Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

Free US Shipping for LYS Weekend!

We celebrated Local Yarn Shop Day a week early this year in person so that we could also show the love to our online supporters this weekend with a coupon code for free shipping! We greatly appreciate being your LYS from afar, and even if you don't get to come see us and our 16+ tons of yarn in person, we love shopping for you every day and shipping your fibery goodies. We'd like to treat you to free US shipping now through Sunday at SSYC by entering coupon code LYSDay2022. Please enter it in your cart because some quick Check Out options (Paypal and ApplePay) sometimes speed through the coupon option. If you forget to enter it, just e-mail me after your order by responding to your receipt and I'll look into it. This coupon code is valid now through Sunday, May 1.

What might you like to purchase to take advantage of this offer? If you scroll down through the blog for the past week, you'll see some great options for the upcoming Casapinka pattern plus free pattern options from Malabrigo as well - free pattern codes for Ravelry aren't available past 4pm on Saturday as we will be closed and can't e-mail out codes before they expire, but the free code for shipping works through Sunday.

We received some glorious skeins from Irish dyer Life in the Long Grass, including the new Zebra Sock (shown in Chroma below) and restocks of super popular Sock.

Opal's Black Dragon 2 collection has been popular in the shop. I love the marled look of the yarn, don't you? The black ply gives it a really cool look. It would look great with the Simple Skyp Socks.

Cosy Posy above and Kenyarn below are two of our newest dyers. You might like to try a bit of something from one of them too. Shown above in the Rhinestone World colorway and below in The Empress and Gluttony.

If you're like me, you want a small project (or six!) ready for the upcoming hot weather. I don't like to knit anything big that will keep my lap warm in the summer, so I'm consistently knitting socks and hats. If you want a great hat yarn, we have all the colors of Malabrigo Rasta, and it's a super quick knit because it's a super bulky yarn. And I love having a really simple, mulitcolored sock on the needles all the time. Just something I can pick up and take with me. If that's you, you might like to grab some of the gradient skeins from Gusto we have for you in the Sale Yarn section.

Also in the Sale Yarn section is another Tosh Tuesday special- 35% off Madelinetosh Work Sock in OOAK (one of a kind) Potluck colors, Let us choose for you and you get a great surprise and a super deal!

I hope this gives you an idea of something nice to treat yourself with. Thank you so much for keeping SSYC busy through another LYS Day and for the past nearly 17 years! We'll soon be starting our summer long 17th anniversary celebration with events and contests and all the great things we like to do to celebrate. If you're coming to see us in person, we are going to be open for the week leading up to our 17th Anniversary, so we can all space out our visits instead of being one top of one another during one day. Each day, May 30 through June 4 we'll be open and having a different sale or giveaway so you can choose what day works best for you to celebrate in person. And we'll continue the celebration throughout the summer online!

If you scroll down or visit the recent posts linked at right, you'll see a lot of other suggestions for great knits and free pattern codes to celebrate LYS Day. Please note that I don't work on Sundays, so if you want a pattern code with your purchase, you would need to order online by 4pm on Saturday, April 30 (and notify on your order at Check Out or e-mail me by 4pm) so I can e-mail you your pattern code back before 5pm when I'm done working. Of course, the free US shipping code will continue to work through Sunday, but I won't be sending out pattern codes on orders past 4pm on Saturday. Thanks for understanding!

LYS Day Free Pattern Offers from Malabrigo & Casapinka Day 4

Not only is Casapinka featuring her new Ric Rac pattern for LYS Day with a free coupon code on Ravelry, but Malabrigo is doing the same but with THREE different patterns! Full details for Casapinka offer are at the bottom of this post, and if you also want the pattern codes from Malabrigo, just e-mail me after your order that includes one or more skeins of Malabrigo, and I'll e-mail you back the coupon codes to use on Ravelry for the Sense of Direction Cowl using Rios, the Dotty Cowl using two colors of Sock, and the Wonky Rib Cowl using Arroyo. We nearly every color in stock, so you won't have a hard time finding what you want that's for sure.

I do need to know that you want the patterns, so please do leave me a comment in your order notes or respond to your e-mailed receipt asking me for them. Malabrigo's codes can be used on Ravlery on April 30 or May 1, but I'm told do expire after that, so please don't hesitate to use them. I don't work on Sunday, so if you want the codes, please make sure you order and ask by 4pm EST on Saturday April 30.

Want  color ideas for the Casapinka pattern that also work for the two color Dotty Cowl? All on Sock. There are so, so many options beyond these few too, if you see something you like an want to e-mail me, Allison, at [email protected] and see if what you're thinking looks as good in person as it does on your screen.

How about Zarzamora (or Candombe) and Polar Morn (or Three Little Pigs)?

 

Or Disfraz and Dewberry

Baco and Black would be striking, right? 

