Christmas in July 2022, a Preview + Contest

Today's the day I share a preview all our upcoming Christmas in July goodies! We've been celebrating Christmas in July for a few years now and it's been a great way to bring joy and color to our lives AND get Christmas themed goodies in plenty of time for the actual holiday season. It seems that dyers and makers create all their holiday themed wonders in the fall and early winter, which gives us all very little time to grab them and get things going. So if you are like me and like to have some holiday treats on hand early, check out the shop on Monday, July 25 because that's when all these goods will go live. Everything detailed here will be found at the Kits & Clubs link on July 25.

First off, I want to share with you something I've been working on for a year now and we even had our first intern this summer whose job it was to assemble all these for you. 12 Day Advent and Countdown Sets are all the rage in yarn, but have you enjoyed a hand made stitch marker Countdown Set? We're betting you haven't seen one like this, as it's been over a year in the making, each stitch marker skillfully hand made from polymer clay by our own artisan. Each of the 12 pieces is its own colorful work of art, one that you'll love knitting to again and again on your needles. Heck, these will even look great as bracelet, necklace or earring charms! If you can't wait and want to see one of these, e-mail Allison at service@simplysockyarn.com and I'll e-mail back a photo of just one of the stitch markers with you if you promise not to share it with others. We want it to be a total surprise to those who want that! And the price is $68, which is a total steal if you ask me. That's less than $6 for each hand made marker that will bring you joy when you opened your envelopes and each time you come to it on your stitches.

Each stitch marker is packaged in its own little envelope adorned with a wintery picture and a number, and clipped onto a length of yarn before it gets wrapped and packaged into a lovely little red gauze bag. Go here on Instagram if you'd like to watch a video of my set hanging on my mantle (obviously, the pine garland and felted balls don't come with the set - that's just part of my holiday decor). Before opening, the wintery themed packaged set looks great hung on a stairway or mantle with greenery as decor. When you want start your countdown, you simply unclip that day's envelope and see what's inside. And if you can't wait until December 14 to start your countdown to Christmas, no worries! We don't blame you! Unlike most "advent" offerings, this is NOT a preorder to ship in the fall. It ships right after you order on July 25 with all the other holiday goodies you've chosen! If you miss out, we may offer them again in November if we can, but we don't recommend waiting, just in case. 

Jollyville is a speckled colorway that is an exclusive to us from Madelinetosh. We released it last Christmas in some kits and Hat Sets and they were all so popular that we have these two kit options (a light or dark bag with a skein of Jollyville on Twist Light sock yarn) and two different SSYC Hat Sets.

One Hat Set has a white and red pom with Tosh DK and a white and green pom pom with Tosh Vintage (worsted weight). I will also have single skeins of Jollyville on Tosh Sock, Pashmina and Tosh Merino Light. I just LOVE the idea of a Pashmina shawl in Jollyville to wear all holiday season.

Above, we have a very special Sock Set from the sisters at Emma's Yarn. Emma's Yarn has been a big hit here since we added them a couple years ago and their lively colors are cherry and bright. The Christmas Sprinkles Sock Set certainly qualifies as cheery and bright with the red and green speckles and red mini skein for toes and heels. I think this would also be great as a shawlette with a red edge. Something that you could wear all holiday season, peaking out of the neckline of your winter coat.

Jake Kenyan of Kenyarn has created an exclusive holiday colorway for us, inspired by vintage Christmas ornaments. Meet Vintage Vixen! She will be available on Jake's Sock and DK. See my unboxing video on Instagram.

Want a true yarny Countdown set? Madelinetosh has you covered this year with their 2022 - 12 Days of Madelinetosh. Preorders just went live today - this is the only one of our Christmas in July offerings that will be available to order before July 25th. It comes with a full sized skein of Tosh Vintage, 4 mini skeins, 3 Madelinetosh Maker surprises and four patterns (two crochet and two knit). This is the only item here that is PREORDER and must be ordered separately from everything else listed here b/c it doesn't actually ship until mid-November. These tend to sell out fast each year, so if you really want to save your space, please don't hesitate to put your preorder in today Again, it's a preorder and paying today secures your space and it won't ship until November as it does every year.

