Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

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 service@simplysockyarn.com 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

Spring Break Contest, Day 4

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. As a side note, this doesn’t mean SSYC is closed, we are shipping to you just as fast as we always do!

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 traveling to the home of Hue Loco studio in Loveland, Colorado. We can't get enough of the Merino Sock skeins and Backyard Chicken Collection sets that Nicole and her team dye, and if you've shopped with us before I'm betting that you've snagged one or more of her offerings. Her Tweed Sock colors are ah-maze-ing. I just love the modern colors dyed on the rustic look of tweed. Shown above is Midnight Sun and below is Solaris.

On a visit to Loveland, I would definitely do some hiking. Probably every day. It's something that my family took up in the past two years- a safe, outdoor activity. That is, until I tore my achilles. But now that I'm back to normal, I can't wait to hike again. If it was going to be 70 degrees here in NE Indiana today and I just might take a light hike (but I'm not. It's awful here.). Anyway, back to Loveland hiking! How can a place named Devil's Backbone be so gorgeous?! What an oddity of a name for such a stunning place, right?

I feel like Loveland is a place where I'd like to explore the outdoors, spending an afternoon at a sculpture garden before enjoying an early dinner at a food truck. Then finding a place to knit outside in the evening. Perhaps with a cup of tea. Have you been to Loveland? do tell!

Check back tomorrow for our 5th and last day of our Spring Break contest week!

Backyard Chicken Collection

Spring Break Contest, Day 3

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. FYI, SSYC isn’t closed this week- we are just adding this fun element of contests too. 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.

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 traveling to the home of Dream in Color Yarn in Tucson, Arizona.

I've been west a couple times to California, but I've never been to an arid landscape like Arizona. I hear it's just wonderful, and Veronica and Nancy at Dream in Color are my kind of ladies. Until the pandemic, I would see them every year at yarny events and conventions, and they seem like gals I could really sit down and enjoy a knit and nosh with. Want to enter to win a skein of their glorious yarn? Go here to check out which you like the best, then tell me in the comments which is your fave before noon EST this Sunday.

So, of course I asked Veronica to share some Tucson gems with me. Veronica has this to say about her town:

        Tucson is one of only 36 UNESCO cities of gastronomy in the world, but for me it's all about the noodles, LOL.

1. Comfort noodles - Vero Amore. Close to my house and killer red sangria and perfectly fine Italian food (I go there for the sangria!)
2. Fancy noodles - Locale. Fresh homemade authentic Italian. Super yummy! Their cocktails are amazing!
3. Asian Noodles - Noodleholics. It's a terrible name, but the food!!! Handmade wheat noodles served in Chinese Guilin style. Top choice when I just can't be bothered to cook. Unfortunately, no alcohol. Oh well. We can't all be perfect.

    As far as museums go, I highly recommend the Tucson Museum of Contemporary Art. They have rotating exhibits but never fail to be amazing. But honestly if I was just in town for the weekend I'd probably do a mural tour. It gets you out driving around, seeing the whole city and we have AMAZING mural artists.

    If you want to sit and knit, wow, we have so many amazing cafes. Most restaurants in Tucson have great outdoor seating. The sofa area at Postinos Wine Bar/Tapas is just perfect. And I love their food. Their wine list is curated and amazing. Probably the only non local restaurant that I frequent.

OK. Now I totally want to go to Tucson. Like now. Maybe we need a knitting retreat in Tucson?? 

Dream in Color, Jilly Singles in The Edge

Don't forget to stop by and enter the contests tomorrow and Friday too!

Spring Break Contest, Day 2

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. SSYC is not closed- we are business as usual, just adding fun contests. 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.

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 traveling to the city London and the home of Qing Fibres!

Layla Qing is the mastermind behind Qing Fibres, and takes inspiration from her original home of Beijing and her current home of London. We haven't been able to get her yarn in the shop for awhile because of the pandemic but I wanted to share that we are finally getting more of her goods in April! We have a huge amount of Sock, Singles, Donegal Tweed Sock and more coming - so many new colors and restocks of your faves and  you can have a chance to win one by telling me in the comments which color you like the best. Just tell me before noon EST this Sunday. 

