Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

Spring Sip & Knit Kits, a preview

We are ushering in spring here with some gorgeous SSYC Sip & Knit Kits featuring a collaboration with Charan Sachar and Six & Seven Fibers!

We have three options to share, each with a different hand made mug and sock set. The sock set includes Six & Seven Fiber's a full sized Alfalfa MCN (merino/cash/nylon) skein plus a coordinating mini. It's worth noting that the mini does not include cashmere, as I thought it best to leave it out for durability since these would likely be used for toes and heels of your socks. But they are the same weight and are meant to work together in the project, but I like no cashmere best for toes and heels. These color combos are exclusive to Simply Socks Yarn Company and if you really adore them, there will be chances to snag them in the future. After Rachel created these, I so fell in love that I decided that they won't be one-offs b/c then more people couldn't enjoy them. They are really that beautiful in person. But this is your chance to get your hands on one of these exclusive colors plus a mini first thing.

These go up for sale on Wednesday morning EST at the Kits & Clubs link. As usual, there is a limited amount and you're welcome to get your cart ready now with other things, and then add this to get free shipping with US orders of $100. Please do put everything you want in one order, because on busy kit days we don't check email as often and can't combine more than one order together to save you shipping. While we do our best to provide the most personal service we can each day, there are a handful of times a year when we are just too busy to keep track of last minute changes for dozens of people. We are a small crew.

Many of you have asked when we might get more of Charan Sachar's yarn bowls, and we are expecting a gorgeous new batch in time for Mother's Day. I'm hoping for mid-April. Above and below are examples of colors we've had in the past and I can't wait to see what he's creating for us!

Mineville's newest offering now available

Last month when I asked you how I could make SSYC even better for you, one of the things you asked for was more from Mineville Wool Project in the Sale Section. After all, who doesn't want premium yarn from a family of dyers who's been making stuff for 40 years for nearly half off?! If you didn't already know, Mineville Wool Project is an offshoot of Fleece Artist, run by the same family in Nova Scotia for decades. They have developed relationships and supply streams over their years and this allowed them to start MWP and offer us short runs and limited availability yarn for a great discount (plus the current USD to CAD conversion doesn't hurt!). This means you get a superb yarn for a stunner of a deal, but it may not be available for long. We've had some available just once, and some for 9 months (in several orders, cuz it does sell fast).

This Penguin would make a great Honey Cowl peeking out from the neckline of a black or gray winter coat!

I get what I can from MWP, and their newest offering, found in our Sale Section with other fab deals, is very similar to one that we had back in 2016 from them, a DK weight single in a 100g skein. It sold fast. It's great for sweaters and winter accessories. It's superwash merino, so while it will tolerate a machine washing, I don't really recommend machine washing any single ply yarns, The fiber is washable but it just doesn't seem to tolerate it well over time.

Rachael knit her Enfield Pullover in this yarn when we first had it in double sized skeins in 2014. So if you are purchasing it today for a sweater, I'd say get at least 4 skeins of it (she needed just two of the double sized ones).

She also knit this Honey Cowl too and I do think it's one that I've seen her wear most days in the winter. It's the kind of yarn and simple cowl that one can throw on every day- it's soft and warm and darn near perfect. And what I love about a cowl (vs a scarf) is that is stays on even if you're trying to wrestle a two year old into a car seat. And we all know that there's no greater aerobic workout than trying to get an unruly toddler into a tiny backseat of a car, right? That's how we lose our baby weight. 

We've had several contests here on the blog over the past month and it's time to reveal winners. Nancy won a skein of Less Traveled Yarn in The Diplomat above when we asked what your go-to sock pattern was (hers is Monkey, and I agree!). One contest offered two winners each a $60 Gift Certificate. That was the contest asking for suggestions on how to make SSYC even better. The winners were Anissa and Liz,

Anissa noticed that we did an update to our website in early 2019 (we made check out easier, pictures load much faster, and it allows us for greater improvements in the future) and it had a flaw in the Wish Lists. If you create an account in the shop, you can start a Wish List too. She said "I cannot figure out how to remove saved items on my wish list. Any help would be appreciated." She tested it out and it's working great now. 

