Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

Special Deals to Come

I have a few select sale yarns to share with you over the next couple months.  Awesome deals on wonderful fibers from our favorite dyers, like the special offering last week, Fleece Artist Saldanha.  Today, I have some luxurious Claudia Fingering 55, which is a blend of 55% silk and 45% merino from Claudia Hand Painted Yarns.

This yarn is 25% off in the Sale Section right now (til it sells out).  It would be wonderful for a special pair of socks (hand wash, flat dry), or a sweater, or a lacy scarf.  The texture is fabulously soft with a sheen that only silk can give- over half silk too!

Want a few pattern ideas?

Harlequin Opal Shawl by VeryBusyMonkey

Hitchhiker by Martina Behm

Haruni by Emily Ross

Diagonal Lace Socks by Wendy D. Johnson

Snowflake Lace Socks by Melanie Berney

I've received many inquiries about the upcoming St. Patty's Day kit I mentioned earlier this week.  I anticipate putting the kit up for sale this coming week, and I'll post here when it goes live.  It's the first time I've offered two full skeins of yarn in a kit and I hope you love what we've put together for you to go with them! 

Special colors of Dream in Color's Smooshy with Cashmere

I have a fondness for the Everlasting colorways from Dream in Color.  Typically, Veronica and her team doesn't dye the Everlasting colors onto other bases (as each base takes dye differently), but I was able to score a few special colors on Smooshy with Cashmere in my fave Everlasting colors.  Check them out to see everything that's in stock right now.  Shown below are Wilderness, Fortune and Herbal.

These three skeins feature gorgeous takes on green and if you are a knit-with-the-season type person (which I often am) it's a good way to get your green on for St. Patty's Day without the obvious kelly color.  And I have no shame in admitting that this 20% cashmere blend is so soft that I might have spent half an hour rubbing skeins against my cheek.

You asked for it!

One of the requests I've received most over the past year is for Poste Yarn in a rainbow stripe.  You know I aim to please, so guess what I've finished testing...

For the first time, I'm offering a St. Patty's Day sock kit at SSYC, and it includes this special offering in Poste Yarn.  Two skeins that, when knit one after the other, make the above socks.  It's my take on a rainbow and I adore them.  James adores them too, which is why they are for him.

How'd I make these socks with two skeins?  I simply knit one color repeat (red, orange, yellow) with this Yellow Brick Road skein

Then changed to this Emerald City skein to knit the next color repeat (emerald, red-violet, purple).

I continued changing from one to the other in this fashion from the top down, until I got to the heel.  I then made room for an afterthough heel (here's a nice picture tutorial, or video one) so that the stripes would lay evenly across the top of the foot.  Then I continued to the toe, going from the first ball to the second one whenever I reached that point in the color progression.  Please note that depending on how one winds the skein into a ball that you may pull from the inside or the outside of the ball to pull the colors in the right rainbow order- red, orange yellow, THEN emerald, red-violet, purple.

There was enough yardage in the two full-sized skeins together that I could easily have knit two adult pair of socks, or a pair of knee highs for someone with slender calves, or even three pair of kids socks.  Or, I could have used the skeins separately to make two different projects.

Want to do the same?  I will be offering these skeins (along with other fun goodies) in the upcoming St. Patty's Day kit, which will be available in less than a week.  Keep updated here on the blog, or watching your Inbox to know when the kit goes live.

This is the first time I've ever offered two whole skeins in a kit.  And if you want just the skeins and not the entire kit, I will likely offer them at a later date, still to be determined as we have a busy dye schedule throughout 2013.   By "likely" I mean "it's something I've considered but have no idea when we'd find the time so if you really want these colors, get them now."  ha!

My baby

I took nearly twenty pictures of James this weekend, trying to capture his new big-boy-haircut. But getting a five year old to sit still long enough is not easy.
I can't believe how mature he looks. (Sigh.)

