Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

Malabrigo KAL

To answer the questions that were asked about the pictures from the KAL, the top picture, also shown here finished, is Susan's Scrunchy Scarf in Malabrigo's sport weight Arroyo in the Chispas color.  Heather knit this one wider than the pattern calls for and used all of two skeins- it's the kind of scarf that would definitely keep the wind out of your collar in the winter, especially at this width.  It will be on display as a store sample if you want to get a closer look.

The other question that was asked was about the color in the last photo.  Is Archangel in Sock.  The sun through the window made the color more bright and brought out the orange in that photo.  Liz is knitting the Lepidoptera Mitts and I hope she's farther along than I am b/c I haven't gotten much more completed than I did on that day!  I'm knitting the same mitts in Pocion, and at this rate I'll be lucky to get done by Mother's Day.  I haven't had much knitting time this week as it seems that everyone in my house has a cold.  I'm trying to cure mine with orange juice and vitamin D, and Henry's nose is getting the snot sucked out every few hours with the dreaded booger-sucker.  Did you use one of those on your kids?  The bulbus rubber sucker that makes kits cringe every time they see it?

Our next day (and perhaps last) for this KAL is this Sunday, Dec 2.  E-mail me if you want to join us.  We sit and chat and knit and laugh- it's a great way to spend a couple hours!  One of us is knitting this scarf and I'm really looking forward to seeing it progress.   We have store hours tomorrow, Saturday, so even if you haven't started something yet, you have a day to pick something out.

SSYC Sample Knits- Prism Wrap

A gorgeous new piece on display in the store, knit by SSYC's shop manager Heather.

The oh-so-lovely Prism Wrap, knit using one ball of Zauberball Crazy in color 2100 (that's the black white and gray in the shawl) along with one ball of Madelinetosh's Tosh Sock in Candlewick (that's the gold).

I highly recommend this project.  When Heather suggested it as a store sample, we both liked the idea of using black/white combo with a yellow of some sort.  We also considered using a chartreuse with it, and I think a red would look nice as well.  Or, you could use any combination of a semi-solid with a gradually changing skein like Mini Mochi, Sausalito, Zauberball/ 100/ Crazy, Lang's Jawoll Degrade.  Some of the coolest ones I saw on Ravelry were onces that included a variation of a rainbow color. 

What about this? Crystal Palace's Sausalito with Madelinetosh Merino Light in Fathom:

Or this?  Zauberball 100 in color 2165 along with Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Multicolor Farwell or Satsuma.  OMG LOVE.

Or, OR... Mini Mochi color 316 and Simply Sock Yarn Solid in Black (you can get to all these colors from this page).

I could do this all day... or night.  There really are so many awesome combos for this project, so if you have questions, you know how you get us for second opinions!

Color Affection KAL Beauties

Remember the Color Affection  KAL we had a few months ago?  I have some lovely results to show you.  There are at least a dozen others that were knit in the store, and these are the ones I've photoed so far.  All of these use Madelinetosh Merino Light.

This one belongs to Heather, who knit hers as the store sample using the Merino Light that I had originally intended for my Creekbed scarf last year; colors are Magnolia Leaf, Golden Hickory and Filigree (oh, how I adore Filigree).  But you might remember that the pattern was an unenjoyable knit for me and I tore it out and didn't feel guilty about it at all.  So now that yarn has been knit into a beautiful Color Affection shawl that will be on display here at the store!

Next is a shawl that belongs to Liz, someone who we adore and have a good time with when she shops with us.  I feel like I have something in common with Liz b/c I second guess my color choices when I use more than one in a project.  I need someone to coerce me out of my normal gray-on-gray color choices.  When Liz chose these colors, she wasn't quite sure about the combo since the Worn Denim didn't full-on-match the Seaside multicolor.  But they blended beautifully as you can tell here because of Hickory being a go-between.  I love this color choice, don't you?  It's my understanding that she is gifting this finished shawl to someone special.  A completely selfless endeavor I think- I definitely would have a hard time giving this up!

Finally, my shawl.  I originally chose Charcoal, Firewood and Hickory for my shawl.  But after knitting the first two sections, I decided to sub Vintage Sari instead of Hickory.  This was quite a step for me, because the neutral Hickory would have been the safe choice.  But the pinks of the Vintage Sari took this shawl to another level and makes me less affraid to knit and wear color.  I wear a lot of gray and black, and I think this shawl will make a nice accent to my fall and winter wardrobe.  I don't wear shawls much, as my family life and workday don't allow for flowing garments, but I plan to instead wear it wrapped around my neck like a scarf with my black wool coat all winter.  I'll wear it like it is wrapped around the post shown here.

