Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

A Full Friday

We are busy preparing for Stephanie Pearl-McPhee here at the shop, and the busy day we are expecting here tomorrow.  Next week will be a doozy as we put TWO holiday kits up for sale, show you the December Dream Club, ready the December sock club shipments, and get all the lovely Madelinetosh and Three Irish Girls up on the website for you.  Look at this lovely wall of Tosh Sock!  75 colors available right now (I did put up some of the new colors already- take a look!)- isn't that fab? 

Here are two colors that I can't resist together, Fireside and Maple Leaf.  Holy moly, this is an awesome combo, don't you think?

Three Irish Girls sent us their spankin' new trunk show!  Here is a sweater that Rachael immediately put on as soon as it arrived, paired with a scarf that I lunged for.  If you happen to be in the area over the next month, stop in, try on these lovlies, and see these awesome new designs.

Here's your first glimpse of the Angry Elf colorway that we are pairing with this adorable bag for one of the holiday kits.  Angry Elf is dyed by Blue Moon Fiber Arts on their Socks that Rock Lightweight base.  We have a specially coordinating collection of Floops stitch markers, and a couple other things coming in this kit.  This kit goes up for sale on Tuesday, Dec 2, if all goes according to plan.  Then the Fleece Navidad kit will go up later that same week.  

I'll do my best to post photos of the fun day we plan on having in the shop tomorrow.  Check out Facebook and Instagram for updates, or I'll try and post some here on the blog next week too.

This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a day when we sit down with our loved ones, eat a great meal, and reflect on our lives and those people and things we are grateful for.  While I'm not working today (I typed this out on Wednesday), I know I will be thinking about my shop on this holiday, and how thankful I am for each person that has contributed their passion, talent, time, money and hard work to Simply Socks Yarn Company.

I am thankful for my staff.  Three years ago, it was just me.  I was the only employee of Simply Socks Yarn Company for nearly five years.  The person who did everything.  Shipping, marketing, bookkeeping, buying, designing.... everything.  I worked way too much and "balance" was a word that wasn't in my vocabulary.  Because of the continued loyalty of you, SSYC's customers, I have been able to hire a handful of dedicated, kind, detail-oriented, talented ladies who make my life so much better.  Not just because they work hard and visibly enjoy their jobs, because they do- and that's important.  But also because they are wonderful people.  They are kind, honest, fun to be around, hilarious, and some of my closest friends.  I feel so fortunate to be in the company of Heather, Rachael and Angela.  They are good people, and make me a better person.

I am thankful for the designers, dyers, craftspeople, and delivery people that make what I do possible.  I'm one person and Simply Socks Yarn Company is one shop.  From the farmer who tends the sheep to the USPS person who puts on cleats to deliver packages in the snow, there are dozens of people who work to make our craft possible.  The pride that each person takes in her or his job is shown in each stitch that we knit.  I am truly thankful for all that they do, and I try to often tell each person how important their work is to me.

I am thankful for you.  If you have supported my shop with one purchase or a dozen, if you have not shopped with us but have shared the shop or website with someone- THANK YOU.  Each time you purchase yarn from me, comment on my blog, open an e-newsletter, tell a friend what you are knitting, share yarn you bought on Ravelry, send a kind e-mail... each time you do this, you make a positive impact on my life, the life of my staff, and the lives of those people who work to make the knitting industry function.  It is because of you that my shop is approaching nine years in business.  It is because of you that my shop that started in a 10'x12' bedroom now occupies a 3500 square foot shop and studio.  It's because of you that an unused and long vacant building was restored into its former 1940's post office beauty.  It's because of you that Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is soon coming for half a week to my shop to share her passion with the community. 

I will continue to do what I do as long as you allow.  I enjoy serving you every day, and I look forward to many more years of browsing SSYC's aisles for you, wrapping your purchases into safe little parcels, and sending them with love and gratitude all over the world.  Thank you for letting me do this.  Thank you so very, very much.

Wednesday Show and Tell

Here are some of the awesome projects we've had in the shop recently.  It's a fun part of our week when you all wear in things you've knit with our yarn, or bring in your projects-in-progress.  Take a look at what Penny knit with Opal yarn (this one is the from the retired Faires collection, but Little Prince and Rainforest would look awesome) and the Effortless cardigan pattern.  Doesn't a self-patterning yarn look great with this pattern?  So inventive.