Photo courtesy of Qing Fibres

Have you been to London? What are your best memories and places to see? I haven't ever been to the UK, but it's definitely on my traveling bucket list and I'd love to take the kids too someday for a longer period of time, like a whole summer. Dreams. When you're commenting about your fave Qing color, please also tell me (if you like) what you've loved about London. Do share!

Qing Sock color Norahs

If I'm fortunate enough to travel to London, museums are a must. There would also be daily cafe knitting, and as a total Harry Potter fan, something like this would be a must. What? I can't help it. I'm a total tourist. Gardens. Also a must.

Image courtesy of the Royal Botanic Gardens

Check back tomorrow for day three of our Spring Break Contest Week!

Spring Break Contest, Day 1

t'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. SSTC is not closed - still selling and shipping yarn but also celebrating with you! 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.

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 traveling to sunny Florida in the city of Winter Park, home to Emma's Yarn! Emma and Aspen are sisters who grew up in their mom's yarn store, developing a love for the industry and a dedication to the craft. They create some of the most delightful skeins with the most fun names and you can have a chance to win one by telling me in the comments which color you like the best. Just tell me before noon EST this Sunday.

With names like Tropic Like It's Hot (above) and Yarn Husband (below), it's easy to connect with these glorious skeins. They make me laugh, that's for sure.

If you've been to Orlando or Disney World, you've been close to Winter Park. For those of us who live in Indiana, Florida is a typical Spring Break trip for us. We all just drive south 11-17 hours (depending on exactly where you're going), unless you are fortunate enough to fly, which typically we are not. We are more of a driving family, especially now that the kids are old enough to enjoy their screens. What the heck did we do in the car when we are road tripping as kids?! Our kids have no idea how lucky they are, right? Anyway....

I was able to visit Winter Park last year and boy, do they support their hometown girls there! There was so much yarn from Emma's that I couldn't resist getting even more into my stash!

While I was in the area with the kids, we also went to Legoland and it was so super fun. I highly recommend a trip to Winter Park!

Check back tomorrow for day two of our Spring Break Contest Week!

Spring Break Contest, Day 0

Next week starts Spring Break week here in the US, and we will be celebrating by giving you an entire week of contests here on the blog! We will be virtually visiting five different cities of five different dyers and giving you an opportunity to win goodies from each dyer each day. So definitely stop here at the SSYC Blog each day to have a chance at winning.

Today, I thought I would give everyone the opportunity to share your favorite Spring Break vacation, or if you can't recall your fave just tell me of your "dream" Spring Break. Tell me as much or as little as you'd like in the comments and I'll randomly choose one person to win a $25 Gift Certificate by noon EST on Friday, April 1. As always, I'll e-mail and post winners.

What's my fave Spring Break spot? Well, here in NE Indiana it's pretty common to drive down to Florida. Growing up, we didn't vacation much, but we did twice and both were to Panama City Beach, Florida. My parents were both teachers, and that was the place that teachers took their families back then because it was driveable, affordable and warm. My family and my parents teacher-friends all stayed in the same condos for the week, so it was a bunch of North Side High School teacher families all in one place for the week, hanging out in the little concrete pool Now, with two kids of my own, Terry and I have taken the boys to Pensacola Beach three times. We like it because it's not crazy busy, the seafood is fab (and let's be honest, I'm here for the knits and the eats), it's not too expensive (especially since we avoid the expense of air travel and car rental), and it's driveable in a day if needed. But sometimes we stop to visit family and friends along the way. We don't have to go through horrible Atlanta traffic delays to get there, but just take 65 ALL THE WAY. Super easy compared to other warm weather drives.

