Anniversary Special #2: Otso the Bear!

Last week we brought you a lovely Loop Postcard Book. This week, as our anniversary celebrations march on, we have a gift for you: an anniversary edition of the much beloved free Loop pattern called Otso the Bear — and this time he’s wearing a party hat!

Otso was first designed for Loop in 2016 by the magnificent maker and former Loopette Sophie Heathscott. Since then, this stuffed toy has brought cosy joy to so many sweet souls old and young. Sophie herself started knitting as a child. It was something of a family affair, with both of her grandmothers, her mother, and her father teaming up to set her off on her stitching journey.

It was when Sophie was studying design at Goldsmiths that she truly realised the hold knitting had on her, and sought out a job at Loop. She still holds treasured memories of her time in the shop — dressing windows, debating colour combinations, rescuing dropped stitches, all the lovely crafters and customers, and loads of changed lightbulbs (at 6 feet tall, Sophie had little competition for that particular task). She also discovered her love for teaching and her knack for designing patterns during the time she worked with us. We’re so chuffed to have been able to have her back so many times over the years for workshops and pattern collaborations!

For Sophie, making always comes back to community, and that’s just what we’re celebrating this summer. Loop isn’t just a shop, it’s a place to gather, a place to learn, a place to build. We’ve created this together over the past 20 years, and we’re thrilled to take a moment to mark this milestone with everyone who has made it possible, from our staff to our artists to our customers and all who feel akin to our vision for craft.

This nine-year-old pattern feels like an old pal at this point. So many Loopettes (including Sophie) have knit Otso over and over again for new additions to the family. This bear is now a constant companion! Through umpteen knits, Sophie started to spot a little improvement here and a slightly better stitch there. In fact, part of the inspiration to reinvigorate it for our 20th anniversary came from all the benefits of getting to know a pattern inside and out. It’s rare to have a designer share all the knowledge of nearly a decade of knitting the same pattern, but that’s just what Sophie has done for us!

The result is an Otso optimised for the simplest instructions and the best shaping — plus a new party hat! This festive addition can be stitched up in knit or crochet and gives our sweet bear just that little extra air of celebration. Our 20th Anniversary Edition of Otso can be knitted flat or in the round, just like the original version. The new version uses De Rerum Natura Gilliatt for the body and Ricorumi Cotton DK with Tonkin Embroidery Floss for the hat. While we’ve recommended a few colours, Sophie is particularly keen to see what other combinations our knitters might come up with (in particular, she thinks this updated pattern is crying out for a striped version!) And with 60 colours of Ricorumi Cotton DK to choose from, we’re pretty sure we’re on our way to a rainbow of Otso hats!

Don’t forget to keep checking our 20th Anniversary Collection page, where we’ll be keeping all the goodies we’re launching to celebrate this milestone! We also hope to see many of you in the shop on the weekend of the 19th and 20th of July for anniversary treats. If you are planning to visit us this summer, please be aware we will be closed on Saturday the 26th of July for a private event.

An Opinionated Guide to Make London

The latest in the “Opinionated Guide” series by Hoxton Mini Press covers all things craft in London, and Loop is one of the 55 businesses featured! Navigate your way to the best of the best when it comes to all the capital has to offer by way of creativity with An Opinionated Guide to Make London.

Selvedge Issue 125

A brand new issue of Selvedge Magazine has hit our shelves, and we’re so touched to be featured in its pages! Selvedge was founded just a short while before Loop, so it’s especially meaningful to mark our milestone anniversary with a lovely write-up. Plus, it has all we love about Selvedge, from gorgeous photography to lovely reflections on the meaning of craft. The theme of this issue is “Mediterranean”, so whether you have a holiday booked this summer or not, let yourself get swept away!

Happy crafting!