Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

Here's more!

Wow, this Colossal Sock is selling out fast. We've had a couple batches of these 600 yard beauties now, and some of the colors sell out nearly immediately. Today, I have more of this for you, and I'll continue to get batches from Blue Moon Fiber Arts every week or two throughout our 12 anniversary summer celebration. So check back in the Sale Section every once in awhile, or just wait for me to post so you can pounce before they all get snapped up.

Here are a few of the lovely colors that we have back in stock:

Bet You Thought This Skein Was About You

Midsummer Night

Sugar Plum Fairy Dust

Muddy Autumn Rainbow

Tree Toots

The Unique Sheep

I'm so enamored with the newest batch from The Unique Sheep. They are like little jewels or pieces of candy. And they are so timely because there are so many patterns that call for mini skeins... and these are specially dyed to merge together! One pattern I really like for these is the new How I Roll.

Here are a few of the colors that are stuck in my mind today. Is there one or two that you adore?

Black Day Lily

Beach Sunset

Denali (oh, the greens!)

Winter Amethyst

Are there particular patterns you think you'd love to knit in these sets?

Rare Weekend Post for BMFA!

I rarely post on weekend, but when more of the Colossal Sock arrives in the Sale Section from Tina and the gang at Blue Moon Fiber Arts, I know you want to know asap.

Afterall, this stuff is only only put up in big 600 yard skeins, but it's also 45% off what you'd expect to see it priced at. For just $20, you get all the stunning hues BMFA is known for, plus 50% more yarn.

Here are a few of the colors that I liked together. And can find them all (at least at the time of this post) in the Sale Section. 

Aubergenius & Corvid Fledge

Black Onyx & Bag Lady

Cranberry Bogged & Spike

Whirly Whileroo & Calendula

Wonderful Goodness & Pond Scum

Of course, we have dozens of colors at this moment. These sold out fast when we had them earlier this month and it's likely these will too. But Tina is helping us celebrate our 12th Anniversary all summer long and we will get a few more batches over the next few months. All sorts of colors!

Life Lately

It's been awhile since I've blogged about myself and the kids and it's likely because I'm just so busy. Not a bad, frenzied busy, but more a of a sweet, summer busy. The kids are in camps (on opposing weeks because they are MUCH nicer to each other when they aren't around each other all day), they have soccer with friends at night, and we have wonderful neighbor kids who pop in to play all day and evening and it's awesome. Until last year, I lived out in what I'd call "the country" with no neighbors, and living in a neighborhood how suits me and the kids much better. James loves having friends over at the drop of the hat, I love being the house that everyone gravitates to, and Henry's preschool and everything else is just 2 minutes from us now.

Henry waiting for soccer last night. He'll be five next month!

James enjoying Rise n Roll donuts for the first time last week. It's a must have if you visit Fort Wayne!

Though there is some of that oh-my-gosh-I-need balance feeling, mostly due to all the yarn I keep ordering, it's of my own doing. Believe me, I'm not the only one who notices. My staff has to find places for it to live! Have you seen all the yarn in the shop? I mean, we use to have 6+ tons, now I'm afraid it's well more than 11. We have more than a ton and a half in Hedgehog alone, and 2-3 tons in Madelinetosh. And I keep bringing in new dyers, new colors.... I just can't stop! Which leaves me photographing yarn all day every day, but hey, there are much worse jobs, right?!

Thankfully, the boys play really well together and actually help once in awhile. They like helping me organize the larger shipments for photos. Things like Hedgehog Fibres. This is James' doing. He likes pattern.

How are you spending your summer? Are you shuttling kids from activity to activity all day like I am? Or are you past that part of your path and instead get to choose how you spend your time? I've seen so many people out gardening this past week and I wonder if I'll be into that one day. Right now, my life is basically driving kids around to camps/sports, working, and playing volleyball. Notice there's no knitting in there? I don't think I've knit a stitch on this since vacation three weeks ago! Next week I'm going to have to make that a priority.

Have you seen?

Just when I think there's a break in all the new yarn that has arrived at the shop, I'm proved wrong and a huge amount of yarn arrives from all our favorite dyers. In case you didn't see the addition to the sale section and the new hues from Hue Loco, take a look now. Here are just a few of my faves from this batch of Hue Loco, shown on Phyllis Sock:

Banana Who

Rowdy Mermaid

Grocery Girls

There's so much yarn in my photography queue, so if you've been waiting for something, check back in a day or few for more Colossal Sock from Blue Moon Fiber Arts in the Sale Section, Peruvian Tones in Heritage Silk from Cascade Yarns, new colors and restocks from Irish dyer Life in the Long Grass, mini skein gradient sets from The Unique Sheep.... and so much more!

