Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

Opal Yarn Van Gogh Collection

It's been years since Opal Yarn has made their most popular Van Gogh collection. And it's coming back to SSYC. A decade later.

I'll have more details here on the blog next month, including an opportunity to preorder the whole 8-color collection to save your place. Email me, Allison, at service@simplysockyarn.com if you want me to email you in a month or so when preorders are available. And I hope I can even offer a bit of a discount for preordering, like I was able to 10 years ago, even though costs in everything over the past year have risen so much. And yes, once it actually arrives here you'll be able to order single balls as well.

I can't begin to explain to you how popular this collection is and how many e-mails I still get asking if we have any of this available or know where to get it. Each color is a little yarny work of art and I'm really looking forward to getting all this in my own stash again. I just got confirmation today that we'll be getting this late 2021/early 2022 (you know, importing, shipping, supply chains being so difficult to pin down), and I am in a state of happy shock. I can't believe that I'll be able to knit all these again (I only knit two so far) and that I'll be able to make so many sock knitters happy with this.

Magner Co. Totes are Back! + A contest!

I'm so happy to share that Magner Co. bags are back in the shop! Casey makes his wonderful bags from the highest quality waxed canvas and leather details from Wicket & Craig Tannery in PA. These totes are not for the faint of heart. Definitely swoon worthy.

Want a chance to win a tote of your own? Then get to Instagram or Facebook today to enter the contest on the post that has the picture below. I'll randomly choose one person to win this beautiful Olive tote.

I love mine. I use it a lot, not just for knitting, but as a carry all. There are five pockets, one zippered, and three vertical slots to hold needles or pens. There are also grommets if you like to secure your yarn that way. It holds my stuff plus random kid things (like Pokemon cards and legos) and the waxed canvas repels all those kid spills. Oh, who am I kidding? I spill coffee more than they spill anything. But you get the idea. It's a dream bag for a busy, slightly messy person like me.

The free project bag we are gifting you this week even fits all nice and tidy inside. Yep, that's right. You get our free Socktober bag with your Magner bag this week. Two bags for one!

There are several new colors that we haven't had before, including Hibiscus Pink (above) and Seafoam. And some of these colors like Ocean Blue haven't been around for a couple years because fabric has been one of those things that's hard to get during the pandemic.

Heather's holding the Nautical Red color. I think this photo shows how roomy the bag is - it's quite a nice size.

We only get one or two batches of these bags a year, our last one was in March. So please don't hesitate if you'd really like a certain one. I thought that that waxed-canvas-weathered-nature of these bags would mean that the more natural or subdued colors would go the fastest. But the bright ones like Red and Purple always seem to go first. And this time we have some really vivid hues. Here's a short video Casey made about his process, if you want to see.

Free Bag w/ Purchase this week!

It's Socktober, friends! Socktober is a month long celebration of all things sock knitting and we're doing it up big again this year at SSYC with gifts-with-purchase, contests, limited Halloween goodies and Knit Kits, sales and more! It's a fun time of year where I get to treat our supporters of 16 years to treats all month long.

What's this week's Socktober Surprise? Place your online order Monday through Friday this week (through Sunday if we have enough left) and we'll automatically include one of these in your package before we ship it out to you. You don't need to e-mail to request it or add it to your cart in any way. Just place your online order as usual and we'll tuck one in your parcel before we seal it up. Yes, you can get this with Contactless Pickup too if you're local. One bag per person, please, even if you place multiple orders throughout the week. We want to make sure there's enough to go around.

What might you like to purchase this week to receive your gift? We're nearing gift giving season, so let's talk about how we can make a stunning impression for those we love (which might include yourself!). I'm betting we've all heard/read about supply chain issues and how holiday gifts might not arrive in time for Christmas. But if you knit or crochet, you don't have to worry about that, do you? Because we can all create amazing gifts in days, especially if we're knitting up a heavier weight yarn. And for the first time in 16 years, we have a super bulky yarn for you in Malabrigo Rasta. Yes, we have specialized in fingering weight goodies for well over a decade. But when you tell me you want something, I go all in and make it happen. 

Rasta shown above in Cherry Vanilla and below in Bahamas Green.

Rasta is great for creating a hat or mittens in mere hours. Lotus Flower Beanie is a popular choice for two colors. As is this one. This one's cute too. Or this for a single hued hat with cozy cables. Of course, we have the poms to go with the hats too (and yes, you'd get the free bag with the purchase of just a pom). Want a head band? What about this one?

