Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

New from Six & Seven Fibers!!!

Yes, it's worth three exclamation points in the title!

Not only do we have some amazing new hues and restocks in Six & Seven Fibers, but because Casapinka created a new sock pattern for our anniversary celebration, I've asked Rachel to recreate the sock sets that she dyed up for us earlier this year! 

Shown above are Gorse and White Way of Delight on Alfalfa MCN

I'm a big fan of Rachel's way with color. She doesn't rely on the boldest of combinations or neons to make her impact, but instead layers tones upon speckles upon splashes of color and the results are romantic, wearable skeins. I have these colors available on Alfalfa (cashmere blend sock) and Barley (singles).

And these sock sets are divine, right? I love that she uses her super soft merino/cashmere/nylon base for the full sized skein and for the mini skein that gets more wear she used a merino/nylon that's more durable. They go great together right? And the price is comparable to some dyers single skeins of MCN yarn- it's almost like getting a complimentary mini skein!

These sets would be perfect with the Derby Diva pattern. And if you order before the end of the month, I e-mail you a coupon code to make the pattern a free download.

I also have more of the 10-mini-skein collections inspired by Harry Potter and Anne of Green Gables. I'm knitting up the Harry Potter one right now into a simple scarf. I cast on 56 stitches on a US 4, and ever other row I increase on one side and decrease on the other to create a diagonal garter stitch look. And every couple inches I put in a row of eyelet to make it a bit more interesting. And I just change color as the mini skein ends, using up every last bit. I'm on color four right now and it's a really enjoyable, simple knit.

Hedgehog + SSYC Anniversary Fade Collaboration

Sometimes I think dyers read my mind. Or at least get to know me and my tastes so well that they are just so easy to work with and produce just-on results each time. Such is the case for the dyers at Hedgehog Fibres today, as I reveal our 14th Anniversary 5-skein Fade.

Aren't these color just so now? The corals with the orchid and the pops of yellow? I mean, I gave no direction at all with this fade, and when I look around my house at the colors I chose for my flower boxes and my gardens, it is right up my alley.

Is it up your alley too? If so, please don't hesitate because I don't have very many of these limited edition fades. I don't believe any recipe was saved, so this is the only batch I'll be getting.

But I also have a new batch of Potluck fades, which Beata assembles for us, like Fade 69 shown above and Fade 71 shown below. There's just one each of these fades made from potluck colors or test skeins or whatever little misfits she has at the studio.

I'll have a restock of all our Hedgehog too, likely on Monday. So if there's a color you're been waiting for on Sock or Skinny Singles or DK, we will likely have it for you very soon.

Something super special from Fleece Artist

I'm so proud to share this wonderful deal for the Sale Section we have for you from Fleece Artist to celebrate our 14th anniversary! We have for you their Halo Bundles, a full sized skein of Merino Singles and a skein of Angel Hair, paired together for 33% off the normal price of at least $47! Many of you have been asking us to offer a laceweight mohair option to carry along with fingering weight yarn for all those fuzzy accessories everyone is making, and this definitely fits the bill (and we will so be offering mohair from several of our hand dyers). I've already stashed several of these hoping to make Ambah Obrien's Cheri Chevron pattern my go-to gift for this coming Christmas.

Cheri Chevon shawl photos courtesy of Ambah OBrien

I have dozens of color options for you- some like Stardust paired with Stardust so you can knit a project that's all over one color. 

Some like Tahitian Dream + Zest so you can either knit more bold stripes or carry the two together for a hat of scarf that has an all over marled effect. 

What other patterns might you want to make with these? You can hold them together to make basically any sport weight pattern. Marled Magic by Stephen West is a popular option to combine many colors. Birds of a Feather by Andrea Mowry has over 2000 projects on Ravelry already. I'd get two sets to make sure you have enough for this one and then you'd also have some leftover to make a hat or mittens. Want super soft hats? Sparkling Cider is cute, as is Kobuk and Candy Dot. And of course we have poms to top those off. Please do comment below with other pattern ideas if you'd like to inspire others!