Casapinka designs one LYS Day (Local Yarn Store) pattern a year to help shops celebrate. This year that day falls on April 30, and from now until April 30 you qualify to get her upcoming Ric Rac shawl pattern for free by purchasing two skeins of yarn for the pattern from us at SSYC (from our suggestions here on the blog in the coming week or ideas of your own - even if you shop in person) and letting us know you'd like the Ravelry coupon code e-mailed to you around April 30. You do have to let us know you want the free pattern after your purchase by either 1) putting that note on your order on our Check Out page or 2) e-mailing after your order (just responding to your e-mailed receipt is the easy way) asking. Then when she gives us the codes a day or two before the 30th, we will e-mail you yours. Then you go to the Ravelry pattern page (I'll include the link in your e-mail) add it to your cart on Ravelry and use the coupon code to make it free. The pattern won't be live until April 30 at 8am EST, and you shouldn't expect your code until around then either. Then please do use it right away, because Casapinka says the code expires at 11pm EST on May 1. So, basically she gives you a very short window to download the pattern for free. Then you can just purchase it from her.

SO! 1) Order 2 skeins from SSYC. 2) Let me know you want your pattern code at Check Out or via e-mail. 3) Add [email protected] to your Contacts so your e-mail doesn't bounce. 4) Wait until April 30 to get your code. E-mail me on April 30 if you haven't gotten your code yet. 5) Use code on Ravelry to make your pattern free! Don't wait -use the code one or with 48 hours of April 30. 6) On April 30, cast on with the big group of people on Casapinka's Ravelry who KAL together and share their progress. 7) Feel good about supporting a small business and some awesome dyers and creating something unique and awesome for yourself or someone you love!

Casapinka's Ric Rac Pattern - Color Suggestions Day 3

Today is the third day (of many) of color suggestions for Casapinka's upcoming Ric Rac pattern (you need one skein each of two different colors of fingering weight yarn)! See links on the right under Recent Posts to view previous days' suggestions. Details on how to get the pattern at the end of this post.

Of course, these color combos would be fab with any two-color pattern out there, right? And we all love Life in the Long Grass here. We just got this new batch in late last week, so so I'm super excited to feature color ideas using their Sock. We also have a new base that's I already put a new order in for just four days after it arrived because it's just SO COOL and is selling fast (in sweater quantities). Please take a look at Zebra Sock if you'd like to see something really cool. Great for socks and accessories, but would make the coolest of Pavement sweaters too.

All of these combos are on LITLG Sock, except for the one above, which is their Silk Merino. It would also be lovely in the Ric Rac pattern and with 50% silk it would have amazing drape, texture and sheen.

 

Below I wanted to share three combos that all use the new tonal solid, Golden Green on Sock. I want to show off how different each combo is and how a solid can accentuate different parts of a variegated skein. Which is your fave of the three?

Next up, I have two combos that both use the new Hinoki colorway. Aren't these fabulously wearable?

Then for combos that have a real punch of color, I suggest these. Again, all on Sock.

I hope you see something here that makes you swoon! I'll have more from Irish dyer Life in the Long Grass later this week on other bases. Can't wait to share.

Casapinka designs one LYS Day (Local Yarn Store) pattern a year to help shops celebrate. This year that day falls on April 30, and from now until April 30 you qualify to get her upcoming Ric Rac shawl pattern for free by purchasing two skeins of yarn for the pattern from us at SSYC (from our suggestions here on the blog in the coming week or ideas of your own - even if you shop in person) and letting us know you'd like the Ravelry coupon code e-mailed to you around April 30. You do have to let us know you want the free pattern after your purchase by either 1) putting that note on your order on our Check Out page or 2) e-mailing after your order (just responding to your e-mailed receipt is the easy way) asking. Then when she gives us the codes a day or two before the 30th, we will e-mail you yours. Then you go to the Ravelry pattern page (I'll include the link in your e-mail) add it to your cart on Ravelry and use the coupon code to make it free. The pattern won't be live until April 30 at 8am EST, and you shouldn't expect your code until around then either. Then please do use it right away, because Casapinka says the code expires at 11pm EST on May 1. So, basically she gives you a very short window to download the pattern for free. Then you can just purchase it from her.

SO! 1) Order 2 skeins from SSYC. 2) Let me know you want your pattern code at Check Out or via e-mail. 3) Add [email protected] to your Contacts so your e-mail doesn't bounce. 4) Wait until April 30 to get your code. E-mail me on April 30 if you haven't gotten your code yet. 5) Use code on Ravelry to make your pattern free! Don't wait -use the code one or with 48 hours of April 30. 6) On April 30, cast on with the big group of people on Casapinka's Ravelry who KAL together and share their progress. 7) Feel good about supporting a small business and some awesome dyers and creating something unique and awesome for yourself or someone you love!

I don't work on Sunday, so if you want the codes, please make sure you order and ask by 4pm EST on Saturday April 30.

Casapinka's Ric Rac Pattern - Color Suggestions Day 2

Today is the second day (of many) of color suggestions for Casapinka's upcoming Ric Rac pattern (you need one skein each of two different colors of fingering weight yarn)! See links on the right under Recent Posts to view previous days' suggestions. Details on how to get the pattern at the end of this post.

Today I'm sharing with you color ideas from Dream in Color, including two very special combos that just arrived to us yesterday from Dream in Color that are made specifically for the Ric Rac pattern!

Take a look at Enchanted + Pinkitude above and Sonoma Magic + True to Life below

These are both dyed on Smooshy with Cashmere, which is the softest merino/cashmere/nylon blend that you can imagine and is perfect for the Ric Rac pattern. You need one skein each of two different colors, so add Enchanted and Pinkitude to your cart, or Sonoma Magic and True to Life to your cart. Or all of them if you want to make two!