Below are the two designers who are contributing knit and crochet patterns to the 12 Days of Madelinetosh. And while the overall colors of the set aren't revealed until you open your little boxes, I can share that it's inspired by a nighttime winter sky. Sounds perfect.

Love a good stripe? YEAH. ME TOO. I had a hard time not snagging all these stripes for myself, but I'm going to at least wait one day after the 25th and if there are any left, I'm going to pounce. We have new holiday striping Sock Sets (striping yarn and solid mini) from Freckled Whimsy (who we added to the shop two months ago and her stuff sold out fast). Again, all these stripes will be found at the Kits & Clubs link the morning of July 25.

Peppermint Mocha

Christmas Cocktail

Sweet Treats & Rosy Cheeks

The Perfect Tree

Grandma's Sugar Cookies

Gather Round

Waiting for Santa

And we have some gorgeous striping skeins from Knitterly Things on her Vesper sock base and Glitterful Vesper. Yep, glittery holiday yarn for socks, ornaments, whatever.  Here are just a few of them.

Reindeer Games

Holiday, Celebrate!

Joyful Noise

Holiday Boogie Woogie

The Holly and The Ivy

Love Malabrigo? We'll have some of our exclusive Las Fiestas colorway on Sock and Rios (worsted weight).

We will also have Urth Yarns Christmas color in Sock Kits (two 50g balls for matching socks), fingering weight skeins, and worsted weight like I used in this simple cowl.

Do you love mini skein sets? Take a look at all these from Yarn Love. 

Also from Yarn Love, the Mr Frosty Hat Kit in Blue and Red. It comes with all the yarn and an e-mailed pattern (just request the pattern from me after your order - responding to your e-mailed receipt is an easy way to ask).

Dream in Color is in the game too with our exclusive Jolly Elf sock sets- a skein of yarn and minis for toes and heels.

West Yorkshire Spinners always makes the most fun self patterning sock yarn options for the holidays, and we finally have some of their back in stock. Particularly popular is the Candy Cane, which we haven't had in stock for quite awhile. And for less than $13 a ball, it's totally knit worthy.

Whew! I think that's it! If you made it to the end of this post, you deserve a chance to win $20 to spend at SSYC! Just tell me a bit about one of your favorite holiday themed projects. Maybe it will inspire someone reading to try something new, or will make us remember something we forgot. Leave your comment by noon EST this Saturday, July 23 and I'll randomly choose someone to win.

Comments

[Dawn]

My favorite project was knitting small socks last year to create a garland. It brings me so much joy!

[Diane Campbell]

I love to knit little ornament sized socks with all of my leftover sock yarn.( I recently found your Christmas sock yarn which I will now use!) I include them in Christmas cards, attach them to wine bottles and tie them to gifts. My family and friends are always so delighted to receive them!

[Dana Snyder]

I love knitting striped socks during advent! It’s a busy time but one stripe a day is easy to sneak in!

[Jessica]

I knit mini stockings for Christmas countdown calendars for two of my kids over the years. I need to finish the third! I've also knit GINORMOUS Christmas stockings for my three kids. They're about 4' long!! And I fill them every year :)

[Sabrina Snyder]

Each year I make hats for my children and grandchildren as their stocking. Each hat is unique. However, the hats are all the same design with colors that all work together for that year. I keep thinking that they have enough hats. I don't need to do it again. Then they get upset. My children and their spouses look forward to their stocking hats. It's grown from 2 to 7 a year. Plus 1 for my husband. I have to start earlier and earlier each year!

[Heather Fairman]

I live in a warm winter city, but my family is in the cold midwest. I love making them hats, and especially enjoyed the hat club, whose hats will be going to Wisconsin this winter.

[Diane H]

Anything Christmas-y by West Yorkshire Spinners! The socks always my favorites throughout the winter.

[Diane]

Any project that is going to be a gift for someone is great to work on around the holidays. Even if it’s not necessarily in Christmas colors, or maybe it is.

[sprite]

I used a skein of self-striping yarn to make a pair of fingerless mitts and I love them!

