double loop

I did a double loop this week with not one, but two visits to Loop! While I'd shopped many times at the old Loop in Cross Street, I'd yet to visit their new location in Camden Passage.

The new shop is bigger and brighter--a really lovely space, where dishes of custom candy are far from the only temptation.

With yarns from three of my favorite companies--madelinetosh, Quince, and Juno--there's gorgeous wool at every turn:

And on Saturday there was the chance to see Jane Brocket, who'd brought along samples from her new book, The Gentle Art of Knitting,

as well as piles of scones and plates of cakes. I had such an inspiring chat with Jane, and swayed by her glorious color sense--and some good advice from Sarah and Donna--I strayed from my usual grays and bought a skein of Tosh Sock in colorful Clover:

Sarah, Donna, and I spent more than an hour browsing, but there's so much to see. So Ali and I popped in on Tuesday too, right after a stop at the Nordic Bakery for coffee and sugar buns. Because good friends + sweet cake + squooshy yarn = perfect x 2!