We all have our favorite places we like to eat for dinner, play miniature golf, go for ice cream and walk on the beach. It's like our own familiar, family getaway and I adore it. Yes, 12+ hours driving with kids is nothing to diminish, but nothing compared to how hard it is when they are littler. The first time we went, Henry wasn't quite four years old, so there were lots of breaks. But now that the boys are 9 and 14, it makes it so much easier to travel. Especially with screens. I'm trying to think of what I would do on long drives when I was their age. I think there was Wham on my Walkman, the Babysitters Club books and annoying my older sister. That's about it for hours and hours..... and hours.

Last time we went to Pensacola (below) we all got stung by tiny jellyfish. It was not pleasant, but it only happened to each of us once (at different times though) and it didn't stop the boys from wanting to right back in the water. I think last year's trip was my fave, as the kids now have their own things they look forward to, they are both bigger and more adventurous, and I'm not constantly hovering over them at the beach like you have to when they are too young to be good swimmers.

Do tell me about your favorite Spring Break or other vacation, and I'll randomly choose one person to win a $25 gift certificate to the shop. And then come by every day, Monday through Friday next week as we explore the locales of some of our fave dyers and give away goodies every day! Thanks for playing!

Super Speckles

In our most recent batch of Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light, I really noticed some cool speckles and I wanted to share them with you today. 

In some colorways the speckles are just a small accent, like in Asphalt above. But in others, it's an all over speckle extravaganza like in Stormborn below. If you like the look of Stormborn, you might also like Soot, The Force, The Radness, and Found Pottery.

West Texas Sunset is a newer color from Tosh, and we sold out of it quickly when we first got it this winter. I like that it's a beautiful variegated hue all on its own, but the bits of green and umber speckles just make it even better. Below is Winter's Rest which is just so super stunning this time, IMHO. I want to knit it into all the things.

Leaf Fall, above, has long been one of our most popular skeins. It has a taupe-pink background covered with speckles. Sometimes there are TONS of speckles, sometimes just a smattering. This batch seems to have a middle-of-the-road amount of speckles and I really like it. Same for the Constellation below. But this time the speckles seem more vivid than usual. They really make that gray sparkle, don't they?

What are your favorite projects to knit with singles (fingering weight, singly ply) like Tosh Merino Light? I like the Sockhead Cowl and Sockhead Hat because I can really enjoy seeing how the color develops in the expanse of plain stockinette. If I was a sweater knitter, I think I'd enjoy Pavement for the same reason, lots of stockinette to show off the yarn. I think I might like the No Frills Sweater for the same reason, though that's for DK weight like Tosh DK, which we just got a huge amount of colors in too, FYI.

 

My kids start their Spring Break next week and I'm looking forward to taking some time off to hang out with them. Of course, orders will ship as usual, but I'm telling you because I really, really, REALLY amd looking forward to working less and knitting more. I haven't had much time to knit at all over the past few months. But I've grabbed one of these Hat Sets to knit up, and I have a hat set from this month's club too, and I plan on enjoying hours of knitting. I do wish the Opal Van Gogh collection was here because I'd knit on that too. I have great news though, it left Germany over a week ago and is making its way here as I type. We haven't seen any delays as it makes its way across the ocean, but I"m betting it will be at least another two weeks, given Customs delays and the nature of logistics right now. I'll definitely share when I have more info. Those who preordered the collection will be the first to get theirs and then we'll put the remainder that we have up on the website for sale. I did order quite a bit because I know that I want to knit every single one, and I know that many of you feel similarly.

Tosh Contest & More

Thanks for all who played in this week's Madelinetosh contest. I asked you how many Tosh Sock colors we've had in stock over the years and the actual number is 481!

The randomly chosen winners of the contest are Suzanne (who chose 264), Stacie (who guessed 723) and Kim (who guessed 222). Congrats all!

