Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

New Sweet Georgia's Silk Crush Sock Yarn

I have a spankin' new sock yarn to share with you from Felicia at Sweet Georgia.  Early this year, Felicia sent along a skein of a heavy-on-the-silk yarn base that she was going to try.  While it was lovely when she sent it, it seemed to me that the while the color was beautiful, the way the fiber was plied made so that it would be nice for lace, but not tightly plied enough for socks.  She worked with her mill to create a better wearing base yarn, and I now have for you a sock yarn that is not only 50% silk *swoon*, but is also appropriate for wear.  Felicia named it Silk Crush - quite appropriate.

Silk Crush is truly lustrous.  Take a look at two of the new colors I have for you, and I recommend clicking on each picture so you can peak at a lovely close up.  First, Summer Dusk.  You need to zoom in on it (hit Ctrl+ on a PC) to really dive in.

Doesn't it seem like you could just reach right in, grab that luxurious skein and rub it against your cheek?  Now try Rusted.

Updating could be absent for the rest of the week as I scramble to ship out the soon-to-be gone sock yarn kits and prepare for a big 4th of July bash.  My sister and one of my best friends are flying in, so I'm going to have an awesome time with all my wonderful friends and family.  Let's just hope the rain stays away and this nice, cooler, weather sticks around!

*This is your last reminder to e-mail me your contest entries for the Summer of Color.  They are all due on the 30th!  If you have e-mailed your pics and details, but haven't gotten a response from me, then please e-mail again.
 

Summer of Color Contest Update

The contest entries have started trickling in for the Summer of Color contest, and wow, there are some lovely socks.  Right now, there are just a handful of entries, so if you haven't yet submitted your photo (with the colors listed and the pattern too- that'd be helpful if anyone wants to duplicate your socks), make sure you do by June 30 because the prizes are big and the entries are low in numbers right now.  I'd show you pictures of some of them so far, but I don't want to show any favoritism or introduce bias into your voting.  But so far, each of the entries is awesome and a few of them are even original patterns that the knitters have given me to share with you, should you want to duplicate what they've done.

I recently sponsored another contest on the Elinor B.'s popular blog Exercise Before Knitting.  This contest produced 53 great new patterns to sock knitters (they can be accessed from this page) and from those 53 entries, only a few winners were chosen.  Many of these patterns are even free.  You can view the winners here, and below are some of my favorite socks produced from this contest.  The second picture was actually knit with Simply Sock Yarn solids!

 

 

Above pictures courtesy of Elinor.

It's super cool to see what came out of this and I think it's awesome that Elinor took the time to organize and it other companies like Fleece Artist, Skacel and Dream in Color donated prizes along with me.  Sock knitters form such an awesome group and I love that such an old art combines with technology like the internet to produce even more tight knit (no pun intended) communities that otherwise wouldn't exist.  When I look at my computer screen, I feel like just one of a million sock knitters.  But when I'm out in the non-knitting world, it's like no one knows how awesome sock knitting is.  Doesn't that just seem odd to you?  That most of the people you know and interact with on a daily basis don't enjoy knitting in the same way you do?  And isn't it amazingly cool that all you have to do is turn on your computer or iPhone to immediately interact with so many passionate and like minded people?

"Sundance" 5th Anniversary Kit

Thank you for all the kind comments and e-mails you've sent this month.  I'm really proud that my small business has so many awesome knitters supporting it- you're the reason I've succeeded for the past 5 years and I'm very grateful.

To commemorate SSYC's 5th anniversary, I've created a limited edition kit that includes some of my favorite things: a special edition colorway (with a story of its own) of Pigeonroof Studio's luxurious Siren Two sock yarn, a pattern that compliments this colorway, a piece of celebratory cake in the form of a cute crocheted tape measure, and one more very special piece... a procelain mug, hand thrown, glazed and fired by my husband, ceramic artist Joe Van Zandt. 

This mug is similar to the one I drink from every morning, and it's so special to me that I wanted to share it with each one of you.  There's nothing quite like relaxing with a cup of tea or coffee while starting a new knitting project, and I wish that relaxing feeling for each of you everytime you take a sip from your mug and make a stitch with your yarn.