Chevas recently finished this Sockhead hat in Miss Babs.  The color is Deep Sea Jellyfish, and I have it in both the Cosmic Sock and Tarte Sock.

Below is a sock knit by me, for me, in Trekking XXL color 511.  I love the varying stripes of dusky purple.  I just can't stop knitting Trekking XXL and Opal.  It's a sickness that I don't want to cure.

Sue knit this festive Christmas stocking in Dream in Color Classy.  Isn't it gorgeous?

 

SSYC's shop manager, Heather, knit the below worsted weight version of the Sockhead hat in the Fleece Artist, Emily that we briefly had in the sale section earlier this year.  She said that the stitch definition and color makes her look like the best. knitter. ever.

 

Jody is enjoying her Tomato colored socks in MadelineTosh Tosh Sock (she has also made a matching hat in Tosh DK).  I also have knit this same color in Tosh Sock.  It's awesomely bright.  We have over 60 colors of Tosh Sock on the website right now, with more popping up on the website soon, as we just got in a huge shipment yesterday.

Do you like seeing recently finished projects by myself and others?  I try and post them on our Facebook page when people bring them in (as long as the shop isn't swamped at the time), and I often post pictures of my own projects-in-progress on Instagram.

Tuesday Tease

We are doing two holiday kits this year, and this is the yarn and bag from one. What do you think?? (Available in one week.)

Yarn Harlot- act now for added spaces

If you are one of the many who e-mailed me about missing out on the class spaces offered by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee at Simply Socks Yarn Company, act now, because I've had a couple cancellations and I've also been able to add a couple spots to a class.  This means that there is space, if you want to see details of the classes and sign up here.

A couple of these classes sold out within a couple days of opening, so please don't hesitate if you want in.

I'll likely delete this blog post when these spaces are no longer available, as to avoid confusion.

What I've been up to

November is always a whirlwind of fiber, fun and family, and this year is no different.  If anything, the pace has been made even more frantic with the addition of our Yarn Harlot event (Who thinks it's completely doable to put on a huge event with three weeks notice?  This person.), assembling TWO holiday kits for you to choose from, and dyeing up awesome tests in the Poste Yarn studio.  It's a great time for us, and I hope you take part in some of it.

I've been teasing you this week here on the blog, Facebook and Instagram with pictures featuring yarn and bags from the upcoming holiday kits.  And there was only so much tempting I could take myself, as I found myself hand winding a skein into a ball and casting on a little hat for Henry.  Seriously, I could. not. resist.  I ended up with this piece of adorable-ness, and I'll share the pattern I put together for it at a later time.  But the color is fab, isn't it?  Leave it to Blue Moon Fiber Arts to design a special color for us that even I couldn't keep from casting on immediately.

I'll have two different holiday kits for you to choose from this year, and they will start going on sale in early December.

What else has been going on here?  Let's see...

At home, it's root veggie time.  Carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes.  This is just one batch of carrots that we pulled (OK, Joe pulled) from the garden.  I love growing carrots because you can basically start pulling them in August whenever you need them.  And then you can leave them in the ground until early November and just make sure you get them out before the ground freezes.  They stay really well in the fridge, as long as they are kept cool and dry.

I also put up A LOT of applesauce this year.  Two or three bushels of apples were turned into sauce for the freezer. James and Henry eat a lot of applesauce, so it's a nice bonus to just pull out a quart from the freezer every week, rather than buy it.

Last night, I took James roller skating.  Big mistake.  My knee will never be the same.  It is currently covered in Iron Man bandaids, thanks to Doctor James Danger.  I remember roller skating being easy!  Not anymore.

If you're coming to the shop through December, you'll see the new Three Irish Girls trunk show, featuring new patterns and colorways.  I have lots of great projects here to show off to you.  Rachael is wearing a sweater that she just didn't want to take off.  I'll show pictures of everything here in a couple weeks.

Finally, the pair of socks that I'm wearing right now, and three times a week.  What? They get washed in between!  I just can't help it- they are so festive and make me smile!  This is the Christmas Island color from our Poste Yarn striping collection.

