Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

More About the Yarn Club

Thank you so much for your huge interest in our 25th Yarn Club! We sold out of the spaces in just the first two days so I was able to add more and I think that initial rush has simmered down enough that it could be open until the middle of next week. Please don't hesitate if you want in.

I had a couple e-mails asking if I could show you some of the goodies from the previous 24th Club, and I'm happy to show you what I do have left. Much of the items I don't have any more (our makers usually make just enough), but I do have a couple of the items that I had for myself that I can share. Below you'll see a couple skeins, some stich markers, lotion and Soak washes, a hand made pom pom, and a leather and metal shawl cuff.

The blue skein above was inspired by this photo of Cub Lake

And the skein on the right was inspired by this one

This photo doesn't show all of the goodies in the three months of the club. Maybe 2/3. But for those that haven't participated before it gives you a good idea of what you can expect. And do you see the leather piece wrapped around the blue skein? It's a hand made leather and metal shawl cuff to be worn like this to keep your shawl in place. What a wonderful piece, right?

And while I don't have a skein to show you of the first month of the last club, here's a Vidette hat knit by club member Elizabeth who also had this to say about this color, "I received my first shipment for this club. It's beautiful! Part of my childhood was spent in southern California, in Huntington Beach. Camping trips to the canyons, deserts and mountains of the area are some of my fondest childhood memories. Those memories are the biggest reason I joined this club. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. My parents would be delighted to know the memories of those trips live on." *heart melting*

Elizabeth also has this picture to share of the adorable recipient wearing her new hat out in nature as intended. Just perfect!

So if the club is something you were wavering on, I hope this little taste gives you an idea of what you might see mid month in March/April/May. I will not be sharing any of the dyers or makers ahead of time. Everything will be a surprise when you open your package. But I will share that the colors in this round are a bit more bold and colorful than the last round. Perhaps I'm looking toward spring and summer and thinking COLOR more. I really like what the dyers came up with!

Did you sign up for the previous club? What resonated with you? Did you sign up again this round? Do share with us.

12 Days of Sock Yarn Winners

The 12 Days of Sock Yarn event is my fave contest of the year. Not only do we give away some epic prizes last month, but this year it was more special than ever because I really really enjoyed reading your stories and feeling more connected in a time when I feel a lack of connection. We haven't seen our knitting friends here in person in the shop for 10 months now, so it's like an empty void. But pandemic motto is "We stay apart so no one is missing when we get back together." So thank you for leaving comments each day we did the 12 Days in December!

We have some wonderful prizes to give out and each person that won has been contacted. Here are the randomly chosen winners and their answers. Feel free to share in the comments what you thought of our 12 Days of Sock Yarn event this year. Did you aquire a new idea for a tradition? A new recipe or project? Or perhaps it helped you feel part of a greater community, like it did for me? If you didn't read all the comments go here to my December posts and scroll down to the bottom. Then read the posts from the bottom, up. It's fund and inspiring to read them all.

Oh, and I think it's awesome that the two people who won the $100 gift certificates chose to have them applied to their yarn club subscription! Now that's a vote of confidence on our clubs, am I right?

Day 1 $100 Gift Certificate - Brandy
Did you learn a new skill during 2020? I’m curious if others founds new interests while being stuck at home.

Day 2 3 skeins LITLG - Dana
I have not zoomed this year, but enjoy connecting with people through comments on their blogs and Instagram, as well as Ravelry groups.

Day 3 8x LTY Tweed DK - Lisa
I am TERRIBLE at correspondence and keeping in touch so not surprisingly, no cards. Pretty much ever. I go the lazy route of emails, texts, and calls.

Day 4 Holiday Yarns and mug - Nicole
Something new - haven’t eaten out since March so I used my oven for the first time in like 10 years 😲

Day 5 2 opals + minis - Kim P (we have NEW opal colors on their way here!)
I’ve had my eye on those minis for so long! This year is very different since the family won’t be coming. I didn’t put up a Christmas tree. Instead I bought a ceramic light up tree for the coffee table. I do have outdoor lights that are festive.

