It's Socktober!! Let's CELEBRATE! + A Contest

It's Socktober, friends! Socktober is a month long celebration of all things sock knitting and we're doing it up big again this year at SSYC with gifts-with-purchase, contests, limited Halloween goodies and Knit Kits, sales and more! I really do love this time of year - it's so fun to treat others to yarn and goodies that make us smile, all leading up to a time of candy and costumes and then holiday festivities! Come join us here on the blog whenever you want to see what's new in the shop, what tokens we're giving you, and how you can win prizes. We'll have something new going on each week this month. Do bookmark the blog!

What's this week's Socktober Surprise? Two gifts!! Just order online today through October 7 and I'll gift you not one but TWO sock patterns from This Handmade Life! I'm a big fan of Olivia's patterns, so she and I have chosen two patterns that we both think you'll appreciate. St. Mary Mead (above) is addictively simple and Kelpie (below) is a bit more tangy and I'll e-mail them to you after your online order (those link to the Ravelry pages so you can see more). You don't have to e-mail to request them or add them to your cart or anything. I'll automatically send you the patterns via e-mail within 3 days of your order (if you don't get them four days after your order, just e-mail service@simplysockyarn.com to ask). After you get your e-mailed order receipt, please add us to your Contacts just in case so the pattern e-mail doesn't go to spam. 

This is just one way I'll be showing you my thanks over the month as we celebrate our 16th Socktober at Simply Socks Yarn Co! What else can you expect this month? Well, next week is our big online Halloween Event where we release the ghoulish goodies we have for you this year - a Knit Kit, limited edition skeins, bags, stitch markers and more. I'll preview all these on Monday, and my hope is to have everything go live on Tuesday at the Kits & Clubs link.

So what might you like to purchase to get your free patterns this week? How about the new holiday color
from West Yorkshire Spinners? These always go fast and Vintage Tinsel can be found here along with their other holiday colors that I have restocked. Silent Night sparkle is last year's color that I've been able to get more of too.

I also have for you the Dream in Color Sock-It-Set for October, which is inspired by graveyard gardens. And we have a huge amount of Smooshy and Smooshy with Cashmere for all the things.

We have a full restock of all our Madelinetosh, and Tosh Sock would be perfect to use for the patterns I'm gifting you. We have over 300 colors in several Tosh base yarns, above with Joan showing it off, and we stock every color of Malabrigo too. And I'm even adding super bulky Malabrigo Rasta to our offerings very soon - it has arrived, but takes quite a while to photograph it all. As you may know, we photograph all our yarn when it gets here instead of using stock photos so that you get the best idea you can about what your hand dyed skeins will actually look like.

We have the two newest Opal Yarn Collections, 25 Years of Opal and Rainforest 17. Can you believe they've been doing the Rainforest collection for 17 years now?!

And if you want a fab deal on yarn for your gift socks, take a look at our Sale Section. Page 2 has dozens of Regia options for 50% off. This stuff is fun to knit and is easy care, which is perfect when you're gifting socks to someone this Christmas.

Want to try a wool other than merino? I have a Polwarth wool sock yarn in our Sale Section from Laneras Yarn Co (LYC) for only $18 a skein. Gorgeous Uruguayan milled yarn.

Finally, we just received a fresh batch of our exclusive yarn from Dream in Color (DIC), Colossal Sock. This yarn has 50% more than a typical skein and it's just $21. You can find dozens of colors in the Sale Section. We get this yarn every 5-6 weeks and it always goes fast.

And if you've made it all the way to the bottom of this lengthy blog post, you deserve the chance at at treat! I'm giving away two $50 gift certificates to the shop and you can enter to win simply by telling me in the comments what you love about fall. I'll randomly choose two winners by noon EST on October 5 and e-mail you.

What do I love about fall? LOTS. Knitting at my boys' soccer games without sweating in the hot sun, decorating my fireplace mantle with whatever Halloween craft we make (like this cute paper garland), the smell of the crisp fall air, hiking in the falling leaves (though I won't be doing that this year with this torn Achilles), knitting under a crocheted blanket, making applesauce.... there's much to look forward to this fall!

