Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

Koigu Yarn at SSYC!

Oh boy!  Koigu was one of the first, if not the first, yarn I ordered when we opened back in the summer of 2005.  And I placed the order in the spring- in late March, way before we opened.  And NOW it has arrived and is available at SSYC!  Squee!

I know, I'm a dork for sock yarn.  But I really feel like I have been waiting forever for this yarn.  And it's totally worth it.  It's hand painted by a small group of artisans in Ontario, Canada, and the waiting list is loooong.  The first shipment arrived a few days ago, and yesterday the second shipment arrived, so there are 32 of the KPPPM (Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino) multicolors available.  The KPPPM is fingering weight.  I ordered other multicolors, and lots of the nearly solid colors too, and I will post about new shipments as they arrive.  Those should trickle in over the next couple months.  I also have some patterns coming.

While I totally feel like showing a pic of each color here on the blog, I won't since they are all just one click away.  But here are a few of my favorites.  What are yours?

P124, P706 , P608

Koigu gives the yarn a letter/number designation instead of a name, and while I'm not exactly sure why, I'm betting it's much better than giving names to a line of yarn that has about 300 colors- many of them one-of-a-kind.  The yarn also comes in 21-22 skeins in a dyelot, so there is definitely enough yarn for larger projects like sweaters and shawls.  Though if you are interested in many skeins, it's always a good idea to e-mail service@simplysockyarn.com first, just to make sure we have enough in one dyelot.

I've only knit one pair of socks in Koigu KPPPM yarn; knit with US 1 needles, doing a simple stockinette stitch throughout. It knit, wore, and washed very well.  The tag calls for hand wash.  I machine washed mine several times, and while they didn't felt or fall apart, they did get a bit fuzzy.  If I had to do it over again, I would likely only hand wash them so that the stitch definition showed better.  But at least I know that if I gifted them they could stand up to the accidental machine wash.  I don't know about the dry though- I've only dried them flat, never in a dryer.  Anyone else have an opinion?

Month o' Eating

Sometimes I think that there should be some sort of holiday training to help us deal with all the eating and indulging that happens over the holidays.  I think that if I had some sort of tools to say NO, then I might not feel so gluttonous throughout Nov and Dec.  Food and drink come at you for days... heaven forbid you say "No thank you" to anything and actually feel human after days of indulging...  Obviously, I'm still not over Thanksgiving, and my digestive system is still growling at me about the abuse it has suffered.  Oh, but how great everything was.....

Not only did I eat my weight in buttered squash, mashed potatoes and pie, I also knit up a storm.  I finished my feather and fan socks and did 4 more squares of my log cabin baby blanket.  For the socks, I'm using Claudia Hand Painted finger weight in Stormy Days, and they will later be gifted to my secret pal for Secret Pal 9.  The log cabin blanket uses 5 colors (sage, manzanita, douglas fir, natural, and sunshine) of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport Nearly Solid yarn, and it will most likely be gifted to one of my many friends/family who are pregnant; Kristin, Cheryl, Jenny.... the list goes on.  Maybe there's something in the water? 

So I've found some great links recently that I'd like to share.  One's knitting related, and one's not.  The first is from Aija's blog, and it details how to weave in ends while knitting.  Very helpful, if you're seeking such info- mostly b/c of the many pictures.

This next link is wonderful.  It's a short piece created by Dove and shows how images are distorted for print ads.  If you haven't seen this before, take a look- it's only a minute long, but the impact will stay much longer than that.  After watching it, I'm even more horrified than usual at what is pushed on women as being the "standard" in beauty. I've don't have a particularly low self esteem, but I have always wanted to be thinner, have a nicer complexion, better hair... you know how it is.

So what do you think of the clip? I always knew there was some manipulation, but... wow.

***Oh, and the Koigu will most likely be up tomorrow (Wed.).  The second shipment came this morning, so it's taking me a bit longer to get all the yarn up at once.  There will be about 25 colors of the KPPPM (multicolored).  No nearly solid colors have arrived yet.

More Sale Items

More sale items have arrived at SSYC.  If you were hoping to snag some of the 40% off Lantern Moon boxes and bags before some sold out a couple weeks ago, here's another chance.  SSYC has received another shipment- likely the last one.

Also, Cherry Tree Hill had a bit of their discontinued Super Glitz yarn in their warehouse, and I was able to get that at a nice discount.  So you will see 4 new Super Glitz color (shown below), plus a few of the ones SSYC originally carried, all at 25% off.  Take a look at the four new colors to SSYC: Quarry Hill, Java, Blueberry Hill, Spanish Moss.