If you are coming to the shop this Saturday for our once a week shop-in-person hours, you'll see so much new stuff. Come on by!

Super Sock from Mineville Wool Project

Mineville Wool Project has sent us a new and stunning batch of their 120g Super Sock! This stuff is so amazing and at 45% off what you'd regularly expect, it's a heck of a deal. See it all in the Sale Section This stuff tends to sell out fast, but I do believe I still have another batch stuck in Customs right now, should you miss out or not see a color you were hoping for. 

Here are a few of the new hues:

Sassy Posy

Santa Maria

Milos

Winter Sky

Baltic

Knitterly Things

One of the coolest things about last weekend's anniversary party was, for me, meeting Julia from Knitterly Things. She and her family recently moved to Michigan and since she's so close to us now, we had no excuse to not have her up in the shop for a trunk show. She brought with her so many wonderful goodies, including these new striping Vesper Sock and Bespeckled colors that I can now share with you. Here are a few of my faves.... though there are so many awesome Bespeckled colors that I should basically just list every color here...

Bespeckled in Campfire, Pop Rocks and Dandelion

Vesper striping in Tomorrowland, Holiday Boogie Woogie and The Holly and the Ivy (YAY for starting holiday socks early so I can actually wear them for Christmas!)

12th Anniversary Party, a Picture Post

A fade purchased of Skinny Singles in Pollen, Fool's Gold, Sandcastle, Potluck 2i and Wish

Show and tell- a stunner of a fade sweater using one of our last sock yarn club colors (Winter Thaw from Life in the Long Grass) Budgie and Bubble from Hedgehog Fibres

Julia from Knitterly Things traveled to the shop with her trunk show and it was full of speckles and stripes and oh-so-much aweseomness! And she brought lots of stuff for me to share online and I'll have that available very soon.

Just some of the stunning art from Charan Sachar. I'll be able to share some with you later this summer.

Tasty snacks from Poptique Popcorn, a local fave.

I do wish I took more pictures, but it was so busy that these are the only ones I snapped. Thank you so much to everyone who came out, waiting in the lines that wrapped around the store, and made friends while waiting. The shop was full of smiles and happy fiber lovers and I'm so pleased to have been able to host so many people in the shop. Thank you!!!

BMFA's Jumpin' in the Celebration!

Today Blue Moon Fiber Arts is joining in the SSYC 12th anniversary celebration by offering you a deal on a short run (limited supply of base yarn) they have dyed up for us in BIG 600 yard skeins for our Sale Section! This Colossal Sock (Tina let me name it!) is 150g of beautiful superwash merino. It's one of those fingering weight sock yarns that's tightly plied and will hold up to wash and wear really well. And the colors, well, ahem...

Farmhouse (above) and Free Range Chickens (below) are perennial faves around here and look how vivid they are on the skein.

 

But we also have spankin' new colors like DepravedDyer Birthday Sprinkles

And Clusterfact

Which is the color I used for this shawl, which I'm hoping to get done by the anniversary party this weekend..... fat chance.

This is a super deal, as you can see. For $20, which is $5-$7 less than the 100g skeins of BMFA I sell, you get 50g more! It's at least 45% off.

If the colors you like disappear quickly, just know I'll be getting another batch of different colors soon. Thanks for looking!

12th Anniversary Sip & Knit Kits now available!

The Sip & Knit Kits are now available! I have a Lilac version featuring yarn from Hedgehog Fibres and an Amber version featuring yarn from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. And if you miss out on one or both, just know I have two more in the works for later this summer.

Thank you so much for helping us celebrating our 12th yarniversary! I look forward to our party this weekend and all sorts of deals and special kits, contests and yarns available online this summer that will help us all commemorate the occasion. Thank you so much for your continued patronage. Each e-mail I have received with feedback and suggestions has helped turn SSYC into the shop it is today and we wouldn't be here without each of you.

What else is new in the shop? I received the most beautiful batch of Yarn Love in Juliet Sock (merino/nylon), Goldilocks (merino/cashmere/nylon) and Marie Antoinette (cashmere blend with sparkle). Show below in Goldilocks in Oil Slick, Unicorn Pool (HA!) and Sock Star.