Day 6 2 Zauberperlen (color 2419 Burano shown above) - Monica
Previous to 2020, I worked on only 1 project at a time until I completed it. Now I have several projects going on simultaneously because I keep finding new ones I want to try and keep buying beautiful yarn and then need to start using it right away!

Day 7 $100 Gift Certificate - Carol A
Sappy hallmark Christmas movies

Day 8 Wonderland Yarns 1 Blossom (shown below in African Daisy), 1 Mary Ann, 1 Cheshire Cat - Stefanie
I'd say my stash has increased a bit. I want to help support small businesses, so I've definitely shopped online more than I did pre-pandemic.

Day 9 - 9 balls of  CY 220 Superwash - Melissa S
Beanies and more beanies, usually from superwash. BUT if I gift to a knitter, I gift socks, and out of great yarn - care is self explanatory when I gift to a fellow knitter or crocheter. :)

Day 10 Poste Yarn and holiday kitchen goodies - Ellen C
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is Christmas pudding. My great-grandmother was British and made a Christmas Pudding (cake) every Christmas. It was a steamed cake served with a vanilla or lemon sauce. The recipe was passed on to my grandfather, then to my Dad and his siblings and then to my generation. This will be our first Christmas without my Dad, but my brother has already made the pudding

Day 11 red + green Poste Targhee + holiday kitchen goodies - Lauren,
I am learning to let go of some hurts and give people extra grace.

Day 12 Holiday Knit Kit and a $200 donation to the charity of her choice - Stephanie L
How did I make the world a better place? I decided to home school my kids for the school year. And I always wore my mask in public. And I basically worked to survive the year.

FYI, Stephanie L chose Fisher House as her charity and we donated $200 to them. If anyone else donates to them now until Feb 15, I'll match your donation up to $50 per person, $2000 total. Just e-mail me a copy of your receipt afterward (it's e-mailed to you from Fisher House after you donate- easy peasy) to [email protected] so I can tally the matches at the end of that period. Thank you, Stephanie, for sharing such a worthy organization with us an allowing us to do some good!

Goodies We've Been Waiting For....

I'm not known for being a patient person, but this pandemic has definitely taught me to just let it go when it comes to promised timelines. After all, we have no control over Customs and federal changes and regulations, nor do I want to be responsible for any of it. But I would like importing to be a bit easier. Just a tad, thankyouverymuch.

What has arrived? Well, part of our gorgeous order from Fleece Artist of Nova Scotia. AND (drumroll please....) the five CHRISTMAS COLORS from UK's West Yorkshire Spinners.

Last week we sold out of the first part of our Fleece Artist order in a matter of days - all those gorgeous thrummed mitten kits. I do have more on order and while Jana and team will get those out the door in the next week, it could be another six weeks before they actually arrive. But what just arrived was more of their Cottage Sock, which is a wonderful superwash merino/nylon. It's plied in a way that gives it a bit more squish and longevity than you typically see. And the colors are divine. 

Here are just a few - Hibiscus above, Tourmaline and Corsica below.

This stuff is quite a deal at $25, as the exchange rate did us a bit of good. Instead of $30, it's like getting $5 off here in the US. BONUS!

And if you are one of the hundred or so people that wanted these West Yorkshire Spinners colors that sold out super fast last fall, they are back. If you e-mailed me asking to know when they were back, I e-mailed you today. Holiday are wanted year round, so I'll do my best to keep them around. But if the past ten months of owning a small business has taught me anything it's "do your best, but expect the unexpected." So here are all the five colors, and they each come with their own free pattern if you just respond to your e-mailed receipt and ask for it. Now that they are back, I don't feel bad about snagging a couple for myself. Ha!

SSYC's Yarn Club is Live!

Want to sign up for the 25th SSYC Yarn Club? Come on! Join us!

In this club we are builing upon the great success of our 24th club that had the most enrollment of any of our clubs in the past decade. I received some wonderful feedback about the National Park theme we did and many of you shared some really cool stories from your family Parks trips. So I've asked three sought after dyers to create a colorway inspired by one of our national parks agin for this club. Here are just a few inspiration photos (all public domain photos supplied by the NPS) to give you an idea of what's in store for March, April and May.