 

And if you have read all the way to the bottom of this, here's a treat-  The Koigu has arrived!  It's not for sale on the site yet, but it will be in a few days.  Over a dozen colors, and more will be trickling in over the next few months.  I'll post again here when it is available on the website, and I'll post each time more arrives.

Winners of the Website Contest!

Well, I have the three winners of the website contest that ended on Nov. 15.  They are Dave, Christina, and Ann.  All have won a skein of Schaefer Anne yarn- and since we got a shipment in early this month, we have over 40 colors to choose from!  Dave chose the colorway Gertrude Ederle, Christina chose Mademoiselle, and Ann chose Citrus, all shown below.  Congrats!

Joe and I had a nice early Thanksgiving with my family.  My mom, Joe and I, and my sister all stayed at my brother's place in Indy and we had a great time.  And LOTS of food.  All the Thanksgiving trimmings.  And my mom made me a Pumpkin Roll!  Of course, I shared with others.....

Oh, and guess what arrived in the mail at the end of last week.  My scarf from the International Scarf Exchange, and my box from Yarn Aboard!!!  The scarf is just the colors that I mentioned I was "in to" right now- oceany blues and brown.  It looks like same pattern I used for MY pal, only this has some cool flowers added.  Thanks so much Sarah!  I haven't heard yet whether my scarf has reached my pal in Canada, so I really hope that it didn't get held up in customs.

And the Yarn Aboard package from Kathy was just fabulous!  It included some wonderful rainbow-colored KOIGU, a cool tape measure, tasty sweet pretzel-like cookies, chocolates, coffee, cool knitting-themed notecards, and Lornas Laces patterns.  What a thoughtful and wonderful package!  It, and my new scarf, really brightened an otherwise blech week.  It's amazing and wonderful that people you have never met can make such a positive effect on your life.

And I shipped off theYarn Aboard box to my pal in Canada!  I filled it with, hopefully well received goodies, and it should arrive there in another week.  I'm keeping my pal secret til I know the package was received.

And ONE MORE THING..... after 18 months of patiently waiting.... Koigu is soon to arrive at SSYC!  I'm expecting several shipments over the next couple months, and will put the new yarn up as it arrives one box at a time.  Of course, I'll post on the blog when new colors arrive.  So stay tuned to see what's new!  I can't wait!

Since this is a holiday week, this will be my only blog post this week.  Also, as is posted on the SSYC homepage, all orders placed between Nov. 22 (Wed.) and Nov. 26 (Sun.) will ship starting Nov. 27 (Mon.).

Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Eck.

Yeah, what a title.  That's just how I feel today.  Blech.

Mom had her visit with IU Med Center yesterday, and it wasn't this great hey-we-have-a-cure-for-you meeting that we were hoping for.  In short, the news wasn't worse than things she's already heard, but I think we were all hoping for this magic bullet.  A path that she could take that, while it might be very difficult, it would cure her leukemia.  That's not really what she heard.  So I feel, just, blech.

This weekend we are going to Indy to celebrate my family's Thanksgiving.  We'll be at my uncle's house in Carmel where we will be eating very tasty food and burning towels like last year.  My sister is flying in from Philadelphia, and everyone will be there.

So someone asked me today if I was cooking the turkey for Thanksgiving this year. And I laughed aloud b/c I realized that I have never cooked a turkey before.  I like cooking, and I make a mean roast chicken, but an entire turkey seems daunting. Do you cook the turkey for your family?  If not, who does?  This year, for my family's Thanksgiving, my Aunt Kelley is cooking the turkey.  At Joe's house, his mom cooks the turkey.  But honestly, I don't even care too much about the turkey.  It's the sides and desserts that I love.  My favorite Thanksgiving food is my brother's wife's (Angie) mother's pumpkin roll.  It's thin pumpkin cake, slathered with a sweet cream cheese frosting, and then rolled into a log.  Oh, my it's good.  So what's your favorite food at Thanksgiving? 

New Opal Hundertwasser Yarn

SSYC has just received the newest collection from Opal Yarns, the Hundertwasser Collection.  This special edition collection is a variation on the work of the painter and architect Hundertwasser. And if you want to knit the sideways sock shown in the pics, just go here to get the free pattern!

 

Opal also has 10 new Uni-Solid colors, which are not on the SSYC site yet, but will be very soon.