This is one of those rare deals for the Sale Section that I'm not sure I can get again, so please make sure to get enough for your project of choice. At this price they are sure to sell fast. I still have one more box making its way through Customs, so you might see four or five more colors pop up at the end of this week.

And in case you didn't see.... we have all the new colors from Malabrigo Yarn in Sock (all speckles), the new pastels in worsted weight Rios and variegated hues in sport weight Arroyo. Shown below is Sock in Disfraz, which looks like a confetti party! I love it!

 

Derby Divas pattern FREE with our WIP It Set

We've been celebrating our shop's 14th anniversary all summer long so far with contests, Knit Kits and sales, and we're not even close to done. Now we have our second color option in our new roller derby themed WIP It Sock Sets, and Casapinka has even designed the Derby Diva pattern to go with it! And if you want to knit this or anything else, we are giving out a Ravelry coupon code (e-mailed after purchase- give me a couple days after) for anyone purchasing anything online July 15 through July 31! That's right, you get Casapinka's newest pattern for free just buy supporting us during our summer celebration!

So go here and queue it up, leave a comment, and plan your knitting attack. You can even leave your color ideas and pictures of your progress in SSYC's group here and maybe win a $50 gift certificate in the contest we've having there! If you want to make it easy on yourself, you can use one of the two released color sets from Stitch Together or Hue Loco (one more coming next month from Sweet Georgia). These sock sets also have minis with them, and you could could choose one or somehow use both. This pattern is a great stash buster too, as you could use a different bit of leftover sock yarn for each of the CC stripes at the top, and also for the toe and heel.

Not planning a sock right now? Well you can still place any purchase and receive the coupon code from me to get the pattern for free and use it later. It does expire in a couple months, so at least add it to your Ravelry library right after you get it. And if you don't see anything today, I'll be offering the same deal later in August- the pattern coupon code free with purchase. And we have so much more amazing stuff coming this summer that we just can't wait to share everything.... another Knit Kit or two, super sales and more! As usual, reading this blog is the way to know everything as it happens. 14 years is worth celebrating, am I right?

Sock photos courtesy of Casapinka. Don't you just love those little rows of "derby dots" at the top?

A huge thank you to Casapinka for helping us celebrate this occasion. Her designs always make me smile and bring levity to my craft. I am currently knitting this with some Tosh Sock (we have over 200 colors right now!) and I can't wait to wear it with a simple grey dress this fall. I love how her mind works and that she chooses to continue to offer such great support to the fiber world. She's generous and fun and a great contributor to our community. Please queue up the pattern, leave her a thank you in the comments and tell her what you think of the new pattern.

Another thank you to all of you. You really do give us the best inspiration and make what we do fun. 14 years of doing the same thing could be boring. But there hasn't been a day since I was 26 years old that I didn't want to go to work, that I didn't talk (e-mail, usually) with someone awesome about their upcoming project, that I didn't love seeing what came in that new box from the UK or Germany. We've expanded from a one bedroom operation to a full service shop with over 3500 square feet of space housing 16 tons of yarn (and rapidly climbing). We support dozens of dyers and families and small businesses and we couldn't do any of it without your unending support. You offer the best advice, give me the most helpful recommendations, and you've been my virtual "board of directors" this whole time. THANK YOU for spending some of your hard earned yarn dollars with SSYC and telling your friends about us. It makes all the difference.

SSYC + Stitch Together = Unlucky 13 Halloween Advent

That's right, we're doing it..... a spooky Halloween Advent with Kayanna at Stitch Together Studios!

This 13 day advent is inspired by Retro Horror films and you'll receive 12 limited edition mini skeins PLUS a full sized skein PLUS a screen printed project bag PLUS a fun button. PLUS free US shipping. Gah, that's a lot of plusses that I shouted at you.

