Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

Process Knitter vs Product Knitter..... a contest

What was this...

...is now this.

I'm back to square one. Row one, really. But really it's causing me no stress at all. Which has made me realize that I really am more of a process knitter rather than a product knitter. This was pointed out by a commenter on Instagram, and boy is she right. For me, it really is more about the process of tinking away rather than producing the final product.

Two days ago, I tried on my Wurm hat after finishing 7 of the purl sequences and even though I'd tried it on a few times before and all seemed fine, this time it kind of fell over my eyes. I'm thinking that the added weight of the yarn as I kept knitting really made the size problem more obvious and pushed the brim down too low. I always think I have a big head, so I knit the large size, which was apparently too large for me (even though I even knit the brim on a needle size that was one smaller than recommended). So instead of bargaining with the universe about solutions that might work, I just tore it all right out and hand wound it right back into the ball. Then I immediately cast on in the medium size so that I wouldn't get discouraged and leave it languishing. And now I'm almost back to the part where I fold over the brim.

Can you relate to this? I'd love to hear about a project that either made you realize that you're a process knitter (one who enjoys just knitting away like me) or a product knitter (one who is more focused on the finish line and finished garment). So tell me in the comments below about whether you think you're a product or process knitter and/or perhaps share an example. This contest will end this Monday, Oct 1 at noon EST and the randomly chosen winner can choose any skein of Spun Right Round in Sock, Merino Singles or Squish DK (which is what this had is made out of in the color Haunts).

Knitting all the hats

That's what I feel like doing- knitting all the hats. And I luuuuuurve it.

I'm knitting my third one this month, and I could even start and finish a fourth one before September ends. You know how you just get on a kick and you can't get enough? Yep, that's where I am right now. Here are the two I've finished. The one above (using Spun Right Round's Squish DK in Dirty Denim) I cast on 104ish stitches on a 16" US 4 circ and just knit a 2x2 rib until it was long enough to wear with a big folded brim. Then I just decreased every other stitch, every other row til I was down to 6 or 8 stitches and wove my end through those stitches and cinched it closed.

Then for this hat (using LITLG Twist DK in Lichen) I did the same thing but b/c it's not for me and for someone with a more normal sized head I'm thinking, I cast on 96 stitches on the same needle and knit until i thought it was long enough and started the same decrease.

Thanks to all of James' soccer away games, I'm nearly finished with this Wurm hat, and that's even with dropping a stitch and tearing back over a dozen rows b/c I just couldn't make it look right by carrying the stitch up. I'm using another skein of Squish DK, this time in Haunts, one of the Halloween colors. It was a close match between this and Monster Mash. And now I'm thinking of doing hats for the boys in Ectoplasm. And then for every friend I have in other non-fingering weight options. Perhaps next in Cozy DK or Arroyo. Yes, I was on a cashmere Sockhead cowl kick earlier this year, and now it's hats. I don't think I've knit Christmas presents for anyone in years, but apparently I'm going whole hog this year!

And, of course, there's going to be pom poms on each of these! I can't get enough!

SSYC's Winter Knit Sets!

We've dyed up some super special, super big skeins in the Poste Yarn studio and paired them with totes to give you our Winter Knit Sets! That's right, we've brought back our big 250g Worsted Weight skeins and you can get one or both colors with a cute tote for just $38 each. If you bought that amount of yarn alone from another hand dyer you'd spend over $50 for the yarn alone!

Bountiful is above or Bay of Plenty is below.

How can we offer such a great deal? Well, we got a great price on the yarn from the mill and then we dyed the yarn in house and pass the savings right on to you. If you were able to snag some of this yarn last year, you'll remember that this stuff is super soft and machine washable. A really great knit. And there's enough for a winter accessory set- think a scarf and mitts or a scarf and a hat. Plus you get an awesome tote with it!

You have two options right now, the Bountiful Set or the Bay of Plenty Set. And we will have two more colorways for you next month too. I know that many of you love our themed Knit Kits (like the awesome Halloween ones I'll preview later this week), but those often include several hand made items and are more pricey. We like to create goodies that everyone can afford, no matter your budget. So please enjoy!

Did you also see that we have more Thrummed Mitt/Sock sets from Fleece Artist? We were completely out of these beauties. These come with a free mitt and sock pattern so you can make the warmest of fleece lined sock or mitts with your set. And the color combos are wonderful, don't you think?

Linen Canvas bags now available!