Also, I'm expecting more of the Lantern Moon Drawstring Boxes to arrive in a few days, at which time you'll find them again in the Sale section.  Also, Cherry Tree Hill had a bit of their discontinued Super Glitz yarn in their warehouse, and it's being shipped here now.  When it arrives, you'll find it in the Sale section.  There are a few colors there now, but about 8 more will arrive shortly.

New Photo Album!

Hi all!  I've got a new photo album on the left sidebar.  Projects (mostly socks) knit by YOU using yarn from SSYC!  I meant to get this done during Socktoberfest, but it's been pushed to November, or Lacevember (have you joined?). If you would like to have one of your projects featured in the album, you can just e-mail them to me with a short description of what it is, what pattern you used, and who it was for, or what you liked about the yarn/pattern.

I wanted to show off some gorgeous pictures of some even more gorgeous socks.  Below are all socks knit by Kristine using Cascade Fixation.  The pic on the left includes 20 pair knit for 20 friends.  WOW.  The pic on the right are of her favorite patterns for Cascade Fixation, and below the pics she explains why she likes the patterns the most.

The following is written by Kristine, about the picture on the right:

The first one is from a Cascade pattern called Dayflower, you may recognize it. I made it a little bigger than the pattern specified though.

The next one over is adapted from a baby blanket pattern I really liked.

The rest are all "Variations on the Yarnover," which the Fixation seems to take very well what with its good body and heft. When the socks are stretched over the foot an equally appealing if different effect comes along from those holes. One of the photos, with the sock stretched over a rectangular notepad, shows this.

I am such a lace lover so these discoveries please me very much.

I began knitting socks as a teenager (long ago!) (zeroes and ones, double-pointed all the way!)and came back to it this year. I have adopted the two-socks-on-two-circulars method with absolute glee, never looking back. Have also been so pleased at how sock yarn technology has come along so well that such a soft stretchy and quick-to-knit thing as the Fixation now exists. All hail the fiber worker-inventors!

**If you are looking for Dayflower and other free Cascade Fixation patterns, go here!**

Week o' Samples!

There's nothing like upcoming yarn samples to brighten one's week.  Last week, I received 5 samples of new yarn that's coming out in early 2007.  Want to see what's new?

Someone is finally listening to me when I ask for a durable, soft sock yarn that vegetarians and vegans feel comfortable using.  I've had many requests over the past year or so for a good options for fingering weight sock yarn that doesn't contain wool.  And I've been vocla with my reps about this. Yeah, there is Cascade Fixation, which is a wonderful yarn, but it's not fingering weight.  And while there are a few options out there for fingering weight sock yarn that contain no wool, I have found that most don't hold their shape well and really aren't worth too much. Sorry, but that's just my humble opinion.  That has changed for me with Crystal Palace's new Panda Cotton yarn.

Crystal Palace's Panda Cotton comes out in a few months in a wide range of colors.  It contains bamboo, cotton, and elastic, and could be a great option for those knitters that don't want to knit with animal products.  I started knitting this sock last Monday, and while I found that the 4 plies separated a bit when I cast on and knit my first row of ribbing, the problem disappeared after that.  Hey, it could have been user error.  After casting on, it was really nice knit, even though the color made me twitch a bit.  And it's soft.  I wore it Sunday all day, right after casting off, and was really pleased with how it wore.  OK, I took it off when I left the house though b/c I'm not wearing one black sock and one lavender one to the musical Big (which I saw with Mom).  The only thing I would change is knitting the ribbed cuff with a smaller needle than the rest of the sock.  I cast on my normal 64 stitches, and it hugged my foot nicely, DID NOT get baggy, and stayed put.  I can't even say that for all wool/nylon sock yarns.  So now I'll see how it goes through a wash and a dry.

Other new yarn from Crystal Palace includes Bamboozled (a sport weight version of the Panda Cotton) and Panda Wool (which is replaces the cotton with wool).  Those yarns seem nice too, but don't get me excited like a new fingering weight, non-wool sock yarn.

I also received a few yards of South West Trading Company's new sock yarn, Tofutsies.  This sock yarn is unique because it uses Chitin, which is the exoskelaton of shrimp and crab, in addition to wool, Soysilk, and cotton.  I was told that the chitin lends a natural antibacterial or antiseptic property to the yarn.  Perhaps for those of us with smelly feet?  I'm not so sure.  All I know about chitin (pronounced "kite en") is what I learned in my college Etomology (study of bugs) classes.  Chitin is also found in the exoskeletons of beatles and other insects.  SWTC also included a nice note saying "We thought you might enjoy being one of the first to see this", which means that you are also some of the first to see this new yarn too!  How cool!