Rios shown in our exclusive holiday color, Las Fiestas

Want worsted weight yarn for a cozy winter sweater? How about Malabrigo Rios or Madelinetosh Vintage? We have a couple hundred colors between the two of those. And matching lots for sweater quantities too.

Want to knit up a pair of socks quicker than usual? How about the newest Regia 8ply sock yarn? These will knit up twice as fast as typical fingering weight socks. 

Want something addictive? I'm smitten with these Zauberperlen sets of 7 mini cakes. These would make a stunning gift in the Quadra Cowl, Batad (paired with a solid),

Blossom Gradient in color 03-King Protea

Do you love a yarn that does the work for you? Have you checked out the Blossom Gradients from Wonderland Yarns? These 425 yard cakes graduate through a spectrum of colors and create a gorgeous effect with minimal effort. I'd knit up the Myndie shawlette with any of these colors and I'm betting if I have several people in mind who would gasp when they opened a gift of this. Ok, I think I just may cast on tonight. Other yarn ideas for the Myndie pattern are Fiberstory's mini sets, Sweet Georgia's mini sets or the Zauberperlen mentioned earlier.

How about gifting yourself to a gorgeous knit like the Little Women inspired mini skein set from Six and Seven Fibers with this cowl. The knit itself would be such a treat, and then if you decided you wanted to gift it to someone, you could. 

We have this beautiful sock set from Dream in Color. A full sized skein plus a mini of Smooshy. Plus oh-so-much Smooshy with Cashmere in stock right now for all the luxury socks and shawls and sweaters you might like to make. Who doesn't want cashmere in their sock drawer??

Juliet sock in Candy Corn

Want a Halloween goodie? We have a few options left from our Halloween event. Skeins, kits, stitch markers.... all cute and spooky options.

I'll share more goodies later this week here on the blog.... and some contests too.  After all, we have over 16 tons of yarn to share with you online and in person, so of course there will be goods galore arriving all week long!

Shown here, just a bit of our 2 tons of Madelinetosh

Shopping vs Making this Holiday

Have you been reading/hearing about all the supply chain issues in the world right now? And specifically how it relates to all that holiday gift giving? I have, and while I'm not at all surprised by it because of what I do for a living and what I've had to do differently over the past year to make sure I have goods, I am not really worried about it at all because as far as gift giving goes, I'm a knitter. I can make things for people.

Are you thinking the same thing? That because we can knit awesome gifts for the people in our lives we don't have the society-imposed-stress of shopping early just in case things get stuck places? That's exactly where I am. I'm not worried at all about getting the right gifts in time for Christmas. I'm not out at Target trying to find things or frantically ordering on Amazon. I'm good.

I'm also a pretty good craft person and maker in general. I've made beer, wine, taken a class on barrel aging liquors, I've done stained glass, and I'm sure a myriad of other things I'm forgetting. I can make a mean ginger pear butter or bourbon apple butter and can that. And people always love gift cards. And I can still support my local places or fave online shops with gift cards.

And really, in general, I haven't bought a lot of things for my kids the past couple years. We do a big gift and a few littler ones, and I think maybe this year we may splurge on a vacation instead of presents. Last year, for my whole extended family that's what we did- spent a day outside together doing something special (all 18 of us) instead of buying gifts for anyone. And this summer we spent a week at the lake together. I'm really enjoying buying "experiences" instead of things.

Is there something that you or someone in you life really want for Christmas that you're worried about getting? I would love to be able to find a PS5 for my kids, but that's one of those chip-related-issues and we can't find one (at a reasonable/retail price) anywhere and so gave up. So I'm thinking maybe the fam and I will go to a basketball game in Indy or a comedy show or something instead of more gifts. How about you? Are you buying or making this year?

And in case you're wondering, we have definitely experienced changes in what is available, how long it takes to get here and how much it costs. But I've worked pretty hard and smart to get what we need, or replace it with something even better. So I hope you haven't noticed a lack of anything at SSYC.

SSYC Winter Hat Set

We've been doing some really fun sock sets (full sized skeins + contrasting minis for toes and heels) for the past year and they have been so popular that they typically sell out in a couple days when we release them the first week of the month. So I decided to design another curated option, Hat Sets!