Liz said "I would find it very helpful if you could set up a "New" page of the website to show a list of products that have been recently added -- the front page only shows about 8 items, and sometimes I want to just quickly check the site to see what's been added.This would be especially helpful at times of the year when you add a lot of new stuff. The only way I've found to track it is to read back through the blog and open separate tabs; it would be so great to have these all show up on one page of the website for a week or so after they're added." Liz's idea has just been implemented here and you can always find the NEW tab at the top of the website on a desktop computer or on the menu drop down of a phone or tablet.

I will keep discussing and implementing your ideas to make the shop even better in its upcoming 14th year! Ideas like this one make us what you want. So please don't ever hesitate to share with me what I can do to make SSYC your online LYS.

Why I love Regia sock yarn + Contests all week

All the new Regia collections have dropped on the shop, and it's a time when all I want to do is knit from every new collection. Many of you have been waiting for the new Pairfect colors (two perfectly matching socks in one ball) and the new Arne & Carlos Mountains and Fjords collection, but those aren't the only lovely additions to the shop from classic sock yarn maker, Schachenmayr.

Arne & Carlos, Mountains & Fjords color 7028

Regia not only comes in a beautiful array of colors, it's also easy care. Easy care yarns are super important when you (like me) don't care to be too particular about the washing of your socks, or you are gifting them to someone who you aren't sure will hand wash. These are definitely machine washable (even the Premium Yak, Silk and Alpaca) and I've even machine dried my regularly. Though that second part I wouldn't recommend for longevity just b/c the heat might break down the fibers faster over time.

Cotton Tutti Frutti 2426 Apple

Of course, you can hand wash your Regia socks if you want. But I never have. I always just put mine in a mesh lingerie bag and wash them with my or the kids' clothes. You could go without the mesh bag, but I want to protect my socks from zipper snags, and we wash lots of clothes with zippers. When I gift socks to someone special, I even wrap the socks with a mesh bag.

6ply Mosaik color 6793

Another thing I love about Regia is the collections include colors for those that might be a bit afraid of color. Say, if you have a person in your life that you know would appreciate hand made socks, but this person wants sedate colors, and you have no interest in knitting thousands of little dark gray stitches while you're watching TV at night. Well, then the Atelier collection (shown below in 7959) might work. There are more serious colors, but they are dyed in a way that would still be a very interesting knit for us.

And yet another thing? I want to try new things, while also ending up with a sock that washes and wears well. Things like new fiber combos. After all, sometimes the person in our life wants a dressy silk sock, but we know he or she won't give them special care. So the Premium Silk, Premium Yak and Premium Alpaca collections are a great choice. I mean, look at these new ombre colors of Silk. Who wouldn't want a pair of Business Casual socks in this Jeans color of Premium Silk?? (Oh, and these Premium blends are also great for lightweight sweaters. Just sayin'.)

That's not all that's new though. We have a new 6 Ply collection, a new wool free collection and MORE. Seriously, there's something for everyone.

Want to win some finished Regia Potpourri color 1105 sample socks of your own (shown above)? That's right, you don't even have to knit the socks! They are already knit for you and fit a medium/large foot. I wear a size 10.5-11 and they even fit me, though are a bit snug. Go to Instagram all week for more chances to win finished socks. I may even post a contest on Ravelry. To enter this contest, just go here and take a look at the Premium Yak collection and tell me what your favorite two colors are. Contest ends on March 14, noon EST. I'll choose THREE winners to receive their own pair of finished socks!

Recent winners and new Opal Yarn

Opal Yarn is really sending some great stuff to the US this season. First the History and Claude Monet collections and now the newest sparkled Glitter collection!

And because I get quite behind on things sometimes, I'm finally announcing winners of some recent contests, like the 12 days of Sock Yarn. I meant to do this 6 weeks ago, but more life balance means less work hours! If you think you are one of these lucky winners, you've been e-mailed, and congrats! We had thousands of comments this year, so you had some great luck if you are one of these 12 who each win the prize listed plus a $20 gift certificate to the shop.

Day 1 Crystal P wins HiyaHiya Flyers US 1 and 2
Winning comment: I love skeleton keys, and over the years Hallmark has released Santa keys. Our tree is always full of my keys!

Day 2 Kate S wins the Charan Sachar green holiday mug
My favorite holiday cookies are Pfefferneuese - German spice cookies covered in powdered sugar!