The hand thrown porcelain mug is glazed with a pale blue-tinged-gray glaze with a pale buttercream undertone.  Each mug is its own little work of art and is unique and special.  Each is food, dishwasher and microwave safe and holds around 10 ounces.  I've been drinking out of the same mug for almost 10 years, and I hope you get just as much enjoyment out of your mug as I do.  And if you fall in love when you open your package and want one or a few more mugs, just e-mail me, 'cuz I bet I can get you moved to the front of the line.  Afterall, I have an in with the potter!  You are also welcome to view a few more of Joe's pieces here, though it's rare that he has many pieces available on Etsy because they sell quickly here in town.  I use a cruet similar to these to water my herbs in my kitchen.  I can leave these sitting out on my counter and it is viewed art instead of clutter.  Anything that makes my laziness seem planned is a perk for me!

 

When ordering this kit, please order just the kit and nothing else on the same order.  The kits are specially packaged to prevent breakage of the mug (do contact me if your happens to break on the journey), leaving no room for extra items.  You are welcome to order other items- just on a separate order.

Because of the handmade nature of the kit, it is limited in number. But I do hope that those of you who want one are able to get one.  Once the link stops working, that means the kit is sold out, but you are welcome to e-mail me to be put on a waitlist should there be a few more available.

Sundance Sock Pattern

After seeing the final prototype skein of the special edition Sundance colorway (available as of June 23 2010 at this link- once it sells out, the link won't work) for the store's 5th anniversary, I starting testing stitch patterns for a special sock.  I tested a few stitch patterns and realized that simplicity would be most flattering for this colorway.  There are many colors dappled onto this skein and to really show them off, a simple stockinette stitch seemed to do the trick.  But as this colorway is somewhat representative of my life in the past half decade, the pattern had to include some turns.  Think of this pattern like the good life- simple, but with enough twist to make it interesting.

Please note that I'm currently the only one who has tested this pattern.  So I recommend not printing it off until you actually are ready to knit it b/c there could be errors that are found by myself or others.  Errors/changes will be shown in red text throughout the pattern.  If you find errors, I would really appreciate an e-mail to allison@simplysockyarn.com .  I'll apologize ahead of time b/c until a few of you have tried the pattern, it's likely I haven't found all typos and/or mistakes.

If you are on Ravelry, you can queue it up here.

Materials: Pigeonroof Studios' Siren Two sock yarn shown in the special edition Sundance colorway, or another fingering weight yarn of your choice; US 1.5 and US 2 double point needles; cable needle (though I simply use my 5th double point needle) tapestry needle.  The smaller needle size is for a tight fabric for the foot, but if you prefer, you can knit with just one needle size.

Ktbl = knit through the back loop

cn = cable needle

k = knit

p = purl

s1 = slip one (purlwise)

tog = together

ssk = slip one as if to knit, slip next stitch as if to purl, then put the left needle into the front of these stitches and knit them.

Using US 2 needles cast on 64 stitches and join into a round, making sure not to twist the stitches.

Knit the leg cuff as follows: K1tbl, p1* continue this pattern for 10 rounds.

Now start the leg.  You'll knit the following stitch rows/stitch pattern 7 or 8 times, depending on how long you like the leg of your socks.

Rows 1-8: Knit 22 stitches, p2 k6, p2* repeat

Row 9: Knit 22 stitches, p2, slip 3 onto cn and hold in front, k3, then knit the 3 stitches on the cn, p2 * repeat

Once the leg is the desired length, slip all stitches from the US 2 needles onto US 1.5 needles (this creates a more dense fabric that holds up to wear).  Now you'll set up for the heel flap by turning your work and purling 5 stitches.  This puts the beginning of your 32-stitch heel flap in the middle of the cable you just knit so that the cable patterns is placed at the ankles.  Now you'll turn the work again and start the heel flap.

Row 1: s1, k1* repeat to end of 32-stitch row (32 stiches should be on this working needle and the remaining 32 stitches will be held 16 stitches each on other dp's to work after the heel)

Row 2: Turn work, s1, p to the end of the row

Repeat these two rows 14 more times.  Now you'll turn the heel.

Row 1: sl1, k16, ssk, k1, turn

Row 2: sl1, p3, p2tog,  p1, turn

Row 3: sl1, k4, ssk ,k1, turn

Row 4: sl1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn

Row 5: sl1, k6, ssk, k1, turn

Row 6: sl1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn.

Continue decreasing in this manner until you have 18 stitches remaining on one needle.