Want to see more yarny goodness? If you haven't seen SSYC and our  , you can view this interview and tour by Krissy Glass. She came to visit earlier this summer and did an interview and shop tour. Do watch!

Comments

[Suzy]

Best thing about fall...football!!!

[Julie]

I love so much about fall…going to the cider mill, the changing of colors, the crispness in the air, morning backyard campfires on the weekends with coffee and knitting, busting out the hand kits to wear, hiking in the woods, making all things apple and pumpkin, watching football (with knitting of course), listening to witchy audiobooks (Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen are my favorite authors this time of year), going to SAFF is always a treat, AND it’s the official start of soup season in my house!! This is my favorite time of year!!! 🧡🤎🎃🍁🍂🧙‍♀️🔮

[Melissa Friedrich]

I love the crisp air, bright multicolor autumn leaves, hiking the mountains and more knitting.

[Patricia]

I try to appreciate the leaves changing colors and the fact that I can see Orion on cool clear nights. I like that it’s not winter, yet. I’m not really a fan of fall but I’m trying to be grateful full the gift of life every day.

[Bernadine Russell]

Here in the desert fall is such a blessing after the scorching days of summer! It is finally cool enough to go hiking again and to knit myself a new pair of socks!

[Jennifer McCarthy]

I love the cooler temps - here in NC we have a lot of 90 degrees in the summer and fall is a welcome relief. I also love outdoor fires and football!

[Emily]

I love everything about fall, but most especially slowing down after the busy summer season. More time to knit, read, cook, visit with loved ones.

[Stacy]

I love the cooler days and nights to wear hand knits!

[mwr]

Fall is my favorite season. I love taking foliage drives and playing with the autumn colors in my yarn stash!

[Sarah D]

I just love the weather getting a bit cooler so I can wear my warm handknits!

[Helene Ross]

I love the crisp cool air which means a jacket or sweatshirt with pockets! And I get to always have a hand knitted scarf or shawl draped over me.

[Joanne Christman]

The simple slow change of seasons is lovely. The days are warm, evenings are cool and the leaves start their drop to the earth!

[Merrill]

I love the cooler weather, the beautiful colors of nature and the smells of good comfort food cooking on the fall!

[Laura G.]

Wearing hoodies and beautiful fall colors!

[Angie A]

Things to love about Autumn
The crisp cool mornings giving way to warm afternoons
Getting dark earlier
The sound of fallen leaves rustling in the wind or when you walk through them
The colors the trees turn before losing their leaves
Sweaters

[Nancy Iannone]

I live in AZ so fall brings temps under 100 degrees during the day and cool mornings and evenings. I love having my candles and fall decorations out and the feeling of coziness that comes with them. This year we were fortunate to travel through CO after visiting family and enjoyed the beautiful yellow color and crisp fall air!

[Marjorie Millner]

What I love about Fall is the sound of geese flying in V formation, honking to beat the band as they make their way south for the winter.

[Sandra Sprouse]

I love the cooler weather, the beautiful Fall leaves, wearing my knitted items, Fall colors, and Halloween!!!

[Beth Fulton]

What I love the most about fall is that it's finally cool enough to wear the "knitty" things I've made like cowls and shawls!

[Laura Beutler]

My favorite thing about fall is when my local coffee spot starts offering caramel apple cider. Never mind caffeine, I only order caramel apple cider until winter comes!

[Marcia Thomas]

I love fall because it's cooler. I love wearing sweaters and my hand knit socks. Especially the beautiful trees changing and the food fall brings. Especially soups.

[T Craven]

I love that fall means SWEATER WEATHER and all the pumpkin spice goodies to eat! Yesterday, there was even pumpkin fudge at Schmidt's in Columbus. I could hardly stop gobbling it all up!

[Kristen W.]

I love the changing colors and when the weather starts to get windy and crisp. Fall is my favorite season!