If you're stuck at home, want to revisit fond memories of our parks, or just want to be surprised with a colorfully curated package once a month then this club is for you! You'll be treated to a special edition skein of hand dyed yarn (all are superwash merino blends - two fingering weight months and one DK weight month), pattern suggestions, and several themed accessories each month that are meant to transport you and your needles to one of our country's national treasures. We may not be able to travel safely throughout the US, but SSYC can take you on a yarny journey that will give you hours of enjoyment. 

Later this week I plan on showing off some of the goodies from the 24th Club here on the blog, should you want to see what everyone loved so much about the last round (email me if you want to share your projects at [email protected] !) - but everything about this 25th Club is secret til you receive it each month. Last round, we even reordered about 30% more skeins of the first month of that club because so many of you wanted more than one skein. Now THAT'S a great indicator of how much the club was appreciated, when you want more of a color/fibre that you didn't even get to choose in the first place.

What else does the price include, other than the best hand dyed yarn? Well, two of the three months you're getting more than the typical 100g skein. And in the past we have done other goodies like thick canvas bags, mugs, pom poms, notecards, stitch markers and knitter's tools each month. Plus the shipping cost. And if you order before Feb 1, the price includes half price shipping. Feb 1 the price goes up a bit.... that is, if there are still spots left. Usually we are able to keep the sign up period open for about 2 weeks but for the last club I had to add more spots nearly immediately and then close the sign up period earlier than usual. This club has been open for 24 hours and already half the spots are full. In just one day. So please don't hesitate if you want in.

There are a few things worth noting before you place your orders. First, this club doesn't ship until mid-month in March/April/May. So please don't expect it will be to you first thing in the month because it won't even leave here until around the 15th, plus USPS is still delayed a bit. So it could be that your package is part of the normal USPS delays of 2-3 weeks too. Less than 10% of our US customer are affected by delays though. And if you're outside the US, your package could take a month or two to arrive. Second, please do not order any other items on the same order/Cart as the club. For your club to be counted it needs to be ordered alone. If other items are ordered at the same time, they will be refunded and removed. So please do place a new order for items other than the Club. Thanks!

DK Double skeins from Mineville Wool Project

Constellation

Woo hoo! Finally more imports making their way through Customs! The pandemic certainly hasn't been kind on getting goods from our non-US dyers but I'm doing my best. This, from Mineville Wool Project, is a super special batch of DK weight yarn that we can get just once and not again. You'll find it in the Sale Section. There really isn't a comparable yarn to this one. Not only is it 2.25x more than a typical skein (many are weighing in at 5-10% more than that!), the merino used in this skein is fine merino - a higher quality than the already great quality of superwash merino hand dyers use. The great yardage means that you won't have to weave as many skeins throughout your project if you are making a sweater. It also means that if you are knitting a scarf or something that would take just 2 skeins, you don't have to alternate skeins at all. Or if you're making a hat and mittens and a cowl, they are all the same lot because they come from the same big skein.

Arctic Fox

As far as the quality of the merino goes, you'll definitely feel and see a difference. Well, I mean if you knit with DK weight hand dyed yarn regularly, then you'll notice a difference. If it's your first time then you'll just really appreciate the quality. There's a bit of a sheen to this and there's also a noticeable softness. The great quality of merino that dyers use is already soft on the skin, but this is even more so.

Boudoir

I have just one batch of this from Mineville Wool Project in the Sale Section, and that's it. Half of it is still sitting in Customs limbo, but it looks like it's expected here later this week, so you'll see a dozen or so more colors added to the Sale Section when it arrives. MWP is a branch of Fleece Artist that specializes in short runs from mills at great prices, and this one is just a one off. Usually I can get something two times or for a year, but this is a one and done. And I got it all.

So while most of the hand dyed DK weight yarn we offer retails at $28 for just 100g, for $5 more you're getting more than twice the yardage and an upgrade on the merino quality. Not too shabby, eh?

