Our newest knitter featured here in JP’s Knitter Profiles is Kristi, and not only has she made beautiful things with her hands, she managed to get her son in the mix too. Read on to see what I mean.

JP: Happy spring! What’s your favorite season? 

I love all 4 seasons but I think fall is one of my favorites. I love unpacking the sweaters (hand-knit or not), getting ready for the cool weather, and the smell of the leaves on the ground when you are raking.

JP: When do you enjoying knitting most?

I love knitting on the bus on my way to work because I can turn on a podcast or music and just zone out while I knit. I also like to turn on the TV and get hooked into a series and watch it while knitting on a cloudy day. However, with a 2 year old in the house, there is not as much time to do that as I’d like.

Knitting at 1.5 years old. Impressive!

JP: How did you find out about us?

I found out about Jordana’s bags in an advertisement or featured product add in Interweave way back in 2005 or 2006. My first bag was The Knitter’s Messenger Bag in pink & black. I think I have tried every bag once, except for the Bella. I just got an L.J. Kealms and I love my new bag.

JP: What was your reaction to the bags?

I was in love! I loved all of the useful pockets and how there was room for my purse stuff and my knitting. I also loved the pattern protector in the top of the bag. As I have acquired more of them, I have noticed that they are the bag that I get the most compliments on. I can carry a Coach bag, a purse from Kohls or Target, any of the other knitting bags out there, but when I carry a JP bag I get sooo many compliments.

JP: If you could eat or drink anything with no consequences, what would it be?

Non- alcoholic: White Chocolate Mocha, Alcoholic: Cosmopolitans

JP: What projects are you working on right now?

I have a few on the needles now- I have a Leaflet cardigan I am doing for the warmer months using Blue Sky Alpaca Worsted Cotton, and then I also have another Daybreak I am actively working on using Madeline Tosh Merino Light.

WIP: Daybreak

I have been on a shawl/ cardigan kick, but I think after this I’m going to continue working on my Color Affection shawl as it doesn’t have purling. I also just spun some yarn up and I am going to make ZuZu’s Petals with it. It’s a gorgeous mix of BFL and Silk in a gradient.

JP: What’s the one knitting project you’ve always wanted to try but just haven’t gotten around to or just a little intimidated by?

I would LOVE to make Dale of Norway sweater. However the amount of colorwork and the small gauge is really intimidating to me.

JP: How many JP bags or patterns have you bought/knit over the years?

I have purchased probably 4 bags, and I have knitted Cadence. I loved Cadence as I used the yarn that was called for and it is so nice and it’s a little sexy for a night out with my husband. My favorite bag is probably the Rio, but like I said, I just got the LJ Kaelms  and I think I will like that one even more, especially now that I have an iPad & it can carry it easier.

Kristi in Cadence

JP: Do you have any favorite quotes or sayings?

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” Reading that inspired me to get out of the job I had been doing for the past 7 years because it was something I was comfortable doing, and into a new, more challenging job that I am loving as I can be around people more.

JP: What kind of music gets you in the crafty mood?

Dave Matthews Band, even though my husband hates it.

JP: You mention you’re in love with you L.J. What’s so special about it?

Before I was carrying a purse plus a messenger bag. When I’d have to bring my laptop home for work, that meant either I couldn’t bring my knitting & iPad to work, or I had 3 bags on the way home on the bus.  The L.J. simplifies things so much.  Everything fits in my (heavy) bag without a problem.

In here I’ve got 2 knitting projects (one on each side), my iPad in the middle pocket, Respect the Spindle book, latest copy of Interweave Knits, checkbook, wallet, misc purse stuff (pens lipgloss, ect), notions, headphones, iPhone, keys, and most importantly, my son’s epi pens (which fit great in the side pockets so I can find them easily in an emergency).

Some days I’ll bring all of this to work, some days I won’t, but it is comforting to know it all fits and I won’t be the “bag lady” on the bus on the way home.  This is BY FAR my favorite bag.  The top stays shut, the bag doesn’t tip, the shoulder straps stay on my shoulders, and I love the material.  I wish I would have purchased it sooner.

JP: Coffee or tea?

Coffee- with plenty of sugar

JP: How did you learn to knit?

I worked at Keepsake Quilting one summer in New Hampshire. While there I learned how to piece quilt tops together, but couldn’t bring all of the tools back to school with me. I really enjoyed being creative, so the women I worked with at Keepsake taught me how to knit as well.

They sent me back to college with 3 balls of Patons and a pattern for a hat (as Keepsake Quilting is owned by the same people as Patternworks is). Shortly after that, I discovered the book Stitch ‘N Bitch by Debbie Stoller, and being in college at the time, the book was just right. I then visited my first LYS shortly thereafter and was hooked ever since. I’ve been knitting for 8 years now.

And spinning too! Here's some of that BFL silk spun yarn. *drool*

JP: What was your first knitting project?