I had a really fun time knitting along with others at the store.  I felt like it helped me to get this shawl accomplished in a somewhat short timeline, especially since I just finished it a few weeks before having Henry.  The design was simple enough that I didn't get held up with questioning myself all the time, and it shows off the colors of the yarn we all chose really well.  And it's the type of design that will have non-knitters stopping and asking where I got such a fabulous scarf, and I can say "I made it!!"

SSYC Sample Knit- Malabrigo Lace Ribbon Scarf

I cast off this project several weeks ago, and I have to admit that it's been hard to keep on display at the store and not on my own neck.  This is the Lace Ribbon Scarf from Knitty, and I used just one skein of Malabrigo Sock in the Candombe colorway.  I have a really nice color selection in stock right now in Sock, so it's a good time to pick out a color for someone special in your life.  This is the perfect gift knit- under $20, fits all sizes, and is a simple yet impressive design.  Definitely something you can mindlessly knit while watching all the new fall TV shows.

 

This is the second time I knit this pattern, and the first time I used one and a half skeins of Casbah.  But this time, I wanted to show a great one-skein project in the store, and so I knit the pattern until I had a few yards left, then skipped to the bind off. I love how the color knit up- no obvious striping or pooling.  I blocked out the scarf to show off the lace, but it seems to have un-blocked itself over the past few weeks.  Perhaps I didn't let it dry all the way?  I have to admit, my blocking talents aren't great.  So if you have any tips, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

SSYC Sample Knits- Black Trillium Trinity Sock

I have a new offering for you from Black Trillium Fiber Studio, Trinity Sock.  Trinity refers to the three fibers in the yarn- merino, cashmere and nylon.  And the hand dyeing on each skein is truly beautiful.

Vickie knit this sample for the store in the Butterbeer colorway and I think it would be a perfect fall project, don't you?  The color is so warm and dynamic.

 

Vickie used the Jeck sock pattern for this sock, and I think it shows off the color nicely without being too complicated.  I have a nice selection of color in stock now, and I'll even have more Black Trillium (in a 100% merino) in a few days.  And if you're a merino/nylon knitter, then I have Merilon sock too.  You can see that one knit up here.

I have more yarn to show off to you next week, but you're all keeping me so busy (thank you!) that I'm having a hard time finding time to get all these goodies up on the website in a timely manner.  But if you've been waiting for some gorgeous colors from Sweet Georgia, your wait is almost over!

What to do on a rainy day?

The weather here in NE Indiana quickly turned from 97 on Saturday, to a cool 72 on Sunday.  And today it's cold and rainy.  The perfect kind of day for knitting, book keeping, or perhaps sharing some short videos of the store?

For those of you who might not be able to make it to Indiana in the near future, I've just shared a couple short (and admittedly not high definition) videos of the store's new home.  You can find them on SSYC's Facebook page.  And if you don't see them near the top of the page, then once on the FB page, go to the Photos link at left and then sort by Video to see all the videos.

I also have some new yarn to share...  Black Trillium's Merilon.

 

Kristi knit these using the Blackrose sock pattern from Knitty 2008 and the Baroness color of Merilon(which is slightly more red and less magenta than this picture shows.  She was able to knit both a pair of socks and a pair of short mitts using the same stitch design... with just ONE skein.  What an awesome use of an entire skein, eh?

And I just have to share that I just opened this box yesterday, during an in-person shopping day, and it sold right out of the box.  So I wanted to get this shipment up on the website asap so you all could grab some too.  I'll be getting two other base yarns from Black Trillium later this month, a 100% merino, and a merino/cashmere/nylon blend.

Tanis Fiber Arts Yellow Label DK Yarn

The temperatures here in the Midwest are slowly dropping a more comfortable, and in the morning quite cool, range.  For me, this means I'm looking forward to taking long leisurely walks through the store's neighborhood, and perhaps knitting up a new scarf and mitts to keep me comfy.

So it was perfect timing when my postal carrier delivered a new shipment from Tanis in a dk weight 100% merino.  This Yellow Label yarn will make wonderfully soft socks, but also the scarf and mitts that I need to keep me toasty this fall.

Tanis sent me a skein of the Dove color to sample earlier this summer, and I asked Deirdre to test it for me and knit up a sample sock for the store.  She knit up this wonderful sock using the Kalajoki sock pattern (free on Ravelry) and I have to admit that I think it's the prettiest sock I've seen using this pattern.  I just love the yarn with this pattern- what a perfect choice.

 

Deirdre shared that she loved the yarn so much that she ended up buying an entire sweater's worth!  She said that "I think what got me about it, apart from the hand, which I love, is the depth of colour and the little unexpected hints of purple and blue."  And when I knit the Olive color in Purple Label last year, that's one of the things that struck me- that there were so many unexpected variations in the green.  That and the cashmere, oh, that Purple Label CASHMERE.

