The Rite of Passage for Loop

After months of preparations and eager anticipation Loop, every knitters Mecca, finally moved to the new premises. I loved old little Loop, which brightened up Cross Street for the whole 5 years, packed with gorgeous colourful yarns, ribbons, buttons and all sorts of notions us knitters covet and absolutely need every day of our lives.

The new Loop has arrived in 15 Camden Passage, amongst well established antique shops, jewellers, boutiques and eateries, it arrived with a huge colourful bang! Susan the shop’s owner opened the doors to the new Loop last Saturday morning to the cheers and clapping of hundreds of expectant, excited knitters and crochetters, hungry to explore the new shop and examine the yarns.

I really am not exaggerating about the hundreds of the faithfuls who turned up for the launch. Most delicious cakes were waiting for us inside and we all got a lovely goodie-bag as a thank you, which i thought was an endearing, personal touch, which makes us all feel an important and appreciated part of Loop’s success.

The shop was packed full within minutes of opening and Susan stood behind her new counter serving the huge queue of customers ready to stock up on all those new, gorgeous yarns.

Loop is much bigger now it’s grown up. The ground floor and the first floor are filled with yummy yarns, beautiful haberdashery and all sorts of unique knickknacks. Upstairs looks and feels like the sitting room all of us always wanted – armchairs, a big comfy sofa, a wall of yarn and a bookcase filled with books every knitter wants to treasure.

The second floor will be used as a stock room and in the basement, which remains a secret yet to be discovered when it’s finished, will be a special space for the huge variety of classes Loop has to offer.

I love the new Loop – it’s exactly what dreams… my dreams are made of. But when I left I couldn’t help myself and walked to Cross street to see the old Loop for the last time.

I hope the new Loop will provide as many colourful memories and as many hours of enjoyment that the old Loop did for me. In fact, I’m sure it is the same Loop altogether, that size really isn’t everything and that the unique soul and spirit of Loop have found a bright and beautiful new home.

Book Launch

I must tell you about the book launch, that took place last Thursday. Claire Montgomerie of Loop (my favourite shop this side of the Atlantic) was launching her new book Easy Kids Knits and to celebrate the big event we gathered in every knitter's mecca - Loop in Cross Street.

The evening was wonderful and the turnout huge, despite lousy weather. I have enjoyed it immensely, met some lovely people equally obsessed with all things hand-made and all very very talented indeed. Another Clare, aka Ginger Knits, baked some delicious cupcakes and we all got treated to a few glasses of bubbly - the high life I was simply born to enjoy.

Like most talented crafty people I couldn't resist wearing some of my creations. I was complemented a lot on my knitted shrug, but the wire crochet earrings with pearls have stolen the show. Made me so so proud.






As if that wasn't enough I won the star prize in a raffle - a huge gift box of gorgeous yarn from Sublime. Now that was the proverbial cherry on the cupcake!