What other colors are we into together?

Cedar Creek and Callous Pink

Tidal and Grey Tabby

The Edge and Time Machine

Do you like knitting with singles? Those are not-plied yarns that are great for sweaters and accessories. Not so much sock b/c they aren't plied so aren't durable for sock wear. But they really glow with color and are usually a bit less cost than plied yarns. Dream in Color's Jilly yarn is a great option for this too and we have different colors on this.

How about Cabaret and Blossom

Crying Dove and Dream Girls

Gold Experience and Leather Wave

Casapinka designs one LYS Day (Local Yarn Store) pattern a year to help shops celebrate. This year that day falls on April 30, and from now until April 30 you qualify to get her upcoming Ric Rac shawl pattern for free by purchasing two skeins of yarn for the pattern from us at SSYC (from our suggestions here on the blog in the coming week or ideas of your own - even if you shop in person) and letting us know you'd like the Ravelry coupon code e-mailed to you around April 30. You do have to let us know you want the free pattern after your purchase by either 1) putting that note on your order on our Check Out page or 2) e-mailing after your order (just responding to your e-mailed receipt is the easy way) asking. Then when she gives us the codes a day or two before the 30th, we will e-mail you yours. Then you go to the Ravelry pattern page (I'll include the link in your e-mail) add it to your cart on Ravelry and use the coupon code to make it free. The pattern won't be live until April 30 at 8am EST, and you shouldn't expect your code until around then either. Then please do use it right away, because Casapinka says the code expires at 11pm EST on May 1. So, basically she gives you a very short window to download the pattern for free. Then you can just purchase it from her.

I don't work on Sunday, so if you want the codes, please make sure you order and ask by 4pm EST on Saturday April 30.

SO! 1) Order 2 skeins from SSYC. 2) Let me know you want your pattern code at Check Out or via e-mail. 3) Add [email protected] to your Contacts so your e-mail doesn't bounce. 4) Wait until April 30 to get your code. E-mail me on April 30 if you haven't gotten your code yet. 5) Use code on Ravelry to make your pattern free! Don't wait -use the code one or with 48 hours of April 30. 6) On April 30, cast on with the big group of people on Casapinka's Ravelry who KAL together and share their progress. 7) Feel good about supporting a small business and some awesome dyers and creating something unique and awesome for yourself or someone you love!

Casapinka's Ric Rac Pattern - Color Suggestions Day 1

Today is the first day (of many) of color suggestions for Casapinka's upcoming Ric Rac pattern!

Casapinka designs one LYS Day (Local Yarn Store) pattern a year to help shops celebrate. This year that day falls on April 30, and from now until April 30 you qualify to get her upcoming Rick Rac shawl pattern for free by purchasing two skeins of yarn for the pattern from us at SSYC (from our suggestions here on the blog in the coming week or ideas of your own - even if you shop in person) and letting us know you'd like the Ravelry coupon code e-mailed to you around April 30. You do have to let us know you want the free pattern after your purchase by either 1) putting that note on your order on our Check Out page or 2) e-mailing after your order (just responding to your e-mailed receipt is the easy way) asking. Then when she gives us the codes a day or two before the 30th, we will e-mail you yours. Then you go to the Ravelry pattern page (I'll include the link in your e-mail) add it to your cart on Ravelry and use the coupon code to make it free. The pattern won't be live until April 30 at 8am EST, and you shouldn't expect your code until around then either. Then please do use it right away, because Casapinka says the code expires at 11pm EST on May 1. So, basically she gives you a very short window to download the pattern for free. After that, you can just purchase it from her.

SO! 1) Order 2 skeins from us. 2) Let me know you want your pattern code at Check Out or via e-mail 3) Add [email protected] to your Contacts so your e-mail doesn't bounce. 4) Wait until April 30 to get your code. E-mail me on April 30 if you haven't gotten your code yet. 5) Use code on Ravelry to make your pattern free! Don't wait -use the code one or with 48 hours of April 30. 6) On April 30, cast on with the big group of people on Casapinka's Ravelry who KAL together and share their progress. 7) Feel good about supporting a small business and some awesome dyers and creating something unique and awesome for yourself or someone you love!

It's worth noting that I don't work on Sunday, so if you want the codes, please make sure you order and ask by 4pm EST on Saturday April 30.

Today, I want to share two things that are new to the shop. First, a new dyer we've just added to the SSYC Fam! Welcome to Olann Mills of Ireland! Jess is the woman in charge of the studio in Cavan, Ireland and as you can see she has a wonderful way with color. When I look at her color collection as a whole (and we'll definitely be getting more colors when I can), I see colors inspired by nature, but kicked up a notch either with some unexpected speckles or bumping up the overall color of the skein. Wearable colorways with a special something. They are super easy to combine into duos that you can use for the Ric Rac pattern too. Here are my ideas, and of course you can always e-mail me, Allison, at [email protected] if there's a color or two that you like and want to know if they are as awesome in person as you're hoping. Or, you might like to combine one of the new Olann hues with Life in the Long Grass or Hedgehog Fibres (also from Ireland) to get the exact combo you want. If so, DO IT. The base yarns go together wonderfully. And if you are unsure if the colors look great in person, just e-mail me at [email protected] and I'll get back to you pretty darn fast (during business hours).