I want to share that within a couple week's we are expecting some really, really nice deals on some bases that Madelinetosh is discontinuing or is stripey like we've gotten from them in the past. This includes some Euro Sock, Tosh Sport, High Twist, Work Sock and some other weights and bases. What do I mean by "stripey"? If you take a close look at these images you'll see that one of the plies takes the dye a bit differently than the others and it gives the overall strand a bit of a barberpole effect. Dyers like Vrinda Yarn do this on purpose. It's a cool effect that's usually caused by one ply being twisted in the opposite direction than the others before they are plied together. But since Madelinetosh didn't intend for it to be stripey, they are offering this batch at a nice discount to us and you. Some colors take on the stripey nature more than others. In some colors its not noticeable and some it is. It's not a defect or bad in any way, it's just a unique attribute to a hand made product.

Euro Sock (a 100% superwash merino with 435 yards) will be the first yarn we share, and it will be in the Sale Section for 20-25% off. A few years ago when we got the Euro Sock at a sale price, we got so much of it that we released it every Monday for three Mondays and this time we will do the same thing. We are a small crew and we just can't release it all at once and think that we can get orders shipped out to you in a day or two.  I have 177 colors coming, some from their Core collection and some that are formerly retired or rare colors and some Potlucks. Such a great selection and I can't wait to share. I think there's around 3/4 ton of this coming, so certainly enough for everyone and in sweater quantities for sure. We are likely to release it across three or four Mondays, depending on how much we think we can handle at once.

This yarn will soon be on its way here from Texas. Then it will take several days just to inventory it, then more time to photograph it all and get it up on the website. So my estimate of listing this is mid-April. Hoping for early April, but that's really pushing it, especially when all our kids are going to be home for Spring Break and we'll be working around that. Soooooooo..... we'll do our best and hope for mid-April. I'll share a better timeline when I have it.

New Dyer Alert! Cosy Posy Yarn Co is here!

I'm just so, so happy to announce that we now stock the lovely wares from Cosy Posy Yarn Co! Antonella has a enamored following and I'm so pleased to be able to offer you her skeins here at SSYC.

Above is Lakehouse. Below is Sweater Weather

I've been eyeing Antonella's gorgeous skeins on Instgram and Ravelry for some time now, and then I started getting many requests from you to be able to get her yarn here from us in the US. I'm just so happy to have so many beautiful colors. And I just have to say that the texture of her Posh MCN is just divine. I love a bit of cashmere in a skein, but there's just something about squishing these skeins as I photographed them that stuck with me. Yes, it's a great yarn for socks, but I just want to wear it as a cowl all day every day. The Free for All Cowl is a fave here, as is the Willow Cowl. Both are great for bold, variegated hues too.

Importing yarn is no small task right now, so that makes these skeins even more special. What else is awesome? We not only have the classic superwash merino blend in Soft & Cosy Sock, but we also have a merino/cashmere/nylon blend in Posh MCN Sock. You may have noticed that luxury fibers are harder to come by from mills right now, which means that some dyers can't get them to dye, or the expense is high enough that many just don't do it. And yes, the price of an imported cashmere blend is not low, but each is a little work of art so definitely worth a splurge in my opinion. And I think we've all heard enough about supply chains and inflation right? The yarn industry is not exempt from these issues and we're seeing some 10-30% increases. 

Above is Brick and Mortar, below is Northern Lights

What else might you want to grab while you're browsing? Our monthly Hat Sets just went live! This fall and winter I offered 6 curated yarn+pom combos for you and they are so popular that they sell out fast and I even developed a club to meet demand. This may be the last month I offer them until after the summer, so if you wanted to grab one of the six that I previewed on the blog last week, please go here now.

Want some special rainbows? We have the cutest mini skein sets from Yarn Love right now, just to celebrate St Patrick's Day! These are not sets we can regularly stock, they are just goodies for this time of year.

I also added some great skeins in the Sale Section- some of our Small Batch colors are back at 45% off, and we even have some of the Urth Yarn striping mini ball sets back. They typically come as two 50g balls, but these are 30 gram balls for short socks and it's a fab deal.

Tosh Contest - How Many Colors?