[Gigi]

I love the cool temps and colorful leaves. Also, walking through the leaves is a lot of fun! Thanks for the contest ♥️

[Leslie]

I love the changing leaves, the cooler temps, the fall clothes, soup for dinner, basically everything. It’s the best season!!

[Patty Sheridan]

I love fall for the colors turning and the cooler weather. Also it is time for my birthday, my daughter 'a birthday and 2 of my sisters birthday.

[Filomena Hack]

Fall is my favourite season. Cooler days and the colours of leaves are spectacular.

[Marcia]

Cooler evenings! Wearing handknits. Pumpkin anything!

[Elizabeth Oswalt]

I love the colors, and cooler weather!

[Linda Walsh]

I love the cool weather for sleeping with the windows open. The breeze coming through the windows giving us a lovely reason to snuggle under the handmade afghan that my grandma made for us when we got married. 33 years next week.

[Donna]

What do I love about the fall? Just about everything, the beautiful colors of the leaves changing, the cooler weather, wearing cozy sweaters in the early evenings, and awesome sunsets. Living in New England is a treat for your senses, oh did I say apple and pumpkin picking as well as the harvesting of cranberries. Fall is a beautiful time of year.

[Rachel]

I love so many things about fall, but one of my favorites is taking walks and drives with my boyfriend to admire all the spooky decorations in the neighborhoods around where I live.

[Lisa Smith]

The thing I love most about Fall is pumpkin pie. Pumpkin bread is a close second.

[Jeannette]

I love that the weather finally begins to cool off

[Susan]

I love the return of sweater weather and the beautiful colors! I know that’s 2 things but I can’t seem to separate them!

[Linda L.]

I love fall for many, many reasons, but most of all because I can knit without getting all hot and sweaty!

[Kim Kieffer]

I love watching the leaves turn and getting the mojo to start Christmas knitting

[Susie]

Fall is my favorite season! I love the colors, the pumpkin spice everything, candy corn and the promise of holidays to follow. I love the crisp mornings and warm afternoons as well. Happy October (Socktober!).

[Laura C]

I love cooler weather so I can wear wool. The blue skies are so amazing, too, especially against fall trees. Eating pumpkin everything rounds it (and me) out.

[Abbye Brooks]

Fall is my favorite season! The cooler weather makes it easier for me to breathe with asthma. Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I look forward to it all year long. And! It always means my knitting mojo is back after hot southern summers.

[Rose Birchall]

I love fall. The changing colors, the falling leaves, the crispness in the air.

[Jill]

I wait all year for that first brisk day I can go for a walk with a coffee and a wool sweater. That crisp air is so invigorating!

[Lisa Melchior]

Fall is my favorite season! Changing colors, Apple season and of course sweater weather!

[Lisa Spiegel]

I love the crisp smell in the air, the crunching of leaves under my feet and hopefully, Indian Summer!

[Donan]

What’s not to love about fall??? But mostly the crisp feeling in the air!

[Becky Holmes]

Butternut squash!!!

[Kimberly Payne]

I love the colors of fall leaves and enjoying my collection of glass pumpkins!

[Dana Bill]

I love the cooler weather, the changing colors, and wearing the warm things I have knit throughout the year.

[Steffi Prigoff]

I love fall because the humdity leaves the air and its the opportunity to pull out the softest yarn...

[Sarah]

I love the cooler weather and how beautiful the trees are when changing color.

[Debra Cohen]

Fall is my favorite time of the year! I love watching the leaves change color, and the smell of them burning. Every fall I look forward to going to pick apples and bringing them home to bake apple crisp and apple cake . And best of all… it’s cool enough to start wearing my wool socks 🧦!!

[Msri]

I love the fall rains that we get in the Northwest. Days when you have soup cooking, and you sit by the fire with your knitting.

[Leilani]

I luv the air so nice & crisp. The colors and the apples! It’s the perfect pre holidays time, it puts you in the festive mood. The outdoors decor is perfect!🍏🍎🎃

[JenniferSF]

I love the last of the warm days on the California coast and I enjoy Fall colors.

