What's New?

New Knitting Classes!

Check out our new slate of knitting classes for January and February 2009. Still to come: drop spindle, needle felting and crochet!

Links

Crochet

• Crochet a Coral Reef - The Institute for Figuring - an online community devoted to the creation of models that illustrate mathematical concepts - is looking for crocheters! Join in this fascinating "woolly celebration of the intersection of higher geometry and feminine handicraft, and a testimony to the disappearing wonders of the marine world."
• Stitch Diva - Modern crochet and knit ... with downloadable crochet patterns.

Embroidery

• Needlecrafter.com - Great stitch instructions and tons of free patterns in the Library section

Free patterns using yarns we carry

• Cascade Yarns: 220 Wool - Patterns for sweaters, felted bags, blankets and more from the maker of this versatile worsted weight.
• Cascade Yarns: Fixation - Patterns for everything from socks to bikini tops, direct from the manufacturer of this great s-t-r-e-t-c-h cotton.
• Kate Gilbert's Sunrise Circle Jacket - Like the store sample? Knit this great pattern in heavy worsted yarn. Mimi's version used just over 6 skeins of Manos del Uruguay in Bing Cherry. (Download requires registration)
• Kertzer - Three lovely patterns using one of our favourites - Butterfly Super 10 cotton.

Knitting

• menknit.net - Man Enough to Knit, Strong Enough to Purl
• Cat Bordhi's Felted Denise Kit Bag - The mistress of the Moebius has designed this fab felted carrying case for the Denise interchangeable Needle Kit.
• Gaspereau Valley Fibres - Take the scenic backroads to the Gaspereau Valley to visit this lovely shop.
• Ilga Leja Handknit Design - We carry several of these inspiring patterns, created locally in Halifax.
• Knit Pro pattern maker - Use this free software to create custom knitting and cross-stitch patterns from your favourite images.
• Knittinghelp.com - Clear videos and pictures to help you master many knitting techniques
• Knitty.com - funky free patterns and great articles - the web's premier free-pattern site
• Magical Knitting fan club - A Yahoo group dedicated to Cat Bordhi's magical mobius knitting.
• MagKnits - Lovely free knitting patterns
• Ravelry - If you knit or crochet, Ravelry is THE place to be on the web. This incredibly well-designed site functions as a massive database of yarns, patterns and more. It also serves as a social networking tool and educational resource for people who love fibre craft.
• Tit-Bits - knitted-to-order breast prothseses for cancer survivors. A free pattern is also available on the Knitty.com site.
• Tradewind Designs - Lucy Neatby's website - overflowing with beautiful designs and unique ideas.
• Wiseneedle Knitting Glossary - If you need to know how to say "yarn over" in Portuguese, this is the place to go. The searchable glossary contains knitting terms in many languages.
• "Can I take my knitting on the plane?" - The answer, for now, is yes. Your catapult, however, will have to stay home. Print out this traveller's baggage checklist from from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority before you head to the airport.

Neighbours

• Attica Furnishing Ltd. - Voted Halifax's best furniture store, again. To shop at Attica is to drool. In late fall 2007 they will be moving thei children's collection into their Barrington Street location.
• Chives Bistro - Our close neighbour, and a great place to for contemporary, market-inspired food. Enjoy their soup & sandwiches at The Mud Room, connected to The Loop.
• Dustjacket Books - A gem of a bookstore, hidden on the lower level of Maritime Mall on Barrington Street at Spring Garden Road.
• Filly.ca - Check out Halifax's new website and blog for the thoroughly modern girl.
• Freak Lunchbox - A riot of colour and sugar on Barrington Street. Stock up here for fuel for your downtown stroll
• John W. Doull Bookseller - A treasure trove of thousands of used and rare books.
• Junk and Foibles - Vintage-seekers should not miss this wonderful source for unique fashion finds
• Love, me Boutique - Opened in October 2007, Love, me sells unique hand-crafted gifts, clothing and housewares from Canadian designers and artisans. They even sell pendants made by Cathy (Vivero Glass), whose fused glass buttons you may have seen at The Loop.
• Peepshow Girly Boutique - A great source for cool clothes from young designers.
• Spirit Urban Spa - One of the country's best spas - conveniently located just across Barrington from The Loop!
• Studio In Essence - This great owner-operated fitness studio offers Pilates and dance classes in a beautiful loft space that overlooks Barrington Street.
• The Book Room - Canada's oldest bookstore in the heart of downtown, right across the street from The Loop.
• The Coast - Halifax's Weekly
• The Khyber Centre for the Arts - A great gallery and artist-run centre in a beautiful heritage building
• Venus Envy - Downtown Halifax's enlightened erotica store.