Curious Harvest Hat Set

Sock Sets will still be released the beginning of the month, and these Hat Sets will be released mid-month this fall and winter as well. All at the Kits & Clubs link. Each set includes a full sized skein of yarn (all worsted weight this month) and a hand made, beautifully coordinated pom pom. So if you want a project where you don't have to make any color decisions and my dyers and makers have done all the work for you, these are for you.

Mermaid Song Hat Set

All the SSYC Hat Sets will be in the Kits & Clubs section like the Sock Sets are. They will just be listed at different times during the month. Early month for Sock Sets, mid-month for Hat Sets.

Startling Starling Hat Set

These have been super fun to put together. The pom colors really do bring out the best in the skeins. All you have to do is choose a pattern and of course I have suggestions for those too. This month, take a look at Shilling Hat, Citrus Hat and Declan's Hat.

Saltwater Taffy Hat Set

October's Hat Sets feature the work of Madelinetosh (Tosh Vintage) and Dream in Color (Classy Cashmere). And the poms are made by our pom pom artisan. Curating heavier weight yarn kits is new for us, as we typically focus on sock weight goods for our clubs and kits, so I'm unsure how fast these will sell. There are 6 options in the Kits & Clubs section now, so if you don't see something you wanted, that means it sold out already. 

Speckled Storm Hat Set

Please do feel free to e-mail me, Allison, at service@simplysockyarn.com if you really wanted one that you don't see there because I may be able to get some of the options again later in the winter for you. I love all of these, but only snagged one for myself in this round, so you'd kind of be doing me a favor too, "forcing" me to remake some of these. But there will be 6 new options next month too.... and the following month.... and on throughout the cold season. There will be other featured dyers too.

Splashy Birch Hat Set

All the pom poms were made specially for the sets, so we don't have these colors in our Pom section right now. They are so gorgeous that I'll try and offer them later. Plus we have a big pom restock coming in less than a month of popular and new hues. And if the poms look big in the pictures, they are the large size, so 5-6 inches. Not too large, but perfect for an adult hat (and adorably big for a kid's hat). Because the poms are closer to the camera than the yarn, the perception is that they are slightly larger than they really are in person.

*Remember, faux fur pom poms are not washable like your knitted hats. You need to untie the poms from your hat before washing the hat. If you haven't affixed a pom to a hat before, it's simple- you just loop the strings on the pom through the top of your hat and tie it into a bow on the inside of the hat. Some people put a large button on the inside of the hat and loop the strings through that so that the tension isn't distributed over just a few stitches. But I don't find that's necessary.

New this Week + Sale on a Sale!

Happy Socktober! It's the second week of our Socktober celebration and so today we're giving you our second Socktober Surprise! If you enter coupon code SockSale at Check Out (or in the coupon code field of your Cart if you don't want to forget), you'll get an additional 10% off our already reduced Sale Section! This means you'll be getting more than 50% off Regia and other lines that are there. We have 200 options in our Sale Section right now - there are self patterning options, Polwarth wool skeins (that are already marked $10 less than their $28 merino counterparts from the same dyer, LYC), super sized Colossal skeins from Dream in Color (DIC), and beautiful painted options from Cascade (CY) that even have silk. Don't forget to enter coupon code SockSale to get your discount.

This is Urth Yarn's striping DK yarn in color 6019 in the Sale Section (at the bottom of the 2nd page are all the other colors too). It's perfect for a simple cowl for holiday gifts. Maybe this one?

Malabrigo Rasta in Aniversario

What's new this week? Malabrigo Rasta! This is the first time in our 16 years that we have offered a super bulky yarn, but we offer so much Malabrigo and you all asked for it, so I'm happy to oblige! We may have started our journey16 years ago with only sock yarn, but your requests and guidance have helped us offer oh-so-much more. We will typically stick to easy care goods, but I just couldn't resist your urging to offer Rasta, so while it's not machine washable, the price and quality are so great that I couldn't resist. Each skein is 150g so plenty for a hat. But many of the more popular patterns call for two colors to do some colorwork. But this one is likely to be the first on my needles. I think it will help keel me warm (and hopefully cute!) this winter. Need larger needles for Rasta? I'll soon have them on the website too from Addi and HiyaHiya.

Malabrigo Rasta in Carousel

And you know that when we offer a line, we go all in. So you'll be able to see ALL the Rasta colors at SSYC. We have 75% of them today, and the rest are of course in a container out in the middle of somewhere waiting to get here. Such is pandemic importing. But we'll soon have them all so that you can knit all the things.