Now that we're through all the talk, let's get to the yarn!

Above is a party of a combo that will definitely show off the wave of the ric rac well. Coven and Strata. Would also look nice subbing out Fennel for Strata. Below is a totally wearable every day kind of combo in Portrait (a deep, slightly olive tinged chocolate) and Veil. Veil would also make an amazing Pavement sweater.

A vivid, scummy green is one of our fave colors here in the shop. It and a good gold can be combined with almost anything, it seems. And Chai, below, is a wonderful scummy green. It looks great with a lot, but I particularly like it with Atlas. The combination makes me thing of spring in a city of monuments- budding trees against stone buildings. And if you want Chai with a more colorful skein, I also like it with Burnish.

I'm so pleased to be able to get this new line imported during such a precarious time. Olann Mills is a Irish workshop committed to embracing contrasts, celebrating differences and bringing together carefully curated color palettes that make lives richer. The process of producing quality hand dyed yarns is never rushed, but rather slowly developed to be highly desirable, inspiring and harmonious.

Above is Gossamer and Thalassic. Such a beautiful blue and the contrast of the two would show the stripes in the pattern really nicely. Below is a mod spring combo of Early and Golden Hour.

For those of you who love the brighter combos that are the hallmark of Casapinka designs, I have a fresh batch of the soon-to-be-retired-base of Euro Sock from Madelinetosh in our Sale Section with LOTS of hot hues. I think this means that I have well over 100 colors to choose from right now, all 25% off while we have them. What combos might you like to put together in a bright and fun Ric Rac?

Now, the pattern calls for two skeins, but I'm showing three here because the color in the middle goes nicely with either the color on the left or the color on the right. so you'd choose two skeins of the three. Make sense? Just choose two. All are available currently in the Sale Yarn section. Things there do sell fast though.

Again, all these skeins are currently in the Sale Yarn section, but since those skeins do tend to sell out fast, I do have the same colors on Tosh Sock (merino), Twist Light Sock (merino/nylon), or Tosh Merino Light (single ply merino). Those are bases I stock all the time, keeping 300+ colors in the shop and ready to ship for you.

I'll continue to post color ideas for you through the next 10 days before the pattern is released on the 30th. There will be some great options from Dream in Color (we just got some colors in yesterday that I'll be sharing), Hedgehog Fibres and more.

If you'd like to choose your skeins in person, we'll be open this coming Saturday and Tuesday from 10am-4pm! Make sure you leave us your e-mail address so we can e-mail you your Ric Rac pattern code next week. Our open days/times are listed here. We are open one day a week to the public and ship 6 days a week.

Casapinka's New LYS Day Pattern - Ric Rack

Super popular pattern designer Casapinka creates a pattern each year to celebrate Local Yarn Store Day (LYS Day) and each year we enjoy putting together color ideas for the yearly Knitalong (KAL). This year, Local Yarn Store Day is on April 30th and so we are starting to put together the color ideas for you to go with the pattern. It takes two colors of fingering weight yarn, approx 400 yards each (more or less if you want as the pattern is forgiving on that), and a US 6 circular needle. Casapinka has this to say about the pattern - "Rick Rac is a boomerang shaped shawl that was designed for LYS Day 2022. It has swirls that look like ric rac, which was popular on kids' clothing in the 70s and 80s. It does not matter which color you use for the Color A or B, or if they contrast well or not. Both are used equally throughout. Taupe and cream will work, and fuschia variegated with green and combined screaming neon orange will work. Once you memorize the design, you won’t have to look at the pattern and you can knit it anywhere! Finished size is 35” wide at border X 65” long."

Want to participate in the KAL, or just want the pattern to knit whenever you like? You can get the pattern for free by purchasing two skeins of yarn for the pattern from SSYC from now through April 30 online, or in the shop on our open days. If you'd like a copy of the pattern when it is released, just order your two skeins and put a note on your order in the comment/note field at Check Out, saying "please include pattern" and we'll e-mail your code to you when the pattern is released. If you forget to put the note on your order, just e-mail [email protected] with your order number after your order and we'll make note. But please do one of these two things, otherwise, I don't know that you're participating and want the pattern if you don't tell me somehow. Keep in mind that you don't get the pattern code immediately. It will likely be e-mailed to you on or around April 30, and usually Casapinka requires you to use the code by Sunday at midnight. I'm not sure if she's extending that timeline or not yet, so if you do want the pattern for free, make sure you use the code by Sunday at midnight on Ravelry. You just add the pattern to your Ravelry cart and then enter the coupon code we give you via email and that's it. In the past she requires a somewhat tight turnaround of getting the pattern code via e-mail and then entering it on Ravelry. I'm hoping to update with you soon with a better timeline on that. Please add [email protected] to your Contacts now so that when we do send you the code it doesn't bounce or go to Spam.

Details as they are available will be here in this thread or in this Ravelry group. I'll be posting quite a lot of color ideas here on the blog over the next two weeks, and I'll post details as I get them, or you're always welcome to e-mail me, Allison, at [email protected] if you need something. 

