We know it’s still over a month until Christmas but, as knitters, we’re inherently inclined to plan ahead. A few years ago we compiled lists of what we would ask Father Christmas for if the elves made yarn and haberdashery and we thought it would be fun to do it again! We think it might be useful when you’re compiling your own wishlists, or if you’re thinking about shopping for a knit or crochet inclined friend. We also mentioned a few years ago that you can create an online wishlist from any shop using the Amazon Universal Wishlist Button. That …

Christmas Wishlists! Read more →

We’re doing our best not to turn the heaters on in the shop this week, in spite of it getting very cold – what is knitwear for, after all? We’ve had delivery of some lovely things which have reminded us just how well us knitters do “warm”. We can’t think of a better way to keep toasty than with the magic of cables – those deceptively simple twists that create a  wind-proof, double-thickness fabric. If they’re good enough for seafaring Irishmen, they’re good enough for us.

Look what’s landed at Loop this week, just in time for the cold weather. It’s the beautiful, rustic and warm Heirloom from Fancy Tiger Crafts. Raised, milled and dyed in the US, it’s a 100% Romney wool yarn.  Romney sheep are the descendants of English medieval longwool breeds, and produce a lustrous, hardworking wool with a long staple length, which is perfect for warm, sturdy items that will hold up to wear for years to come. We love that the name they chose for this yarn, Heirloom, reflects that. And it’s not just the fibre that we love so much …

Fancy Tiger Heirloom at Loop! Read more →

We journeyed north last week, introducing you to the best Scandinavia has to offer at Loop. Today we’re staying north, but a little closer to home – Scotland! Loop is full of beautiful yarn, patterns and gifts from this textile history-rich land and we’re so pleased to be sharing them with you in their best autumn colours.

Last night at Loop we had the pleasure of welcoming Eline Oftedal, talented author of Knit Nordic, for a little show and tell. Accompanying her was a cameraman from the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation! We sure gave him a lot to take in as it was one of our busiest knit nights in a long time! We were so inspired by Eline, and the wonders of Scandinavian knitting in general, that we decided to devote today’s blog post to the quite large library of Scandinavian knitting resources at Loop, and some of our favourite Scandi yarns!

We are coming to you live from the Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace in London! We’ve set up our stand, and are two days in to this amazing show. It’s been lovely to see Loop customers – both our regulars (you know who you are!) and those of you who have travelled from afar (including California!) for the show. We’re also so excited to be introducing the newest addition to the Loop family, Shalimar Yarns Breathless!

Yesterday was quite the dreary autumn day here in London, but happily the postman dropped off an unassuming box, which, when opened, revealed an amazing riot of colour that immediately brightened the shop. Freia yarns from Knitwhits are completely unique in that they have hand-painted colour transitions, creating a beautiful ombre effect. The possibilities are endless with this yarn – stripe it, fairisle it, make a Pop Spots or Spectra with it, or let the yarn do the talking and give it some good old stocking stitch. We think it’s pretty hard to go wrong with these amazing colourways.

We may have mentioned Kristen Kapur of Through the Loops one or two (or three!) times on this blog. And you may have heard us go on a little bit about the gorgeousness of The Uncommon Thread yarns. (Here, here, here and here.) So we like them both a little bit. Okay, maybe a lot! And when Sophie knit up a sample for the shop of a Kristen Kapur pattern, using The Uncommon Thread Tough Sock, a little magic happened. This is the Rivington Cowl. Knit up in Tough Sock, in Peat and Confetti*, it’s subtle, springy and just right for …

A Match Made in Yarn Heaven: The Rivington Cowl & Uncommon Thread Tough Sock Read more →

Gift knitting time is upon us (for those of us organised enough to be thinking ahead!), and there may be a man or two in your life who’s been hinting that he’d like a hand-knitted scarf or sweater. Or, hey, you may even be a man who knits! We know it can sometimes seem like there are more great new women’s patterns everyday, while men only get thrown a measly few patterns a year. This week we’re here to tell you there are some fabulous knitting patterns out there for men if you know where to look, as well as …

Knits for Men Read more →

This week at Loop, our lovely resident window dresser Sophie transformed Loop’s window with beautiful shades of cream, grey, white, brown and black with the help of an installation of textile artist Al Munro’s work. Al Munro is an Australian textile artist whose work revolves around the meanings and connections of textiles to broader concerns such as space, place and time. Her display in our window, Homage to the Everyday, “pays tribute to the beauty and significance of the everyday,” referencing “the time of the handmade, the repetition of daily routine echoed in the rows of stitches, and the soft contours giving …

Beautiful Neutrals Read more →