And if you want to knit something other than a basic scarf or socks with Yellow Label DK, perhaps this next project will inspire you.  This is the Stockholm Scarf (links to a free pdf), designed by Julie Crawford, a knitter and designer who is friends with and works for Tanis.  Tanis used 2 skeins of Yellow Label in Sunset for this scarf.  She said she knit hers in the round and just knit until she ran out of yarn. Isn't it swoon-worthy?

 

Did you enter the contest I post last week?  The randomly chosen entry was from Carlee who said,

   As one of many in the middle Atlanic waiting for huricane Irene to hit, my favorite fall festival will be happily knitting inside as the storm swirls around. It will be doubly wonderful if we don't lose power so I can enjoy. A cup of tea and light during my knitting festival.

Carlee, e-mail me your address and I'll mail you your surprise skein from last year's Dream Club! 

 

Simply Argyle Socks by Anne Berk

Not only will the end of this coming week hold the Grand Opening of SSYC's new store, but August is also the second anniversary of the store's exclusive yarn line, Simply Sock Yarn Solids!  To commemorate these events, I asked Anne Berk, who I met at the first Sock Summit and who just happens to have written this argyle pattern booklet for Shibui Knits, to design a hip argyle sock pattern to show off my yarn.  Photo courtesy of Bill Berk.

 

To achieve this modern argyle effect, Anne used a small scale argyle pattern and popular grays and yellow accented with hot pink and lime.  You can download the pattern for free below.  You deserve an awesome free pattern, don't you?  Yes, you do!

Download Simply Argyle Socks from SSYC

This pattern is also being featured in the upcoming Vogue Knitting magazine, along with Simply Sock Yarn Solids!  You can go to the Vogue Knitting website and visit their free pattern section to take a look at the other free patterns they are offering as part of their Sock-sess section.  Enjoy!

Want to queue it up on Ravelry?

SSYC Sample Knits- Holden Shawlette in Shibui Staccato

Today I'm showing off the lovely Holden Shawlette knit by Karma using Shibui's silk-blend Staccato.  The color is Chrome, a pale solid gray that is well suited to frequent wear.

 

This is the kind of project that would be perfect for gift knitting, don't you think?  The color is neutral, the pattern is simple but stunning, and the project requires just 100 grams of sock yarn (a bit over 400 yards) so you could definitely knit a luxurious blend like Staccato without going overboard  Karma, you used just 2 skeins of Staccato, didn't you?

I think this pattern would also show off Dream in Color's Starry (which I just got a shipment of new colors in their Scorched Solid Series- just give me a couple more hours to get it on the website).

 

SSYC Sample Knits- Haruni Shawl in Cedar

The next sample project for display in the store was knit by Laura.  I sent her a skein of Fleece Artist/Hand Maiden's Swiss Mountain Sea Sock in the Cedar colorway and I asked if she'd give Haruni a try.  She did a smaller version so that only on skein would be used, and it looks so perfect hanging in the store.

 

I first took notice of this pattern when Tanis sent me a picture of hers using her Purple Label sock yarn.  The pattern is such a stand out, don't you think?

 

If you see this disappear from the store it's because I've taken it home for a bit.  I do love green.

SSYC Sample Knits- Flock Socks with Simply Sock Yarn

Last summer, I held the Summer of Color contest, which produced some very cool sock patterns using my Simply Sock Yarn Solids line.  One of those was the Flock Sock pattern (which is free!) designed by Amy Rutter, and she just sent me a Flock Sock to display in the store.  Isn't this the cutest sock you've ever seen?!  Seriously, I can't remember seeing a more adorable adult sock.

 

If you want to knit this one yourself, all the details are here and you can also download the pattern for free.  Amy was able to knit this one sock with the leftover from the original pattern, so really she got three socks out of the yardage she specified in the pattern.  So at least you know you have the yarn for a back-up sock, should one get eaten or wrecked in some way.

I probably looked pretty dorky dancing around the store by myself yesterday, holding this sock on a mannequin foot, singing a little tune about how cute it was.  But I figure that non-knitters passing by already think the idea of a sock yarn store is nuts, so who really cares, amiright?

SSYC Sample Knits- Fingerpaint Stripe Socks

This lovely sock was knit for the store using Cherry Tree Hill's Fingerpaints sock yarn in the Java Jive colorway.  It's an earthy and rich combination of mahogany, forest green, burgundy, and shades inbetween, and the yarn stripes very thinly as you knit in the round.

