Loop in Philadelphia

The third shop I visited in Phila was Loop on South Street. After seeing the shops, I thought they were all much smaller than shops in the Bay Area, but now I wonder...

Some shops here are small, too. I'm not a very good judge of size...Anyway, Loop was clean and bright and full of enticing yarns. The colors really jumped off the shelves. I only picked up some Spud & Chloe Fine and some Louet Gems fingering to make the Matroyska gloves in last year's Knitty.com.

Next door is Loop's sister shop, Spool, which was full of lovely fabrics.

Emma on PBS

Is it wrong to enjoy the "new" Emma that's on Masterpiece Classic? I like the version with Kate Beckinsale, too, but this new one is so bright and shiny and NEW. The costumes and colors are almost saturated, and the look is very now. No matter how hard they try to be historically accurate, costume dramas always seem to pick up some attributes of the time they are made. Well, the more Jane Austen, the better. Each one has a slightly different take on the text, and is enjoyable. And is not like any of the other stuff on TV.

Reading

Been reading more than knitting or other crafting...mostly some "young readers" books, but they've been very enjoyable. If I could only finish those three books lingering at the top of my Shelfari reading list...

1. Recently finished: Oracles of Delphi Keep - this started slow but now I can't wait for the next installment. Can two orphans and their friends in England keep World War II from destroying the world?
2. Recently finished: McCarthy's Bar - fun read about an Englishman trying to find his inner Irishman. Lots of humor, some a bit mean-spirited.
3. Zipped through: The Lost Art of Gratitude - I love Alexander McCall Smith. His books always have good insight into human nature and are a pleasure to read.
4. Zipped through: The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey - Another great series for young readers...this was the second installment.
5. Zipped through: Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat - so cute! Loved it! The bad guys get their just desserts and the rodents save the day. This is also the start of a series.

Is it amaryllis yet?

Lara gave me an amaryllis bulb for Christmas, and I've been watching it carefully to see if it was showing any signs of life. I thought it was pushing up through the moss a little more, and sure enough, there's a little sprout. Hurrah!

Yarn and Gallery

The second store I visited in Philadelphia was Nangellini on South Street. It is in a more residential area than commercial, although there is a Whole Foods nearby. The store is a split-level shop with hand-knit items and artwork for sale in the front part. The back upstairs part is where most of the yarns are hiding.

I would describe this shop and its contents as "funky". There is a wide variety of textures, fibers, and colors. Nangellini also carries some Kraemer and Plymouth yarns (local PA yarns) as well as Claudia Hand Paint and J Knits. There is even some J Knits hand-dyed roving. I also picked up a "custom blend" of mohair and a metallic.