Please note that if you order this and request winding, we can't. Larger cakes and minis can "fall apart" in shipping, causing you a mess. So we don't wind these, even if requested.

Bronze

Love, Madelinetosh Kits

Yes, I'm getting one just because I love the bag so much. But I can't help it. this bag is just so awesome, don't you think?

I shared preorder info about this last month, and I still have a few preorder spaces left, and then once this kit arrives next week I will also be setting aside a few spaces for those who didn't want to preorder/prepay. But that's the way to make sure you get one, and these are limited in availabiliy so if you really want one, preordering is the way to go.

Each kit comes with two skeins of yarn, a couple little accessories, a knit and a crochet pattern and this amazingly cute bag with these cute rainbow straps. J'adore!

 

Hedgehog Fibres Tweedy DK & Noir

This is the stuff we've been waiting for. Not just for months, but pre-pandemic. 

Hedgehog Fibres Tweedy DK and Tweedy DK Noir. This is a unique and limited production offering from Hedgehog Fibres of Ireland where they collect the colored bits of their own hand-dyed yarn waste - the ties and bits that they take off the hand dyed skeins. They save them very diligently, send them to the mill to be carded, blended and spun into yarn again. It's total labor of love, and gives me a greater insight into owner Beata's mind, that's for sure.

And it's finally here. I don't have a heck of a lot of it, and it was quite pricey to import with added shipping fees and Customs b/c of the pandemic-related-importing-issues I've talked about here before. But oh-my-goodness it's worth the wait.

I would not be surprised if, like our kits and clubs, this sells out in a matter of hours. But I really hope that those of you who have been waiting on this can grab what you want. And because we're giving out free totes with purchases right now, you'll get the tote I showed off on yesterday's post.

What might you like to knit with yours? Well, most of you are wanting to knit sweaters like Gloam or Sawyer or Winter's Beach Cardi. But I grabbed a couple for myself so that I could just do a hat or some mittens. Something that I can see every day in the winter. As much as I love to knit socks, I won't be knitting socks with my two skeins. It's not really plied in a way that would make it stand up to everyday wear.

 

If you want to grab yourself some other Hedgehog Fibres goodies, we have a really nice selection right now with 100+ colors of Sock (Potluck 11c shown above), Skinny Singles and DK. We love Hedgehog Fibres here, and even though it's been quite cumbersome to get imports over the past 10 months, we've managed to get in a decent stock here and there. So get yourself something to make you smile today!

If you want to know when we get more of this back in stock, make sure to sign up for our newsletter. This shipment was quite unexpected - they told me last week they had some for me and it got here yesterday - so it didn't make our most recent newsletter. Just go to our website and scroll to the bottom to sign up.

If you want a chance to win a skein or two of this, there are contests today on Instagram and Facebook. I think this is a good way to make this week even better, right?

Free Tote with Purchase!

It's been several months since we have offered a free tote, so I think it's about time, right? These are the last I could get of our exclusive Stay Home and Knit On bags, and if you didn't get one the first time we offered them in 2020, this is the last chance. What do you have to do to get one? Simply place an order online this week and when it ships out we'll automatically tuck one in your package. You don't have to request it or add it to your cart in any way, we will simply add one to your package if you place an order Monday thru Thursday of this week.

If for some reason they don't last that long and we run out a day early. I'll post that in bold red at the top of this page and I'll also take the banner off our homepage that looks like the one at the top here.

What might you want to purchase to get your tote? How about making the coziest mittens ever with our new Thrum Mitten Kits from Fleece Artist. The yarn and fleece are expertly dyed by Jana and her team in Nova Scotia. They've been dyeing yarn at Fleece Artist for 40 years now so believe me, they know what they are doing and the color combos of these kits show off their attention to color detail. These just went live on Saturday, and already 20% of the colors are sold out. They really are a great deal and a fun new thing to try if you haven't thrummed anything before. And if you don't want to do mittens, you could use your set for a hat or for a small pair of house socks (just the mitten pattern is included with the set though). The thrumming technique can be used on anything that you want a nice fleecy layer on the inside. Use this tutorial for a bit of help getting started. Next time the Yarn Harlot comes to visit, do you think I should ask her to do a thrum class?