What else is coming this week? I hinted on Instagram earlier this morning that our SSYC Sock Sets (released at the beginning of the month here) have been so popular that we are going to do some cold weather Hat Sets as well! These are full sized skeins from some of your fave dyers paired with our hand made pom poms. This is a great way to pick a set and have a lovely result without ever wondering "Does this pom go with this yarn?" Yep. It does. And the result will be fabulous. These will be in the Kits & Clubs section.

I hope to have 6 options per month for you this fall/winter, and they will be released mid-month (instead of the beginning of the month for the Sock Sets). I'm super excited about these and hope to have them all up on the website for you at our Kits & Clubs section Tuesday.

Our yarn companies are starting to release their heavier weight sock options, and the first we will have for you (again likely on Tuesday) is Regia's 8ply Snow Color set. This is great for thicker socks and b/c it's a light worsted weight it knits up faster. Really nice for when you want something awesome for a gift and you're in a time crunch too.

I'm sure there's more as well, but this is what's on my mind this Monday morning. I hope you see something that inspires you! Check the blog next week as well to see what our next Socktober Surprise is.

Ask the Knitters

Dear Knitters,

Can you recommend a sock pattern for dummies?? One that is REALLY easy to follow without a teacher?? I've never made socks and I really want to learn! What better time than Socktober?!

Chrissy-the-Future-Sock-Knitter

*                    *                    *

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

Grab Your Halloween Goodies Today!

It's time to snag some Halloween treats! It might also be time to grab a mug of hot tea and settle in because this is a looooooong post. Most of these will be at the Kits & Clubs link. If I've pictured/listed normal colors that dyers make that are simply Halloween themed, I've tried to list them all at the Kits & Clubs link but I've also left direct links to them below. Things often do sell fast, so if you have questions about anything that you can't find, please do feel free to e-mail me, Allison, at service@simplysockyarn.com.

And with any purchase through the 7th you get these two free patterns! I just e-mail them to you within three days of your order (you don't need to put them in your cart or ask for them, it's automatic). Happy Socktober!

SSYC's Boolicious Knit Kit is super fun, if I do say so myself. This Knit Kit features a full sized skein and mini in Fiberstory's Fave Sock (I'm totally addicted to stashing these minis). I originally hadn't thought of adding a mini with the full sized skein, but Sarah showed me that a charcoal skein that's very slightly sprinkled with the coordinating yellow and orange would just put this over the top and I'm so glad we added it. The bag is super cute, right? Ghoulish little cupcakes adorn this sock project bag made by Mommy Sews. The kit is finished by these faux leather (washable) Hand Made tags to stitch onto your project. And we all need more tapestry needles, right? That's the one thing I'm always searching for in my knitting cabinet.

Limited Edition Nightmare colorway from Madelinetosh (+ four free stitch markers)

I worked with Madelinetosh this summer to develop the above color - this tangy, eerie colorway that we call Nightmare. It's a bright oddity that reminds me of what melted Nerd candy would look like and it's so outside my color wheel that I, of course, snagged one for my stash. That seems to be what's making me dive all in lately- things I wouldn't usually choose. I've paired it with little Nerd candy stitch markers so you can add even more color to your needles - and the markers are just a little gift from me to you. I couldn't resist giving you even more incentive to try something outside your color wheel, like I am.

Spooky Stars available on Twist Light sock and Tosh Sock (Twist Light has nylon, Tosh Sock does not) and Vintage (worsted weight)

Monster Mash, available on Twist Light and Tosh Sock

Slimer, available on Twist Light and Tosh Sock

Swamp Thing available on Tosh Sock and Pashmina

Want more Madelinetosh? I have restocks of their Halloween hues like Monster Mash, Spooky Stars, Slimer, and Swamp Thing on Tosh Sock and Twist Light Sock (100% merino and merino/nylon, respectively). All shown above on Tosh Sock. There are direct links to the colors above with the pictures.

Yarn Love's Boo-Ya Sock Set + Stitch Markers (I definitely grabbed one of these for myself, and I may be able to offer this as a preorder. So if you want one, and they sell out, check back at that link and see if I'm now offering it as a preorder that we will have dyed just for you).