The first project that I actually kept was a “Ribbed for Her Pleasure” scarf from Stitch ‘N Bitch. It was just a basic ribbed scarf, knit out of Brown Sheep. I still have it. However the funniest story I have about knitting was a hat for my now husband.

I cast on, without doing a gauge swatch, and ended up knitting him a hat that could have easily been a ski mask because it was so big. Then, I ripped that out (again, didn’t check my gauge) and ended up with a hat so small it didn’t even fit me. The third hat, I decided to actually do a gauge swatch for (shocking, I know) and it fit perfectly. He still has it & wears it.

JP: It’s the zombie apocolypse. What’s your weapon of choice?

Sniper Rifle- can’t let them get too close.

JP: What’s one of the strangest things you’ve put in your JP bag?

Diaper rash cream & diapers for my son.

JP: What’s the last movie you really enjoyed, whether you were knitting or not?

I just saw the Hunger Games last weekend (and knit during it). I’ve read the series 3 times and I think they did a really great job with it.

JP: Do you have a favorite type of knitting project?

I am currently on a shawl/ shawlette/ cowl jag. I love how you can put them with so many outfits and get a different look. Plus it’s another use for all of my sock yarn stash.

JP: Do you prefer to knit alone or with friends?

If I am working on something that I can actually talk and work on, hands down I would rather knit with friends. I love having this in common with people and getting inspired by what they are working on.

JP: If time and money were no object, what would you be doing?

Knitting/spinning and traveling to all of the fiber festivals/ workshops I could possibly attend to meet more knitters.

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Thanks so much for sharing your stories and photos (particularly that cutie pie knitting)! You can connect with Kristi on Twitter or Ravelry. Kristi was kind enough to recommend some great yarn shops in Minneapolis. Thanks for that too!

If you’d like to be featured in our knitter’s profile, we’d love to hear from you! Email or leave your info in the comments and we’ll make it happen! Don’t worry, you don’t have to submit photos of yourself if you’re not into that (but we do want to see your knitting and your bags for sure).

With that in mind, check out an interview Jordana did with KnitCircus last October. They had some technical difficulties and didn’t get it out until much later, which is why we’re hearing it now.

Click on the link to hear the Jordana_Paige_Interview and if you use your imagination, you might go back in time a little bit.

And when that happens there is nothing quite like bringing your knitting into the great outdoors with you. That’s probably why Knitscene’s summer issue has an entire section called Special Summer Handbags. And wouldn’t you know it? There are some JP beauties in there.

Big thanks to Knitscene for featuring our Bella and the L.J. Kaelms in summery shades of Pearl and Lucky Green. Can’t you just imagine yourself swinging your Bella down the pier or parking your L.J. Kaelms on a blanket with some knitting and an audio book, the breeze ever so slight?

If you haven’t had a chance to check out the new issue, there are some seriously adorable patterns in there. The Lakota Tank by Sarah Wilson has me thinking summer, for sure! What’s your favorite?

“How many pounds do you think you’ve lifted today?” you ask your brave friends. And any knitter might wonder How much of that was yarn?

Our latest Store Showcase answers that question as Sheri from the Loopy Ewe in Colorado (and formerly Missouri) ponders sleep-related super powers, tells about how knitting with her daughter turned into a full-time job, and explains the webcam in her store.

JP: How did your shop come to be?

I wanted to encourage my daughter to find a hobby when she was in her teens. After trying a few different options, knitting is the thing that she liked and I took it up with her. After we had each made about 30 scarves, we decided enough was enough and it was time to move on to socks.

At the time (seven years ago), there wasn’t much sock yarn at our local shops, so we decided to open a shop that stocked a lot of sock yarn. Since then we’ve moved on to stocking all different types of yarn, but we started with sock yarn and we still lots of that!

JP: You just had a grand opening! Congrats! Was moving difficult? How are you adjusting to the change?

Moving was interesting! We moved 16 tons of yarn and fixtures and I hope to never do that again. On the plus side, it was a move that was entirely our choice, because we wanted to relocate to the mountains. I never get tired of seeing mountains out my office window and on my way to and from work! We love being here.

JP: What can we find in your store? Tell us about a few of your favorites.

So much! We have all weights of yarn for all kinds of projects. In addition, we love cute bags, so we have a lot of those in the shop. We also carry Roving, Patterns, and plenty of fun accessories.

JP: How many employees does the Loopy Ewe have? Has that changed a lot?

Ten employees. For the first year, it was mostly me pulling and packing orders, my husband doing all of our photos, our son designing and maintaining the website, and our daughter helping with the packing when things backed up. It’s nice to have plenty of help now!

JP: What project are you working on right now?

Well, it’s never just one project. I have 3 shawls, 2 scarves, 2 sweaters, a stole, and a sock on the needles right now.

JP: Aside from your awesome employees, is there anyone that has really helped you with the store?

Yes, every single one of our sweet customers who has blogged about us, sent their friends to check us out, written testimonials for the website, talked about us on Ravelry, etc. We are really grateful for the positive word of mouth.

JP: Do you play music in your store?