This is always quite a popular event with over a hundred shops participating and thousands of knitters making the same pattern. It can be quite fun, following the Ravelry group (and there are links to her FB group in Ravelry too) and seeing what everyone is knitting. And it's also fun helping you pick out yarn to purchase online and in person. If you already have yarn you want to use, that's great, you just won't get the pattern for free and will simply purchase it like a lot of others on or after April 30. Casapinka does this to support yarn shops around LYS Day, so if you want the free code, you do have to qualify by purchasing two skeins from now through April 30 (and notifying me that you want a code in a note at Check Out or via e-mail).

I'll start posting color ideas here on the blog tomorrow. And you can bet that a lot will come from the great deals on Madelinetosh Euro Sock in our Sale Yarn section as well as Dream in Color, Malabrigo, Hedgehog Fibres and more. 

 

Madelinetosh Work Sock Sport

We have a fresh new batch of the sport weight merino/nylon big skeins of Madelinetosh's Work Sock Sport!

This yarn is labeled as a sport weight (I think it's between DK and Sport) and it's rare to find a hand dyed wool/nylon sock yarn that's hand dyed PLUS this one comes in an approx 7 ounce, 400 yard skein. Most dyers stick to the fingering weight base yarns, and if they offer a heavier weight DK, it's usually without nylon. And it's definitely not nearly double the size of a typical 100g skein.

Madelinetosh has shared that this yarn is being retired, so I believe this might be the last batch we can get. Sometimes things change and the base comes back a few years later, or sometimes instead a different-but-similar base is introduced. But this yarn has a very loyal following because it takes the color beautifully, holds up well, and is a good price for the amount. So if you are one of the Work Sock devotees, this might be the last time to find the color you want. It would be nice if it was coming back, but so many base yarns are being discontinued in the industry - it seems that the ones that aren't used as much are just really going up in price, so having things specially milled isn't cost effective right now and I'm assuming that Work Sock is one of those to be affected. Seeing prices go up 5- 10% because of all that's going on in the world is one thing. But 35% is quite another and a lot to pass along to knitters. Who knows what will happen industry wide in a few years once the world recovers from supply chain and staffing problems. Maybe new bases will be introduced when there are plenty of works, supplies and time to go around?

What I really like about this yarn (other than the ample yardage that is even enough for sock for the man in my life who has size 13ish feet) is that it's super squishy and round. I like Twist Light Sock (the fingering weight version) for the same reason. A really soft, round yarn that isn't too slick but is still super soft. It's a great sweater yarn too.

I hope you find the color you've been wanting. Need a pattern idea? How about Just Yer Basic Sport Weight Sock, Indigo Leaves (shown below) or the Trio Knit Cowl.

Photo courtesy of Joji Locatelli

Pattern Inspiration for Malabrigo Metamorphosis Sock

The Malabrigo Metamorphosis Sock Yarn we have in stock has caused quite a stir! It's now live on our website, and I highly recommend getting at least one. Not only is this a rare offering from Malabrigo (they offered just a few bags of it to us shops last year at a meet up event and then this year too), but it's a completely addictive knit and a great price. While many other hand dyers chare $35-40 per gradient skein or sock blank, these are each just $25! And if you order the whole collection of 10 at this link, they come to just $23 each! That's crazy good.

What might you like to knit with your gradient cake? Yes, they already come caked so you don't even have to wind them.

Well, my first knit with it is the Herald Shawl. It's super simple, though like any pattern I seem to screw it up several times in the first few inches. But I actually pay more attention to my knitting than the movie I'm watching, it's great. I plan on spending the better part of the weekend knitting on this. Because its Easter weekend there aren't any sports or kids activities and I'm going to brew some sun tea and sit on my back porch and knit this weekend. As long as the weather continues to behave, that is.

The above and below photo are ones that Malabrigo passed along to show how Metamorphosis would look knit up. The photos aren't the best quality, but it gives you an idea of what the all over look would be, if you want to imagine your favorite projects. Above is Moraine Lake and below is Gravity. 

 

One of our happy shop friends, Holly, knit this Radvent Cardigan with a gradient that she had on hand and just purchased more to make another sweater or two. She says she's gonna snap a few more shots of it and send them along and you can bet I'll share them in Insta when she does. I think this is just such a perfect use for a gradient. She has this to say, "I’m trying to figure out how to make it a full pullover by doing the front just like the back…maybe a few decreases to drop the neck a bit. See what I mean about that Starry Night being PERFECT!!!! Can’t wait!!!" So if you have any suggestions for her on how to do this, please feel free to leave them in the comments. Or just share some kind words about how awesome this sweater is because I think deserves all the virtual high fives.

I love the idea of doing something lacey because it gives you a bigger overall shawl and shows off gradients really well. If you want a shawl, I like Fading Memories from Ann Bud, photo is hers. And if you purchase the pattern at the link, she donates $5 to alz.org!

Want other shawl ideas? Reyna is always popular, and I thikn that Chari would be a great one to combine a Metamorphosis with a contrasting solid.

Want a hat? YES! WHY NOT? I've been in a two year hat knitting mood too. I recommend the Alaska Hat by Camille Descoteaux. We have all the Malabrigo Sock Solids to go with. And poms. I think you could also adapt her Velen sweater to make use of two to four balls of Metamorphosis too.

Do you have other suggestions for a great-ient knit? Tell us in the comments! You all provide the best inspiration.