Next, knit across 9 heel stitches.  Using a new needle, knit across the last 9 heel stitches.  Using this same needle, pick up and knit 16 stitches along the side of the heel. Using a new needle, knit across the instep stitches that you've held.  Using a new needle, pick up and knit 16 stitches along the other side of the heel.  Using that same needle, knit the remaining 9 stitches from the heel.  You now have 25 stitches on needle one, 32 stitches on needle two, and 25 stitches on needle three.

Knit one round.  Then you'll start to shape the gusset.

Round 1: On needle one, knit until the last three stitches, k2tog, k1.  On needle two, knit all stitches.  On needle three, k1, ssk, knit to the end of the needle.

Round 2: knit all stitches

Repeat these two rounds until you have 16 stitches on needles one and three, and 32 stitches on needle two.  You'll then continue to knit all stitches until you are within 1.5 inches of the desired length of your sock.  Then you'll start decreasing for the toe.

Round 1:  On needle one, knit to within the last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1.  On needle two, k1, ssk, knit to within last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1.  On needle three, k1, ssk, knit to the end of the needle.

Round 2: Knit all stitches.

Repeat these two rounds until you have 12 stitches on needles one and three, and 24 stitches on needle two.  Now work only Round one (decreasing every round) until you have four stitches on needles one and three, and eight stitches on needle two.  Then break the yarn, leaving a yard, and bind off using the kitchener stitch.  You can find a nice tutorial here.

Now love and wear your new Sundance Socks.

mmmmm, Quiche

(Warning: If I'm throwing you a baby shower, don't scroll down if you don't want a sneak peak at your gift!)

In my family, we tend to celebrate with food.  Whether it's a big event or a small dinner, the meal is talked about, scheduled around and often prepared for by not eating that day leading up to that special meal.  For Father's Day, it turned out to be a pie-tin day with my first quiche and a perfect apple pie. 

Making my first quiche wasn't difficult, but it did take quite a bit of prep because I premade my own pie crust, hand grated the cheeses, and pureed roasted red peppers. And while it was very good, I'm thinking that this could be just as a good a meal on a busy night using a store-bought pie crust (or maybe crust I've made and frozen), and presehredded cheese and some bagged spinach and leaving it at that.  In fact, I think it would be downright simple to put together perfect quiche quickly- if only I knew how to keep all the non-egg ingredients from floating to the top.  Do you have specific flavors that you like in quiche?  And do you have other go-to meals that take really just 10 minutes to put together on a busy night? 

Even with all the tasty food on Father's Day, eating did take a backseat to knitting on Sunday morning as I cast off the last block in my Moderne Log Cabin Blanket from the book Mason-Dixon Knitting.  This blanket was a wonderful knit.  Perfect for my busiest time of year as it included much mindless garter stitch.  And just as I was tiring of all the simple knitting, BAM, it was done!  Perfect size.  It exceeded all my knitting expectations.

Here she is lounging on the porch, sunning herself.  I only have the border to knit, and it will be ready to wash and wrap.  Click for some nice closeups.

 

 

New Yarn

Many of you have been waiting on these two shipments, so I want to detail a few new arrivals:

String Theory Colorworks, Continuum Striping Yarn.  I just received a second shipment and already it's dwindling.  But I'll do what I can to get another shipment this summer.  Here's the review of this yarn, if you are interested.  Shown below in Sombrero Galaxy and Ceres.

Felicia at Sweet Georgia dyed more of her Tough Love sock yarn for the store.  I have the popular Kill Bill colorway again (shown below), plus some new colors like Peashoot and Summer Dusk.

It's nutty here- tons of boxes to pack and not enough time, so no relaxation until the weekend!  I hope you all have a lovely weekend full of fun and fiber-  What are your plans, knitting or otherwise?  I'm planning on relaxing in a friend's pool, going to the farmers markets and making a dent in the baby blanket knitting.

Advice for a hostess

Later this summer I'll be throwing a baby shower for someone very special to my family. I've designed the below invitations with little pink yarn-bows (using a little leftover Simply Sock Yarn), and now that I have the cake ordered and menu planned, it's time to think about shower games.

For me, shower games are typically the last addressed part of any shower.  I have thrown a baby shower before, and perhaps more than one... is it odd that I can't even remember?  And wedding showers too.  And the shower games are something that cause me a bit of trouble.  To me, a good shower game is gives a group of unfamiliar women an activity to become closer... laugh, share and maybe compete... if only just for an afternoon. I don't like anything that is too embarrassing for the mama-to-be, but I do want two games that are fun and allow the people there to become familiar with each other and share an experience  in a way that leaves them thinking "Mama-to-be has a great support system.  She'll thrive."

