Several months ago I featured an interview with Cheryl Schaefer when she unveiled the Sock the Vote collection- the colors were named for 4 women who impacted the 2008 Presidential Election. In that interview, I broke the news to you that Schaefer would be coming out with a new sock yarn named "Nichole." Because I carry 3 other Schaefer sock yarns, I was set on carrying Nichole. Heather, Lola and Anne are wonderful sock yarns and are superbly dyed- they are among the favorites with many of you; this I can tell by how much you order!
Nichole, now available, is a superwash merino/nylon blend sock yarn. The sample of Nichole that I was sent reminded me very much of the yarn base used for Fleece Artist's Trail Sock, a wonderfully soft wool/nylon blend sock yarn that retails for $18 ($17.50 at Simply Socks). But Nichole would retail very much higher.... at $28 a skein (for just over 400 yards- enough for one pair of socks). This is the highest price I've seen for a fiber content that doesn't contain any "luxury" fiber like silk, possum or cashmere. In fact, all the cashmere blend sock yarns I carry retail at or below $28 a skein.
I'm letting you in on my thought process here because I really would have liked to carry this yarn. I really like the dye job that the ladies at Schaefer Yarn do on their fibers. But I don't know if I see a place in my store for a wool/nylon blend that is almost $30 a skein. I try my best to stock my small store with the best sock yarns at very competitive prices, with very fair shipping costs and very fast shipping. But I want to know your opinions. Would you value a wool/nylon blend sock yarn at that price? If so, please let me know in the comments below.
BTW, this is not new news. Those of you who have asked e-mailed about me carrying this yarn have heard my thoughts on this (as has Schaefer), and it seems that those who have e-mailed me have admitted that the price would keep you from buying the yarn. But that's only a few of you, so I'd like to know what more knitters think, and I bet Schaefer would too! I mentioned to them a few weeks ago that I would be asking for your opinions, so please let us know what you think. Thanks!
Schaefer Anne and Schaefer Heather are two of my favorite yarns. I love the colors and the softness of mohair in Anne and the silk in Heather. But I do not think I would buy Schaefer Nichole, not at that price.
Posted by: SusanB-knits | January 26, 2009 at 07:04 PM
Well I'm sure it's a wonderful yarn but being retired 28.00 is a little much to spend so I usually purchase 400 yds that costs less. Hope this helps.
Posted by: Anita Owen | January 26, 2009 at 07:05 PM
They do beautiful work -- but given that I own a vast supply of wool/nylon, there would have to be something amazing about it to make me spend that much.
Posted by: Elizabeth D | January 26, 2009 at 07:29 PM
I agree with previous posters. I don't believe I could justify $30 either.
Posted by: mary | January 26, 2009 at 07:47 PM
$30 bucks a skein is sort of my threshold point. A yarn has to be extra special for me to go that high (something like DIC Starry). Especially given that the FA Trail Sock is as gorgeous as Nichole at a much lower price. I'm not likely to buy it for that price since there are so many perfectly lovely alternatives out there. I don't buy Prism sock yarn for the same reason.
Posted by: Janet | January 26, 2009 at 08:06 PM
Like you said there are lots of yarn at that price out there and some difficult to get that go for that and more. I would say that the average price of a regular sock yarn today is about $24 or $25. But the yardage has a lot to do because if it is 470 yds or more you can get a small shawl or a scarf out of one skein ( like Smooshy or Alpaca Sox that is so well price and soft). I can not buy the Fleece Artist sock yarn (as much as I like it) because I need two for a pair of socks unless they are very short. I think that I would not pay $28 for an 80/20 nylon 400 yds of sock yarn. There are just so many other options. My 2 cents on this. How is the cold up there? Is James swimming?
Posted by: juana | January 26, 2009 at 08:07 PM
No way, no how. And that's coming from someone who has spent a *considerable* amount of $$$ on sock yarn over the last 3 years. Not for a 'regular' base yarn with that little yardage. It *has* to have something more - silver threads, luxury base, or SOMETHING. To be honest, I think there are more than a few dyers lately who are really pushing the limits of pricing for sock yarn. If the market will bear it then so be it, that's the way business goes, but I think some of them are in for a reality check in the none-too-near future with the economy such as it is.