Day 3 Diane S wins a test batch skein of the Hedgehog Fibres Alpaca DK
I send out store bought cards that I usually buy on sale after Christmas the year before and add a family photo and a personal note

Day 4 Sue A wins some Yarn Love Marl
I love good Irish tea and Starbucks Christmas blend that is available now.

Day 5 Meghan wins DK Yarn w/Pom of her choice
Yes I do stash/collect yarn. No rules! I try to knit from my stash but often end up buying more yarn. I also fall into the “I’m 1 skein away from free shipping” trap often ;) Good thing my husband is understanding and sees my logic!

Day 6 Heidi wins a Qing skein
Lol my yarn “decorates” several areas of my house 😉

Day 7 Georgene T wins 2 balls of Opal Monet
My knitting group gathers men's and women's socks (not hand knitted) for the local homeless shelter. We call it our Christmas stocking project. This year 275 pair.

Day 8 Kirstin, AKA Ellie TwinkleToes! 😂 wins two 2 balls of West Yorkshire Spinners

Day 9 Liisa wins 2 skeins LitLG Singles
Nice yarn!!
I've done all of my Christmas shopping in person. I have bought some of the yarn used in my Christmas knitting though online over the year. I don't buy much online because it seems to be really impulsive and hard not to put something else in the cart. Except yarn.

Day 10 Dana S wins a package of sock knitter tools and accessories
I made a shawl from knit Purl hunter. We did a section a month. It was really fun and it’s beautiful!

Day 11 Kim wins 3 skeins Poste Yarn, Patina 
I knit more for others. It is so much fun to see my granddaughters faces light up when they see what I have made them.

Day 12 Christine  wins a $100 SSYC Gift Certificate
No real resolutions. 2018 was a bit of a dumpster fire in our house so I keep promising myself 2019 has to be better.

More St. Pat's color ideas

Wow, you all love to knit with the seasons! Thanks so much for your great response to my post of  St. Patrick's Day-inspired colors. Most of them went fast, so one of you suggested I give a few more color ideas, should you like to knit something fresh and green. After all, if you are as over winter as I am, the greens of spring are very welcome.

Blue Moon Fiber Arts never disappoints where color is involved, and I'm totally crushing on Tomatillo right now. It's bright and fresh without going over the top. Very wearable too.

Sunnydale is a close second. Partially because I adore a good aqua, but also, BUFFY.

Wooly Wonka Fibers is very popular here on in-store-shopping days. Not only are the colors and pricing divine, but it's not a dyer you see in shops much. Anne spends time selling her wares in fairs and festivals out west and doesn't really offer her stuff to many shops. Twelve Oaks vibrant yet moody and with the 50% silk of Atrio Sock, it has a super sheen.

We also have a super special gradient sparkle from Anne. And Forest is one of those colors that definitely says Spring.

Maybe you want the classic look of tweed with your green? In which case, Swift Yarn's Tweed Sock in the Fresh Cut Grass might be the ticket.

Of course, the same color is equally nice on Tender Sock, if you prefer a simple, merino/nylon sock. Also look at Emerald City.

One of my favorite greens is Fresco y Seco from Malabrigo. It's shown below on Sock, but it's also available on Arroyo and Rios.

Have you tried Walk Collection yet? This might be the time to cast on this German import, because Cathrin's greens are on point. Eucalyptus is dynamic and unique.

I hope one of these greens fits the bill for you! And if you have questions or want something not shown here, please e-mail me at service@simplysockyarn.com. Let's bring on spring!

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Yarn!

Ten days until St. Patrick's Day! That's plenty of time to find something green and cast on, right? I'm thinking it's time for some green socks in my life. How is it that green is my all time favorite and I can't seem to find green socks in my drawer?

Since our little St. Pat's Sip & Knit Kit just came out (selling fast already, so sorry if it goes really quick), I could knit with the Killarney colorway that Heather dyed in our Poste Yarn studio. But I'm thinking of instead knitting one of these.

Hue Loco Tweed in Sage

Dragonfly Fibers has some stunning greens. This one is Villainess on Djinni. Also consider Dragon Wagon, Gaughin's Island, Mossy Bank and Into the Woods.

Dream in Color discontinued color 150 Happy Forest is a green that dreams are made of. The color Grow is so similar, I don't remember much of a difference and it's available on Smooshy and Smooshy with Cashmere (shown above).