Think about some baby showers you've attended.  Is there one that sticks with you that you really enjoyed?  Conversely, is there one that left you yawning or thinking "that's not how I'd do it."  Do tell.

As a hostess, are there games that you played at a part that were a big hit?  Or as a mama-to-be, were there games that you wish weren't played?  Or no games at all?

Please share your experiences of baby showers you've attended and what made them hits or misses.  I need your advice!

Sundance: A Special Edition Colorway

In April, I hinted to a special edition colorway for the store.  What I didn't tell you was that it was going to be the 5th Anniversary Commemorative Colorway for SSYC- something I've been working on since earlier this winter.

   

For the store's past anniversaries, my chosen dyers for the commemorative colorways have dyed colors that used the pinks and chocolate that the store is known for.  But for this anniversary, I wanted something a bit different.  I wanted this color to commemorate not only the past five years of the store, but also my life- the changes that have taken place in my life and my family, and the joy I experience everyday.

When I started designing this special skein with Krista at Pigeonroof Studios, I shared that my initial thoughts were of rural setting- endless acres of sunflower fields set in a bright blue and cloud-filled sky.  To me, a sunflower field represents beauty with its golden petals, sustenance within its black and white hulls, vibrant life in its green stems and leaves; all set it a limitless blue sky that is dotted with clouds.  All these colors are represented in this special edition Sundance colorway, and all of what this colorway represents is present in my life.  I feel like this colorway is a true representation of the peaks and valleys that I've shared with you over the past 5 years.  The highs and low that I've experienced and shared.  The anniversaries and births, the sickness and sadness.

This colorway will be available in a special edition kit that will soon be available to you.  But I just couldn't wait any longer to show you this color.  The pattern shown, is a simple stockinette with a cable inlaid on each side of the leg.  It's something I designed to show off the dappled color of the yarn but with enough of a twist to make it interesting.  Like a good life, it's simple, but with enough twist to keep it interesting.

New from Miss Babs

It can be hard getting a new batch of yarn from Miss Babs.  She's not only a very busy dyer, but she's a regular on the knitting show and workshop circuit; if you got to Stiches or other conferences, you're sure to see her colorful booth there.  Everytime I open a shipment from her, I'm hit with an explosion of color and the most recent shipment is no exception. 

I have a restock of popular colors like Frog Princess and new colors (like Pinata) in her Yummy 2-Ply sock.  And Babs found a few more skeins of  the multicolor Tea Roses from the special edition Mothers Day kit last month and sent those along too.  If you happen to want one of those, shown here, e-mail me at service@simplysockyarn.com.

  

It's been at least a year since I've been able to get Miss Bab's  Yummy 3-Ply sport weight sock yarn in the store, and if you haven't tried it before, it's so soft and squishy that it will make awesome, warmer socks. And because it's sport weight, it will knit up quicker than its fingering weight cousin.  Shown below in Roses & Chocolate, Orgeon Cellar (Sock Summit '09 commemorative color), Cleopatra and Rose Garden

 

I also have more of the Miss Babs Mini's, which are 1/3 skeins that coordinate with her variegated colors.  These are perfect for edging on scarves or for toes and heels on your socks.

Also just arrived: a restock of the popular Cherry Tree Hill Fingerpaints stripes.  I've knit the Herbs n Spices colorway and loooooved it.  If you haven't knit this yet, I highly recommend it.  It's very satisfying to watch the stripes develop as you knit in the round.  Shown below in Morning Glory and Name Your Poison.

 

Not really a fair choice

I knew it was a bad day when the biggest looming question was whether I should open the windows and let the odor of recently spread field manure overcome the smell of toddler vomit.  If the choice of the day is which of those I could better tolerate... well, that's the makings of one crappy day.

And that's all I've got for you today.  Sigh.

And the blankie continues

(IF I'M THROWING YOU A BABY SHOWER AND YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR GIFT IS, STOP READING NOW!!!)