 

A big week at SSYC

This week is another big one for us as we share some stunning yarns with you! Not only are we finally seeing progress on the Opal Van Gogh collection making its way through US Customs (so another week if we're lucky, another two weeks if all things are typical?) but we have received so much gorgeous yarn recently from our fave dyers and I know many of you are waiting for it.

First off, we have our Tosh Tuesdays happening this month, sharing nearly 200 colors of Madelinetosh Euro Sock for 25% off in our Sale Yarn section before it's retired for good. You already bought over half of we released last Tuesday, and tomorrow we'll be releasing another batch of colorways. I've received lots of e-mails asking about particular colors, and whether we will be sharing those, and so I thought that if some people are asking, then there are likely ten times as many people not asking. Why not make it easier for you to project plan and pounce before the colors sell out? There might be a few more colors, but this is the plan.

The Red Woman
Grasshopper
Graphite
Betty Draper Blues
Beta Crucis
Celadon
Blue Nile
Peppercorn
Ex Boyfriend
Boy jeans
Nectar
Superb
Ceremony
Gilded
Found pottery
Clap your hands
Umbrella sky
Edison bulb
Big Sur
Budapest Lyric
Comp book gray
Accra evening
Black currant
Gg loves orange
Cosmic wonder dust
Foxglove
Amnesia
Borealis night
Birch grey
Spellbound
Frais
Sixth sense
Tart
Spectrum
Alizarin
Citrus
Patched indigo
Cousteau
Amber Trinket
Danger Will Robinson – solid
The Force
Chill Pill
Bronze Age
Forestry
Copper pink
Aurora Australis
Feronia
Constellation
Tiny House
Charcoal
Chicory
Cathedral

We have most of these colors in stock on other bases if you want to put the name in the search bar on our website and take a look.

Starry Night

Then, we have the Malabrigo, Metamorphosis Sock colors coming to our website on Thursday, likely early/mid morning. I've had LOTS of requests to hold/presell this, but we are a small crew and just don't have the time or capability to manage that many requests last minute, and I'm unsure that it would be a fair way to do it. I really do have a nice amount of it though, so if you wanted some (or all 10 colors, we'll also sell them as a collection to save some $ and get them all) I don't think you'll have a problem getting what you want. Now, I wouldn't wait several days or anything, just in case, but as you can see in these bags below, I ordered a lot. Not all of these bags are that though. Some are a special color that's just for us for a special reason.....

I'm spent a good part of Sunday knitting the Starry Night gradient into a Herald shawl, and I love it so far. I'll definitely be snagging a few more colors for other projects.    

Can't wait to share all the Metamorphosis with you!

Edited to add a day later, these are the 10 colors of Malabrigo Metamorphosis that we'll have Thursday:

318 Starry Night, 319 Moraine Lake, 320 Jaipur Pink, 321 Insomnia, 322 Marrakech, 323 Midnight Bloom, 324 London Alley, 325 Graviry, 326 Amelie, 327 Soul Train.

 

Malabrigo Yarn, Metamorphosis Sock

I have something super special to share with you today! We just got in a huge amount of some really awesome Malabrigo Yarn! Those big bags are hiding something special.

Metamorphosis Sock is a skein of Malabrigo's sock yarn dyed up as a gradient. One end of the cake starts at one color and as you knit it will slowly progress to something else.

This is a new thing for Malabrigo to do. They are kind of testing it out a bit with these ten colors and I'm unsure if it's something they will dye predictably or if this is a one-off type of thing. Dyeing gradients is A LOT of work. Typically the naked skein has to be machine knit into a fabric blank, then dyed, then wound back into a skein or cake so you can knit it. So not only is it more particular to dye, but it has to be knit up first into a fabric and also reskeined/caked when done. So the fact that this first special batch is only like $5 more than their typical sock yarn, well, that's pretty special too. Other dyers, like Sweet Georgia, dye gradients once in awhile and they charge $38 for the same amount as this.

These will go up for sale online next week. I'll be selling the collection as a whole (so all 10 colors) for a bit of a discount (you'll save $10 overall for ordering all of them as a collection) and I'll also sell individual balls.

I've already snagged one for myself to start on this weekend, and if you come to the shop this week on our open days (this Saturday and Tuesday) you can snag one then too. Then we'll have them for sale online on Thursday, I believe.

I am just so, so happy to be able to get this for you (and me). It's truly special and I like each of the 10 colors. Below is an example how a gradient knits up. Not exactly like any of the colors we have, but somewhat similar. I'm knitting mine into a Herald Shawl. At least that's the plan.

Of course, you can knit socks with this yarn, but because the gradient goes from one end to the other, taking up all 400-some yards, the first sock would start at the beginning and end in the middle of the gradient, and the second sock would start at the middle and end at the end of the gradient. So you wouldn't get two "matching" socks, but more "coordinating socks. These would be great together in large projects too, if you wanted to get multiples of each cake. Then you could, for example, make a large shawl that started at the dark, went to light, and then back to dark again. SUPER COOL.

Expect these to go live on Thursday, April 14 in the morning at the Malabrigo link.

Euro Sock from Madelinetosh - 25% off!

Like I teased yesterday and earlier in March, we have a very lovely batch of Madelinetosh's Euro Sock for you for 25% off in our Sale Section! We have so much of it that I'll be releasing it in three batches over this month on Tuesdays. Approx 60 colors each week over the next few weeks for a total of 174 different colorways! We are releasing them in three batches because we are a small crew and can only handle so much. We like to ship out within 24 hours and while it might take a bit longer than that when we are super busy, we don't like to stray too far from our high expectations of ourselves.