Yarn Love's Juliet Sock in Frankenstein

Yarn Love's Juliet Sock in Candy Corn

Yarn Love's Juliet Sock in Monster Mash

Yarn Love's Juliet Sock in Gimme Candy

Yarn Love's Juliet Sock in Polyjuice Potion

Yarn Love's Happy Jack Sock Kit (yarn and pattern)

Katie at Yarn Love is serving up all the cute creepy vibes with Yarn Love Mini Sets, skeins of her Juliet Sock and this adorable Sock Set that comes with a a big and mini skein and these four stitch markers. Can these get any cuter? Above are the Juliet skeins in Frankenstein, Candy Corn, Moster Mash and Gimme Candy plus the Happy Jack Sock Kit (comes with the pattern if you just e-mail me after asking for it). Below are the mini sets.

Yarn Love's Polyjuice Potion Mini Set

Yarn Love's Spooky Stripes Mini Set - this is great if you want mini skeins to go with any of the full sized Juliet skeins. Or to make your own striped socks with the minis.

Yarn Love's Black Purl Mini Set

Yarn Love's Pumpkin Carving Mini Set

What about other knitworthy Halloween colorways? Spun Right Round has those for you with Monster Mash, Bitten, Ectoplasm and Haunts all shown on Singles. I love these complicated colors with a simple pattern like the Sockhead Cowl or Sockhead Hat. Or get addicted to the Free For All Cowl and make it for all your holiday gifts. Want an added treat? Use the coupon code SRR20 to get 20% off all Spun Right Round yarn through Friday! Just another Socktober Treat from me to you.

Want a bag with your yarn? I have two options for you, this cute skeleton bag, or charming little Vlady Warhol.

If you want a snarky, fun bag for your goodies, I have more of these too. 

Want sweet skull stitch markers? I have these from Katrinkles.

This is the October Sock-It Set from Dream in Color and it's inspired by a haunted statue in Chicago's Graceland Cemetery called Eternal Silence (read about it on this earlier blog post). This was released just a few days ago and I have less than half of them left. Each month has sold out within a couple weeks so far. They are super popular.

Want basic orange and black so that you can make your own Halloween striped socks? I have basic black and orange for you in Opal Unisolids, Trekking XXL Solids and Cascade Heritage. All are fingering weight, machine washable wool/nylon blends that make wonderful socks or mitts.

Miss Babs makes some awesome zombie themed colorways and I especially like Zombie Games on the Estrellita sparkle base.

Zombie Honeymoon is pretty spectacular too. I have it on Estrellita, Tarte Sock (which has a little bit of Tencel to give it even greater durability and a bit of sheen), Yowza DK and Yummy 2ply.

And Biker Chick is always a Halloween fave- and I just happen to have it at the right time of year (it usually sells fast and I just happened to get some recently). I have it for you on Yowza DK, shown below, Estrellita sparkle, Putnam Sock (their newer sock base) Tarte Sock and Yummy 2ply (merino, no nylon). This is a classic Halloween color, right?

I highly recommend making a Halloween cowl out of one of these fingering weigh Biker Chick skeins (Yowza is the only DK) and the Free For All Cowl pattern. Like using the Putnam Sock below.

And our first Socktober Surprise is still valid through October 7 - if you order before then I'll also e-mail you these two patterns from This Handmade Life. We have more Socktober Surprises coming too as the month progresses so please do come back to the blog for details as I have them.

Want a nice variegated orange for a sweater, socks or cowl? What about one of these?

Pumpkin Juice from Six & Seven Fibres available on Barley Singles or luxurious Alfalfa MCN (merino/cashmere/nylon) Sock

Swift Yarn (NY based studio) has Pumpkin Spice on Bliss Sock (MCN) and Tender sock (merino/nylon)

And isn't it funny that Madelinetosh has a Pumpkin Spice as well (on Twist Light and Pashmina) but it looks very different than any other dyer who makes a color with that name? It's mostly buttery yellow with speckles. Oh, and if you need a good pattern for Pashmina, I keep meaning to start a Tell the Bees. Do give it a look.

I also like the idea of some tweed in the orange. So maybe some Hue Loco Tweed Sock in Pumpkin?

Or Less Traveled Yarn's Tweed Me Sock in Pumpkin Spice?

I'm sure there are many more pumpkin inspired knits in the shop right now too, but I have to stop somewhere, right? Maybe at Pumpkin color poms. That's where I'll stop. I hope you enjoyed a tasty hot beverage like I'm about too, now that I've finished one of the lengthiest posts I've done. And you know I'll probably do another more fall-color inspired post in a week or two as well.

