Last night, I met with my new yarn rep for Online, and decided on a few of the kits. First off, the KFI website is not updated, and most of the Online sock yarn kits are no longer available! I wish that when the season was over, and yarn distributors ran out of a package, they would take it off the website so that I'm not mislead. It doesn't make me want to spend my precious inventory dollars on a distributor's yarn when I think I can get something and then can't. That's why, on the SSYC site, I only advertise yarn that is in stock. There are a few cases where something sells too quickly to update, but 99% of the time, if it's on my store's website, it can be shipped in a couple days. I wish others would do the same. Rant over.
I chose three Online sock kits, based mostly on the feedback that many of you gave me via comments and e-mails. I chose Kit 71, Kit 72, and a new kit which will come out in the fall. No pics are available yet, but the colors in the new kit change as you knit, similar to Noro Transitions. There's a thin black thread running through the entire skein, and as you knit, the rest of the yarn changes slightly. I really, really like it and am looking forward to knitting it myself. This yarn is worth forgiving KFI for not updating their website.
I also chose an incredibly soft 80% superwash merino wool, 20% cashmere yarn, known as Mondial Gold. I have been looking for a reasonably priced, superwash, fingering weight wool/cashmere blend yarn for those of us who like to give something slightly luxurious for holiday gifts. I've been knitting up samples from various outlets, but many of them are plied in a way that the yarn separates as you knit, or doesn't have much spring and elasticity. Not good for knitting with tiny needles and for heels that won't be baggy after a few wears. Mondial Gold is plied well and is just what I have been looking for. It would also be wonderful for special baby gifts. I ordered many of the solid colors. I will be knitting a sample of this shortly, and if it knits and wears well, it will arrive in the early fall. Oh, and the really nice part is that it will retail around $11 a ball. Which means that you get a super soft pair of machine washable cashmere blend socks for around $22! Not a bad deal, considering most high quality merino skeins retail around the same price. If the Mondial Gold came in variegated colors, I would order A LOT more.
On a COMPLETELY different note, prepare to be slightly horrified. If you get grossed out easily, stop reading now. A few days ago, I had to visit a public restroom. Someone came in after me, and I started smelling french fries. I thought, wow, how did the smell of french fries waft in here so quickly? I walked out of the stall, started washing my hands and saw that some chic had brought her open box of Wendy's french fries in with her and let them sit next to the sink, while she did her business in a stall. Again, brought her french fries in a public rest room and left them (and her purse) next to the sink, I'm assuming, so that she could grab the food and finish after she was done. There are so. many. things. wrong. about. this. Uh, the bacteria floating around. The fact that some deviant could taint them on oh-so-many ways. The fact that she intended on EATING them after they sat in any bathroom, let alone a public bathroom. Ick.