So that's what I've been up to the past week or so.  What about you?  Are you planning a fab Thanksgiving menu?  Looking forward to time with family and friends?  Coming to the Yarn Harlot lecture here in a week?  Do tell!

Hello, beautiful

Okay, so I may have cast on another project last night. I can't help myself. I have four projects I'm working on now.

This may, or may not, be a holiday sock kit yarn. I'm not telling. Did I mention there are going to be two different kits to choose from? Well, there ARE. Super excited about that.

Tuesday Tease

A hint at the upcoming holiday sock kit! (Available in approx 2 weeks)

Opal Schafpate 5 Collection

If you're in a self-patterning sock knitting frenzy like I am (I. just. can't. stop.) then new colors can't be a problem.  I mean, new colors are awesome, but they make you just want to knit more... and more... and, well, you get it.

I thought Trekking XXL had my undivided attention this season, but it turns out that Opal may have distrupted my plans.  I'm currently knitting this, but I just may have to postpone that after finishing one sock for this.  It's from the new Opal Schafpate 5 collection.  Do you see one here that you don't want to live without?

Also just in... The Doctor's 50th Anniversary scarf kits and sock kits from Lorna's Laces!  Each kit comes with 6 colors of yarn and the pattern to create a striped project.  

The hanks of yarn are huge, as you can tell by the 300 gram kit compared to a single 100g skein of Lorna's Laces.  In this sock kit, you have plenty of yarn for knee highs, or TWO pairs of regular-ol' socks.

And the size of the scarf kit hank is even larger than the sock kit, as you can see below.  Do you know someone who might need a Who scarf?

I'm a proud nerd for Doctor Who, as is the SSYC Team.  There's even a little TARDIS on the front counter.  I should probably knit one of these for display, right?  We did just get in more of the yarn in stock!

 

A perfect setting

Don't you think this will make an inspiring backdrop for classes with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee?  Sitting at a table in this corner, absorbing knowledge and creativity from someone who dedicates her life to the fiber arts?  I'm hoping that our shop full of yarn will be a motivating setting for the classes we have planned for her visit.  I'm thrilled with the response I've seen so far for class sign ups-  the class spaces are nearly sold out, which is something amazing given only a two week head start and a holiday weekend!

I've booked a large setting at Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne for Stephanie's lecture on Saturday evening, and I can't wait to sit with all of you and knit and nosh.  I mean, not only do I get to laugh and learn from the Yarn Harlot, but I will be surrounded by a couple hundred passionate, generous knitters and crocheters who love yarn and the fiber arts in the way I do.  It sounds like the perfect way to remind me of what I'm thankful for right after a holiday where we celebrate just that- being grateful for who and what make our lives what they are.

I hope that you are planning on joining us in this experience!  If you want to reserve a ticket to the lecture, please do so here or in person in the shop next time you're in.  I'd love to see you there, and enjoy this together.

The Yarn Harlot at Simply Socks Yarn Company

Please note, Nov .30 lecture tickets are no longer available for pre-sale.  We have a few dozen tickets available for sale at the door of the lecture at IPFW for $16 (exact change).  Details for the lecture time and location are below.

Just typing that title makes me shake with excitement.

Yes, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, aka Yarn Harlot.  In Simply Socks Yarn Company.  In two weeks.  What a combo, am I right?

If you're looking for the best-ever-gift to yourself, you should be here too.  Here being Fort Wayne, Indiana, the weekend following Thanksgiving.  It's the perfect early-holiday-gift, or post-turkey-treat.

Want the details?  Of course you do!  Read on, and then if you don't see the answer you want here, then e-mail me, Allison, at service@simplysockyarn.com .  That's the best way to get questions answered quickly.  If you want to sign up for classes or buy your ticket to the lecture, click on the links below to buy your ticket online and reserve your space.  You can also buy tickets at the shop, but seeing as how we are an internet/shipping business and only open to the public on Tuesdays and Saturdays, you might not want to take the chance of missing out. Space for the classes is each limited to 18 or so, depending on the class, and the lecture a couple hundred.  Once it's sold out, the links will link to No Product Found.  If you want to book several of you at once, you can buy more than one ticket at a time to make sure you all get space.  Just don't hestitate long if you want more than one ticket.  You will receive an e-mail from me within 4 days, but if you want to make sure you have a space immediately, just check your payment method.  If you see the payment deducted from your card or Paypal, you're all set.