[Renee Huffman]

Currently working on knitting my family of 7 matching Christmas stockings. I can't wait to see them all lined up this Christmas!

[Anne]

I love making hand knit socks for my girls and my mom each year as Christmas gifts!

[Nancy]

Over a couple of years I made MANY stranded Christmas balls ornaments using the patterns by Arne and Carlos. I used sock yarn (mostly Opal Uni) and stuffed them with polyester fiber fill. These ornaments made great little gifts, and are cherished Christmas decorations that we use every year.

[Marilyn]

My favorite holiday-themed knit were the Snowball Buddy ornaments I knit. One ornament is a mouse and the other is a bunny. So fun!

[Alexa]

I treasure the personalized fairisle stockings that I knit for my family and pets. Each one was made with love!

[Jennifer Pierce]

Last year I made mini mittens for decorations, gift tags, etc. They were a big hit, and I am definitely making more this year.

[Sara Moening]

Hats and socks. Everyone needs them. Would like to make a mini sweater garland one of these years.

[Rebecca Lovell]

I love knitting hats for everyone I love for Christmas!!!

[Rose Birchall]

I like to knit Christmas socks in December

[Jennifer McCarthy]

My favorite holiday project is making Christmas socks for the family - I started last year and plan to continue the tradition!

[Diane]

I knit a couple of hats for gifts.

[Jaclyn]

I enjoy knitting a new pair of socks for my children and hubby to gift to them for Christmas. After watching me knit pair after pair during the year, they get excited about receiving their own special socks!

[Kelli]

For the past few years I have been knitting holiday socks to have a pair for every day in December. I then like to knit mini sock stockings for a garland. I have not met either objective yet but each year gets me closer!

[Linda V.]

My favorite holiday project was a gnome. I'm not someone who normally knits anything other than garments or accessories but this was a very joyous holiday project.

[Elizabeth]

Last year I knitted a cowl with holiday-themed yarn and love it. Easy to wear every day during the winter season.

[Faye]

Like so many, I love to knit socks to gift at Christmas time. It's always the perfect gift from the heart. Plus, I always knit extra's for our local Cancer Service for their fundraiser. It's in the true spirit of Christmas.

[Marilyn Wheatley]

I LOVE knitting striped socks during Advent. Knitting a few new colors every day adds to the excitement of waiting for Christmas Day.

[Joann]

A few years ago during the pandemic when we couldn’t get together for Christmas, I knitted gnome ornaments and sent them in the mail to my family.

[Denise]

I love to wear my Christmas socks. I often think of a tiny knitted sock garland, but I haven't started it yet. Maybe this year.

[Karla Miller]

I love making Christmas socks to wear all season long and always aim to get them started in the summer. This year I would also like to make some ornaments for my tree and some to give for gifts.

[Mary Ann]

Love knitting socks! So many lovely self striping choices. Your store is the BEST!

[Kate]

Last year, I knit holiday themed socks for both myself and my husband- self striping for him and speckled for me and it was fun! Love all the self striping skeins in this post!!

[Diane]

I love knitting holiday colored socks, hats and shawls for family members as presents, and of course holiday striped socks for me.

[Linda Lau]

Knitting mini sweaters for a garland makes me so happy. Especially Star Wars themed ones!

[Cheryl]

Love self striping holiday yarn - this year I am working on socks for a few of my favorite people!

[Dena ZS]

I love to make mitts with all sorts of yarn that goes together. Nice to make for gifts. I made a few from the National Parks club yarn.

[Amy H]

I usually make gifts. A cowl, a felted bag, a shawl. Last year I made a couple of Christmas gnomes. Lots of fun!

[Judy]

I like to make hats, cowls, and fingerless mitts

[Becky Myers]

This is simple knitting but I always make dishcloths for my girls. I bundle them up with new dish towels and tie them with a pretty ribbon. I always think that they will think of me all year long as they do the dishes. I have also made mug cozies and hats for them at Christmas.

[Kathy]

Last year I knit a pair of socks with Knitterly Things Vesper sock in the Joyful Noise color way. It was such a happy color and I really looked forward to knitting a few stripes every day of Advent.