Obviously, there isn't enough of this Tofutsies sample to knit a sock with, but I am going to cast on a few stitches with it to see how it knits.  I hear samples of this new yarn are in short supply, but I'm much more likely to carrying a brand new yarn if I can knit a sock and see how it performs.  I'll let you know how it goes.

A bit crazy

Oh my, what a week!  New products everywhere- Fleece Artist Merino, Schaefer Anne, Lantern Moon bags and baskets... and now more Opal Yarn in the sale section!  I got a great deal on some Opal yarn, and so I'm passing the savings right along.

Not only have things been crazy in the store, but life is more than a tad crazy as well.  My mom is doing better- she was diagnosed with leukemia (aml) in July, and she's been going through chemo treatment for the past several months.  Now it's time to step things up a notch, and she's seeking her cure outside of Fort Wayne.  Later this week, she will be going to Indy to the IU Med Center to see what they can do for her.  If she's accepted, then she will be there for several months.  I have to say I'm being a little selfish about this, b/c I'm going to miss her alot.  But maybe it's also going to be good b/c I will be able to remove myself from the emotions that entangle you during such a crisis.  My older brother and my uncle (Mom's brother) are in Indy, so they will be ther for her all the time.  And Joe and I can visit. It's not like 2 hours is far away.  It just seems that way.

So it's hard looking forward to a Thanksgiving and Christmas without my mom here.  I keep throwing myself into work, so that I don't really think about it too hard.  But I know that when the holidays come, it's going to suck.  If this is how I feel, I can't imagine how helpless my mom feels.

Great deals for holiday gifts!

If you are like me, you haven't even started your holiday shopping yet.  So let SSYC's sale section give you the kick you need!  SSYC has gotten some great deals on some gift items, for yourself or others, and the savings are being passed on to you!  If you have a knitter in your life that you are looking for holiday or secret pal gifts, take a look at what we have up to 50% off!

Here's just a little bit of what you'll find:

Lantern Moon storage options and bags:

And a special deal- Addi Turbo double point needles, size US 3 only, just $5 a set!  We got a great deal on these needles, and so we can offer them at over %50 off their regular price.

   Go to our SALE section to find everything!

New Schaefer Anne & Fleece Artist

Ack!  All this new yarn just makes me want to knit!  But instead, I'm posting about it.  Because I realize that I can't keep it all for myself, even if I really want to.  So much delicious yarn has just arrived here.  Take a look.

Fleece Artist merino.  I realized when looking through my photo album of socks (at left) that most of them are knit with Fleece Artist merino.  It's just that nice.  SSYC now has in again Amethyst, Hercules, Ruby Red, Dragonfly, Cornflower, Ebony, Harvest, Ivory, Indian Summer, Lily Pond, Misty Meadow, Moss, Nova Scotia, Parrot, Rainforest, Renaissance, Sea Storm, and Tiger.  Shown below:  Parrot, Tiger and Ivory

And there are a few NEW colors too- Easter Egg (pale pastels), Sun & Sky (blues, natural, and buttery yellow), and Twilight (blues and black).  All shown below.  The Twilight reminds me of comicbook super hero hair- dark black with a tinge of blue.  You know what I mean- Wonder Woman's hair?

Schaefer Anne.  Apparently I (and you!) can't get enough of this yarn! As you may already know, Schaefer dyes unique colorways, and you may never see some of these again, with the exception of their special color collections, the Memorable Women collections and the Kids collections.

SSYC received more Fragglestone, Clara Barton, and Indira Ghandi, and 13 new colors (one more renegade box with one more color arriving next week).  Those new colors are Avocado, Bachelor Pad, Blood Oranges, Blue Violet, Butter, Citrus, Mademoiselle, Morocco, Nectarines, Pewter, Rosewood, Violets, Queen Lili'uokalani (from the Memorable Women collection). 

Shown below: Avocado, Bachelor Pad, Blood Oranges

Shown below: Blue Violet, Butter, Citrus

Shown below, Mademoiselle, Morocco, Nectarines

Shown below: Pewter, Rosewood, Violets

Shown below: Queen Lili'uokalani

Fleece Artist on Sale

Updated: THANKS, GUYS!  ALL IS SOLD!

Get a great deal on a few colors of Fleece Artist, right here on the blog.  SSYC has a few colors left of Fleece Artist Merino in the base yarn they used until 6 months ago.  So I'm selling it off at 40% off!  This yarn isn't on sale b/c there is anything wrong with it- it's top quality.  I just have a few skeins of the previous fiber sitting around.  You may not notice much difference in the fiber- for example, I use a US 1.5 on this "sale" yarn, and use a US 1 on the normal price yarn.

