Pretty Knits

Pretty Knits

I love Pretty Knits!

Pretty Knits is a knitting book by Susan Cropper, the American owner of the popular yarn store Loop in London.  

Pretty Knits was published back in October, 2007.  Once I saw the cover...I knew I had to have it!  The book's cover features Louisa Harding's pretty and romantic Cameo Shawl. 

The Cameo Shawl is by far my favorite project in the book.  I am happy to report that I am finally going to cast on for my Cameo Shawl.   My version is in beautiful blue Louisa Harding yarns that I stashed quite a while back.  I'm so glad I bought my blue yarns when I spotted them because now they are discontinued colors or yarns.

My advice:  If you fall in love with a project like I did for the Cameo Shawl, I highly recommend buying the yarns and stashing them.  (Yes, I have a huge Louisa Harding yarn stash and my husband doesn't mind!)

How I found the shop Loop

Loop in London

I love magazines. 

I have discovered so many wonderful places in the world, travel tips, decorating ideas, fabulous products, incredible restaurants and favorite recipes from magazines.

Some of my favorite magazines are from Britain.  I love English decorating magazines the most.  I found out about Loop in London in an article in the November, 2005 issue of Homes & Antiques.  I tore the article out and put it in my London file.  That write-up led to a great day out of London to visit Loop and the Camden Passage Antique Market. 

Loop

(The Original Shop)

I love Loop!

I'm a lucky American knitter to have visited Loop.  It was in May, 2006.  Back then, Loop was in it's original tiny shop tucked back on a quaint curvy street in Camden Passage in London's Islington. I remember the day so well.  I was like a kid in a candy store that day at Loop.  It was the first real yarn shop I had ever been in.  Back then I was still shopping for yarn at the big box craft stores...I hadn't discovered the wonderful world of local yarn stores yet!

Shopping at Loop in London was the real start of my true love for yarn and knitting.  Loop set me on my quest to find fabulous yarn shops in the States.  And it was while visiting my local yarn shops back home that I discovered designer Louisa Harding.  Louisa's beautiful books drew me back into knitting and inspired me to take knitting lessons so I could knit her lovely designs.

I am so thrilled where my knitting journey has taken me since that day I visited Loop... 

and I'm pretty excited to finally cast on for my Cameo Shawl!