Posted by: Melanie | January 26, 2009 at 08:44 PM
I usually will only go $20 to $25 for a skein, especially for something that is not a luxury blend. I think about the shipping costs that will be added to that total too. By the time I pay shipping on a $25 skein it will cost me $30 or more. That's a little pricey, especially right now. Plus I already have quite a stash built up, so I'd rather knit from that than buy more.
Posted by: Marylu | January 26, 2009 at 08:46 PM
Boy, this is a difficult time to introduce such a pricey yarn. For something special, I will go that high, but not right now, not with the economy the way it is. Ask me again next year, though!
Posted by: Abby | January 26, 2009 at 08:54 PM
The only time I have paid around that much for a skein of wool/nylon sock yarn is from an indie dyer and it had over 550 yards in the skein. I believe I paid $25 or $26 for it.
I would not buy Nichole at that price, especially since it's a normal sized skein (not a "super" skein).
Posted by: Kathy | January 27, 2009 at 01:51 AM
Your conclusion is right on. I would not buy wool/nylon sock yarn for $28. I might be tempted by the beautiful colors, but I would only buy it if I found it on sale. I have plenty of wool/nylon sock yarn already in my stash.
Posted by: Nancy | January 27, 2009 at 02:41 AM
That's just a wee bit pricey for me. I love Schaefer, but Trekking XXL is also excellent at a much lower price.
Posted by: Sue Johnson | January 27, 2009 at 07:07 AM
Agree with Elizabeth D. It's pricey for the blend. I do love Schaefer yarns, especially Anne. But the color would have to rock em sock em, and that is way too late after the fact for you to have made this commitment to the yarn line. I doubt I would buy it because I already have so much rock em sock em colorways in my stash, plus some 'anne' that I have yet to knit. I think her price point is unrealistic.
Posted by: Laurie | January 27, 2009 at 07:57 AM
I would probably not pay that for the Schaefer Nichole. I do love the luxury yarns with cashmere and am willing to pay $25 for Casbah (LOVE that yarn!), but would not buy the Schaefer Nichole.
Posted by: Debra | January 27, 2009 at 08:16 AM
I'm with the others. I could not justify spending $28 on a sock yarn...it was a stretch for me to spend $18. with how slowly I knit, I would take the $28 and go buy myself 4 pairs of socks that I could wear immediately. It wouldn't be the same as a handknit, but I have plenty of other handknits to wear!
Posted by: Carolyn | January 27, 2009 at 08:55 AM
It would have to be an extra special type of yarn to buy it. A wool nylon blend? Even though it is Schaefer- not for me. SOck yarn budget has tightened up a bit at my house.
Posted by: Jan | January 27, 2009 at 10:42 AM
I don't think I would be able to justify that for myself. I'd pay around $20 or $22 personally. Anything higher would need a good reason for the price cost.
Posted by: Janis | January 27, 2009 at 12:18 PM
I'm with everyone else...if I was going to spend that kind of money on sock yarn, I'd go for Anne or cashmere blend or something else besides plain old wool/nylon.
Posted by: Jaimi | January 27, 2009 at 12:43 PM
I would not pay that price for a
skein of sock yarn. I think the
hand painted yarns are already over
priced compared to Treking and Cascade Panda or others. I do buy
the handpainted yarn also, but
not at $28.00 per skein. It is
getting very expensive to knit
and I am a yarn snob. I do not
want to go to Red Heart or Lion
Brand although some of their yarns
look good made up.
Posted by: babyface | January 27, 2009 at 01:02 PM
I agree with everyone else - if I'm going to spend almost $30 for a skein of sock yarn, I'd want a luxury fiber or a whole lot more yardage. There are just too many really nice sock yarns that fall into one of those 2 categories or even commercial yarns like Opal & Trekking that have a lot higher yardage, are reasonably soft & a good bit less expensive for Nichole to tempt me!
Posted by: Donna | January 27, 2009 at 01:32 PM
I love the Schaefer Anne--it is one of my favorite yarns and I regularly buy the indie dyer stuff that can get pretty pricey (although I do pay attention to yardage there too). When I am using a yarn base with a considerable amount of nylon, it is usually for my husband or someone that will give it hard wear--not someone who will be swooning over the hand dye. For that reason, I think the Trekking and the Opal are good choices. And if the Trekking is a little boring for the knitter, I just saw some of the trekking hand-dyed that was beautiful and it was only 20.00. I am a yarn snob, but I do think that 28.00 a skein for that blend seems a little steep--unless the colors are just to die for lol.