Earlier this summer, one of our 13th Anniversary Knit Kits featured a hand made, fully reversible linen canvas bag. This kit sold super fast and we received many requests for more of this type of bag. After all, it holds a 4-5 skein project, is made of a specially printed fabric made of soft linen combined with durable cotton, and it's just super cute. So of course, I listened, and our bag maker at Mommy Sews made us a collection of 10 different color options!

Gah, these totes are so cool, aren't they? I've paired them with the limited edition Halloween colors that Renee at Spun Right Round just sent us (hint: they're amazing), and if you choose both it's like putting together your own mini kit with bag and yarn, am I right? I have all the Halloween colors on Squish DK, Sock and Singles, and the colors are: Bitten, Ectoplasm, Haunts, Monster Mash, Part Werewolf and Poison. I've already snagged a skein of DK in Haunts for myself and I'll be making a simple slouchy hat with either a Black pom pom or a Party Pop one.

And if you've been waiting for more Dirty Denim to arrive so you can cast on a hat like mine (it sold out quickly) it's back in stock too! I've paired it above with bag 4- Indigo & Pebble.

Or you can make a kit for yourself out of Bag 3 - Salmon & Onyx with Squish DK in Haunts.

Want something brightly Halloweeny? There's Bag 5 Passion & Nectar with Monster Mash.

Or give a try to Bag 8 - Berry & Aubergine with fall staple Hayride.

How about ooky-spooky with Bag 10 - Greenery & Ink with Ectoplasm on Sock?

How about Bag 9 - Charcoal & Powder Blue with Part Werewolf?

Or go green with Bag 1 - Sprout & Stone with DK in Poison.

I hope you love these bags as much as I do!

Hand made, faux fur pom poms at SSYC!

Our new, exclusive line of hand made pom poms is now available! 

You'll see over 30 colors and 4 sizes right now, all hand made of great quality faux fur. All have ties for you to easily use a bow to hold your pom pom on your project and easily change it out as often as you'd like. Want a Tiffany blue pom pom? Great! What about a huge one that looks like a big ol' toasted marshmallow like the one above? Me too! We really do have a great array of colors and sizes ranging from 4" to 8", and more to be added as time allows and trends come.

Rachael knit the above Circumvolute hat a few weeks ago (in this yarn color Bug Jar) and of course she had to go and add an avocado colored pom pom to it. And the nice this is that it's just tied with a bow on the inside of the hat, so when it's time to wash the hat (or if she just wants a different pom pom) she just unties the bow on the inside and that's that.

Thank you so much for your continued support over the past 13 years. Your advice and requests guide me and the shop into what it is. You inspired me to create a yarn line nearly a decade ago, then our own dye studio seven years ago. Now we have this pom pom line and we will continue to do what you want us to do to fuel your craft. You make this work fun and varied, that's for sure! We all greatly appreciate you!

Qing Donegal Sock

Just in time for fall, I have a rustic looking tweed sock from Qing Fibre that is just as soft as any other merino sock yarn. Of course, I have all the fall colors...

.... and a more modern take on tweed with springy, bright hues...

There's so much to choose from! I also have all these colors on Sock, Singles and Super Soft Sock, should you want to go that way. But really, come join the tweed side with me first!

Staci is the winner of the Name that Color Contest, with the name Iced Berries. And Anna is the randomly chosen winner of this last contest for a skein of Gelateria. She says of the project she's working on..."Currently knitting a long cardigan that's taking me forever and Halloween colored socks for my daughter." Thanks for playing, ladies!

Faux Fur Pom Poms coming soon

Earlier this summer I shared that we were developing out own line of faux fur pom poms.... and very soon you'll see them in the shop!

I'll have more than 30 colors in 4 sizes for you, and I'll continue adding some as time goes on. I have a diverse selection for you, from natural colors to bold hues. There's definitely something for everyone... coming next week!

So get your hats ready for some embellishment! Or can you imaging little baby socks with pom poms on top? Henry has one hanging from his fan chain in his bedroom. And I'm about to add one to my key chain (perhaps the one with glitter strands). I love these things!

New yarn from Madlinetosh + Contest!

Coffee Grounds

Madelinetosh has sent us something super special, their limited release of Tosh Merino Light + Copper! That's right, it's a copper glitter version of Merino Light, their uber popular single.

Ayo

This stuff is only available this once, unless Madelinetosh is able to do another run next fall. I've already received notification that no more orders can be filled, and you'll first find it here!