Want to knit something that's the color of happiness? Then look no further than Katie's skeins from Yarn Love. Colors like Gala and Kaleidoscope (shown below) make me smile and I dare you to try one and not do the same each time you pick up your project. Want something marled? Take a look at these hues on her marled yarn base! To die for.

Katie also makes some of the sweetest speckled skeins I've ever seen. Colorways that would be perfect for a baby sweater. Hues like Vespa and Fable are so sweet.

Want the coolest mini ball collections? We have a restock of all the Zauberperlen colors. I keep meaning to cast these on because each time I pass them in the shop I stop and look. I still can't decide on my pattern though, something easy like Mix and Mingle or slightly tangy like Tropical Waves. I've also seen several projects on Ravelry making the Batad like this one. If you wanted a skein of black to make a Batad, I'd go with this or this.

Want a fun hat? How about the Chevron Love hat kits that come with the yarn and pattern you need to make something memorable? These are the types of hats that get compliments each time to wear it. And when they ask "Where did you get that?!" and you get to tell them that you made it yourself, well that's just a bonus. We have pom poms too, if you want to top yours off with one.

Want to start 2021 by knitting a new-to-you dyer? Perhaps you, like me, want to travel but can't and want to experience yarn imported from small studios like Skein of Australia, Qing of London or Uschitita of the Netherlands. If you really want to delve into unique colors and skeins, do browse through those.

Skein's Top Draw Sock in Moor, a lovely spring color, right?

I love the idea of a Pavement sweater in Qing color Norahs. we have it on several bases too, so you can choose it in Tweed Sock, Singles, Sock or cashmere blend Sock.

Thank you so much for your support during 2020. Who knew our 15th year of serving you would be how it is, only online. While we miss seeing you in the shop, we greatly appreciating being able to keep on working and shipping to you 6 days a week and look forward to a time later this year when we can serve you safely in person again. And blogging more this year here, and sharing the connection with you all this way has been a wonderful outlet for me to keep sane in a time that seems lonely sometimes. Thank you for your blog comments, your e-mails and your support of SSYC! You are the best.

A Man and His Socks

Last night, Terry wore the socks I knit him while we all relaxed on the couch. I knit these for him last year and it's the first pair I've knit for him because his size 12-13 feet made that task seem insurmountable. But if you are also facing a similarly sized sock project, I recommend using Urth Yarn Sock Kits because not only does the striping pattern of the socks make it seem to go quickly, but there was enough in the two matching 50g balls of yarn for these large socks. I used color 57. I probably had about 10% left and I believe I ended up using the red I had left for a toe or heel in something else. I can't quite remember what....

Doesn't he look happy with his socks? Gosh I love a man with a genuine smile.

These socks have held up quite well to being washed and worn several times over the past months. Though I don't believe they have been worn with shoes yet. Pretty much been house socks as far as I know.

And wouldn't you know it, he took them off and left them on the ottoman (like he does every night. AHEM.) and the next morning James put them on and is now wearing them all day.

I guess it's time to knit James some socks now too. I don't knit socks for my boys because their feet just grow too fast. But now that James is already at a size 9 I think his growth is slowing down enough that he could wear that size for a year or two, making my time more worth it than when he was younger and would change shoe sizes two or three times a year. Now, eight year old Henry..... he'll have to wait a few years for socks from Mama.

Do you knit socks for the little people in your life? Or do you knit them other things, like hats like I do, that will last longer? Do tell.

Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light - Today's Little Success

As our shop and others continue to be affected by the pandemic and the availability of yarn, dye, tools, etc., I'm always supremely grateful when we get a large restock of gorgeous skeins. Tosh, like other dyers worldwide, has been affected by COVID-19 in a myriad of ways. Dealing with mills being closed, then only being able to work at half capacity, then having shipping issues, then not having the right dye powder for all the colors, then dealing with social distancing and staff shortages.... these are the type of things that every business in the world has been dealing with. Not just yarn dyers. Everyone. So when we are able to get 7 huge boxes of yarn that looks and feels just as awesome as it always does, I'm just elated. And then when I see the new Tosh Merino Light skeins up close and get a chance to photograph them I think about all that went into making these beauties and the hardships that everyone invovled is dealing with just to get these in our shop, in our hands, and on our needles. Things I did not think about 11 months ago.