[Debra Wallace]

Oh dear! Is it really time to start thinking about Christmas already!? I keep saying I need to make some nice stripy Christmas socks and I haven't done them yet! This year just might be the year!!Socks for gifts would be wonderful Aldo so I better get knitting!

[Kim]

A couple of years ago I bought a bunch of different Christmas yarn from you and made socks for my family! This year I really like the idea of a shawl in Christmas colors

[Jamie]

Last year I knitted the whole family hats... Made a great picture... I think this year will be socks, I better get started now!!

[Hilda C]

Mostly hats that I give to charity around that time of year.

[Susan Mercy]

I love knitting Christmas stockings, so I decided to do Christmas in July and make the annual stocking in July. This year's stocking is beautiful pink speckle, with the cuff/heel/toe in a light blue tweed. My baby sister died in infancy and never got to have a first Christmas, so this stocking is in her memory, as well as in memory of the pregnancy losses experienced by my mother, myself, and my offspring that has a uterus. The stocking has stars and diamonds on it, for perfect babies.

[Megan Luyckx]

I love your yarn ball garland! Did you make it yourself or buy it?

[Karen]

Christmas in July is a great time to pause and feel the joy of the season! I love sitting down with the festive yarns and reflect on all that Christmas means, while knitting socks.

[Sandra Carpenter]

Last year I knit long, narrow fair isle tubes to slip onto styrofoam wreath forms. I cut the form so that i could get the tube on on it, then sewed the ends of the tube together. I embellished the wreaths with bows ribbon and other little adornments.

[Mary Warner]

When it comes to looking at your blogs and postings during holiday seasons, it's like shopping in a Sears catalog for the toys that add joy to our lives. Yarn, supplies, patterns are just the adult version. Thank you for adding to my creative side.

[Margaret]

Newly divorced, at the age of 68 mind you, I’m looking forward to watching my daughters open hand knit socks this coming 2022 Christmas, along with my grands! Learning to knit socks and finding pure pleasure this past year, while going through a very difficult time in life, has been the joy that gave me something to look forward to. I’m starting to make new memories at a time I never imagined and actually find myself smiling. I have the joy of my children and the love of knitting socks to be thankful for. Life doesn’t need much more than that❣️

[Margaret]

Newly divorced, at the age of 68 mind you, I’m looking forward to watching my daughters open hand knit socks this coming 2022 Christmas, along with my grands! Learning to knit socks and finding pure pleasure this past year, while going through a very difficult time in life, has been the joy that gave me something to look forward to. I’m starting to make new memories at a time I never imagined and actually find myself smiling. I have the joy of my children and the love of knitting socks to be thankful for. Life doesn’t need much more than that❣️

[Wendy Chase]

I love making little knitted tree ornaments as gifts. Susan B Anderson has a tiny sweater pattern and also itty bitty mittens that look so cute hung on the tree.

[Ellen Bruns]

I cant single out one thing... I love it all!!! Im thinking about trying some little socks as ornaments this year so this would be fun to try with some of your holiday yarns! Look forward to this every year.

[Carol Rice]

I make socks for family every year at Christmas, as often as possible with Christmas colored/themed yarn; I'm working on a pair right now for my mother-in-law. I love the idea of your Christmas in July restock of the holiday colors! Can't wait 'til Monday!

[Brenna Delosier]

I love to knit Christmas gnomes. They are small and quick. And I make
Them I’m Christmas colors.

[Daphne Jackson]

Several years ago, I began knitting socks for my sons and my grandchildren. I didn't think I would knit them again last year but when I mentioned it, there was an uproar in our family. WE LOVE OUR HANDKNIT SOCKS. Last year, I bought some of the Christmas in July special yarns and they were a big hit.

[Kathryn Aragon]

Knitting beanies for Hats For Sailors. In order to get them all sent to ships in time to arrive for the holidays, the deadline comes early. This gets me motivated for Christmas projects early; a bonus for a procrastinator such as myself.

[Kate]

I make different things for Christmas gifts each year-last year, I crocheted baskets for my in-laws, sister-in-law, and knit a hat and scarf for my hubby.