I really appreciate all your kind comments about my blankie angst. I think part of the reason I felt so guilty about the project, other than the fact that I considered knitting it a vow-breaker, is that I am really enjoying knitting it.  REALLY.  There's something about the endless garter stitch and the mindless knitting that is perfect for me during my busiest time of year.  It gives me real relaxation at the end of the night.  Joe and I watch a bit of TV and I zone out to Dr. Who or Real Housewives of NYC, and I never have to look down- I just knit away.  I'm about 3/4 done with the blanket and I'm even considering knitting one for myself.  For me and Joe, really.  It was Joe's idea- he said he thought a larger one in really subtle colors would look nice on our new bed, and I agree.  So we'll see what happens.

I really like the four colors I chose for this project: 420, 410, 140 and 280.  I was trying to choose 4 colors that would create a palate that was "appropriate" for a boy or girl baby, since the parents aren't going to find out beforehand.  After spending way too much time trying to pin down the exact right combo, I finally decided just to knit colors that I thought the mother would enjoy, since it's just as much for her as it is the baby.  Something that I think will look nice in her home.  The photo below is a bit more accurate on the colors than my last post. 

I'm really happy about the yarn I chose as well.  I'm knitting with Dream in Color's Classy worsted weight.  It's a really soft superwash merino, and I chose it because I know it will hold up to washing, and also because it's what I had here.  Last time I knit this blanket, I knit it in Cascade 220 Superwash, and the local store didn't have a wide array of colors to choose from and I didn't buy enough at first, so I had to make a trip back for more.  In the 6 skeins of yarn that I knit so far, I did find one knot, but it didn't impact the project at all.  I'm really happy I chose subtly variegated colors instead of solid, because the variation in each block is just enough to make the blanket a bit more dynamic.  I have only few more blocks and then the edging to complete.  It's really moving along quite quickly!

This is turning out to be my go-to baby project.  Do you have one?  If so, do share!

Resolution Ruined

Thank you all very much for the nice comments and e-mails over the past few days about the store's 5th anniversary.  Obviously, I wouldn't have a successful business without all of your support.  And while your reorders are an indication that you appreciate the service I provide, it's always nice to get verbal and or written confirmation of that.  I like hearing good things!!

But now, I have some bad news.  Well, depending on how you look at it, it could be bad.  I've gone against my 2010 resolution to knit only for myself.  I thought long and hard about it before breaking my vow, and while I know that by knitting for someone else I'm not giving myself the gift of my own time, I realized that if I didn't knit this one item, I would really regret it.

Like I shared last week, I started a Moderne Log Cabin Bab Blanket (page 79) from Mason Dixon Knitting.  I'm using Dream in Color's Classy yarn in colors 410, 280, 420 and 140 (the color's a bit off in this photo).  No, it's not for me.  I'd love to be knitting a new baby blanket for myself, but I'm not pregnant. Someone very special to me is, and so I'm knitting this for her (and I'm throwing her a baby shower that I'll need your input on soon).  Now, I want this blanket to be somewhat of a surprise, so YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND I KNOW YOU READ THIS BLOG SOMETIMES SO IF YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, PLEASE CLOSE YOUR BROWSER WINDOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR GIFT!!!! 

I first thought about the time constraints of knitting such a large project.  This will likely take me 5 weeks of evenings to knit this blanket.  That's a lot of time that I could be spending knitting for myself like I vowed to do on Jan 1.

I also considered what this would mean to those who are knitting-for-themselves along with me.  I wanted to show myself (and you) that we are worth our own time.  That it's okay to gift ourselves of our own talents.  That, come the holidays, we can make other things for our friends or family, or purchase them gifts.

Finally, I considered how I would feel if I didn't knit this special baby a blanket.  And I knew I would regret it.  I realized that this was more about me.  That I would be knitting this blanket for my own enjoyment in knowing that a new life would be swaddled in its warmth.  And that with each stitch I knit, I would be weaving wool with love into something that no one else could gift- love from me.  I want to knit this gift and I would really regret it if I didn't.

So I made it almost half the year before breaking my vow.  But I do plan on renewing it once this special project is complete.  Really.

5 Years

Today marks 5 Years of Simply Socks Yarn Company!