Fleece Artist Saldanha 2 Sale & Contest

It isn't often that I carry a laceweight yarn- it's not used for socks, and many yarns at that gauge can only be used for one thing- lace projects.  But Kathryn at Fleece Artist offered me such a fabulous deal on her Saldanha Two that I couldn't turn it down.  For what would usually be $20-$22 (depending on exchange rate), you can have a nearly-900-yard skein of 100% superwash merino laceweight for only $14 in the SSYC Sale Section.  Seriously.

Saldanha Two is a versitile laceweight worth stashing not only because of the expertly hand dyed colors, but also because it's superwash merino.  So if you hold it doubled you can use it in place of fingering weight yarn in many projects, or you can use it as is in all those laceweight sweater projects and not worry about how it will wash and wear.  And since most sweater projects call for two skeins of this size, you can knit a whole sweater for only $28 in yarn.  Seriously.

There are over two dozen colors to choose from in the Sale Section at the time this post goes live, but I'm sure many colors will be gone within a day. The SSYC Team and I have been not-so-patiently for this to arrive, and for purely selfish reasons.  Rachael and Heather both passed along the patterns that they are considering so that I could share them with you.  Here's what they have to recommend:

Rocio , Joji Locatelli

Simplicity Cardigan, Mary Annarella

Geodesic Cardigan, Connie Chang Chinchio

Laar, Gudrun Johnston

Making Waves Cardigan, Mary Annarella

Those first five are suggestions from Rachael.  Can you tell she's a sweater knitter?  These next ideas are from Heather, who knits and crochets everything.  Now, I know these are a lot of links to look through, but I recommend clicking on each one.  I really do.  They are all such gorgrous projects, and for $14 or $28 or $42 you could proudly wear one or many of these, or gift the item to someone special.

Citron, Hilary Smith Callis

Rock Island, Jared Flood

Featherweight Cardigan, Hannah Fettig

Good Day Sunshine, Amanda Bjoerge

Evenstar Shawl, Susan Pandorf

Gradient, Shibui Knits

Meadowlark, Amy Swenson

Insouciant, Julie Hoover

Plain Jhaynes, Anne Hanson

Etude in Stripes, Diana Rozenshteyn

Swan Maiden Mitts, Holly Terrell

Summer Affair, Carol Feller

Hand Springs Fingerless Mitts, Micol Day

Sand Tracks Cardigan, Jenise Reid

Sara, Marita Rolin

Zickzack Tunic, Melissa Wehrle

Photo used with perimission of Joji Locatelli

And if you've made it this far in the post, you should enter this contest!  Joji Locatelli, the designer of the Rocio pattern at the top of the list, is giving a free pattern of hers to two lucky winners!  All you have to do is tell me in the comments below what color of Saldanha 2 (in the Sale Section) that you would choose to knit that pattern with.  Leave one comment before the contest closes late in the day this Friday the 22nd.  I'll announce the winners and e-mail you Joji's coupon code so that you can choose any of her patterns on Ravelry for free!  Woot!

FYI, Kathryn labeled the skeins as 100 grams, but said that when the skeins were wound, many of them had more than 100grams.  When we weighed them here, most of them weighed much more than were labeled, actually 15-30% more.  So that means that while the skeins have at least 100g or 874 yards, your skein could have 15-30% more yardage.  Very cool.

Ask the Knitters

Dear Knitters,

I am having a problem with loose stitches between needles on my socks. I usually use 1 circular needle and when I split the stitches between knit stitches it isn’t a problem. I am currently doing a pattern that is primarily purl stitches with a small cable twist. The two sides where I split between the needles is an obvious “ladder”. Is there anything I can do to avoid this, or should I revert to 4 double points for this sock?  Please help.

Judy in Jacksonville

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Help a knitter out and leave your answers in the comments section below. Have a question you'd like to see answered here? Title an e-mail Ask the Knitters and send it to service@simplysockyarn.com .  Your question could be chosen for this series.