Mermaids Unite

Euro Sock is a very popular, 100% superwash merino wool option for socks, shawls, sweaters and more. It's soft, durable and takes the dye beautifully. Each hand dyed skein is a little treasure. One is enough for socks, even for my size 11 feet. Grab several if you want to knit a sweater or shawl. Grab a dozen if you want to stash it because Madelinetosh has decided to retire this base and it won't be available much longer. A lot has changed in the past two years with mills, importing, availability and especially pricing. And this yarn just isn't one that can keep going at a reasonable cost any more.

A Dream Within a Dream

What should you knit with it? Well, I'm knitting a plain ol' vanilla pair of socks with my skein of Dream Within a Dream right now. I wanted to see what a highly variegated color like this with color, white spots and speckles would knit up in a sock, and so I chose this one. It's for someone who I know will appreciate some socks, and I love how it's knitting up. Such a pleasure.

So if you wanted to see how a variegated hue might knit up, I think it's a good example. Other wildly variegated hues I have for you today in the Sale Yarn section are A Clue Board, Fire Opal, Heart of Darkness, Mansfield Garden Party, Mermaids Unite, Northeast Kingdom, Rainbow, and When Particles Collide. So if you're like me, and you like the skeins that are definitely NOT shy flowers, give these a try. 

Want to combine colors into a project? I like the Alisa Cowl that recently came out.

Levity Shawl photo, courtesy of Kelly McClure

Want a nice sized shawl that has lots of garter stitch? Grab two skeins and knit the Levity Shawl! I love the idea of this in Wildflower, Worn Denim, Wash House and especially Pardon My French, below. LOVE.

SSYC shop manager Heather knit this Minerals shawl with three skeins of Euro Sock. And it looks like the Minerals Shawl is 40% off right now too. Sale yarn and sale pattern! Woot!

Heather knit this amazing shawl and instead of using one color of worsted weight like the pattern calls for, she used three colors of fingering weight Euro Sock and wanted to share these notes on how she changed the pattern to suit her yarn/color choices. 

So, I had 3 colors, let's call them Color 1, 2, and 3.  

To begin with, I started with 2 strands of color 1, from the inside and outside of the ball.  I knitted about 2 inches like that (mostly I change color when I get bored and want to change something up.)  So then I drop the strand of color 1 from the outside of the ball, and pick up a strand of color 2.  Apparently I really liked the look of that combo, because I knitted about 7 inches of that. (measured down the middle spine) Then I dropped color 1, and picked up a second strand of color 2.  Two strands of color 2 for about 4 inches. Remember, the rows get much longer towards the end, and that makes a difference!

Then I dropped the outside of the ball strand of color 2 and picked up color 3.  That section is about 2.5 inches, as I think I was running low on color 2.  Then I dropped color 2 and picked up a second strand of color 3.  I knit the rest of the body of the shawl with 2 strands of color 3.  

When I got to the garter edging at the end, I dropped a strand of color 3 and picked up a strand of color 1.  knit garter edging.

I did the edging like that because I wanted my tassels to have all three of the yarns, and I wanted that to blend into the rest of the shawl.  If the edging was all color 3, it would have been an abrupt change to the multi colored tassels.

So if you want to do something similar, please do! If you have questions about whether the colors you're going with for that pattern or anything else, you know you can always e-mail me, Allison, at [email protected] and we're happy to be your personal shoppers, look at your choices in person and assure you that they are awesome or suggest something else. Include links to patterns if you want us to give you more particular help.

If you want a jumping off point for color combos, here are some color combos that caught my eye as I was photographing all this yarn. As you may know, photographing all our yarn for SSYC is one of my jobs, and it could be my fave. I photo each batch that arrives that's different so that what you see on our website isn't some old stock photo from a dyer from three years ago. Yes, it takes a lot of time and effort to constantly change and update photos, but it's how we've been doing things for 17 years now and I don't see that changing. And usually while I'm photographing skeins, I can't help but combine them and share what I like with you. Sometimes here on the blog, sometimes on Instagram. 

Again, all these colors can be found in our Sale Yarn section until they sell out.

Fire Opal with Cardigan. If you want to add a third color, consider Elizabeth Taylor

Gracenotes, Neon Red and Leopard

Great Grey Owl, Sabine, Killing Me Softly and Wino Forever

Northeast Kingdom with Winter Wheat. Also would be fab with Glazed Pecan and Daffodil and Pardon My French.

Scout, Porter, Whiskey Barrel and Great Grey Owl.

Wetever, Wild West and Scout

Wildflower, Scout and Winter Wheat. I love this combo for Heather's shawl above. LOVE.

Again, I'll be listing more colors on the next two Tosh Tuesdays, so if there's a color you're hoping we'll have for you, you're welcome to e-mail. If there is a color you really want from this week, I don't recommend hesitating or waiting to see what else is coming next week because I do expect a lot or most of these to sell out each week before the next batch is listed. We do have a lot of each color, but if a couple people purchase sweater quantities, then it's pretty much gone. And this is delicious for sweaters, that's for sure.

Coming this week....