And, oh, this yarn is gorgeous.

And I know that everyone is going through these types of hardships and much much more everyday. We don't share every little detail, or even one percent of life's frustrations, do we? We know that nearly everyone else is going through such turmoil a lot of the time. But I just see these skeins and I think about little successes. How people are now getting vaccinated. How I imagine that people are smiling back to me behind their masks, just when I pass them on a walk. How my kids are back at school in person and come excited back in the door every day to tell me about how the principal made a balloon animal for Henry's half birthday, or how the science fair is coming up and all the changes to making it work so the state judges can do their jobs virtually. All little successes.

I have been thinking a lot lately about my little wins - tracking them like mental tick marks so I can go back over them when I feel stressed or sad or when things seem like too much. These little wins keep me thinking that things might go back to "normal" in 2021, even if it's a new post-pandemic normal. That I might be able to see my friends and family whenever I want. That I might be able to put my kids safely on a school bus again. So as a robin is a harbinger of spring, these little fibery wins are a hint at a better 2021. Perhaps with more hugs and exhales.

Tonight I'm going to cast on a new project and consider that a little success too. How about you? Can you share with me one of your recent wins? Big or small, I want to know.

Ask the Knitters

Dear Knitters,

Hello! I bought some Mineville Wool Project yarn- (a DK weight Mulberry colour) and am having trouble figuring out a good pattern for a shawlette or smallish side rectangluar shawl for my neice. Don’t want it to be too labour intensive as I like to knit while watching TV. I have 3 skeins @ 200 meters each (so three full sized skeins). I don't have to use it all.  I’ve made the hug shot, and like it, but am looking for something a bit more symmetrical that would work with this. Ideas?
I knit, but not crochet.

Thanks!

Caron in CA

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Help a knitter out and leave your advice in the comments section below.  Have a question you'd like to see answered here?  Simply title an e-mail Ask the Knitters and send it on to [email protected] . Your question could be chosen for this series.

Wonderland Yarns - A Contest

Yesterday I shared my appreciation of Wonderland Yarns, and today I'd like to gift some lucky people with some of their yarn! I have two gorgeous mini skein sets in Summer Sunset to give away and all you have to do to enter is to answer the following question in the comments below:

What have you used mini skein sets for? Do you use them as intended as a set in a pattern? Do you break them up and use a few in one project and a few in another? Is there a particular project you really like using them in? Do tell and inspire us with your creativity. And if you haven't used them yet, don't fret. Just tell us what you would use them for.

Most recently, I've taken the sets apart and used mini skeins for various toes and heels. Sometimes, I use two different but similar mini skeins in the same pair of socks. That way, leg and foot of the socks are the same color, but the toes and heels of the socks are different (but similar) and I really like that. I also like adding random stripes at the tops of my socks. Basically, I'm just being more adventurous with color overall, and less matchy matchy.

Leave me one comment (scroll down to see where) before noon EST on Sunday the 10th and I'll randomly choose two people to win this set! Just consider this a little birthday gift from me to you, as I turn 43 this week. How am I celebrating? At home. With my family. And some cake. I think that's pretty much the pandemic-approved way to do this, right?

More from Wonderland Yarns

We received another gorgeous batch from Wonderland Yarns, full of just as much color in these big skeins of yarn.

Want a mostly solid-colored sock with just a strip of color every once in awhile? All Night Diner and Rainy Day Rainbow are the way to go!

The dyers at Wonderland aren't one-trick-ponies. They don't just do speckles, they don't just dye tonal solids, they dye it all. Want something dappled and watercolory? Check. What about short burst of color? Yep. How about bright, saturated tonals? Definitely. There's something for everyone in their offerings. Even gradients.