Holiday Monday

It's a holiday here in the US, so since there's no shipping, I took the day completely off- not even cracking open the computer and am doing this on my phone!
We had a wonderfully busy day in the store on Saturday, do busy that we twice got the question "is there a bus group?"
Here is what our day looked like- tiny little socks (in bags) made of Zauberball and Manos to make garland for Christmas, lovely green yarn in abundance, and Heather (shop manager) covering her fingers in tiny mittens. A fun day.

Week in pictures

What pictures would you share to illustrate your week?

What would you name this new collection?

The newest Opal collection has arrived and it's full of my kind of colors.  Blacks and greys with just a dash of something vivid.  I'm a black-yoga-pants-kinda-gal, so these go with half my "wardrobe".   I'll be putting away at least three of these for later knitting.

If you had to give this collection a name based on what you see here, what would you name it?  Give it some thought before you scroll all the way to the bottom, because I'm betting that the actual name will blow. your. mind.

What about something involving gray skies with a streak of color?  Or newsprint?  That's what comes to my mind.  Tell me what came to your mind in the comments below.  And now see what the acutal name is.

scroll down...

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(BOOM.)  That's the sound of my brain exploding.

It certainly doesn't look like she's selling SOCK YARN, does it?  Now, I think this is one of my favorite collections of this past year or more, but the poster... uh really?  I just don't get the connection.  But it was a good laugh!  Even funnier than this one.

The last of Van Gogh

Happy Valentine's Day!  Like I promised, the Month d'Amore is going to be packed full of one of the things I love most... yarn.  (OK, I also love my husband too- he's celebrating his 40th b-day today!  Love you, Joe!)  Today I have more of the things you adore- Opal and Malabrigo.  Yum.

I have the very last of hte Opal Van Gogh collection, at least that's what I've been told.  This wildly popular Opal Collection has sold out in the store several times, and while I was told that Opal would continue the dye it, it seems that now they have decided not to.  Which is a shame, because it's quite awesome.

I have five of the colors in stock, and while I'm hoping that Opal might find a few straglers and send them along, if you want any of these, this could be the last.

Zarzamora

I also have the restocks that many of you have been waiting for in Malabrigo Sock and Arroyo (sport weight).  Malabrigo is appreicated not only for its soft texture and inspriring colors, but also for the price.  At $18.50 a skein, it's a steal in the hand-dyed-yarn-world.

Indiecita

There were many good guesses about the mystery yarn I post about last week.  The best guesses?  Fleece Artist!  It's quite rare that I carry a lace weight yarn in the store, but Kathryn (FA's owner) gave us all a fab deal on this superb fiber and I'll share it with you in the sale section as soon as it all trickles through Customs.  I had Heather and Rachel (part of the SSYC Team) choose some of the colors for you, which means that there's a very wide array to choose from.  They are sweater knitters, so there are many colors that are appropriate for the popular lace weight sweater patterns that you see all over Ravelry.  I can't wait to share it all with you!

Alchemy's Juniper

I told you there was a huge amount of yarn arriving over the next few weeks, and I'm not going to disappoint!  Today you'll find new colors and restocks of Juniper Sock from Alchemy Yarn of Transformation in semi-solid elements and variegated colorways.  Alchemy didn't release a sock yarn until nearly five years ago, and when they finally did it did not disappoint.  The 100% merino yarn is a pleasure to knit, and for a hand dyed yarn it really holds up nicely. 

I have the two socks above on display at the store.  The dark one, Underwater Moonlight (Monkey pattern), has never been washed or worn.  The light, Vintage Jade (Nutkin pattern), has been worn, machine washed and accidentally machine dried and I swear you can't see a difference between them.  The colors are still vibrant, and the stitch definition is just as nice as the sock that's never seen any use.

Paper Crane

Yes, the cost of these 50g skeins are higher than you might be used to seeing, but it's definitely worth the knit.