Trip Wire

Sparkle doesn't show up even half as well in 2D images as it does in person. You can get an idea of how it looks in the photos, but the true beauty of it is really only seen in person.

Barbara Deserved Better

I do have quite a lot of it in dozens of new colors and faves. This yarn would be perfect for stashing a handful so you can add one skein to a shawl project and the other skeins the original Merino Light. You don't have to do an entire project in this yarn, though it would be lovely. Just one skein would make a larger project pop.

Tiny House

Again, this is the only batch I'll be able to get unless something changes next year. So if you really like, it let me know so I can pass word along to Tosh so they know how much it's loved. I do have their new silver glitter version coming in about a month with our epic winter-is-coming-sized order. So that will be super awesome too. But for copper glitter, this is it folks.

And now, for the contest! You may have seen all the new colors from Qing Fibre, and you could be the randomly chosen winner of a skein of the cashmere blend Super Soft Sock in Gelateria by leaving me a comment below before noon EST on Saturday, Sept 15. Just tell me what project you're working on right now (I've just finished a simple ribbed hat and closing the top on another) and leave a link to the project on Ravelry so others can see it if you want. The Ravelry link isn't required, but encouraged. Thanks for sharing!

Psst.... there's a second chance to win on Instagram!

Free notecard set with purchase through 9/15!

Simply Socks Yarn Company is giving away a set of four knitter's notecards (and envelopes) with each purchase through this Saturday! Just place any order online from Tuesday, Sept 11 through Saturday, Sept 15 and we will automatically include a set of four knitting notecards with your purchase. These include envelopes and are a great way to send some love to a knitting friend, or pin to your workspace to remind you of your fave craft. Heck, they are even frame-able.

If you are participating in FibreShare like I am (for the second time), it's a great way to get yarn for the person you are partnered with plus a little something extra.

You don't have to add these to your order, or request them at all, or even use a code. We will just automatically put them in your package before we ship it out. And if you are local, just place your order online as you always do and then chose "in store pickup" to come get them with your order on one of our open days.

What might you like to purchase to get your free notecards? Well just yesterday I added spankin' new dyer Six and Seven Fiber to the shop. Rachel's colors are awesome. And she offers her cashmere blend sock yarn at just $26 a skein and a single for $23. Serious luxury for affordable prices.

Alfalfa MCN in Standing Ovation

Barley Singles in Verden's Ende

I also have the two new color collections from Qing Fibre in the UK! The Bedrock Collection and the Shangri-La Collection have landed in the US and you'll find them first here. The colors in the Shangri-La collection are Bittermelon, Bronx, Datura, Dirt, Ember, Rambutan, and Shell Beach. The ones in the Bedrock collection are Bluerinch, Brick Caviar, Dust, Hero, Honeycomb, Moss, Nassau and Teal.

Finally, check out the Sale Section as there may have been some new lovely skeins added since you looked last. This is the last of our big Back to School Sale promotion. Dyers have discontinued bases to make room for new fibers, so much of what you'll see on sale is the last you'll see of it ever.

New Regia Fall Collections

You may have noticed that snuck up the new fall Regia collections over the holiday weekend! I have six new collections to share with you, with three more coming later this fall. 

First the 6ply Sport/DK line for those of you who like a quick knit. This Digital Future collection has a multitude of colors that have a pixelated look. These are great for those who want a quicker knit or a warmer sock.

Then I have for you the City Streets collection which features graphic angles in the self-patterning design. This is a sock that I'd likely just keep knitting and knitting to see how the pattern develops. I'd assume quite addictive!

Then I have for you restocks and spankin new colors in the Pairfect collection that creates two "pairfectly" matching socks. The new colors are the thick rainbow stripes that you see at the end of this link.

Then I have a fancy play on solids with the Trend Shine collection. It's not shiny as the name indicates, but has depth. There are fibers of different color spun along with the yarn giving the finished sock a more luxurious and dynamic look. And at just $15 a ball, it's great for gift socks for those who might not treat their socks as nicely as you'd like (Regia holds up quite well to wash and dry).

Want earthy colors? I have those in the Native Collection

And then I have brighter colors with the Potpourri line

See? A little something for everyone!

The three collection that are coming later this fall are the new Premium Regia collections which include fibers like alpaca, silk and even yak. I'm sampling this right now and I'll share later my thoughts... so far so good!