Below is what I have in stock.  I will cross if off here as it sells.  Example.  Only Paypal is accepted (you can use your credit card on Paypal if you like).  First come, first serve.  I'll hold your yarn for a few hours if you need to get payment together.  E-mail service@simplysockyarn.com with the ones you are interested in and I'll give you your total.

Shipping is a flat $4.00 per order.  US.  $7.00 to non-US addresses

Burgundy (magenta, burgundy, olive, tan) $11.40  (one is still available already wound, no label)

Marine (blue and purples) $11.40  SOLD

Mellow Yellow (pale yellow) $11.40, six available   ALL SOLD

Midnight (midnight blue/purple- slightly more purple than pic shows) $11.40, three ALL SOLD

Saffron (orange/yellow)  $11.40  SOLD

Claudia hand painted socks

I've made a bit of progress with my Claudia Hand Painted socks in the Stormy Day colorway.  I'm just turning the heel on this feather and fan sock, and I really like how the color is developing as I knit.  While the change of color is pretty predictable, there isn't any major striping and/or pooling.  While I don't hate pooling, I'm usually not a fan.  Especially when I'm knitting socks for someone else and don't know how she feels about colors pooling.

Yeah, that's right- yet another pair of socks that aren't for me!  What can I say?  I think I just enjoy knitting socks for others more than I do for myself.  Or maybe it's that I know that if they are for me I'm less likely to finish them in a timely manner.  When they are a gift, I have a real deadline.  And deadlines work for me.  How about you all?  Do you prefer to knit for yourself or others?  And do you find that you get projects done quicker with a deadline?

These are going to be for my Secret Pal 9 pal.  She has feet the size of mine, so I'm fairly certain these will fit.  Plus, this pattern makes a stretchy fabric, so it's pretty forgiving in the foot.

Has anyone started holiday shopping or knitting yet?  I have knit two pair of socks so far, but I haven't done a bit of shopping.  I haven't even thought about what I'm shopping for yet.  I need some inspiration to get going.  I even went to Target to get some- just hoping that it would give me some ideas for people.  I love Target, but all the Halloween stuff was distracting me.

And here are pics of my super lovely socks that Erin knit for me in the Toasty Toes exchange.  And, boy, does Erin put a great gift package together.  Not only did she send these gorgeous, and perfectly fitting socks, she sent Verbena scented soap, beautiful lavender angora yarn (maybe for sis-in-law's baby booties), three different types of chocolate, and a black sheep tape measure from Lantern Moon (which I have now ordered for the store-arriving very soon with lots of other goodies).  Erin wrote a detailed blog post about the socks, if you want to learn more about the yarn and pattern.  I know I have gushed to you about the wonderful sock, Erin, but again THANK YOU!  And, of course, a big thank you to Amanda who organized yet another perfect exchange!

Trick or Treat to....

Shannan!

Shannan loves Snickers bars and her favorite costume was a witch.  She can expect a fun Halloween package to arrive at her doorstep in about a week.  Shannan, e-mail me with the address you would like your package shipped to, and I'll get it ready. 

I really, really enjoyed reading all of your comments- more than once.  It's so cool to read such detailed explanations of your purple people eater costumes, your Princess Leia hair, or the time you dressed up your baby as a punk rocker.  This is, by far, the most comments I have ever gotten on a blog entry!

In appreciation for sharing your memories of Halloween, I thought I would share with you too.  This is one of my favorite pictures.  My mom took it back in the 80's when I was about 6, I think.  I'm the bunny on the right.  Oh, how I loved that costume.  I wore it for 2 years- maybe 3.  I especially liked the pink nose and cheeks, b/c it was make-up.  Oh, and the matching pink and white gloves.

Every year I trick-or-treated with my neighborhood friends. The witch is Panky (Sarah) who lives in California, but who I still see at least 5 times a year.  And every summer I (and now Joe) go to her family's cabin on the lake in Northport, Michigan.  And how cute is Matt, the little football player next to me???  You'll have to click on the picture to really see the detail.

Every year, after we were done pillaging the neighborhood, we would sit on the family room floor at my house and spread out our candy.  We would then separate it into piles of like things, Snickers bars, Smarties, nickles (oh, how I hated getting coins).  And then we would gorge ourselves on chocolate and roasted pumpkin seeds.

I received my Toasty Toes socks in the mail yesterday from Erin, and OH MY BUHJEEZUS.  I'm wearing them now and they are perfect!  I'll post about them very soon.