I love working with Kayanna on projects. She's able to create moody, expressive colors that have such depth. She dyes dark yet bright colors- skeins that you really can't figure out until you actually knit them. Does it look like teal? Well, there are five shades of blue in that actually. This one looks like a mottled black... well, until you look closer and see that it's several different dark hues that are so expertly dappled on the skein that there's little to no muddiness. I don't know how she creates the colors she does, but hers are like no others and knew she could make something deep and dark and still fun and kitchy. Shes the dyer for the job!

What do you get? The full listing is here, but basically this is your chance to secure your shipment for late September. You'll get yours in plenty of time for the 13 days leading up to Halloween, if that's how you'd like to do it. But of course, many of us can't stand the suspense of not knowing whats in all the little packages, so we open them all at once and just start knitting! Just don't share them on social media or in your Ravelry stash until after Halloween because others might want the surprise. Or at least make the first picture on Instagram a Spoilers ahead message or something, so others swipe through if they want theirs to remain a secret. Make sense?

What about the colors? Well, those are a surprise. But if you like the movie poster collage here, and you like the idea of seeing them on mini skeins, then I'm betting this is for you.

There are several patterns out there that take advantage of sets that include full sized sets and minis. Of course you could choose Quince or ADVENTurous, or how about Inara or ADVENTurer. Ambah really has a way with designing for mini sets... please feel free to leave other suggestions for patterns in the comments below. Ooooh, a bunch of Fluorite socks would be cool too.

Miss Babs

It's like a fiber festival up in here with all the great Babs colors we have received! And if you're like me this week, you're either in the air conditioning or in the water because WOW is it hot here in the midwest. I don't want to browse a hot fairground to get my yarn when I could simply use my screen on my comfy couch and stay cool. Now, this fall when the weather is tolerable, I'm all in for outdoor browsing. But for now, your best way to get some Babs and other festival faves is from us!

Take a look at some of the new hues we have for you. These are shown on Hot Sock sock, but most are also available on Yowza (double sized DK skeins) and Estrellita (sparkly sock).

Noisemaker

Melon Patch

Gibson Girl

Lazy River (bonus points for pairing this with Livid)

Almost Paradise

Spring Flowers

Krill

Mojito

And if you know me, you know I love the green/blue combos. So of course, Lazy River is my favorite.... but Almost Paradise is a super close second. I love those names nearly as much as the skeins as the idea of drifting down a Lazy River, watching the Spring Flowers pass me by... sounds like Almost Paradise in this intolerable heat.... but only if I was also sipping a Mojito!

Alrighty, I think I've embarrassed myself enough by now with my own appreciation of my wit. I'll leave you with all this Babs goodness, and the promise that the rest of this month is going to be downright silly with new yarn and specials. I can't wait to share all the collaborations, special sets and more we have coming your way. Stay tuned to the blog and Instagram for all the sneak peaks! 

-Winner of last week's contest is Susie who said "My favorites are Terrarium and Sailor's Deight." Congrats Susie! Check your e-mail and send us your shipping address to get your awesome skeins.

Fleece Artist Merino Sock.... a contest

Fleece Artist was the first hand dyer I offered in the shop 14 years ago. Kathryn and her family had been dyeing up some of the most beautiful skeins I'd ever seen and I knew I wanted to offer their wares. They've now been dyeing yarn for over 40 years in Nova Scotia:

    Fleece Artist was established in 1978, just next door to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design to supply fellow textile artists with natural fibres. Over time our customers demanded better colours than were commercially available so we took to dyeing these ourselves. Today, we are a small family run company dedicated to dyeing breed specific fibres such as Blue Face Leicester, fine Kid Mohair, Merino and other fuzzy beasts. Our dye artists are NSCAD grads with an eye for craft and colour. Our goal is to move beyond colour, to showcase the natural qualities of the yarn and thus enlivening your hand made projects.

I love the colors they dye and the saturation they are able to achieve on each skein. Kathryn has now passed Fleece Artist onto daughter Jana, and Emily runs their offshoot, Mineville Wool Project, which does short runs at at discount that we are often able to offer in the sale section. 