This bright green reminds me of budding oak trees. It's Pond Scum on Flock Fibre's Take a Hike sock.

With more than 200 colors in stock, you can definitely find a green on Tosh Sock. What about formerly-retired-now-brought-back Tannenbaum?

And why not Green Gables from Six and Seven Fiber?https://www.simplysockyarn.com/s-s-alfalfa-mcn-green-gables/

And finally, I think some stripey socks in minis would be amazing too. Like Greenery above and Hedgerows below from Wonderland Yarn.

Greens GALORE!!!

Upcoming St. Patrick's Day Sip & Knit Kit, a preview

We've put together a little something special to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this year. Because what does a knitter hope is at the end of that rainbow? Cashmere. That's what.

So we've tucked a skein of our Poste Yarn, Cash Sock into our exclusive mason drinking jar, and sprinkled on some stitch markers for our newest Sip & Knit Kit! When I asked you what we can do to be an even better yarn shop for you, one of the things you asked for was more kits and at various price points, and so here you go!

This little kit will go up for sale this Wednesday at the Kits/Clubs link, mid morning EST for $43. And if you want to see what else we have coming later this spring, take a look at Instagram for a tease.

Buy Online, Pick up In Shop

Over the past month, I've asked you to e-mail me to tell me how to serve you better. I've received some wonderful feedback and I'm starting to already implement these improvements. I promised that the first half of this year I'm focusing on all the ways I can continue to make SSYC your yarn shop, and I look forward to sharing all the ways we are growing and changing to serve you better as our 14th anniversary approaches this summer.

Already this year, you may have noticed that we have made several update to our website. While most of the changes are on the admin end, you may have noticed that our images load oh-so-much faster. Another change you may have seen is the simplified Check Out. It's one page instead of several, so it's so much quicker. And if you create an account, your info will continued to be saved and you can see past orders and Wish Lists (more on Wish List improvements coming in March).

One request is that we have more in-store hours so that all can come shop in person more often. For the past seven years we have been open one day a week. Before that, we weren't open to the public at all. While we still are not going to be able to offer more in-person shopping hours, we can make it easier for you to buy your items online and pickup at the shop. For years, you've been able to buy yarn online and at Check Out choose In Store Pickup and drop by on our open days to get your stuff and avoid the shipping fee. Now, we are able to allow you to pickup your local orders every day we are there working (except Sunday and days surrounding holidays). That's right- If you are local, or are just passing through, and you need a set of needles or a skein of yarn the next day, you can come by and grab it at 11am!

There are a few tips though, and you can always find them here on the website too:

1. Choose the In Store Pickup option at Check Out (you aren't charged a shipping fee)
2. In the "Order Comments" field, type the day you'll be picking up the yarn so we know to listen for your loud knock on the shipping doors.
3. If you order before 11am, please don't expect that you'll be able to pick up the same day. We need 24 business hours (and longer over Holidays) to pickup. If you have questions, just e-mail service@simplysockyarn.com as usual. Also e-mail if you forget to put your date of pickup in that field, or if you can't make it to the shop afterall.
4. Show up at 11am on the date you selected (or on any of our open days inside the shop) to pick up your goodies. Just knock loudly on the orange double doors on the parking lot side, and we will pass you your pretty package so you can get knitting! Right now we can only do 11am pickups, but that could change in the future if there's enough interest.
5. If you have questions, just e-mail. And if it's around a holiday, we do take time off to be with our families. So please assume that the days before and after holidays, days when the weather is so bad that school is delayed or canceled, and on any Sunday that pickup is not an option.
6. Please do not ask us to come in and shop, color compare, or look for something. We can't. We have certain things that have to get done at certain times to make the online portion of the shop work efficiently, and because that's what keeps us open for everyone to enjoy, we won't do anything that jeopardizes that flow. We just don't have extra staff to man the shop, answer project questions, watch for shoplifters, etc. Please don't ask, because we have to say no and it make us all sad to disappoint.

I think all this stuff is common sense, but I think it's always a good idea to list it out. We are all human and make mistakes and have questions. Just order online, choose in store pickup and give us a date (not the same day or holiday or Sunday), and knock loudly on the orange double doors at 11am. This won't work for everyone's schedule, but I'm told it's a fab idea that works for many!

