“Back to School” Season — the Loop Way!
It may be only the kids heading back to school, but even as a grown-up this time of year always conjures exciting memories about getting ready for the year ahead. Picking out notebooks and pencils, cracking the spine on new textbooks, maybe even getting a new backpack or book bag.
Well, we can’t bring you back to your school days, but if you’re longing for a bit of vicarious back-to-school fun, we’ve got you covered.
For an inspiring book that will teach you all kinds of new and wonderful things, look no further than Tomomi Mimura’s Tiny Friends, which is available to preorder now. The distinctive mosaic-style embroidery of this Japanese artist (whom you may know as Mimstermade) is broken down into super easy-to-follow instructions in this volume, which will be published and shipped on 27 September. Make some miniature friends as Tomomi walks you through the construction of 13 sweet animals who will keep you company for years to come! And if you want to find the perfect materials to make your Tiny Friends sing, we have loads of hand-dyed mini skeins that are perfect for stitching these creatures, including Madelinetosh Unicorn Tails, (Vi)Laines Boulettes Chaussettes and Solitaires Fing, Lichen and Lace Sock Minis, and many more.
If your tastes bend a bit more towards the fall fashion issues of your favourite magazine, Selvedge has you covered with Issue 120, themed “Carpet Magic”. This issue takes its inspiration from famous carpets in Persian, Arabian, Indian, Russian, Tibetan, and Chinese folklore, examining the humble object that has spurred the human imagination throughout history and in so many corners of the globe. From the frugal craft of rag-rug making to the connection between carpets and binary code, this issue runs the gamut!
Not that stationery shopping isn’t a blast, but we think haberdashery shopping is just so much more fun. Forget the slide rule, now you can indulge in the super elegant Cohana Yuzen Leather Tape Measure or cute, compact, and convenient Graphic Tape Measure with Key Clip. Out with the pencil case, in with the knitting needle case! Super luxurious options for complete sets of knitting needles or crochet hooks from ChiaoGoo, Tulip, Lykke and more bring new meaning to “the whole kit and caboodle”. You can even show off your unique style with some vintage buttons.
Over the years we’ve become quite the project bag afficionados. It’s so hard to choose just one, which is why it’s so lucky we almost always have more than one project on the go at any given time. The Kaliko Handmade Drawstring Bag with Handles makes knitting on the go a cinch, and we love this custom Loop edition. For a truly top-of-the-line piece, the Re: Designed Project 31 case is pure luxury from some folks who clearly know all the little compartments that crafters need. Of course, when all is said and done, nothing beats a classic. The Loop Shopper Bag is a forever favourite that’s convenient whether you’re heading to the shop to stock up on yarns or keeping all the bits of your latest project together. This bag can hold so much, and its cross-body style makes it super comfy!
With all your goods in order we suppose it’s time to enrol in some courses! Consulting our handy calendar, it looks like there are some wonderful classes to attend in the coming months. If you’re looking to start your knitting journey in earnest this autumn, we have a two-session Beginner Knitting Class on the first and fourth Thursday evenings of November. And the following weekend Maria Gispert Bahí of Rosita Studio will visit to host Beginner and Intermediate Floral Embroidery workshops. Students are welcome to join one session or both!
New In and More at Loop
We may still be enjoying the warm rays of a summer sun, but the feeling of autumn is in the air all over London. As we start to plan our season of knitting, cosy mittens are at the top of our list, and when it comes to mittens there are none we love more than our Late Bloomer Mittens! We’ve just restocked our kits for these really beautiful knits designed by Kristin Ledgett. Our version comes in four wonderful colours: Pollen, Shrub, Rose, and Sky. The kit comes with all the yarn you’ll need for the mittens plus a Loop cotton project bag. You’ll also need the pattern, which can be purchased on Kristin Ledgett’s Ravelry page, and 32″ x 16″ of polar fleece to line the mittens.
MadTosh fans rejoice! We’ve just received a huge shipment of yarns from Madelinetosh and they’re just as covetable as ever. This company was founded on the belief that “decadent yarns, sinful color, and diversity in our backgrounds, experiences, and expertise” can make a community stronger, and we love how they express that in every skein. In addition to a restock of all our MadTosh favourites, we also have two of their bases on sale right now: Pashmina and Merino Light. Stock up on all the loveliness!
Woolfolk’s Flette Bulky and Sno bases are on sale! We love Woolfolk so much and we are so proud to be the UK stockist of their yarns. These bases are totally dreamy. Flette Bulky is as plush as a cloud, and Sno is beautifully soft. Sno is the same base as Tynd, only using two colours instead of one. That means you can sub Sno for any pattern that calls for Tynd or create very interesting colour dynamics by striping them in the same pattern. Woolfolk uses super high quality Ovis 21 Ultimate Merino wool and sustainable practices in their production, meaning the softness of these skeins isn’t the only thing you can feel good about!
XO Loop
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