[Jeanne]

I love the cooler temps and riding my horse through the woods to look at all the beautiful trees.

[Teresa Knittingdancer]

I love the cooler temperatures and the leaves changing colors.

[Sylvie]

Maybe it's all the years of school, or maybe it's because I read Lord of the Rings too many times, or maybe it's because I grew up in the south and hate hot humid weather, but fall always feels like the start of the new year to me. It's the time when I tend to pick up abandoned hobbies again, or try new things, or take good risks

[Erin R]

I love crisp fall evenings on the patio by the fire pit.

[Laura Jennings]

Fall in Florida … hopefully means less AC time with cooler nights!!! Time to cast on all things woolly 🍁

[Ashley]

I love getting back to long sleeves and layers after a summer of wearing t-shirts and still feeling uncomfortable.

[sprite]

Cooler weather, apple picking, long sleeves, handknits, baseball playoffs, fall colors, and a whole run up of fun holidays.

[Katrina Albert-Filoramo]

I love the rich earthy scents on the cool autumn breezes, listening to the dry raspy crinkly noises of the fallen leaves, the brilliant colors all around, apples and apple cider and pumpkin pie spices, snuggly sweaters and socks and cozy blankets and hoodies and cowls and scarves. Fall is a divine time for all the senses!

[Debra Scankon]

I love picking out my socks for the day to wear with my leggings and clogs for a walk, all the good fall food, sitting outside and knitting with maybe a shawl. It's the best time of the year!!!,and such an exciting time to look forward to wearing all your handmade things.

[Laura Smith]

Fall is football weather. I love knitting while watching the Sunday afternoon football games on TV.

[Rhomda]

My favorite thing about fall is the food :) seoups and stews start appering on the menu...fresh apple cider and fuji apples...pumpkin everything...

[Beth L Ruiter]

What I love about fall is the quality of the light. The decreasing daylight and angle of the sun features a different view of what grew familiar over the summer. I love the cooler temps and the incredible colors (I live in Michigan). The sounds of the local marching band practicing for Friday nights football game blended with the abandon of the elementary kids at recess touch me in way that no other sounds do. I really LOVE fall!

[Robin Zalob]

Fall brings cooler temps and colorful leaves that spark the desire to knit after a hot summer.

[Sandra]

The weather! Definitely looking forward for cooler temps.

[Ashley Cutshaw]

I love going to corn mazes and pumpkin patches. Also love knitting all the cozy knits in fall.

[Carrie D]

I love the cooler temperatures and the changing leaves! And pumpkin everything!

[Barb Miller]

Love the cooler temperatures, the colors of the changing leaves, the smell of rain and just watching Nature get prepared for Winter.

[Elizabeth]

I love the fall foliage, the cooler temperatures, and the feeling of starting to nestle in and get ready for winter and the holidays! It’s my favorite season!

[Bonney]

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love grabbing a sweater to snuggle in. I love the smells of the leaves and candles burning and the promise in the air of exciting things to come. As a kid I was always looking toward Halloween with great anticipation. It's really he best season!

[Dana]

Fall is my favorite season. The crisp air begs for a campfire.

[Debra Hewitt]

I love the change of seasons, after growing up in the southern border of California. Fall means Halloween and Thanksgiving, cooler days and crisp nights, and wearing hand knit shawls and sweaters!

[Barbara Archibald]

I love the crips air and falling leaves and the smells of everything and snuggly warm things!

[Marie McC]

I love the cooler weather and the longer walks. There just seems to be more time in the Fall to do all the things and knit all the socks. BTW I never would have found your shop (next cast on is socks with wool from your shop) if I hadn’t seen Krissy Glass’s video on YT. Happy Fall

[Kim W.]

I love reaping the results from my gardening efforts. And the crisp, cool air against the still warm earth.