I have a new batch of Fleece Artist Merino sock yarn for you, and Jana has even dyed up our very first anniversary color for us again, 13 years later, shown above is SSYC, a combination of our signature pinks and browns. They were the first dyer to create something special to commemorate our birthday, and I'm so happy that in this industry of great and fast change, that both their family business and mine are still at it. And I'm happy to be able to offer this awesome color again, for a second time!

Terrarium

Want a chance to win two skeins of the color/s of your choosing? Just tell me in the comments below what two skeins you'd choose, and I'll randomly choose one person to win. Contest ends Tuesday, July 9 at noon EST. Thanks for playing!

Come visit the shop this weekend for 14% off our Sale Section!

Come see us in person this Saturday, July 6 from 10-4 and I'm offering you 14% off our Sale Section to celebrate our 14th Anniversary! Our sale section in the shop is quite different than the one online, as we often have one-offs, short skeins, and various odds and ends that we have too few of to offer in the online shop. So if you come see us and browse the section in person this holiday weekend, we'll take another 14% off our already low prices.

Where are we located? 1315 E State Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN  46805. Come see us and bring your friends!

Also, we're bringing out the one or two skeins of various club and kit skeins that we have left from the past several years, and we will have those out for purchase as well. This means that if you missed out on a kit of club, or want more of a color that you received and couldn't get again, this is your chance to get it..... if we had any extras in the first place. Here's a preview of some of that beautiful stuff. There are dozens of options- perhaps over 100! Definitely worth browsing in person.

We will also be offering these odds and ends later this summer online, so if you see something you like, you might be able grab one. I hope to have time to post these later in July.

Want to plan a visit to the shop sometime this summer or fall? We have all our open days posted here. 

Summer Days Knit Kit now available

SSYC's 14th Anniversary Summer Days Knit Kit is now available! Do you think I can add another word to that to make that name even longer??

This kit is a combination of all the things I love most right now- modern, springy colors with a fresh take on everything. I love how the fabric covers the bag, how there are so many colors on the fresh skein with no muddiness, and the stitch markers make me smile. I hope this makes you smile too!

If you want to add more things to your cart to qualify for free US shipping with a $100 purchase, you might want to check out the Sale Section, the awesome new 150g balls of Zauberflower, or these Casapinka-curated color kits for her new Perfect Blend KAL that starts next week. You get 12 mini skeins of Dream in Color yarn in colors selected for this pattern. The pattern is purchased separately from Casapinka, and you can join the group to keep up on the KAL if you choose.

Summer Days Knit Kit, a preview

It's time for a preview of next week's Summer Days Knit Kit! This is the second of three of our 14th Anniversary Knit Kits we are releasing this summer. Our first sold out in about an hour, and so if you really want this one, please be ready on Monday, July 1 around 10am EST at our Kits & Clubs link.

What will you find in this particular Knit Kit? The fabric for the Medium Wedge project bag is the inspiration for this set- the large print of the wildflower pattern makes a really stunning impression on this hand made bag.

Caroline at Life in the Long Grass really knocked it out of the park creating a colorway for this kit, didn't she? I mean, not only does it coordinate perfectly with the bag, but it stands alone as an amazing color- the blending of so many hues with no muddiness and only clear, pale tones. Then a splash of speckles here and there to accent the watercolors.... this is a splendid skein with real artistry.

The icing on this14th anniversary cake is a set of five hand made stitch markers. Useful, lightweight yet durable, and so adorable that they make my face break into a grin every time I see them. I mean, look at this little guy close up. Do you need something to bring some levity to your day? This little snail might be it.

Thank you so much for your continued support of our creative endeavors. My crew of three and I love what we do and curating our Knit Kits with our dyers and craftspeople is always a highlight of my job. As we enter our 15th year serving you I hope that you'll continue to share with me the ways that I can make SSYC you're local yarn store, online and in person. Your advice and recommendations have turned SSYC into the shop it is today, and I greatly appreciate each e-mail, comment, phone message and conversation.