Thank you for indulging me in my quest for all things Halloweeny! I appreciate your support of our fun creative endeavors - for pushing me to curate some unique kits and our dyers into really coloring outside the lines. As always, our limited edition goods tend to sell fast and while I'd love to have enough for everyone, some things do sell out fast- often within hours. Just know that I have some more awesome kits and skeins planned for later this fall and into the Christmas holiday season. There's always something colorful on the horizon here!

Please note that on busy days like this, we are unlikely to be able to combine several order into one to save you on shipping. On normal days, we often see notes like "I just placed an order two hours ago. Please combine and save me shipping if you can." And we're happy to do so if it's noticed. But on days like this we are too busy to see these notes in time (one order ships before we even look at the next stack of orders), so please expect orders to ship as you make them.

Preview of Tomorrow's Halloween Treats!

Tuesday mid-morning (typically 10am-11am) is when you'll find all the spooky and adorable Halloween knits so you can knit all October long! Here's what you'll find at the Kits & Clubs link tomorrow.

SSYC's Boolicious Knit Kit. This Knit Kit features a full sized skein and mini in Fiberstory's Fave Sock (I'm totally addicted to stashing these minis). I originally hadn't thought of adding a mini with the full sized skein, but Sarah showed me that a charcoal skein that's very slightly sprinkled with the coordinating yellow and orange would just put this over the top and I'm so glad we added it. The bag is super cute, right? Ghoulish little cupcakes adorn this sock project bag made by Mommy Sews. The kit is finished by these faux leather (washable) Hand Made tags to stitch onto your project. And we all need more tapestry needles, right? That's the one thing I'm always searching for in my knitting cabinet.

I worked with Madelinetosh this summer to develop this tangy, eerie colorway that we call Nightmare. It's a bright oddity that reminds me of what melted Nerd candy would look like and it's so outside my color wheel that I, of course, snagged one for my stash. That seems to be what's making me dive all in lately- things I wouldn't usually choose. I've paired it with little Nerd candy stitch markers so you can add even more color to your needles - and the markers are just a little gift from me to you.

Want more Madelinetosh? I have restocks of their Halloween hues like Monster Mash, Spooky Stars, Slimer, and Swamp Thing on Tosh Sock and Twist Light Sock (100% merino and merino/nylon, respectively). All shown above on Tosh Sock.

Katie at Yarn Love is serving up all the cute creepy vibes with Yarn Love Mini Sets, skeins of her Juliet Sock and this adorable Sock Set that comes with a a big and mini skein and these four stitch markers. Can these get any cuter? Above are the Juliet skeins in Frankenstein, Candy Corn, Moster Mash and Gimme Candy plus the Happy Jack Sock Kit (comes with the pattern if you just e-mail me after asking for it). Below are the mini sets.

What about more knitworthy Halloween colorways?  Spun Right Round has those for you with Monster Mash, Bitten, Ectoplasm and Haunts. I love these complicated colors with a simple pattern like the Sockhead Cowl or Sockhead Hat. Want an added treat? Use the coupon code SRR20 to get 20% off all Spun Right Round yarn through Friday! Just another Socktober Treat from me to you.

Want a bag with your yarn? I have two options for you, this cute skeleton bag, or charming little Vlady Warhol.

If you want a snarky, fun bag for your goodies, I have more of these too. 

Want cute stitch markers? I have these from Katrinkles.

I do think there's some things that I'm missing, but you'll find everything at the Kits and Clubs link tomorrow. The Spun Right Round and the Madelinetosh colors will be listed in their normal categories, as linked above. 

And our first Socktober Surprise is still valid through October 7 - if you order before then I'll also e-mail you these two patterns from This Handmade Life. We have more Socktober Surprises coming too as the month progresses so please do come back to the blog for details as I have them.

Please note that on busy days like this, we are unlikely to be able to combine several order into one to save you on shipping. On normal days, we often see notes like "I just placed an order two hours ago. Please combine and save me shipping if you can." And we're happy to do so if we can. But on days like this we are too busy to see these notes in time, so please expect orders to ship as you order them.

It's Socktober!! Let's CELEBRATE! + A Contest

It's Socktober, friends! Socktober is a month long celebration of all things sock knitting and we're doing it up big again this year at SSYC with gifts-with-purchase, contests, limited Halloween goodies and Knit Kits, sales and more! I really do love this time of year - it's so fun to treat others to yarn and goodies that make us smile, all leading up to a time of candy and costumes and then holiday festivities! Come join us here on the blog whenever you want to see what's new in the shop, what tokens we're giving you, and how you can win prizes. We'll have something new going on each week this month. Do bookmark the blog!