Joji Locatelli's Odyssey Shawl... plus a contest

Inspiring person and designer, Joji Locatelli, has released a complimentary pattern for all of us to enjoy! The Odyssey Shawl is a simple combo of three colors of DK weight yarn, she uses Tosh DK, and is a great way to either combine three colors you have in stash, or to really flex your color-combo muscles and put something extra stunning together. I have put together a few color ideas for you to consider (you can also use fingering weight yarn for a smaller shawl and just go down a couple needle sizes), and I'm even giving away yarn here and on Instagram. Details at the bottom.

Photos used with permission of Joji Locatelli

But first, this is what Joji has to say about designing this pattern:

"Odyssey is a way for me to give back to the knitting community. 
You can download it for free, forever, but it is not a free pattern… 
The making of this pattern was paid by all of you, knitters, as a community. By supporting me and my family, you are allowing me to do a job I love and I am giving that love back. 
And by supporting I don’t only mean ‘buying my patterns’. Support also comes from all the love you send me with your messages. I couldn’t do it without you. 
Therefore, because you are a member of this community, this is a pattern from me to all of you.

I started the design of this shawl during a trip to Canada, inspired by the green colors of the landscape. It was the perfect easy project to keep me company on a trip that turned out to be quite an adventure! 
Today, I am again traveling with my family and we feel so blessed and so grateful that we want to send something to all of you, so here’s this Odyssey for you to knit and enjoy.

Odyssey is a crescent shaped shawl in 3 colors of medium-weight yarn. Medium weight means DK, or worsted, or even Aran! The good news is that you knit it up super fast. 
Each color section ends with a lace band that features striking big eyelets and wavy texture. 
It works with MANY yarn weights, and with ANY yarn! You don’t need to buy any special yarn for this design. Check your stash and see what inspires you!"

Above, Joji used greens (like shown above) and greys to make hers: Cactus (unavailable, but sub something dark like Black Sea  or Leopard for similar effect), Joshua Tree (or Oak would be nice too) and Pelican.

We also really like Danger Will Robinson/ Cenote/ Time to Pretend

Leopard/ Dead Calm/ Leaf Fall

Coquette Deux/ Copper Pink/ Found Pottery or Calligraphy

And this one really speaks to me, but is completely outside my normal range of color. Which means maybe I should cast it on immediately for a shop sample to increase my knitting mojo? Phantasm/ Mercury/ Brass.

And if there's a color combo you are considering and want our eyes on it before placing your order, you know we love being your personal shoppers and project helpers. Just e-mail me, Allison, at service@simplysockyarn.com as usual and I'm pretty darn quick about getting back to you that way. Plus I have awesome coloristas here who also have other ideas you might consider too. We like enabling your color expansion!

If you want to try a spankin' new yarn, here are a few combinations using the batch of Sport that just arrived from new dyer Less Traveled Yarn. Sport is lightly less weighty than DK, so you could either go down one needle size or you could use the needle size called for in the pattern for a slightly drapier look. LIke Joji mentioned, the exact weight isn't needed.

Please note, the photos below of Sport were just snapped by me and haven't been color corrected for accuracy like everything on our website. If you want to know the true nature of each color, the ones in the shop website in the Sport section are the most accurate.

Harvest Festival, Aspen, Pumpkin Spice

Homestead, Canyon, Harvest Festival

Mulberry Daiquiri, Barbie Goes Hunting and Truth or Consequences

Orion, Mulberry Daiquiri, Koi Pond

And if you made it all the way through this, don't you deserve the chance at a treat? How about a chance at three skeins of Tosh DK of your own to make this shawl or something else? Just tell me in the comments below if you think you would prefer to have a DK weight shawl in your life like Odyssey or if you live/work in a climate/office that would better suit a lighter weight fingering weight lacier shawl like perhaps Tracie, and leave me that comment before midnight EST on Friday, March 1. You're welcome to be as specific as you like about what shawls you are actually using this time of year and why. Please, do tell me about your vacation to Fiji and how you need a featherweight shawl right now! I'll choose a winner and e-mail and post here. And check out Instagram for another chance to win and this blog post here for another chance! All sorts of free yarn this week!