Again, this kit will become available the morning of July 1 in the mid $60 range. You are more than welcome to add more items to your order to qualify for free US shipping at $100, or to take advantage of our flat international rates. I've just stocked our Sale Section with even more fab deals, and we have a restock of the popular Backyard Chicken Collection colors from Hue Loco PLUS their Color Riot minis like the Sultry Set the Women of GoT, shown below. We even have full sized skeins of the Game of Thrones inspired colors here.

We have some gorgeous color sets coming next week from Sweet Georgia and Dream in Color so you can start the Perfect Blend KAL in good time. Casapinka herself even put together these sets from Dream in Color. Here's a bit of a preview of a few of the curated color options.

TNNA 2019, picture post

It was a whirlwind weekend in Cleveland as I road-tripped it with the kids to TNNA in Cleveland to browse the tradeshow floor and connect with our vendors and see what's new. I don't always have the chance to go to these industry events (hello, Polar Vortex.... thanks for canceling all our flights for days last season!) but when I do, it's always great to connect with the people I work with virtually all the time. And the boys enjoyed the Science Center, eating new stuff, and a hotel with a pool. Here's a bit of who Rachael and I saw, what we did and what you may see soon in the shop.

Me (at left) and Yana who with her unpictured husband, owns Artfil Yarns in Canada. She makes some of the most beautiful colorways and they use methods that save over 50% on water and energy. We have lots of their new colors here, as of two weeks ago. Plus some more new stuff coming too. What do you think of these gradient cakes?

Malabrigo's booth and the new speckled Sock colors we will have very soon. Plus new colors in Arroyo and Rios.

 

Some new patterned sock yarn I'm considering above. Below, Rachael and I taking a much needed knitting break during our long day.

Below, new colors coming soon from Manos.

A bit of the Lorna's Laces booth. Was nice to see Amanda and team!

Charan makes all the knit-inspired mugs and yarn bowls that we offer once or twice a year. The last batch of yarn bowls we had from him this spring sold out really fast and he already has more in the queue for us later this summer. 

30th Anniversay Zitron Trekking XXL colors. They are super cute stripes, right? Above in their booth, below how they will look knit up. They could be here as soon as Wednesday of this week!

Here's Rachael making notes at the Dream in Color booth. Veronica and Nancy continually find awesome things to treat you all with. Last year, it was our $100 Sock Yarn Club, and next week we have something else fab coming our way... color sets for the upcoming Casapinka design with colors Casapinka picked out herself for us and you! Plus their new Smooshy with Nylon base (regular nylon-free Smooshy is no more, so get it while you can). Below is a cowl I'll show off a bit later.

Glass Houses shawl knit with this and a grey yarn (something like this would work) in Spun Right Round. And all the beautiful colorways of Spun Right Round below. It makes it so fun to choose new colors for you all when I can see them all in one place in a rainbow array.

The progress I made on my Sockhead Cowl in this amazing yarn while I was away. It's been a heck of June so far in my life and I needed something simple but luxurious to feel like I am treating and taking care of myself. I love that knitting can be whatever I want, whenever I want. Need relaxation and meditation? A simple sock. Need to feel like you're treating yourself? How about some silk and cashmere with your merino? Want a challenge? Take on brioche for the first time. I love our craft!

Lots to see, right? And this wasn't even half of it! Sometimes I get so involved in what I'm doing that I don't snap shots. Plus I found several new dyers for us that I didn't even know about. YAY!

TNNA 2019, picture post

It was a whirlwind weekend in Cleveland as I road-tripped it with the kids to TNNA in Cleveland to browse the tradeshow floor and connect with our vendors and see what's new. I don't always have the chance to go to these industry events (hello, Polar Vortex.... thanks for canceling all our flights for days last season!) but when I do, it's always great to connect with the people I work with virtually all the time. And the boys enjoyed the Science Center, eating new stuff, and a hotel with a pool. Here's a bit of who Rachael and I saw, what we did and what you may see soon in the shop.