Typing that, it's hard to believe where it started and where it is now.  When I opened the store at the ripe ol' age of 27, it was because I was recently sock-obsessed and was not happy with a small selection at the one yarn store in town. If I wanted to order online, I couldn't find a large selection at any one place and would end up paying several shipping charges to several different stores.  When I opened the store, self patterning yarns and factory dyed yarns were most popular, and hand dyed sock yarns were just seeing some interest.  I remember my vendors saying, "hmmm, a sock yarn store... now that's a good idea!" but my friends and family wondering if I was getting myself into a mess of trouble.  Boy, how things have changed in the sock knitting world!  Now, sock knitting is super popular, instead of simply reserved to the daring knitter.  Now, hand dyed yarns are all the rage, with semi-solid hand dyed yarn seeing popularity for newer, more complicated patterns.  Sock yarn isn't reserved for our feet anymore- it's so special that in many cases it's also used for mitts, lace, baby garments and blankets.

The fiber world isn't all that's changed- my own life has seen drastic changes as well.  I went from working full time in the environmental field, while doing this on the side, to a bustling and thriving business that keeps me working way more than 40 hours a week.  During the past five years I've learned to be a good wife, survived my mother's leukemia scare, had a baby, moved out of the city, developed my own yarn line.... looking back to 5 years ago, I'm the same girl in a completely different place in life.  I'm much more confident, and being a successful business owner and mother have really made the difference.

I'm sure the past five years have brought similar changes to your life.  Are you in a relationship that you weren't in 5 years ago?  Have you tackled a daring knitting project?  Do you have a different job?  Did you attend school?  Rennovate your house?  I'd love to learn how your life is different now.

Five years ago, I couldn't have imagined that I'd "virtually" meet so many awesome knitters.  That each one of you would be a part of my thriving family- you'd be the reason that I could stay home with my son, that I could help put a roof over our heads, that Joe wouldn't have to work three jobs anymore.  You are the reason I get to wake up in the morning and spend time doing what I love; spending time with my family and tucking skeins of fibery goodness into little packages to send along to you.

With each purchase you make at my small store, you help my family and numerous other dyers/delivery persons/printers/designers.  You put food on our tables and happiness in our hearts because you allow us to do what we love every day.  You've likely never met me, but you affect my life every day, and I am ridiculously thankful.  Thank you, thank you.

And the decorating continues....

Decorating our "new" house has been a process.  I don't know that I can really refer to it as our new house anymore, as we've lived here for over two years.  But much of it is still undecorated.  We've only painted three rooms, which means that every other wall is still builder-beige.  And we haven't hung any pictures on any wall.  Wow, I don't think I realized that until I typed it.  There is nothing hanging on our walls.  No, wait, James' bedroom and bathroom have various pictures hanging, so that's about the extent of it.  So imagine how much I must have to love something to purchase it and actually have be the first thing I choose to hang on my perfectly painted family room walls.  Walls that have been nekkid for over a year since we had them painted.

I was searching Etsylast week, and while I can't remember exactly what I typed in the search terms, I remember that it was a typo and what Etsy's search engine gave me was completely unrelated to what I was searching for.  One of the items that showed on the search engine's results was bright teal and lime green triptych- three canvases that work together as one piece.  There was just something about this painting that made me purchase it immediately.  And as I'm sure you can realize from how long it's taking me to make decorating decisions, this is quite a departure from my normally safe way of making choices.

The artist contacted me almost immediately to let me know she received my order and that it would be shipping later that day.  And when it arrived just two days later, I was astounded at the attention to detail, how quickly it arrived, how carefully it was packaged, and that it came with a free little sample magnet.  This seller, to me, represents why Etsy is so successful. 

This transaction also helped me to see why I receive so many e-mails and testimonials on the website about your service at SSYC.  Stellar service doesn't seem to be the norm in any industry anymore.  I often receive e-mails about how quick your service was, how you appreciate your yarn being packages in a water-safe bag, and how the little Teaser Card I included in your package showed you a yarn that you hadn't even been considering before, but now is on your to-buy list.  And as I approach SSYC's fifth year in business, it's my goal to increase your good service.  Having a toddler around slows things up sometimes, and I'm vowing to you to do my best everyday to make sure that you receive quick and seamless service from the time you order to the time the yarn goes on your needles.

There are some limitations to buying art and yarn on the internet.  While colors and textures of a 3 dimensional item can be hard to represent with a 2 dimensional image, most buyers now understand those limitations and take it into account when purchasing. But for my most recent internet purchase, I've found that my impulse buy is as awesome as I was hoping.  It's fun, whimsical, and has just enough texture to it to make it interesting.

  

It now hangs right above my knitting chair so that every time I sit down to knit, I see it.  It makes me smile.  A big thanks to Bethany Ogle, who is now affecting my life a little bit each day.