What's this week's Socktober Surprise? Two gifts!! Just order online today through October 7 and I'll gift you not one but TWO sock patterns from This Handmade Life! I'm a big fan of Olivia's patterns, so she and I have chosen two patterns that we both think you'll appreciate. St. Mary Mead (above) is addictively simple and Kelpie (below) is a bit more tangy and I'll e-mail them to you after your online order (those link to the Ravelry pages so you can see more). You don't have to e-mail to request them or add them to your cart or anything. I'll automatically send you the patterns via e-mail within 3 days of your order (if you don't get them four days after your order, just e-mail service@simplysockyarn.com to ask). After you get your e-mailed order receipt, please add us to your Contacts just in case so the pattern e-mail doesn't go to spam. 

This is just one way I'll be showing you my thanks over the month as we celebrate our 16th Socktober at Simply Socks Yarn Co! What else can you expect this month? Well, next week is our big online Halloween Event where we release the ghoulish goodies we have for you this year - a Knit Kit, limited edition skeins, bags, stitch markers and more. I'll preview all these on Monday, and my hope is to have everything go live on Tuesday at the Kits & Clubs link.

So what might you like to purchase to get your free patterns this week? How about the new holiday color
from West Yorkshire Spinners? These always go fast and Vintage Tinsel can be found here along with their other holiday colors that I have restocked. Silent Night sparkle is last year's color that I've been able to get more of too.

I also have for you the Dream in Color Sock-It-Set for October, which is inspired by graveyard gardens. And we have a huge amount of Smooshy and Smooshy with Cashmere for all the things.

We have a full restock of all our Madelinetosh, and Tosh Sock would be perfect to use for the patterns I'm gifting you. We have over 300 colors in several Tosh base yarns, above with Joan showing it off, and we stock every color of Malabrigo too. And I'm even adding super bulky Malabrigo Rasta to our offerings very soon - it has arrived, but takes quite a while to photograph it all. As you may know, we photograph all our yarn when it gets here instead of using stock photos so that you get the best idea you can about what your hand dyed skeins will actually look like.

We have the two newest Opal Yarn Collections, 25 Years of Opal and Rainforest 17. Can you believe they've been doing the Rainforest collection for 17 years now?!

And if you want a fab deal on yarn for your gift socks, take a look at our Sale Section. Page 2 has dozens of Regia options for 50% off. This stuff is fun to knit and is easy care, which is perfect when you're gifting socks to someone this Christmas.

Want to try a wool other than merino? I have a Polwarth wool sock yarn in our Sale Section from Laneras Yarn Co (LYC) for only $18 a skein. Gorgeous Uruguayan milled yarn.

Finally, we just received a fresh batch of our exclusive yarn from Dream in Color (DIC), Colossal Sock. This yarn has 50% more than a typical skein and it's just $21. You can find dozens of colors in the Sale Section. We get this yarn every 5-6 weeks and it always goes fast.

And if you've made it all the way to the bottom of this lengthy blog post, you deserve the chance at at treat! I'm giving away two $50 gift certificates to the shop and you can enter to win simply by telling me in the comments what you love about fall. I'll randomly choose two winners by noon EST on October 5 and e-mail you.

What do I love about fall? LOTS. Knitting at my boys' soccer games without sweating in the hot sun, decorating my fireplace mantle with whatever Halloween craft we make (like this cute paper garland), the smell of the crisp fall air, hiking in the falling leaves (though I won't be doing that this year with this torn Achilles), knitting under a crocheted blanket, making applesauce.... there's much to look forward to this fall!

Want to see more yarny goodness? If you haven't seen SSYC and our  , you can view this interview and tour by Krissy Glass. She came to visit earlier this summer and did an interview and shop tour. Do watch!

Dream in Color Sock It Set, October 2021

It’s spooky October and this month’s Dream in Color Sock It Set is inspired by the haunted statue in Chicago's Graceland Cemetery called Eternal Silence. How's that for gorgeous ghoulishness?

Veronica has this to say about this month's creation:

    You might think that a cemetery breaks with my garden theme. I know that not everyone thinks of cemeteries as “gardens” but some of the best heirloom roses, azaleas, lilacs and hydrangea’s can be found there. If you go visit one bring your garden shears to get some cutting to propagate. 