Me (at left) and Yana who with her unpictured husband, owns Artfil Yarns in Canada. She makes some of the most beautiful colorways and they use methods that save over 50% on water and energy. We have lots of their new colors here, as of two weeks ago. Plus some more new stuff coming too. What do you think of these gradient cakes?

Malabrigo's booth and the new speckled Sock colors we will have very soon. Plus new colors in Arroyo and Rios.

 

Some new patterned sock yarn I'm considering above. Below, Rachael and I taking a much needed knitting break during our long day.

Below, new colors coming soon from Manos.

A bit of the Lorna's Laces booth. Was nice to see Amanda and team!

Charan makes all the knit-inspired mugs and yarn bowls that we offer once or twice a year. The last batch of yarn bowls we had from him this spring sold out really fast and he already has more in the queue for us later this summer. 

30th Anniversay Zitron Trekking XXL colors. They are super cute stripes, right? Above in their booth, below how they will look knit up. They could be here as soon as Wednesday of this week!

Here's Rachael making notes at the Dream in Color booth. Veronica and Nancy continually find awesome things to treat you all with. Last year, it was our $100 Sock Yarn Club, and next week we have something else fab coming our way... color sets for the upcoming Casapinka design with colors Casapinka picked out herself for us and you! Plus their new Smooshy with Nylon base (regular nylon-free Smooshy is no more, so get it while you can). Below is a cowl I'll show off a bit later.

Glass Houses shawl knit with this and a grey yarn (something like this would work) in Spun Right Round. And all the beautiful colorways of Spun Right Round below. It makes it so fun to choose new colors for you all when I can see them all in one place in a rainbow array.

The progress I made on my Sockhead Cowl in this amazing yarn while I was away. It's been a heck of June so far in my life and I needed something simple but luxurious to feel like I am treating and taking care of myself. I love that knitting can be whatever I want, whenever I want. Need relaxation and meditation? A simple sock. Need to feel like you're treating yourself? How about some silk and cashmere with your merino? Want a challenge? Take on brioche for the first time. I love our craft!

Lots to see, right? And this wasn't even half of it! Sometimes I get so involved in what I'm doing that I don't snap shots. Plus I found several new dyers for us that I didn't even know about. YAY!

Our next 14th Anniversary Sale..... 50% off OnLine Supersocke!

Want 50% of OnLine Supersocke? How about 60% off?? Read on!

I have five collections of OnLine Supersock for you in the Sale Section for 50% off! One is a classic superwash wool/nylon, one is a cotton blend and wool-free (and stretchy!), one is infused with aloe and jojoba to pamper those tooties, and one is a marled merino/nylon DK weight. What a variety, right? And all 50% off! Or, buy the entire DK weight collection for 60% off!

Here's the breakdown on this great deal.

Diva color is the classic superwash wool/nylon blend. Great colors, machine wash and dry. Great for yourself or gift socks for someone who won't treat the finished socks with much care. And 50% off!!

The Cotton Style Collection is eight colors of wool-free, stretchy cotton. Wonderful for those who either don't like wool socks (what?!) or just like variety. Easy care, so great for gift giving.

The Caras Color collection is OnLine's popular superwash merino/nylon blend but infused with aloe and jojoba. If you remember Austermann Step from the past, this is similar and the extra softness that comes from the aloe and jojoba lasts several dozen washes. It's certainly a treat for your feet.

Finally, the only DK weight collection is the Merino DK, which is a superwash merino and nylon with a marled stripe look. Very nice for socks and also winter garments. This would make really striking Sockhead Hats and Cowls, or scarves of any kind. And the best deal of all because if you buy the whole collection of 6 colors you get 60% off the original price! Great, right? 