Stephanie Pearl McPhee will be at Simply Socks Yarn Company for a few days teaching classes at the shop and giving her lecture The Way Knitters Are at IPFW (I've booked a venue large enough for us, as I know this is a big deal to all us Midwest knitters).  Here's what you need to know and the links.

Saturday, Novemeber 30, 2013 6-8pm.  Lecture: The Way Knitters Are (click to purchase). Cost: $16 per person. You don't receive a printed ticket- we will have a list of paid attendees and those will be marked at the door.  Bring identification.  Edited to add: Tickets can be bought on the website until Thursday, Nov. 28.  After that, you can buy tickets at the door as well, first come, first served.  Please bring exact change.

Location: Walb Classic Ballroom (WU 126), IPFW Campus, Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Easy to find using this map Download IPFWCampus_SLP-MainCampus (2), plenty of garage parking that leads right to the venue.  Plus you'll see a couple hundred knitters all walking to the same door.  5 minutes from SSYC (should you want to shop before and have an early dinner out in the area.  Seating is at tables of 12, snacks and drinks will be provided (or bring your own), so you can sit and knit and nosh with friends while basking in all that is the Yarn Harlot.  There will be a meet and greet after.  And, AND you also get a little gift bag of goodies.  A great deal for an evening out with your knitting friends- or make some new ones at the event!

During this two hour lecture, Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee shares a funny, interesting talk about the way knitters think, how people think about them, and what might be done about all of that. 

Sunday, December 1, 2013.  Class: Grok the Sock 9am-noon (click to purchase). Cost: $75

Sold out.

Location: Simply Socks Yarn Company

Grok is a word from the classic book "Stranger in a Strange Land" that means to understand something completely.  This 3-hour class is designed to leave the student with a really complete understanding of the construction of socks and (usually) the ability to knit a great sock that truly fits, without any pattern at all.

Supplies: a small quantity of sock yarn and needls to match.  If you are in need of these supplies, SSYC will be open for shopping a half hour before class begins.

Sunday, December 1, 2013.  Class: Knit Smart 2:00pm-5:00pm (click to purchase). Cost $75

Space open at this time.  Reserve quickly if interested.

Location: Simply Socks Yarn Company

This small, intimate lecture style class deals with mistakes and bad outcomes in knitting, and talks about how to (usually) prevent them and (mostly) fix them.  Learn how to choose tools, yarn, and a pattern that are more likely to work out than not, what to do with a pattern before you start to help you out, and what you can do to get in the way of mistakes all the way along- and how to fix them if all else fails.  Feel free to bring proects with problems.  I can't promise we'll get to all of them, but we'll try! 

Supplies: None, but students may bring failed projects, or those with mistakes.  We'll have a look together.

Monday, December 2, 2013.  Knitting for Speed and Efficiency 9:00am-noon (click to purchase). Cost $75

Sold out.

Location: Simply Socks Yarn Company

This class examines the various techniques, attitudes and history of the most productive knitters, and is designed not necessarily to change how you knit (unless you want to) but to help you become the most efficient knitter you can be on your own terms.  We'll look at the various styles of knitting, and have some instruction on "lever knitting" (fixed needle knitting.)  We'll talk about techniques for knitting faster through changing what you do, and the way you think.

Supplies:  Your regular knitting supplies, smooth worsted weight wool, and your favorite needles to match (circulars, double points, whatever you like best) as well you will need long straight needles (14 inches) of the same size.  If you are in need of these supplies, SSYC will be open for shopping a half hour before class begins.

Monday, December 2, 2013.  Class: Grok the Sock 2:00pm-5:00pm (click to purchase). Cost: $75

Sold out.

Location: Simply Socks Yarn Company

Grok is a word from the classic book "Stranger in a Strange Land" that means to understand something completely.  This 3-hour class is designed to leave the student with a really complete understanding of the construction of socks and (usually) the ability to knit a great sock that truly fits, without any pattern at all.