[Michelle]

I love knitting Christmas ornaments! The past couple years I have been working my way through Stacey Lewis' "Bauble" patterns - they are cute, fast, a great use for all the sock yarn scraps I generate in a year, fun, and there are a bunch of them!

[Dana Tait]

I often make gifts for my husband’s family and for some of my friends. Cowls, socks and hats are often my go-to projects, since I can get several projects done relatively quickly - especially if there’s a last-minute addition.

[Donna Gerber]

In the past I’ve enjoyed knitting Christmas stockings for my parents, and now I enjoy making various items for my children and grandchildren for Christmas gifts - hats, mittens, sweaters.

[Jane Jerger]

I’m making Christmas stockings right now! I have plans for hats and mittens for some little people when these are done. It looks like there may be a Christmas shawl coming too!

[Sharon Opsal]

When our precious little granddaughter was born 2 months early, I began knitting a Christmas stocking for her in red yarn with a white fuzzy cuff and her name embroidered on the cuff in red. She is now almost 13 and the stocking is hung (with care!) over the mantle each December.

[Jody]

I’m currently working on sock and hat sets for my family members. I’ve also gotten a good start on socks for friends and coworkers. I really enjoy knitting for someone who appreciates the final item and I love it when someone asks for a hand knit item!

[Megan]

For the last 2 years, I have made teeny tiny little hats as tree ornaments, and it is just such fun! I think I’ve made about 50 by now, many as gifts. My favorite design is a tiny little chullo earflap hat, complete with braided strings.

[RuthAnn]

I have been using leftover sock holiday yarn to make scrap scarves. So colorful

[Gaylyn B]

Last year I knitted my sister a pair of holiday socks in Dream In Color"s Gettin' Bliitzen colorway. She loved them.

[Carol]

I've never knit a holiday-themed project. But a couple years ago, I knit an RBG Ball ornament (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rbg-ball) as a gift for a friend.

[Marilyn]

I made thrummed mittens for gifts and everyone loved them!

[Lorraine]

My favorite would be the Candy Cane yarn. I had got lucky and bought one many years ago and knit up some socks. Unfortunately they did not survive the many moves over the years. I will need to snag another.

[Aimee]

I’ve only made one holiday themed knitted item but it would be my favorite even if I had a pile of holiday knits. It is a stranded knitted tradition Selbu sweater and hopefully I’ll get to wear it to Norway some day.

[Pat]

I haven’t knit Christmas gifts in the past but I may try this year or keep with the tradition of a post-Christmas cast on.

[Rachael]

I made hats for my family last Christmas, and it was so much fun! This year, I’m planning to make fingerless mitts for some family members and either a scarf or a cowl for others.

[Laura]

I knit a garland of tiny hats,scarves,stockings and sweaters to hang. Uses up scraps and goes super quick.

[Robin Phillips]

My favorite project last year was knitting new Christmas stickings for everyone in the same colors, but different patterns. They are beautiful lined up on the hearth!

[Anne]

Enjoying knitting the West Yorkshire Christmas colors this year! Now I need to break out those Christmas skeins that I keep saving!

[Donna]

My mother had 6 children & I am the oldest. I was almost 15 when the youngest was born & 11 when the 2nd youngest was born. So, the Christmas I was 25, they were 10 & 13. I knit them 6’ long stocking caps with matching mittens. The pattern was written with wide stripes so I knit one in red & white & the other in green & white so they were especially Christmasy. They loved them.

[Tara]

I like to knit gnomes during Christmas time. I've ended up with quite a collection (gang?!?) that the grandkids enjoy playing with.

[Susan]

I like to knit a new ornament every year for our tree and a few friends.

[Linda Schuring]

I love to make crochet items for my kids and grandkids. I am working on holiday pillow covers for them this year. I am halfway through and enjoying it very much.

[Filomena]

Socks and scarves

[CherylClark]

My favorite projects for the holiday is either ornaments I can give as gifts or socks.

[Janet]

Granny square tree skirt!

[Chris Sterner]

Oh I love snowmen themed items, but I am slowly loving socks made in christmas themed yarns too