Then we also received a huge batch of Life in the Long Grass in Sock, Merino DK and Singles. Shown below in Aquarium, Tangerine Dream and Joyce.

SSYC's 12th Anniversary Sip & Knit Kits, a preview

Tomorrow you'll have an opportunity to snag two of our four Sip & Knit Kits that commemorate SSYC's 12th Anniversary! Each kit pairs a hand made Charan Sachar mug with a skein of yarn that complements it. Just a fun new way to share some awesome artists with you.

This Lilac Sip & Knit Kit features a special edition color from Hedgehog Fibres. The mug is one that I drink from every morning. I actually have two of my own, and while at over $40 they are an investment, they are quite worth it. It's a piece of art that I get to use and enjoy each day. It makes that morning cup feel special. They are not only beautiful, but are also easy care (machine washable) keep my coffee quite warm over time, and are large enough to hold 16 ounces. The nice thing about ordering the kit is you neither have to wait in long lines at the select fiber festivals Charan participates in, nor wait two months for a special order. We have already had these made for you and they are ready to head your way with your yarn!

Want another color option? This Amber Sip & Kit Kit is a solid mustard-colored mug (one of the two colors I have at home!) with a gorgeous skein from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. And with a Name like Ewes Gone Wild, you know it's going to be a hit.

I can't wait to share these with you tomorrow. Each Sip & Knit Kit will be $73 and there are SO MANY other new things you can add to your order to get to the free US shipping at $85 mark..... Hedgehog Fibres, Life in the Long Grass (by tomorrow), Yarn Love, Blue Moon Fiber Arts..... sooooo much awesomeness in the shop right now!

The kits typically go up for sale mid-morning EST, and I do expect these to sell out in the same day as usual. I will have two more Sip & Knit Kits later this summer and will share details on those next month.

12 Years!

 

Twelve years ago today, Simply Socks Yarn Company opened as an online shop out of one of my 10'x12' bedrooms. It expanded over the next six years to require a move to our restored 1940's post office, and now every cubby, shelf and peg of this 3500 sq ft space is filled with yarny goodness. I keep adding more and more to our lineup, and SSYC is now exactly what you guided us to be- a yarn shop that focuses on sock yarn but now also offers a curated selection of accessories and other easy-care yarns. This shop is exactly what you all wanted it to be and I'm so fortunate that you all took a chance on SSYC with your first orders, keep coming back for more, and e-mail and comment with suggestions and feedback on what you want and need in your craft.

 

Six years ago I started interviewing for a shop manager and dyer for our Poste Yarn line. The searching stopped with Heather and she's been with me ever since. She dyes every skein of Poste Yarn (and does all the wet work while Angela does the dry work), is unparalleled with color and is an all around amazing human. Today, I have one of the best things we've ever offered from our Poste Yarn dye studio, a three-skein potluck set of our new cashmere blend, Cash Sock.

Like all the times we've done a Test Kitchen Set in the past, this is our way of testing out our newest yarn bases, trying out colors, and getting your opinions on what we have coming. This yarn is a superb merino/cashmere/nylon blend, perfect for socks, accessories and the softest of cowls and shawls and instead of a standard retail price of $90-$96, I have it for you for only $60. It's my way of thanking you for 12 years ago support and helping you enhance your stash with some luxury!

Is this your first time trying our Test Kitchen Sets? We've offered them only a few times in the past. Basically, we choose your three colors and you get a fab deal. We will choose three that we think look nice together, should you want to use them together, but other than that, the sky's the limit on the colors! We hope that you will e-mail us sometime after your purchase and let us know what you think of the dyeing, the knitting, washing.... anything you want to pass along. But you certainly don't have to contact us at all. We have already tested this yarn quite a bit and think it's just fab, but we also like to get your opinion before finalizing the colors in the line like we did for Patina.

What might you want to knit with these skeins? Well there are tons of three color patterns out there and here are a few that are on my mind: Joji's Three Color Cashmere Cowl and Three Color Cashmere Shawl, Drachenfels, Doo Wop, Optimist, Color Affection, or the new Free Your Fade. As always, if you like or dislike certain colors or are really hoping for bright hues or something, you can put a note on your order and Check Out. We will always do our best, but please know that if you place an order, it is potluck, meaning you could get anything. It's part of the fun surprise!

Thanks so much for joining us in our summer long birthday celebration! Come to our party next weekend if you want to join in person, or check the blog, Instagram or Facebook to see how we are celebrating online.