Green Plum

Many of you have been waiting for restocks and had special color requests, and those are all now on the website.  If you are considering this yarn, I do recommend placing an order in the near future because I have the prices currently set to last year's cost, and this year it has gone up 15%.  So order now and you'll still get the lesser price of 16.50 or 17.50 per skein, depending on semi-solid or variegated colorways.

Dark Star

Here's what Alchemy has to say about their process:

The first touch, the initial glimpse of Alchemy Yarns of Transformation tells
you we are passionate about everything we do. Combining time-honored Fine Art
techniques, the highest quality fibers available worldwide, and a reverence for
Nature’s palette, we create yarns – and thereby opportunities for creative
expression that transcend the typical. Pleasing the senses, soothing the soul –
we strive for nothing less than the transformative moment in art and life.

Nestled in the beautiful rolling hills of Sonoma County, our Northern
California studios and farm blend with the surrounding orchards and vineyards.
Here in this natural setting our “work family” practices the art of creating
exquisite hand paint yarns. Each skein is thoughtfully and artistically painted,
then steamed over an open fire. We hang our yarns from bamboo rods suspended
across our land thereby allowing each skein to be dried by the cooling breezes
of the Pacific Ocean. We believe that our commitment to living life to its
fullest – to recognizing health and healing and love and light in every breath –
is captured in each skein of yarn we make. By creating Alchemy Yarns of
Transformation with such intent, we trust this beauty is given over to you when
you choose Alchemy in support of your creative expression.

It takes a village to make beautiful handpaint yarn -- but many villages
are needed to make truly mindful fiber.

Happy 10th Anniversary to Lorna's Laces

This week marks 10 YEARS for the dyers we all know and love, Lorna's Laces!  Beth, owner of the studio sent this message along:

"The first order of business today is to say THANK YOU! We are humbled and honored to have been allowed into your lives and onto your needles and hooks over the past decade. I've always liked to think that a little piece of the the love we put into the yarn is added to the love you stitch into your work and the recipient gets a little bit of it from all of us. Cheesy? You bet! But I still believe it.

One of the things I'm super proud of is all the wonderful things that people who have worked here have gone on to do over the years. Our alumni include a geriatric specialist, an HVAC guy, a couple of massage therapists, at least three working artists, a nutritionist, a burlesque performer, an actor, four moms, a DJ, and a copywriter. Several of them still work in yarn. Not a bad track record for our little family.

But, I must say I'm proudest of one person. She's been with me since the very first day. Can you believe the space was so raw that I interviewed her on sitting on upside down five gallon buckets? Oh my!"

Amanda is pictured in green at right, and LL owner Beth at front.

Picture, from WAY back in the day, used with permission of Lorna's Laces.

Even though Lorna's Laces is very popular and widely known in the fiber world, it's really a small dyeing operation- more intimate than you might think. Comprised of only a half dozen or so dedicated dyers and helpers, your skeins get a lot of one-on-one attention.  Beth, who bought the business from Lorna many years ago, has done a superb job of managing growth so that stores like mine can supply you with a huge array of colors to a large amount of knitters while also keeping quality the top priority.

SSYC's Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock wall.  Click to see up close.

When Simply Socks Yarn Company sponsored Sock Summit the first time 4 years ago, Beth and Amanda were two of the awesome people who helped me staff my booth and connect with thousands of sock knitters.  Our feet were tired, our smiles were big, and they were great to work and joke with during those busy days.  Beth has designed many special edition colors for me over the nearly-8-years I've had Simply Socks Yarn Company, and she and her staff have been a joy to work with each time.

Congrats to Beth, Amanda and the crew at Lorna's Laces!  I look forward to working with you for many, many more years!

Any idea?

Three guesses what this gorgeous skein is.  OK, more than three.

Have a nice weekend!  I'll be busy getting this lovely new offering ready for you all.  It, and all its brothers and sisters in many many colors.