Supplies: a small quantity of sock yarn and needls to match.  If you are in need of supplies, SSYC will be open for shopping a half hour before class begins

*      *      *    Sundry details     *       *       *

Simply Socks Yarn Company is located at 1315 E. State Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN, 46805.  There is plenty of off-street parking at the shop, as well as next door at the library.  E-mail service@simplysockyarn.com with questions, or phone 260-416-2397.  Please understand I'm also the mommy to little ones, so I don't answer the phone if I'm with them.  E-mail is best.

The shop is open on Saturday, Nov 30 from 10-4 if you'd like to make a day or a weekend of shopping at our 3500 square foot sock yarn store, attending the lecture and classes.  Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee will even be at the shop much of Saturday, if you'd like to bring a Yarn Harlot book (or buy one at the shop) to have signed and say Hi.  No, I don't now exactly when she'll be in the shop on that day yet.  I'll keep you posted here on the blog or Facebook if I have more accurate information.

Want to drive in with a group of friends to make a knit-away weekend out of it?  Hotels that I'd be happy staying in within a 10 minute drive of the shop, lecture location, and plenty of restaurants and shopping are: Holiday Inn, Hyatt Place, Courtyard Marriot Downtown.  Fort Wayne is also the home to a nice museum, and plenty of tasty dining downtown (just 5 minute drive from the shop).  Visit this website or this one for more info of things to do.  My husband and I really like Red Rok, Club Soda (annoying music on their website, sorry), and J.K. O'Donnell's for great food and drinks.

I'm super excited about the opportunity to share the passion of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee with you.  She energizes me with her thoughts on knitting and life, and I can't wait to learn more from her and hang out with awesome knitters.  I hope you can treat yourself to all or part of this experience!

The Little Shop of Spinning is also open on Saturday, Nov. 30 from 10-5 that day, and it's just a 10 minute drive from SSYC, if you're interested in stopping there before the lecture.  They are located at 104 Three Rivers North, Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Their phone number is 260-580-1811 if you are interested in info.

Oh, Babs

Every time Miss Babs sends packages my way, I feel as though I'm visiting a fiber fair or festival.  Like I stepped up, chose a couple hundred skeins, and had them shipped back to me.  I hope you feel that way when you order her Cosmic and Tarte sock yarn from Simply Socks Yarn Company.  That you get a little bit of fiber festival in your mailbox.

Hi there, Berlin.

How you doin', Flower Garden?

 

Well, hellooo, Masquerade.

All shown here in Tarte (Bab's merino/tencel/nylon blend with 500 yards per skein), I have new colors also in Cosmic (merino/nylon put up in 400 yard skeins).  Yum.

Special yarn for you

You know what I like?  Yarn.  All types.  Machine washable sock yarns in fun colors.  Special blends that require attention and demand being knit into something awesome.  No matter what it is that we get in the shop, I love it.  I have two special things for you today, and I'm pretty darn sure you'll like them too.

First thing.  Dream in Color had some of this month's Dream Club yarn base that was undyed.  So I asked them if they could do something particularly for us since it was a specially milled base, and you all really, REALLY liked it.  I asked them to dye what they had left in the Wilderness colorway, which is my fave, and a generally really popular on both the Smooshy with Cashmere and the Everlasting DK and Sock.  

So for those of you who really liked the Dream Club selction this month, take a look at the same base with this deep and cool color combination.  I teased a picture of it on Instagram last week.

If you're like me, you adore a good self-patterning project and a good deal.  Get both in the Sale Section right now with three different Online Supersocke collections.  One fingering weight, one DK weight, and one worsted weight.

This is the worsted weight Aspen collection.  It's a superwash wool/nylon blend that is perfect for thick house socks, mittens, scarves, baby sweaters.  Anything that you want to be very soft and machine wash/dry, this is great for.  It comes in 100g balls, so is enough for a pair of medium sized socks.  Get two if you want large socks.  Regularly $15 a skein, it's on sale for $7.50 a ball!

Next is the DK weight Milano collection.  A fun self-patterning sock yarn that is a superwash wool/nylon blend.  It comes in 150 gram balls (so 50% more than usual sock yarn), which is more than enough for a very large pair of socks.  Also great for other accessories.  Regularly $22.50 a ball, it's on sale for $11.25!  A great deal for so much yarn.