We get this deal every couple years on OnLine Supersocke for our Sale Section and I get lots of requests and questions about when we will be getting more. Not only is this premium sock yarn, it's durable and soft and great to keep on hand for gift socks. It's always a crap shoot, what collections we can get and what price. Usually we can offer 40% off, but I'm able to give 50% off this time which is a rare thing. So please don't hesitate if you really like one or more of these because once they are gone... well, you know.

Thanks so much, now for the preorder option

Wow, what an hour yesterday! The 6 kit options we had sold fast and our first Roller Derby Sock Set sold out within an hour too. Thank you so much! While I can't get more bags to make more kits, the color that Knitterly Things makes for us is repeatable and we can offer that again in the future. And I've received many e-mails requesting preorder to get one of the Roller Derby Sock Sets that sold out fast. If you'd like to get one of these Stitch Together combos, I'll have a preorder listing on the website next week and the wait will be a few more weeks after than for it to actually ship. And yes, it will still include the roller skate stitch marker and a pattern code for the sock pattern that Casapinka is making for us in July. 

If you'd like to be notified via e-mail when the preorders are available, please e-mail me (Allison) at service@simplysockyarn.com and I'll make sure to e-mail you when they go live. We don't often offer preorders, but I'm so happy that this zany idea was so well received and that you appreciated my idea and I hate when things sell out that fast. I mean, it's great and all for a small business, but I don't like to disappoint people!

Vintage Knit Kits now available + LOTS more!

You can now find our Vintage Kitchen Knit Kits an Sock Set options here! There are six different bag options (two colors and three sizes) and you can just get the yarn without a bag if you choose. As always, these are limited in supply but if you scroll to the bottom, you can see a preview of our next Anniversary Knit Kit, coming out on July 1, and plan accordingly.

Today is also the first release in our WIP It Good Sock Sets! Take a look at what Stitch Together Studios WIPed up for us. These are sure to go fast, and if it's super popular we may be able to get more for a second release. Edited an hour later to add: Woah, this all went fast. I'll get more and let you know when they are available later this summer! If you want to e-mail me at service@simplysockyarn.com for preorder, I can do that.

Then.... something we rarely get. Hand dyed sock blanks.

Sweet Georgia has released limited edition sock blanks, shown above in Eden and Canary Island. They have had their Tough Love sock yarn knitted into fabric pieces and then they dye it. This is quite a bit more labor intensive to make, as the yarn has to be preknit before it's dyed, and then the method for dyeing the different than dyeing a skein. The final result gives you a really cool gradient effect when knitting socks (which wouldn't be matching, but coordinating, as one would start at the beginning of the progression and one in the middle) or a shawl like this Eskra pattern.

And because you are so awesome for reading the blog, I'm giving you a super early sneak peak at our exclusive Summer Days Knit Kit. This features yarn from Life in the Long Grass (and come on, look at this color!) a gorgeous flowered bag from DnA Designs, and hand made stitch markers that are so adorable it hurts. The snail alone is enough to make me want this entire kit. I'll post more about it the last week of June, and it will go up for sale on July 1.

Thank you so much for your support over the past 14 years, whether it be in the form of purchases, sharing us with your friends, or commenting on social media. One of the best things about my job is connecting with you- helping you pick out the right pink hue for your newest grand daughter, hearing about the students you're teaching to knit in your Oakland school, or seeing on Instagram what you're knitting with our stuff. It really has been a pleasure and an honor to serve you and get to know you. I feel as though I've grown up with you (as has my family) since I started this shop at the ripe age of 26. I've made a lot of changes to the shop over the years, growing and expanding. But I don't feel like I've made compromises. I've kept to the honesty, fairness and work ethic that I would expect from any successful family business, even when I've been pushed to say and do things that I would consider unfair and unethical. I've made decisions for my shop to stay somewhat small in the scheme of things, so that I could maintain more control and conduct business in a way that I deem right. And I think if you've shopped with SSYC over and over throughout the past 14 years, you appreciate the same things I do. Thank you.