If you had to guess how many colors of Madelinetosh Tosh Sock we've had in the shop, what would your guess be? That's the question in today's contest!

Amnesia

Tell me in the comments how many different colors you think we've had in the shop in the past decade+, and I'll randomly choose three commenters (and one on Instagram and one on Facebook) to win a skein of your choice. That's five different chances to win! Just leave your comment here by noon EST this Friday, March 18.

Mercantile

Here's a bit of info to help you come up with a number. We currently stock over 300 different colors. At this moment, there's nearly a half ton of Tosh Sock in our shop, hanging from pegs and ready for us to do your personal shopping and shipping. Of course, you can come see it in person too one of our open days. But because I take new pictures with each different dyelot and don't rely on "stock" photos, what you see on our website is a really fair representation of what you'll actually see when you open the parcel we send to you.

The Force

We've offered Tosh Sock in the shop now for nearly 12 years. That's right, this summer we celebrate our 17th, and for 12 of those we've had this dyer and they are still around when most others have folded.

Filigree

When Madelinetosh was bought by another company a few years back, the new owners did so much to not only hold onto what was built the previous 10 years, but they also made the company more reliable, easy to work with, AND brought back innumerable formerly retired colors. That means that colors like Filigree (one of my faves above) and Cherry (shown below) and dozens of other retired hues are now back alongside stunners like Amnesia and Mercantile, shown up top. And not just on Tosh Sock, but on all the other bases and weights we carry.

Cherry

When you go here, I hope you see a color that makes you swoon. I most recently knit Amnesia in these socks and I love how it knit up.

And if you really want to swoon, come see us in Fort Wayne, Indiana like Joan does.

March Hat Sets, a Preview

I'm just gonna leave these right here.

These 6 Hat Sets comprise my favorite month so far in doing these mid-month curated SSYC Hat Set offerings. I would keep one each for myself if I thought we had enough to go around. If you are a club member, you are already in on the idea of special skeins and poms, and if you're looking at these, I've likely just put you over the edge. The combos of yarn and pom are just so spot on, and the poms themselves all have a special flair. Some have sparkle, some change in color subtly from base to tip, some are punctuated with punches of bold color. All are just awesome. I now have FOUR different artisans who create our poms now, we need so many of them for the shop. All made here in the US, all sewn by makers who are grateful to be kept so busy. So THANK YOU.

They will all go live at the Kits & Clubs link mid morning this Tuesday, March 15. This may be our last month of offering mid-month sets for awhile

If you signed up for the Hat Set club that starts shipping next week, then you're getting a glimpse of just how awesome it's going to be.

The State of Things, 2 Years In

This coming week will mark two years of pandemic life. While our country may not be masking currently, and while our kids are back in school predictably and workers are back on site, life still is not normal, that's for sure. When I look back two years ago at the blog and read and remember what life was like, I can't feel anything but grateful that we all made it through healthy, we are happy, and we are all pretty much back to life as "normal", whatever that means. Even if it's a new, more difficult and anxious normal. It was a total question mark at the time.

Before I go further, I do want to share that we are still masking in our shop and have hand sanitizer at the door and wipes at Check Out during our open hours. Each person that comes in is wearing a mask (and we have them right inside the door for you should you not have one on you). After two years of this, we are not quite comfortable taking them off when serving people up close. Not only for our own selves, but I get e-mails regularly from immunocompromised people asking what precautions we are taking. And I want to be as respectful to all in my own little space, and I'm glad that you all are OK with me taking this extra precaution. Give us a couple more weeks and we'll see where COVID numbers are in Indiana and how we feel before we peel them off, okay? Thx!