Me? I am in definite need of a DK or worsted weight shawl right now. Are you in the Midwest or another area where you've been visited by the Polar Vortex and the awful weather we've been experiencing? You know when USPS shuts down for days it has to be bad, right? But after several days of cold mess, the weather increases by 70 degrees (negative 30 to positive 40 in a day!) and everyone wants to go outside and walk and enjoy breathing normally! It's been crazy!

Less Traveled Yarn now available + a contest!

We've added a new dyer to the fold, husband and wife team Sarah and Matt of Less Traveled Yarn! 

Barbie Goes Hunting on Sport

Sarah originally wanted to open a yarn truck, bring yarn to the masses, hence the original name Traveling Yarn if you follow her on Instagram, and now she instead focuses on hand dyeing and making colorways inspired by adventure, travel and wanderlust. 

Canyon on Sport

I have for you her 757 Sock and a base that many of us have been waiting for.... a merino/nylon SPORT WEIGHT. It's hard to find this combo predictably, and I'm super happy that Sarah dyes this Sport base. It's great for just a bit heavier socks that you still want to hold up to wear. I use a US 1 on a fingering weight yarn, but I'd use a US 2.5 on this Sport.... maybe go down to a US 2 on the ball of my foot for a really dense fabric, since that's where I first find holes in my socks.

Diplomat on Sport

Sarah shared a few projects knit in her yarn so you can see how it knits up. Here are my faves...

A simple hat knit in what I believe is the Nordic Narwhal colorway

A beautiful sweater knit in Nightfall and The Sheldrake.

Sock started in Harlequin Robot (cool name, eh?!)

Adorable sweater in Spring Bouquet

Want a chance to win your very own skein of 757 Sock in the Diplomat colorway? All you have to do is tell me what is one of your favorite sock patterns in the comments below (please comment here on the blog, not Facebook or Instagram to be entered). Perhaps tell us one that you may not think many people know about, or one that you couldn't live without. And paste a Ravelry link if you'd like to make it easier for all of us to add to our queue. We all love a bit of inspiration!

I'll share that my go to is just a simple stockinette sock, but I really enjoyed knitting the Zigzagular Sock and really need to do that one again.

Leave me a comment below before noon EST on Wednesday, Feb 27 and I'll e-mail the winner and announce it here. Thanks for playing!

Opal Yarn, Claude Monet Collection

Preorders are now available here!

If you preorder the whole collection now (one of each ball), you're first in line for shipping when it arrives here in approx 10 days. You qualify for free US shipping at Check Out (just choose that option), and you'll receive tracking as usual when it leaves here.

Want just a color or two and not the whole collection? Or want more of one or two colors? That option will be available at this link once the half-ton of yarn we have coming actually gets here. But the preorder is great for those who really don't want to miss out, definitely want one of each, and want to secure it at $2-per-ball-below-retail.

We also have the new History collection coming in a few days! I can't wait to see this one in person, as the poster looks really great.

Coming soon from Germany....

As soon as next week we will have the new History collection from Opal Yarn. I really like the thin stripes interspersed with mottled black and grey, don't you? I especially like 9702 and 9704, but I can see how any of them would be an addictive knit as you keep on tinking on to see what's coming next.

Then, at the very end of the month I'm expecting the Claude Monet collection. I'm told it has cleared US Customs and is now being sorted through and getting ready to ship to yarn shops throughout the US. As soon as I am assured that the half-ton of this I ordered is on its way to us, I'll offer preorders of the whole collection below retail price (and free US shipping). And then once the collection arrives here I'll offer single balls/colors for immediate shipment, just like any Opal collection for as long as it lasts. I'll share more timeline details as soon as I have them. I can tell you before I even see these in person that 9686 is going to be the first on my needles. I can't wait!

And if you're waiting for more hand dyed yarn from German dyer Cathrin Walk of Walk Collection, that's on its way too! We received the DK weight yarn for the first time ever, and we're now waiting on restocks of the Cozy Merino Singles and Tough Sock.

Galaxy and Cosmic Chaos are two of my faves from this batch. Definitely hat worthy.

Want more German yarn? Let me know who your favorite German dyers are and I'll look into it. Just e-mail me at service@simplysockyarn.com.

