For those Valentines who wait until the last minute to shop (i.e. all of them).

If your Valentine is the procrastinating type - and aren't they all? - here are some hints you can drop, just in time.

From left to right:

1. Prism Cool Stuff Half in Carnation - makes a stunning diagonal scarf

2. Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky in Strawberry Smoothie (yum!), great for a Sophie Bag

3. Tempted Sock Yarn in "I Want Candy", i.e. OU Sooners color. Make socks or try making a Sweet Baby Cap with it.

4. Alchemy Silk Purse in "Punky" - one skein makes the Slanted Eyelet Scarf (see alchemyyarns.com)

5. Patagonia Nature Cotton - I just adore this chunky cotton made with organic vegetable dyes in Chile. We just got in a bunch of new colors. Great for your very own Boobholder!

6. Debbie Bliss Stella. If you're on Ravelry, check out the Anthropologie Group's Knitalong thread for Debbie's Cap Sleeve Cardi. They requested to use my photo - I feel so honored! And get this: The pattern was released as a free pattern by Prima magazine. Stella is available in the Loops online store.

7. Louisa Harding Mariposa in a really pretty new pink!

Hey...I just realized I've given you 5 free pattern links in a single entry. Who says blog reading isn't worthwhile?

And finally, a little Valentine's poem (or as my youngest writes it, "pome") - for your hubby/boyfriend/S.I.:

Roses are passé,
G-strings are "Eww!"
What she wants most
is tiny and blue.


- Shelley
shop online at loopsknitting.com