Finally, I have the fingering weight New York collection.  Superwash wool/nylon and comes in 100gram balls.  The tonal nature of the colors would not only be great for simple socks, but would also look nice for more complicated stitch patterns.  And at 45% off, it's a great deal!

All three of these are currently available in the Sale Section.  As usual, such great deals can go quickly, so please grab what you'd like before it's gone.  I do have quite a lot right now, but I'm sure some colors will sell out in the near future.

Poste Yarn, Patina. Allison's Project

I'm a creature of habit.  Whether you've been reading my blog for 8 weeks or 8 years, you likely know that my go-to color is green, and my go-to sock pattern is Embossed Leaves.  I own three versions of this pattern.  I own the Interweave Knits magazine it came from (years ago), the Favorite Socks book that Interweave Press put out later that includes the pattern (OK, I own two copies of that book), and then a few months ago I couldn't find any of these and purchased the single pattern from the designer on Ravelry.  There are somethings I just don't want to go without, and a copy of Embossed Leaves is one of them.

So, of course, when we all decided we wanted to knit Patina together, I cast on in Hanging Gardens in the Embossed Leaves Sock.

Hi!  This is me, Allison, posing with our striped yarn.

I'm really proud of our Patina sock yarn.  The yarn is perfect for socks because not only is it superwash merino and nylon, but there's a bit of tencel too, which gives it a dressy look.  The way the yarn is plied into a thin, tight strand makes it perfect for socks that you want to hold up to machine washing (and even machine drying if you need to, but I just don't).  As you can tell from Rachael and Heather's projects, the yarn is also wonderful for larger projects.  The tencel lends a slight sheen that's usually reserved for silks, but without the silk price.

Want to knit the Embossed Leaves socks yourself?  Tell me in the commend below what color of Patina you think would look fab in these socks, and I'll randomly choose two commenters to win the color of their choice.  Comments will close on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 5pm.

Poste Yarn, Holiday Color Contest

What kind of Poste Yarn stripes would you like to series dye in the new year? More sports team colors? Grays with color? Tonal stripes? Tell me in the comments below what two, three or four color stripes you'd like us to dye, and I'll randomly choose one person to win a skein of their voice of one of these holiday striping colors. Leave one comment by 5pm EST on Tuesday, Nov. 12 and you could win!

Give as many suggestions as you'd like, but make sure to leave it all in one comment.  Your input has grown Simply Socks Yarn Company into the shop it is today, so let's continue in that vein!  You haven't steered me wrong yet!

Poste Yarn, Patina. Heather's project

We've been knitting up our exclusive Patina yarn here at the shop, and this week I'm sharing our projects with you and giving away yarn and patterns to knit your own.  

On Monday, I showed off what Rachael chose for her Patina project.  Today, I'm sharing shop-manager Heather's sweater.

Heather chose the Mary Mary sweater designed by Andrea Black, and paired it with the Jodhpur, India colorway of Patina.  She used 1.5 skeins to knit the size 36.  The result is a feminine and flattering cardigan that can easily be dressed up or down.  And using Patina for the sweater means that the finished fabric looks dressy without sacrificing easy wash and long-lasting wear.

Want to knit this combo yourself?  In the comments below, tell me what color of Patina you'd choose (by 5pm on Monday, November 11)  and I'll randomly choose one commenter to win two skeins of your choice of color and the pattern.  I'll also choose two other winners to win the pattern only, courtesy of designer Andrea Black.

Looking forward to the new colors we're adding later this month?  Make sure you know the latest about what SSYC has to offer by signing up for our e-newsletter.

Poste Yarn, Holiday Striping Colors

It's that time of year!  We have for you our exclusive striping holiday colors of Poste Yarn, dyed in our own restored-post-office-shop-and-dye-studio.  We plan on dyeing just a few batches of these, so hopefully they will stick around through November.

First, two new colors.  Humbug, Arizona is our take on a candy-coated chrtistmas. Think sugar-coated gumdrops.  I adore the combination of french green, deep rose and salmony-pink.  This three-color stripe knits up in approximately 7-row stripes of color, so nice medium-thick stripes.

Next is Snowflake, Virginia- a cool combination of aqua (think a bit more green than Tiffany blue), gray and charcoal.  A nice, wintery option for those that don't want a variation on red and green, but do want something festive that can even be worn all year long.

