casting on and knitting another.

But this heat will not last, and then it will be time for the big stuff.  Let's go as big as possible, shall we?  Our weekly sale starting August 4 will be Loopy Mango.  If you have been waiting to get your hands on this, now is the time.

The big skeins are normally $198, so they are only $169 on sale.  One of these huge skeins makes a whole blanket in just a few hours.  Talk about a last minute gift that will make a huge impression. 

The 13 oz little balls will be $67 on sale, and one of these makes the fabulous cowl sample we have in the shop.

We have lots of the the US50 needles in the shop, and Loopy Mango offers their patterns for free on their website.

In just a few short months, I'm sure will be wishing for a little bit of this heat to warm us up.  I suppose I will have to make due with a cozy blanket!

Yarn Babies

Not that you could miss them, but I wanted to let you know that we have more Big Loop from Loopy Mango.  We have some nice US50 needles, too.  If you have a few hours available, you can have a blanket.  Thirty minutes and you have a cowl or scarf.

I've been looking at Big Loop projects on Ravelry.  People are really loving this yarn and these projects.  And look at that Dirty Dirty Pink.  I'm not normally a pink kind of girl, but that stuff is pretty...

Loopy Mango

Do you like big yarn?  We have some.  Sally took the plunge and ordered the Big Loop from Loopy Mango!  (Their site is gorgeous.  Go have a look.)  We have taken to calling these yarn babies.

Sally whipped up a blanket in about two hours with one ball of Big Loop and some US50 needles.  We have some in stock, since most of us don't have those in our collection.  You could just use broomsticks, I suppose.

The pattern is a freebie on the Loopy Mango site.  It starts out "cast on 18 stitches..."

I have to admit, I was not expecting to like this stuff as much as I do.  It is very snuggly.  We also have a few balls of the Big Loop Mini (13 oz balls) in stock.  Look at that pink.  Wowza.

Jenni used one to make the Eternity Cowl.  Cast on 4 stitches.  It's wrapped around three times here.

One of the Big Balls will make three of these, according to the pattern.  These patterns and several more are available for free on the Loopy Mango site.  I am loving the New Yorker Scarf.  There are a few crochet patterns, too...a super simple scarf and really nice round rug.

Photo borrowed from Loopy Mango.

We have more of this crazy cool stuff on the way.  Sally has ordered more of the naturals, some grey, and more Dirty Dirty Pink, and we are happy to special order.  I'll let you know when it arrives so you can come choose your own yarn baby.