We do. We have a Pandora for Business account and we have set up different music stations (smooth jazz, movie soundtracks, etc) to rotate. That way none of us get too tired of one particular genre.

JP: Where did the name come from?

I wanted to call our shop “Loop”, and then found out that there is already an awesome shop in PA named Loop Yarn. So I started brainstorming variations, and ended up with The Loopy Ewe.

JP: When do you enjoying knitting most? 

Any and all times and places. Although with working a lot, I only really get to knit a night or two per week and on Sunday afternoons.

JP: You’ve got a webcam for your shop…where did that idea come from?

We have a lot of customers from around the country and in several other countries, who feel like part of our Loopy family to us. We thought it would be fun if they could pop in and share some of the daily activities with us, virtually.

Although we have to be careful of any yarn or products we’re trying to keep under wraps. No sooner do we set something like that out than we start getting calls or comments on Rav, wondering what “that gorgeous blue yarn is on the counter that we haven’t seen before.”

JP: How did you hear about JP bags? 

My friend Wendy of Wendyknits.com told me about them. She is a fan of JP and knew that I would be too (since she knows of my slight bag addiction.) My favorite JP bag is the LJ Kaelms bag in Teal.

What I like about it is allllllll the pockets! And the fact that I can carry two projects at one time, or I can use it as a purse on one side and a project bag on the other. We just started carrying them this year, but we keep selling out and re-ordering more. We have a lot of customers who are bag-lovers, just like me.

JP: Tell me what sock yarns you first stocked when you opened Loopy Ewe. 

We started with Schaefer, Claudia Hand Painted, Regia, Online, Fleece Artist, and Lorna’s Laces.

JP: If you could choose a super power, what would it be?
Is “getting by on 4 hours of sleep a night” a superpower? Because that’s what I’d like. I really am an 8 hour a night person and I could use those extra four hours…

JP: If you could eat or drink anything with no consequences, what would it be?

Pepperoni Pizza and Peppermint Mocha’s. But not together.

JP: What did you do before you were an LYS owner?

I was a Junior High School Remedial Reading teacher before having kids, and then I was a consultant with Creative Memories for 15 years before leaving that to do The Loopy Ewe full time.

JP: What’s one of your favorite parts of owning The Loopy Ewe?

- Walking into the shop first thing in the morning and being overwhelmed (in a good way) by the beautiful colors.

- Seeing all of the projects that our customers are working on (although that has resulted in an explosion of things in my knitting queue).
- Working with yarn companies and our indie dyers – so many smart, talented people.
- Working with the Loopy Elves every day – they’re all a lot of fun.
- And having a business that my whole family is involved in, one way or another.

JP: Your blog is so great! What kind of posts are your favorite to write?

I like our monthly contest blog posts the best, because it’s always fun to read all of the replies to the contest question!

Read Sheri's blog

JP: Coffee or tea?

Coffee.

JP: What’s one of the strangest customer request you’ve ever gotten?

We had a customer send us an old pair of handknit socks once, and she wanted us to find yarn to match it so that she could duplicate them. We didn’t think that was strange, but it was very interesting!

JP: Is there anything your store is known for?

Great customer service, fast shipping, and Frequent Shopper Benefits. We work really hard on all three of those things!

JP: What’s one of your favorite outdoor activities?

Shopping in downtown Fort Collins. (Wait. That probably doesn’t count, right?) Ok – taking walks with my hubby. We try to get in our 10,000 steps every day.

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Can you imagine moving all that yarn? Thanks so much Sheri for sharing about your store! You can catch The Loopy Ewe on Ravelry, follow them on Twitter, like them on Facebook and check out the store blog, which is where that killer tutorial resides.

Know a shop with personality? Do you just love a LYS you think should be featured? Email us or tell us in the comments! Think you’ve moved a ton of yarn? We wanna hear about it too! Tell us in the comments!

Anne over at knitspot is also a seasoned traveler (with a penchant for taking great photos of foliage, among other things), which is why we asked her to give our L.J. Kaelms a try and see how it worked out for her.

Isn’t Toby (her pup) super cute? Totally adorable. Can you believe all the stuff she fit in there? I’m seriously impressed. Makes me think I need an L.J. Kaelms for my next trip in the sky.

Anne loved the bag. Of course it didn’t hurt that green is her favorite color. But she loved the weight and the pockets as well. She wasn’t sure if it would replace her older green bag for traveling, but she did say this:

I do find this one a little more stylish, so I’ll definitely grab it to tote along when I feel the look is important — and certainly I love how it babies my iPad. I also really like that it could easily work as my only bag for overnight trips — I may even try that sometime soon.”

Traveling with just one bag? She must be a pro. I’d love to see what she gets in there then and if it fits under her airline seat. See how hers fit in the bottom left photo there?

Thanks for sharing your travel thoughts with us Anne! You can read the whole review of the L.J. Kaelms on the knitspot blog, along with all sorts of fun pictures. Check it out!

Could you travel with just one bag? What tips do you have for traveling with your knitting?