In the Loop

It's 10:45am on a Saturday morning - why on Earth are all these people queuing? Is Apple releasing their iPhone 4 early?


Oh no. Something much more important: Loop was about to open it's new store in Islington. Who needs Apple, when you can go bananas over yarn?

After an impatient wait, the door was thrown open and the hoards invaded (pausing only to grab a goody bag):


Despite my love of knitting, I am hardly what I would call a yarn expert. I will therefore refrain from trying to rack my brains remembering exactly what was in the goody bag, although Old Maiden Aunt and something resembling Opal sock yarn springs to mind. In any case I make no secret of being a shameless fan of free stuff so thank you Loop for the generous freebie! Oh and there was cake.


Loop has always been a very pretty shop, but the new store is even more of a haven for those of a knitterly persuasion. Two floors chock full of yarn gorgeousness, and there are even sofas if it all gets a bit much.

Things I saw today..

Bit of a random one today. Just a few things I saw out and about, both physically and on the web, which I rather liked.

On the way to the station this morning, I was impressed by Southwark Council's creativity:


At lunchtime I passed my favourite paper store, Faulkiner's Fine Papers, to find this beautiful creature in the window:


Not quite sure that my photos do it justice:



Also, this seems to have appeared outside the Imagination offices on Store Street:


Meanwhile in the virtual realm, this post from Burda caught my eye. Wonder if there's an adult-size pattern??

Bramble

Last Friday my colleague C left to begin maternity leave. For once I was prepared!
C has never struck me as someone who would want to faff with hand washing oh-so-soft but oh-so-impractical little baby garments. She also has a very cute and well-behaved black Labrador called Bramble who we all adore. He occasionally visits us in the office, sniffing his way under desks and checking out the biscuits on offer before finally curling up behind someone's wheely desk chair and running the risk of having his paws flattened.

So all I needed was to find the perfect dog pattern.. Ravely obliged me by suggesting Rebecca Danger's cute 'Doxie'. I had to refrain from the plastic eyes and nose though, in case the baby were to ever grab it, instead opting for an embroidered nose and leather eyes.

Here he is off the leash in my parent's garden:


And posing with collar in more urban digs:


He seems to have a fan club already. M (who will be the next colleague to go on maternity) has subtly hinted that she would like a Doxie of her own..


C seems pleased anyway, which makes me happy! Her testimonial: "Lotta your knitted dog is just gorgeous and worryingly Bramble is eyeing it up already, so it's hidden away in a drawer till I buy a dog proof play-pen."

Mighty mitts

I just love receiving big brown padded envelopes through the post. They carry with them a promise of fabulous things like books, yarn and the odd item of clothing bought on impulse. But sometimes, just sometimes it contains something even better.. a hand knit present for me!

The other week that is just what happened when L sent me the fabulous Endpaper Mitts which she had made me in exchange for Mr 70s Owl. They are exactly as I wanted - grey and white, giving them something of a Norwegian look. Love them!

I hope that L doesn't mind me nicking her Rav photos for this post - my camera is temporarily out of action due to my inability to remember to charge it..


Pretty pattern:


L, thanks again! We must get planning the next swappage soon..