I'd say as a mom, partner, business owner, daughter, friend, etc.... my biggest life change and role change has definitely been as a business owner. What I do and how I do it has changed so drastically in the past two years that it's unrecognizable from what I thought I would be doing as a yarn shop owner. People often ask how wonderful it is to play with yarn and knit all day. And while I'll admit that 17 years ago when I started putting my business plan together at the ripe age of 26, that's what I was thinking about. But there hasn't been one day in as many years that I've spent the day working with yarn or knitting. I've knit in the shop less times than I can count on a hand, and all were during in-shop KALs. But what I do get to do is be surrounded by over 16 tons of fibery beauty every day and I do get to open huge boxes of yarn like it's the most extravagant Christmas morning. That's one of the best parts of my job, waiting for a huge shipment from one of my fave or a new dyer and opening it up and seeing what it all really looks like.

How I do business is vastly different. Doing business is a lot more work for the same return. I spend a lot more time trying to figure out social media, algorithms, importing issues, Customs rules, and more financial and web tech problems than ever. I can completely understand why SO MANY yarn shops have closed in the past two years. The yarn shop landscape is so different than it was pre pandemic. The hobby shops (you know, the ones that were more fun than business) have all but closed, and those that are left are ones that have a real strategy in place to keep up with the ever changing landscape. And not to judge at all the yarn shops that were open to have fun and were only around when things were easier- they are the ones I grew up on. But none of those that I bought from two decades ago are open anymore. And, ultimately, my job is to make the hard decisions and work the crazy hours so that I can stay open and pay myself and my team and be there for those that have supported us. I don't do anyone one any good if I don't think of this as a business person first. I think a lot of people get into business thinking it's one thing, and maybe it is for a decade or more. But then things change so drastically that someone has to consider if they really want to pivot that much or if it's time to retire/sell/start something new. Do you know someone personally that closed up shop during this time? They decided that it was just too much, too fast and not worth it anymore? I'd love to read your take in the comments. And if you have questions for me, feel free to ask in the comments too. A lot of people have questions about what its like to run a business during this unprecedented time, and I'm happy to share.

There have been good things that came out of the past two years too. I've been able to keep my shop running, supplying a niche market with a way to make us happy during a pandemic, that my staff has been paid just as consistently and been able to work around their families' changing schedules, and that we have all stayed safe. I've been able to provide small dyers and makers a way to stay home and work during a very financially precarious time. And it's not just me. You all have done this too. By shopping with us, you've helped so many people and an entire industry and dozens of families grow stronger roots, during a pandemic. It really is something.

As far as my family goes, in the past two years we have done well in the midst of setbacks and hardship. We are as close as ever. In the beginning of the pandemic I really enjoyed the months of staying home, not having outside obligations and engagements, spending more time with Terry and the kids, cooking (and learning to make cocktails) and playing games and watching movies and knitting and reading. Of course, there was a lot of annoyance and frustration (schooling at home?!?), but I seem to have forgotten the bad parts. 14 year old James and 9 year old Henry are both healthy and happy and back to life as "usual." James is goalie of his soccer team, is getting decent grades, starts golf next month, is on the musical set crew. He starts high school in the fall. HIGH SCHOOL. He gave Henry wise advice last night at dinner on how to get a 300 page book done.... and I thought, who is this kid? He's learned so much about himself and is giving school advice to his little brother! Henry is still my snuggler and little Love. He plays on two basketball teams, has a solo in his school's upcoming concert at the FAME Festival next weekend, is playing volleyball and is a wonderful friend to so many. These two boys are just some of the best humans I know. Me? I work a lot. Way more than I should. But I can work weird hours, which allows me to go on field trips and class parties, volunteer on the lunch crew at the kids' school, help coach 3rd grade volleyball (Henry's team), cook dinner, etc. My kids have no real idea really how hard and how much I work because I do most of it when they are asleep or at school or with friends. I'm doing a Career Day presentation at the high school later this month and I thought if the kids go and hear about what I really do, they would be totally shocked. They have no clue that my job isn't mainly Mom. This year I'm going to focus more on myself. I've spent two years giving giving giving and while it kept our family good, I am feeling every bit like a woman who hasn't taken care of herself. Most adults I know feel the same. I was in an air cast for four months of 2021, and I'm so glad to finally be back at life full force, playing volleyball, walking with little pain. But being immobile really caused a lot of unhappiness for me in 2021 and I have to get back to taking care of me. I have a great partner in Terry, and we've been playing volleyball, seeing friends and family, and really enjoying the past few months. I can't wait until warm weather so we can really get out and explore more!