Due to your requests, we've also brought back three of our original holiday colors for a short run.

Christmas Island.  I knit this one myself last year, but apparently haven't taken a picture yet.  But take a look a friend's awesome pair here.

Island of Misfit Toys  See an awesome finished pair here.  Envious!

And... Santa Claus, Indiana.  As you can tell, all the names for our Poste Yarn stripes come from destinations, real or fictional.

These can, of course be used for socks.  I think that these patterns would be interesting to knit, without distracting from the bold stripes: Cracked Ribs, Sideswipe, (by Kate Gilbert specifically for our yarn), or Socktoberfest Swirl. These be more visable in mitts like these, or in knee-highs.  Adorable.

Poste Yarn, Patina. Rachael's project

From what I've heard from many of you, you (like the SSYC Team) are double-point-needle-deep in knitting up Poste Yarn's Patina this fall!  I love getting feedback from you on what color you're enjoying right now, and how you plan on combining the three colors you received as part of the Patina Test Kitchen special months ago.  Now that we have single skeins available and have caught up to demand, we are even adding a few new colors to the line-up later this month.  Want to know more?  Sign up for our e-newsletter for the latest on Patina and other offerings in our 3500 square foot shop.

Heather, Rachael and I have each knit Patina recently, and this week I'll be sharing our projects with you and giving you a chance to win the yarn and pattern.  First, I'll show off Rachael's Sweet Dreams shawl, knit with half a skein of Patina in the Easter Island colorway.

Rachael chose the Sweet Dream shawlette for her project.  She's a fan of Boo Knits' designs, and I think that this one definitely shows off the color of the skein nicely.  The layering of gray and blue makes an interesting knit and doesn't detract from the lace design.  The tencel in the fiber blend lends a luxurious sheen usually reserved for silk, but without the silk price.  The yarn is evenly and tightly plied, giving a sharp stitch definition and very little fuzy halo- even after washing and blocking.

Are you interested in knitting this project?  In the comments below, tell me what color of Patina you'd choose (by 5pm on Saturday, November 9) and I'll randomly choose one commenter to win the color of their choice AND the Sweet Dreams pattern, courtesy of SSYC and Boo Knits.

Boo Knits is even offering SSYC fans a special deal on the In Love Collection, which the Sweet Dreams shawl is a part.  If you'd like to order this collection of five stunning pieces, she's offering you 10% off through the end of November by using the coupon code PATINA.  Just visit the In Love Collection pattern page on Ravelry, click Buy it Now and enter PATINA as the coupon code before clicking the Paypal button.  Thank you Boo!  We adore your designs!

Dream Club, November 2013

Edited to add: The skeins we had sold out in just a few hours! If you are ordering this selection now, there is an approx 10 day wait.  We have sold out of what we have, but more is on its way.  I encourage you to order now to secure your place in the preorder line, but please note that your order will actually ship in mid-November.

In the third month of the Dream Club, Veronica and the team at Dream in Color have produced a vibrant skein on a lace weight (on the heavier side of lace, smack dab in the middle of fingering and lace, really), paired with a gorgeous shawl design.

Domestic wool. Silk. Alpaca.

Helloooo November.  Hubba Hubba.  How you doin?

Good luck counting the colors on each skein.  You could easily discern dozens of shades on each one, and it looks classy and stunning.  Click on the photos for close ups.  I dare you.

Certainly a great departure to typical fall colors, don't you think?

Here's one skein with a 6" US 1 needle to help show you just how large this skein seems.  At at over 600 yards, you can certainly find several accessory patterns that look fab.  Though I really like the Ornata lace pattern that comes with each purchase (just e-mail me after your order with your invoice number and I'll e-mail back with the pattern).  It calls for a 32" or longer US 5 circular needle, and a US 7 for bind off.  Also 200 seed beads.  Though if you are like me, you can just leave the beads out and knit the pattern without.

If you're up for a road trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana before the weather turns, SSYC has added a second day to our in-person-shopping hours (we ship nearly every day, but are open to the public select days).  You can visit in person every Tuesday and Saturday from 10-4 until Christmas Eve.  Not including Christmas Eve though- we'll be at home with our families that day.  Come and see us and 5 tons of sock yarn!