What I particularly love about Wonderland Yarn is the consistency in the hand dyed colors and the yardage. I greatly appreciate getting a batch of a color that I've been anticipating, and seeing it looks the same as last time. That if I (or a customer) need more of something, it's likely to match. That I didn't miss out by not snagging it quickly the first time, because this new batch has the same qualities I liked as the first batch. If I liked the last batch of Preponderance, I'm likely to like the next one just the same. It's a really good feeling as a shopper and as a shop owner.

Most fingering weight yarn is now put up in 100g skeins, but Wonderland still uses 4 ounces, which gives you more yardage but for the same price that others are charging for 100g. For instance, popular dyers Hedgehog Fibres and Life in the Long Grass have a 100g/ 430-ish yard skein for just over $30. But Wonderland Yarns Cheshire Cat (100% superwash merino) skeins are 4 ounces and 520 yards, and Mary Ann (merino/nylon) is 4 ounces and 475 yards. And each is only $26. Such a super deal!

It's worth noting that the Mary Ann sock yarn base is SUPERB. It's not flimsy or thin feeling like some hand dyed sock yarn bases. It seems full and round and just SO SOFT. Yes, I'm yelling at you today. But it's necessary. It's that nice and I want to be heard.

Here's a lovely close up of Mint Chocolate.

Here are two pictures to illustrate that this small size difference can really make a big impact. Above is a skein of Cheshire Cat in No How (a lightly speckled grey that I adore) with a stash skein I have of Madelinetosh. And below, the same skein of No How with a different skein of yarn (unlabeled in my stash).

See how much larger just 15% can seem? And while you might not need all 500 yards for a normal pair of socks, it's super awesome to have that yardage for the size 12+ feet in our life, or have 100 yards left to use as a fun toe/heel combo in a pair of socks. Like perhaps Radiance with No How? Or Peaceberry, Looking Glass or Peace of Rudeness with No How??? ACK! I love all of these! I could use two skeins and get three pairs of socks out of such great yardage. And if you wanted the nylon, you could go with Mary Ann sock instead of Cheshire Cat. I'm fine with either though, because I find that if I go down a need size for the foot I get a dense enough fabric that holds up to wear well.

No How with Radiance above. Looking Glass with No How below.

If you want to infuse your 2021 knitting with some color and a dyer you might not have yet tried, do grab some Wonderland Yarn. I think you'll really appreciate the quality and the quantity.

Starting with Intention... and a contest!

Welcome to 2021! For most, 2020 was a year that we were just waiting to end. I think many of us have a lot of hopes pinned on 2021. Perhaps an easier year. Perhaps a healthier year. Perhaps a less lonely year. Or ALL of those.

For 2021, I'm going to do things with intention. With purpose. I don't feel like I had a lot of control over things that happened last year, so perhaps that's why I want to do things with intention in 2021. I hope to be better prepared for the things that life throws my way, and I think the first step of that is making sure that I'm feeling the best I can. I intend to take better care of myself. To put myself first more and allow others to show me care (it make me uncomfortable to accept help!). To eat more fruits and veggies. To push myself to be stronger. To say No when I want to and to say Yes only when I intend to. 2020 was a year when I learned to say No more, mostly because No was really the only option in most cases. Can we spend Christmas together? No. Can my friends and I meet for knitting? Nope. Can I join you on vacation? Nah - let's wait.

So for 2021 I intend to say Yes to putting myself first more often than not. I intend to donate money more to those in need, as time really isn't an option until the world is safer. I intend to get myself and family vaccinated for COVID-19 as soon as I'm allowed. In 2020 I did well at several things that I'm proud of - juggling A LOT, being present with my family, getting more sleep. I hope to continue and build on those things in 2021 too.

What do you hope 2021 looks like for you? What do you intend to do in 2021? Do tell! Let's make it interesting. Comment below and you get your choice of a ball of all the beautiful Opal Yarn that's been trickling in through Customs. Like Schafpate 9852 shown above, or Goodnight Stories 9891 shown below.

Leave your comment by noon EST on Thursday, January 7 and I'll randomly choose one winner of a ball of Opal Yarn of your choice.