Free tote with purchase

We're having a two-day Flash Tote Giveaway in the shop! This Valentine's day, if you place an order online February 13 or 14, we will include one of these organic cotton totes in your package. You don't need to do anything to get it, other than place an online order during these two days- no adding it to a cart, no e-mailing to request it- we will automatically tuck one into your package before we ship it to your doorstep. And if you are local and choose "in store pickup", we will hold it for you to pick up on one of our open days.

What might you like to gift yourself this Valentine's Day? How about one of the amazing new colors of Donegal Tweed Sock from Qing Fibres? I love the modern hues dyed on the traditional tweed. Bright hues with the texture of tweed just seems so modern and awesome. We also have these new colors of Super Soft Sock (cashmere blend), Sock and Singles.

Perhaps you'd like some imported yarn in a DK weight? I have a beautiful batch of Walk Collection from Germany and this is the first time I've offered their DK Merino, shown below in Galaxy.

If you've been waiting on a particular color of the Mineville Wool Project sock yarn in the Sale Section, check it out as I've just added the last bit that we were waiting to come through Customs. 

Did you miss out on the Valentine Kit a couple weeks ago? I have a few extra sets of yarn from that kit and I've put them at this link, should you want just the yarn. And if you purchased the entire kit and want just more yarn, just go purchase that and then e-mail me after and I'll refund you 20% on the yarn. That's right, if you purchased the kit originally, I'll give you money back if you wanted more of the same to make something larger or pass along to a friend! This yarn is AMAZING and I can't wait for Kayanna at Stitch Together Studios to send me a full array of colors. It's a wonderful merino/silk/cashmere blend that is so soft and sumptuous and takes the dye beautifully.

Help us serve you even better!

Throughout the first half of 2019, I'm focusing on implementing several of your requests and ideas to make SSYC even better. We've worked on growing our inventory over the past several years, increasing it to four times its size in as many years. Now we want to make sure you all know how much you matter to us and our continued growth by making possible all your ideas to make us an ever better online-local-yarn-shop!

How can we do this for you? I'd love your feedback and help. Is there a particular yarn line you want us to carry? Is there a way we can make your creative life better, easier, and more fulfilling? Do you want more kits or clubs? A bigger Sale Section or more budget friendly goods? Perhaps instead a wider array of luxury or imported fibers? What about patterns?  Do you buy those from vendors anymore or just on Ravelry (like me)? How do you educate yourself and communicate with your crafty peers?

I want to hear from you about anything and everything you'd like to share about what you do like, don't like, and want to see at Simply Socks Yarn Company. If you send me an e-mail to service@simplysockyarn.com sometime in February, I'll enter you in a contest to be one of two winners of a $60 gift certificates to use online. I may not respond to your e-mails, but you'll be entered. It would be helpful if you'd title your e-mail SSYC Suggestion Box. Say as much or as little as you'd like.

Your input over 13 years has made this yarn shop what it is today. I greatly value your opinions and knowledge and I will listen to what you have to say and see about making it happen. I'm closing comments on this post so that there isn't confusion- you need to e-mail me, Allison, at service@simplysockyarn.com instead of comment on the blog/Instagram/Facebook to enter the contest. I look forward to sharing with you in the coming months how we are going to grow and change to serve you better!

SSYC's Valentine Knit Kit is now available!

 

It's very appropriate how in love I am with this Valentine's Knit Kit. These little flowers and the combo of silk and cashmere makes me swooooooon. I hope that you love this as I do and if so that you snag one quick. If you want more details, you can find them on the previous blog before your buy.

What else might you like to add to your cart with this kit? How about the new yarn I added to the Sale Section? Rachael knit up this gorgeous Fern and Feather sweater in Mineville Wool Project's Merino DK, which we have a fresh batch of in the Sale Section. Plus we have more colors coming in at the end of the month (and sock weight coming later this month too). And if you don't see a color you like there, you might also consider knitting it in Madelinetosh Tosh DK because not only is it amazing, but we have a HUGE array of colors right now.

And if you want a smaller project in Mineville or Madelinetosh DK, might I suggest the Wurm hat? I just attached a pom pom (Silver Lining, Large size) to mine and I've worn it every day since. Especially since it was -30 here last week. I would have put on an XL sized pom pom if we had it in that color! I love a big ol' pom.

I used one of the Halloween colors of Spun Right Round for mine, but this is similar in color. And I love this too.