[Sarah]

The better question might be: what don’t I love about fall? Fall is my favorite season but for me, probably the biggest source of joy in the fall is the positive energy. So many people excited about nature’s last big explosion of color before the winter months set in and life slowing down and getting a little more cozy at home-especially with crisp mornings. I always feel so much family connection in the fall too from Halloween gatherings, going to my moms and everyone pitching in to do leaves, and some friendly football rivalries.

[Gail Landman]

I love walking in a nearby park to see the changing colours ..... and of course, the cooler temperatures which enable me to wear some hand knit accessories.

[Nancy]

I love fall!! It’s sweater weather, and my birthday is October 6. I love the gorgeous leaves on the trees and as they fall and as I rake them into a pile to jump in them. I love the harvest. Apples, pumpkins, grapes made into all kinds of delicious baked and cooked goodies. And I love Halloween. It’s my favorite day and evening of the year!! Happy Fall Y’all!!

[Linda V.]

I love EVERYTHING about Fall, it is my favorite time of the year. I love the colors, the cooler temperatures, chile roasting the the grocery store parking lots (at least here in New Mexico!), and it's the time of the year when we can start wearing our handknit socks, sweaters, etc.

[Carrie Thompson]

Fall is my favorite season. We've lived in New Hampshire for the past 7 years, and we look forward to driving through the wooded areas and enjoying the breathtaking colors. The nights are delightful, and of course the cool days mean the beginning of sweater weather. And, of course, as a knitter I love starting to knit hats, mittens, sweaters, blankets, etc. for Christmas presents.

[Jeaneen Adams]

My favorite thing about fall is it is when I married the love of my life on October 6. The beautiful colors of fall, crisp apples and the wonderful smells. All ready to do some fall knitting. This year is more precious to me as I just found out I don't have cancer after quite a scare this summer.

[Vicki Maynes]

I love wearing my hand knit socks with my very worn Birkenstocks!

[Melissa G]

I love football, fall colors, cooler weather, Halloween and Thanksgiving! (My favorite holiday)

[Donna Reed]

I love the cooler breezes and lower humidity I can go outside without wilting.

[Laure]

Temperatures below 100 and being able to open windows occasionally!

[Nana]

I love fall foliage and apple cider! I also LOVE celebrating Socktober!

[Alice]

My favorite things about fall are pumpkin cheesecake and Panera's autumn squash soup!

[Gloriane]

Fall is my favorite season! I like getting to wear knitted scarves, sweaters and socks again, and I love eating soups and pumpkin bars and drinking apple cider.

[Emmy]

I love that it will almost be autumn soon here in South Texas. It’s just tricky, and takes forever to arrive.

[maggie4721@gmail.com]

I love the Northeast cozy weather and the chance to wear sweaters and sip lovely beverages. I watch a specific Nora Ephron movie in the fall. It's my fav season!

[Cynthia S.]

I love the colors of the leaves, the smell of the air, and the gradual changes in the weather. I'm not a fan of the colder weather, but I like wearing my hats, scarves, and coat.

[Kay OCallaghan]

Fall has always been my favorite season. I'm a sweater girl at heart. It means even more to me now though since Halloween is my Cancerversary. This year will be 4 years cancer free. Looking forward to wearing the socks I knitted this summer, warm toasty sweaters on crisp days, and knitting in front of the fireplace with a large cup of tea and a cat on my lap.

[Lynn B]

I am a fall fan! Sweater weather, cooler dog walks and pretty leaves. Also, time for a pot of homemade soup.

[Beck T]

My favorite parts about fall are the hikes in cooler temps, the sweets (pumpkin and apple), and the return of sweater weather!

[Pat W]

The cooler temps, lower humidity, fewer bugs, but still days with brilliant sunshine are just a few of the things i love about fall.

[Staci]

I love the cooler temperatures, changing colors, and Thanksgiving 🍁

[Bonnie]

I love the cooler fall weather - the return to cooking pots of soup - the catch your eye colors in the landscape - and a serious return to knitting all those warm, wooly items while I watch TV.