Other crafty sites

• Atlantic Spinners and Handweavers - The Atlantic Spinners and Handweavers provide the opportunity for weavers, spinners and dyers living in the Halifax area and beyond, to meet in a social atmosphere, to exchange information, learn new techniques and methods and share their interests.
• Canadian Craft Supplies - A Dartmouth-based mail-order craft supply company: supplies for Doll making, quilling, glass etching, Ukranian Easter egg tools, and more!
• Craftster - New-style craft and DIY community. Great project ideas by crafty folks from all over the planet
• Cranberry Stained Glass Studio - Learn to work with cold (stained glass) or warm glass (lampwork and using) at Halifax's newest glass studio.
• Guide to Livestock - Get to know the animal that gave generously of its fibre! This Oklahoma State University site lists the characteristics of countless breeds of sheep, goats and other livestock. Check out the picture of the Angora goats and you'll never look at mohair the same way again.
• Needlework New Brunswick - New Brunswick's needlework networking site.
• Supernaturale - Out-there knitting, along with many other creative activities.

Sites we love

• Canadian Motorcycle Guide Online - Canada's greatest online motorcycle magazine.
• Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development - If you are crazy enough to want to start up a business, talk to CEED, they can give you lots of help! (THANKS CEED!)
• New Music Canada - Want to hear cool new Canadian music? Discover the hottest bands before they become huge? Go to this site!
• Prescott Group / Atlantic Bag Manufacturers - The Loop's sturdy, practical and beautiful project bags are made here in Halifax by the Prescott Group.
• The Loop on CBC TV's Living East - Mimi gets Living East's host Heidi Petracek started on the needles while they chat about the joys of knitting. View the entire episode here.
• The Yoga Loft - A great yoga centre, the Yoga loft offers classes in many different yoga styles, as well as special sessions with childcare!
• World Wildlife Fund Canada - Before venturing into business, Loop co-owner Cathy Merriman worked as a conservation biologist with World Wildlife Fund Canada. Visit the WWF site to find out how you can help protect the planet's fragile ecosystem.

Visiting Atlantic Canada?

• A Maritime Girl - A studio shop in Prince Edward Island specializing in beautiful sterling & beach glass jewelry, and carrying handcrafted products from around the Maritimes.
• Barrington Wool Mill - This turbine-driven mill-with-a-view near Shelbourne, N.S. was established in 1882 and is now a museum.
• Legacy Lane Fiber Mill - At The Loop we are excited to be developing some customized fibre blends with the owners of Legacy Lane.
• Lismore Sheep Farm - This lovely farm and store is located on the beautiful Sunrise Trail, near the warmest beaches in Atlantic Canada.
• London-Wul Ecomuseum - Experience the creation of beautiful fibres and tools from The Woolworks Ecomuseum.
• London-Wul Fibre Arts - This Economuseum, fiber store and studio near Dieppe, N.B. showcases every stage of the fibre process - from animal to finished fabric.
• Sunrise Mercantile - This Tatamagouche, N.S. store and carries a wonderful range of gourmet foods and YARN! Owners Suzy and David Belt are fiber fans and former alpaca farmers.
• The Spinner's Loft - Leslie Hauck - Leslie Hauck offers spinning workshops (and on-site accomodations!)at her beautiful studio on the rugged and scenic Eastern Shore. Leslie also creates beautiful dog-hair yarns.
• Wile Carding Mill - This water-powered mill in Bridgewater, N.S carded fleece for local farmers for nearly a century. Now a museum, this makes a great stop on any fibre-freindly tour of the South Shore.