New Lorna's Laces colors, spring 2013

I have for you the seven new Lorna's Laces colors!  I know many of you like to collect Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock.  Not only because the colors are awesome, but because the fiber combo and tight twist allow it to be one of those hand dyed yarns that you can comfortably gift to someone who might not always treat hand knitted socks with the care that we would prefer.  This yarn can not only tolerate machine washing, but also the occasional machine drying without obscuring your stitch pattern with a heavy fuzzy halo.

I think there's a color here for everyone- from a deep and masculine color like Daley, or a rosy yet silvery color like Ogden (also shown are Harrison and Bryne).  And if you're looking for something particularly springy, you'll like the spring green/pink/yellow combo of Medill.  It's also a color that would make a pleasant baby item.  Washington is the only Nearly Solid color released- a nicely pale apple green.  It coordinates perfectly with Mason, should you want to combine the two into a cute boy's sweater.

I also have all these colors available in Solemate and Sportmate, though it may take a few more hours for me to get all the Sportmate up on the website.  I'm in need of a lunch break.  I'm starving.  What's your preferred lunch?  I need some new ideas for healthy-yet-portable lunches.  I'm stuck on turkey sandwiches and PopChips at the moment.

Fleece Artist Trail Sock

An embarassingly large amount of yarn is coming to the store this month.  Obscene, really.  But oh-so-wonderful.  I look forward to sharing it all with you throughout the month.  So what's up today?  Fleece Artist's Trail Sock, a soft and durable merino/nylon blend, dyed as only the artists at Fleece Artist can.

Looking for awesome combos for projects?  Take a look at Amber, Brew and Beet.  Click for larger view.

Or switch out Brew for Nightshade to brighten it up.

Keep Amber in the mix and sub in Nebula and Polar Sea if you prefer blues/greens over reds/purples.

Looking forward to a sunny spring vacation?  Try Salt Spray with Beach House

Prefer stormy weather?  Blomidon and Stardust may be for you.

Many of the designs of Veera Malimaki would look great with these combos.  She's the designer of the Color Affection shawl, and she has several other designs that combine more than one color in a bold way.  Take a look at Stripe Study Shawl and Different Lines.  Beth Kling's Henslow is a great use of two matching skeins, and you'd have enough left over for a hat or mitts.  Whippoorwhill would also be lovely.

Fleece Artist yarns each come with a free pattern, so after your purchase make sure to e-mail to get you copy of the sock pattern that comes with.

12 Days of Sock Yarn Winners

Christmas at Downton update: Before I announce the contest winners of the contest, I know even more of your are interested in learning details of when this special Lorna's Laces colorway will be available again.  Well, it now is, and so if you' had some on preorder, I have it for you now.  If you missed out on this special colorway, I have it now in Sock, Solemate and Sportmate.  Get Christmas at Downton while you can!

If you've been waiting for me to find the time to randomly choose and announce the winners of the 12 Days of Sock Yarn contest, the wait is now over!

Winner of the First Day of Sock Yarn- two skeins of the 50 Skeins of Grey Collection from Lorna's Laces:Barbara, who says "The only knitted gift this year is a Tosh Vintage Antler Hat from TinCanKnits for my son. Oh, well! Maybe I will do better next year."

Winner of the Second Day of Sock Yarn- the Island of Misfit Toys Poste Yarn skein and coordinating Simply Sock Yarn solid: Emily L. who says about her first project, "The first thing I knit was a scarf out of Lion Brand Homespun. It was so difficult to knit with! I ended up giving up on knitting for over a year, and I never finished that scarf."

Winner of the Third Day of Sock Yarn- a skein of Zauberball 100 in color 1505: Sharon, who says "I usually have something on the go all the time, but have to admit to slowing down in the hot summer months. Luckily no pain yet in the hands and a wrists."