Posted by: Nancy | January 27, 2009 at 01:41 PM
I have to correct my own post. The Trekking Hand Art that I just received was only 19.25 a skein not 20.00 and it is a lovely yarn.
Posted by: Nancy | January 27, 2009 at 01:47 PM
I did buy one skein of the Nichole because the blue color wowed me and I was curious. It is labeled as a yarn for children's knits (or those who are children at heart). It arrived today and I have to say the colors are bold and bright, but I wouldn't pay that much often enough to make it worth your while to carry it. As everyone else has noted, there are too many good choices out there for less money.
Posted by: Nancy | January 27, 2009 at 04:36 PM
Absolutely not...not in good times or in bad. $28 for a skein of 400 yards of a common blend is really taking advantage of the knitting community. The time is fast approaching when knitters are going to say "enough is enough", and either stop buying and use up their stash, or start dying yarn themselves.
Posted by: Janice | January 27, 2009 at 05:09 PM
I would not order yarn at $28 for 400 yards unless it was a luxury blend yarn(Fleece Artist Casbah) or had a spectacular color palette. I think your decision to not carry Nichole was a very good one. I wonder what the rationale was at Schaeffer for bringig out this yarn at this time at such a high price.
Posted by: Natalie Gaull | January 28, 2009 at 12:04 AM
The suggested price is too expensive for me given the type of yarn base used. Thanks for asking for our thoughts.
Posted by: Johanna | January 28, 2009 at 02:17 PM
Nope. If I'm splurging (and for my budget, that price counts as a splurge), I want something more special fiber-content-wise than wool and nylon. So I too endorse your decision.
Posted by: Kathryn in Minnesota | January 28, 2009 at 05:13 PM
It is a bit pricey but I am torn because Schaefer yarns are so terrific. Right now because money is tight for so many people, it was probably a wise decision on your part. You have a wonderful selection to choose from! I looked at their website and the color was very bright on the sample.
Posted by: Renee' | January 28, 2009 at 09:08 PM
I have to agree. I think 28$ is too much for a wool/nylon blend.
Posted by: Molly Johnson | January 29, 2009 at 08:58 AM
Like lots of posters, I certainly wouldn't spend that much for one pairs of socks in a regular blend of wool/nylon when my stash already has lots of pretty yarn in that blend. I recognize that handdyers need to be paid fairly for their work, but I still won't spend that much on that quantity of that yarn blend.
Posted by: Katy | January 29, 2009 at 11:56 AM
I have to admit that I have bought Schaefer Yarns Nicole and am very impressed. I also admit that I didn't pay attention to the price and had a gift certificate when I bought it. I'm not normally so unaware of prices. That being said I also have to say I would buy it again and was searching for shops that carry it when I found your post requesting opinions.
Posted by: Sylvia | February 01, 2009 at 09:08 PM
I love Schaefer Anne, but I also think that is too high a price to pay for Nichole. In this economy, that is a pretty pricey non-luxury yarn. Thanks for asking for our opinions!
Posted by: Cher | February 02, 2009 at 01:58 PM
I love all the Schaeffer yarns and have bought my share. But I will not pay $28 for socks. If I use the yarn for a shawl or scarf - then maybe if I really love the color.
Posted by: Linda Rich | February 02, 2009 at 02:28 PM
No silk, no cashmere? I could not justify spending $30 for a skein of yard even if the yarn contained these fibers. There are other wool/nylon blends that equally nice and are at reasonable prices.
Posted by: Connie | February 02, 2009 at 02:38 PM
$30 is a little pricy for my wallet, although I have gone $20-$25 If I like it. We all have to set our limits somewhere.
Posted by: Judy LaCross | February 02, 2009 at 04:38 PM
Allison
Is there somewhere I can look at it. I don't think you have ever carried it, or am I incorrect. I've purchased other yarns at about that price and would probably buy it at least once to see what it's like.
Posted by: Judi Kennedy | February 02, 2009 at 05:58 PM