    Almost every city has a beautiful cemetery and I’ve been to more than my fair share… I went through a “cemetery phase” where I visited one in just about every city I went to. My list of favorites include Pere Lachaise in Paris, Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond VA, St Louis Cemetery in New Orleans and Graceland Cemetery in Chicago. Do you have a favorite cemetery? Does your town need to be on my list? 

This combo is right in my wheelhouse/colorwheel. I love deep hues like the navy/violet of the mini skein, and the murky teal (like oxidized copper) with floral hues makes an uncommon combo that could easily end up muddy if it wasn't dyed by someone with 15 years experience. I especially like the single yellow/gold stitches that remind me of an anther of a flower's stamen - the little part inside that holds all the pollen. This attention to detail is exactly what I love about Veronica's work. I hope you can grab one of these sets while we have them!

Fall Batch of Colossal Sock

I have a stunning batch of Dream in Color's Colossal Sock for you today in the Sale Section. We've had this base for over a year now (it's exclusive to us to celebrate our 15th anniversary and is a super price) and this batch to particularly beautiful. So much so, that I just have to show it off to you in detail.

I love the fall hues like Lafayette, Burr and Pop Up Skein Sept 2021

Then we have other fall-ish hues like Element 79, Catching Stars, and Ginger Ninja

In the mood for awesome but not particularly seasonal? I'm loving Whetstone, Uptown Electric, and Floral Latte.

Love blues, greens and vivid water hues or island notes? Brilliant, Jessamyn and Island are the way to go.

These are just a few of the stashworthy skeins I have for you. Colossal Sock (found in our sale section) is a bit more rustic feeling than some sock yarns. It feels like Smooshy Sock Yarn used to, 15 years ago when it first came out. Smooshy has been reworked over the years to be a bit more smooth, and I do offer that too if you love these colors and want that. I also have many of these in Smooshy with Cashmere, which is about the softest sock yarn you'll ever feel. There's definitely something for everyone with Dream in Color, that's for sure. And tomorrow, I'll share with you October's Sock It Set. It's right up my alley/colorwheel!!!

Laneras Yarn Co. - Barefoot Sock

We've been asked for lots of input over the past few weeks on colors for the upcoming Stephen West MKAL. I've shared a few ideas on Instagram and the recent batch of Barefoot Sock from Laneras Yarn Co. inspired me to share a few color ideas that I like together. 

These colors can all be found in the Sale Section because the price of this beautiful Polwarth wool sock yarn is $10 less than comparable merino skeins. It's a superb deal. You can find all the merino blends under Lanera's former name Vrinda Yarn on our website (they changed their name earlier this year).

I hope this inspires you a bit to combine hues for this shawl. If you are looking for other color ideas or help making sure the colors you like together look as good in person as you hope, just e-mail me at service@simplysockyarn.com.

 

What's coming this week

Many of you are waiting for the Cascade 220 Superwash restock so you can get the rest of your colors for the Blanket of Many Stitches MKAL and you'll now find all those colors here. Please note that a few colors were backordered so we can help you sub something similar if you e-mail me at service@simplysockyarn.com. Please don't hesitate if there's a color you want. And if you want the details of the MKAL, you'll find them all here on the initial blog post.

I also have the awesome 2021 holiday color from West Yorkshire Spinners, Vintage Tinsel. It's a super cute stripe with glitter, and it comes with a free pattern that I'll e-mail back to you if you simply respond to your e-mailed receipt and ask me for it.

I'm photographing our restock of Emma's Yarn this week and so I'll have that up for you. Also restocks of the Laneras Yarn Barefoot Sock, which is the only Polwarth wool sock yarn I have. You'll find it in the Sale Section for $19, which is $10 less than comparable merino blends. You're getting a fab deal for a different type of wool. And it's soft and takes the dye beautifully.

I'm sure there will be more too!

 

Just a Tease

You know, just a tease of things to come. Like I do.

Above, the Vintage Christmas 2021 Holiday Color from West Yorkshire Spinners (comes with pattern too). Coming next week. Below, the yarn for the upcoming Boolicious Knit Kit coming the first week of October (there's a bag and accessories too).

I'm super excited about Halloween and Christmas this year. I have some really creative colors, kits and a special SSYC exclusive holiday/winter themed countdown package that I can't wait to share. So. Much!