Winner of the Fourth Day of Sock Yarn- two skeins of Shibui Staccato: Michelle, who tells us of the weather in her area "It's sunny today... but I so wish it was cloudy and colder and snowing. I live in the mountains and we haven't gotten hardly any snow (besides a few insignificant flurries) so far this season :/ At least the temps are colder, though, so my palms aren't sweating when I work with wool!"

Winner of the Fifth Day of Sock Yarn- four skeins of her choice of Simply Sock Yarn Solids: Therese, who says of her favorite ornaments "I love all the handmade ornaments the best. I remember when I made them or who made them for me and it brings back many warm feelings."

Winner of the Sixth Day of Sock Yarn- a Malibu Tote in Teal Solstice: Karen who says that she has completed "8 - 10 pairs of socks! Some shorties for my dad out of non-wool, some "hunting socks" for husband and his brother out of camoflage solemate, "Harry Potter socks" out of Poste stripes..... too fun! All knitted. No machine knitting, though I think it would be fun to see how the machine to knit socks works!"

Winner of the Seventh Day of Sock Yarn- the special edition holiday yarn from 2011: Judy, who says that her reindeer name would be "Limey. . .even though I've lived in this great country for 44 years. . .I will always be a English gal at heart!"

Winner of the Eighth Day of Sock Yarn- two skeins of Manos Alegria in Atlantico: Julie who says of a something she'd like to try in 2013, "I've been wanting to try knitting socks 2 at a time for a while now. Even bought a book! But I'm afraid I'm too into my comfort zone when knitting socks that I'm afraid to venture out... one of these days..."

Winner of the Ninth Day of Sock Yarn- two skeins of Shibui's Staccato Sock: Judy who doesn't belong in to a knitting group, but "I live in a knitting wasteland and belong to a group of one." ha!

Winner of the Tenth Day of Sock Yarn- a ball of Opal's Romance 6ply yarn: Karen, who tells us about her Christmas morning, "I make an "Impossible Breakfast Pie" and we open our presents and stockings...  and then we go to the movie theater to see a movie before Christmas dinner."

Winner of the Eleventh Day of Sock Yarn- a hank of Skein Sock in Equinox: Sue who, when asked what one thing she'd like from SSYC said "Impossible question to ask us to play favorites! I'm going to go with something I've been wanting to try, and say Fleece Artistt Thrum kit, in Ivory. I've also had my eye on Gradience Wildflowers for some time trying to find an excuse to buy it.

Winner of the Twelth Day of Sock Yarn- a ball of Opal's XL collection: Carol who says she'd like to see Poste Yarn valentine colors in "grey and purple! But my orange/red/yellow would be neon :)"

Congrats to all the winners!  You all received an e-mail, so if you think one of these is you, then check your Inbox.

I think Heather had too much fun decorating your envelopes. 

Dream Club, Feb 2013

This 6-month-round of the Dream Club is coming to an end, culminating with a hot pink to celebrate the season.  If you normally are too cautious to knit magenta, this one might be for you because it's tempered with a bit over plum or charcoal which looks to be overdyed to give it a shadowy effect.  It's the third time Dream in Color has featured a bright pink around Valentines Day and each time it sells very quickly.  The featured yarn is Everlasting DK, a 12 ply yarn that is hearty enough for socks and soft enough for scarves and garments.  You can see all the other available Everlasting DK colors here.

After your purchase, e-mail me to receive the free-with-purchase Trinity Scarf pattern.  The keyhole-scarf design is a smart gift because it's not hanging free around your neck.  If you live or work in a place where you like to keep warm, but the ends of a scarf get in your way, this design is for you.  Like a cowl, it stays put.

I hope you enjoyed this year's Dream Club!  Dream in Color is already imagining awesome things for the next round, and I'll definitely let you know when it starts up again.  It's likely to be the last quarter of the year.  But don't worry, I have all sorts of unique things planned in our other lines for the meantime.