 

Who knit this sock?  ME!  I actually got a sock done!  Woot!  I feel the need to pat myself on the back for this one because not only has the demands of the new store left me with nearly zero knitting time, but I also started this sock months ago and finally picked it up again.  When you're surrounded by so many lovely skeins every day, their siren song can be loud enough to keep you from finishing an on-the-shelf project.  But this one called enough to get it finished.  I originally chose this colorway because I don't have many (or any, really) neutral-colored hand knit socks, and this seemed neutral enough to go with my wardrobe, but rich enough to be an interesting knit.

I just got in a new shipment of Fingerpaints right before the store moved, so nearly all the colors are in stock right now.  And you may remember that I've already knit Fingerpaints once, in the Herbs and Spices colorway.  Those I wear on a regular basis, but this Java Jive one will have a home on a store display.  Perhpas it will move to my foot in a year.

If you haven't knit Fingerpaints yet, I recommending doing so or at least putting some in your stash to wait for later. Not only is the base yarn superbly soft and washes well (I don't machine dry any of my socks unless its by accident) but watching the stripes develop is addictive.  And the yardage is generous enough that there's plenty for even my size 10-11 and wide feet.

If you want more info about Fingerpaints, or want to learn more about how yarn can pool and stripe how to avoid or encourage it, I wrote about that here.

SSYC Sample Knits- Knotty Gloves

Of the projects that have arrived so far, this is one that I thought of keeping for my selfish little self.  I don't wear much pink, but this color is so dynamic and the yarn is so soft and the gloves are just so perfect that I slipped them on in 98 degree heat and wore them while running errands.  I looooove these gloves.  I can't say for certain that I won't be wearing these around a bit this winter.

 

NeedleFingers knit these for the store, using Dream in Color's Smooshy with Cashmere in the It's a Sparkler colorway.  About half the skein was leftover, which means that you could get two pairs of gloves out of this fabulous skein- what a great less-than-$15-gift!  The pattern is free on Ravelry, and it's Knotty Gloves by Julia Mueller.  Queue it up. 

This yarn boasts 20% cashmere, and you can really tell in how it feels on the hand.  If you want something comparably soft, you could also take a look at Purple Label Cashmere Sock from Tanis Fiber Arts or Casbah from Fleece Artist (though this one does have half the cashmere content).  I have two new colors, Blueberry and Dove, and Blueberry is such a lovely and vivid blue/purple combo that it would be great punch of color for a dreary winter.

The store will be closing tomorrow for about a week as I (and the moving company) move over 4 tons of sock yarn and dozens upon dozens of boxes to the new store.  I have a feeling I'll be posting pictures on our new Facebook page as we unpack!  Take a look and see updates about the move and keep up to date on new things going on in the store.

SSYC Sample Knits: Champagne-colored Baby Onesie

The knitted samples for the new store have started pouring in, and I'm going to show them all off to you as they arrive.  Since my knitting time is rare these days, I look at this as great inspiration for myself.  Who knows, you might even find your next favorite project among these!

 
 

This adorable baby onesie was knit from Alchemy's Juniper yarn in the Champagne colorway.  Two skeins were used to knit this onesie.  I like the buttery yellow color and it would obviously work well for a boy or a girl.  I remember getting sick of all the blue and green clothes that James wore, and this kind of yellow would have been worn a lot.  It has three tiny buttons at the collar, and four snaps at the bottom for easy diaper access.

I've been eyeing this Shibui pattern for a couple years now, but I haven't really had anyone to knit it for.  But I think that even if you don't have a baby on the way in the family, this is the kind of pattern that you can knit up in a week and have one or more sitting in a closet waiting for the perfect giftee.  There are many other baby projects in Shibui's Baby Pattern Booklet.  I mean, look at the ruffled-bottom jumper on the cover.  Isn't that adorable?!

 

I chose Juniper sock yarn for this pattern because while it's a 100% merino wool sock yarn, it's super soft.  And the color is one that can be machine washed and is pale enought that even with improper washing it still is unlikely to bleed into the baby's other precious clothes.  Because let's be honest, a mom's last worry is doing laundry perfectly.

Other yarn options for this pattern would be Shibui Sock (which the pattern was written to use), Shibui Staccato (contains some silk for something extra special), or maybe even Tanis Fiber Arts in her Purple Label Cashmere Sock.  Of course, you could basically use any fingering weight, soft, machine washable yarn, but these three are at the top of my mind for this pattern.  Have you knit a baby onesie with sock yarn lately?  What'd you use?

I've set up a link to all the posts I've written and pictures I've taken of the new store's restoration- you'll see more posts about the store once we get fixtures put together and yarn in the new space.  You can find the link on the lefthand sidebar under the Categories section.  Just click on SSYC Store Resoration, and you'll see all the pictures in one place.  I'll soon be setting up links for various other categories that I've had questions about like Reviews and Ask the Knitters.  That way, if there's a particular post you'd like to read, it may be easier to find.