Thanks for participating in last week's Spring Break contests! There were some great prizes to be had and I'll announce and e-mail the winners soon.

This week we have SO MUCH to share. Not only do we have the new Black Dragon 2 collection from Opal Yarn, but restocks of Sweet Georgia and Malabrigo.

But the one that I've hinted about that many of you are waiting for is our super duper special on Madelinetosh's Euro Sock in our Sale Section. Euro Sock isn't a base that we typically offer, as long ago it used to be an exclusive to Madelinetosh only. That changed, and we stock it when they offer us great deals on it. So for the next several Tuesdays, what we're calling Tosh Tuesdays, we'll have dozens of colors each week of Euro Sock in our Sale Section for 25% off. This is a fab deal for a premium hand dyed yarn. And if you are a big fan of this base, know that Madelinetosh tells me that they won't be offering it any more (the price has really gone up) and so this could be the last time you find a lot of it in a shop in stock. And a deal, at that. - Note - it's not there yet, at the time of this blog. This is Monday. Check back Tuesday mid-morning.

Why are these particular skeins 25% off? Because you might notice a stripey/barberpole effect that comes from one of the four plies taking up the dye differently, as shown below. This could happen because that one ply is spun slightly tighter or in the opposite direction or has a bit of fiber that doesn't take up the dye. We wouldn't qualify these as "seconds", as the yarn knits up the same as it always does, and the colors are just as beautiful as always- in fact, you might prefer the added dimension this gives your knitted fabric. These are first quality skeins, simply beautiful anomalies. Most dyers wouldn't even offer a discount on such skeins, but Madelinetosh did, and of course I took that bargain! Act fast - there are limited amounts and this yarn retails from $29.50-32.50, depending on where you can find it. Which really won't be many places now that they won't be making it anymore.

We will have a whopping 174 colors in all, so I'll release 60-ish a week, starting tomorrow, and then on the following two Tuesdays. As much as I'd like to be able to release it all at once, we just don't have the manpower to handle the kind of response we expect in the quick shipping turnaround that we like here at SSYC.

I can't stress enough what a superb yarn this is. I'm knitting it right now into a pair of socks for someone special. I've long been a fan of how wonderfully it holds up and how beautiful the colors look on this 100% superwash merino base. And while I'm sad that Tosh won't be offering it much longer, I'm happy that we can show it a nice retirement with a deal. And deals are hard to come by right now, as yarn is hard to get as it is.

Spring Break Contest, Day 5

It's Spring Break week here in the US! For us, that means that the kids get a week off school, some of us take a vacation to somewhere warm, and some of us just hang out with kids at home, relaxing and watching movies or going on small day trips. This is the first time in a couple years that many of us would feel comfortable going out and doing things in crowds for Spring Break, and I'm going to take full advantage of my time with my two boys this break to make all sorts of sunny memories. (We are not closed for spring break- still shipping to you as fast as always!)

Each day, Monday through Friday this week, we are taking a virtual day trip to the locale of one of our dyers. We get to learn a bit about each place and you get a chance to win a skein. Want to play? Yay!

Today we are visiting the home of Felicia and her team at Sweet Georgia Yarn! Felicia has been dyeing yarn in her Vancouver, Canada studio for well over a decade. She's a weaver and knitter as well, and her colors are truly inspiring. There's more than a dozen people on the Sweet Georgia team, and like us here at SSYC, some over a decade. We've offered her wares for more than a decade now too, since she started in her home/studio and now in a completely revamped space - watch this 17 minute video if you want during your lunch break.

Sail Shawl. Pick three colors of Tough Love Sock and have at it!

What might I do if I were in Vancouver for a long weekend? Well, I'd see Felicia, that's for sure! We have similarly aged kids, have a lot in common, and I haven't seen her in person for at least six years. It would be nice to see her face again! One of my all-time-favorite TV shows was filmed in Vancouver, Battlestar Gallactica (2004). I wouldn't mind spending a day seeing some of the places that were filmed for the show. Yep, I'm a Sci Fi nerd and I'm proud of it! I'm told Vancouver also has a great live music scene, and so I'd spend evenings listening to music. I'd like to spend an afternoon shopping around Robson Street and perhaps another day seeing a soccer game. I've never been to a professional soccer game before, but my 14 year old son plays and so I watch practice and games several times a week. I think I'd love the grandeur of a Vancouver Whitecaps game. I think I'd eat like a queen too, as that area is know for its crab and salmon. And if I had more time, I'd take direction from Indigenous Tourism BC and really experience the wonders of BC.

Out of the Woods

Have you been to Vancouver? What did you find to be awesome there? Do tell me in the comments and don't forget to enter the contest by noon EST on Sunday by telling me what color of Tough Love Sock you like the best. I'll randomly choose one person and notify by e-mail and here on the blog.

Stealth Mode

Thanks so much for joining me in our Spring Break week! Today is April Fools Day, but we aren't fooling you with any of the great yarn and prizes that we are sharing this week. If you missed entering on any of the days this week, just look at the Recent Post listing on the right side bar and enter any of those days before noon EST on Sunday, April 3. I hope it's been a fun mini adventure for you! We have so much to share with you in April as we get closer to our 17th Anniversary celebration this summer, and the SSYC blog is always the best way to learn what's going on each week.

Alpenglow