How are you all doing? It's been awhile since I have checked in. I really enjoy catching up with many of you in person, seeing how your kids have grown in the past two years, seeing your finished projects, hearing about new grand babies, new jobs, new homes..... ALL the stuff. But when I don't see you in person I still want to know! I enjoy the e-mails I get to catch up, but I love comments here too. Please do share how your life is after two years of all this. I hope you're well.

Six and Seven Fibers - a Full Restock and Special Hues

I'm totally in love with our latest batch of Six and Seven. Not only because absence makes the heart grow fonder and it's been 9 months since we've gotten this yarn in stock (Rachel did have a baby and all) but also because it's just simply beautiful. Such natural palettes, such gorgeous inspiration.

Not only did we get full restocks of the Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables, Monet and Little Women mini sets and full sizes skeins of Barley Singles and Alfalfa MCN (merino/cashmere/nylon), but Rachel also dyed for us some of her special club and monthly colors from last year. Colors that just came out so beautifully that I feel fortunate she was able to reproduce them for us. 

Here are some of her original mood boards for these color ideas, and the Barley and Alfalfa MCN that came as a result of the inspiration.

Braeburn

Duchess

Desert Bloom

Magnolia

Woven Light

Other new colors include Bramble, Mourning Dove, A Soft Place to Land, and Pekoe (which was a color Rachel originally made for us three years ago for a sock set). 

Anne of Green Gables mini collection and pattern

As you can see from the mini sets (click on each one if you want to know each of the ten colors in each collection), Rachel's colors are total meant to work together expertly. You can combine two or three or even TEN into a combo and get great results. If you have a project in mind using this, and want to make sure that your colors are exactly how you want them, we are happy to be your personal shoppers. Just e-mail me, Allison, as usual at service@simplysockyarn.com and I'm happy to assure you or point you in a different direction. Since I take photos of all the new batches, it's pretty easy to see what things look like together using our Compare feature (a box you check under each image on the website), but I'm also here for you just in case.

What else is coming soon? We have some new things coming from Urth Yarn, a new dyer, and March Hat Sets (debuting on the 15th). And if you enrolled in our Hat Set Club, those will start shipping out in about a week. Oh, and that Opal Van Gogh collection? I'm told it finally left Germany, so I'm using all my St Patrick's Day luck toward getting that all here within a few weeks. Still hoping in March, as originally intended, even with the current shipping delays and worldwide issues.

March Sock Sets & More!

It's March 1, and I don't think I've ever needed spring more than this past winter. It's been cold, snowy, and boring all winter long and today I get the promise of spring with 55 degree weather and TONS of color in our latest yarns. I love this feeling!

What's new in the shop today? A crazy amount of beautiful color! I have five SSYC Sock Sets to share today - we released these each month at the beginning of the month in the Kits & Clubs section. These all use Malabrigo full sized skeins and are paired with potluck mini skeins from Hedgehog Fibres. They are all St. Patrick's and Irish themed in color, so it's a great way to knit with the holiday. Plus, because they use Malabrigo Sock as the main skein and not a more expensive import, they are $10 less than the ones we typically offer. What a great pot at the end of the rainbow, right?

I also have some Irish, rainbow and spring inspired 4-mini skein sets from Yarn Love in the Kits & Clubs section. These sets have enough for a pair of socks. I like Sprocket Socks a lot for minis. And, of course, there's a hat  too!

Want to continue with the rainbow theme? Sure ya do! We have this lovely option from Urth Yarn, called Harmony. You get two matching 50g balls, which means you get two matching rainbow socks!

We also have Harmony in fingering weight and worsted weight skeins if you want to make other accessories. It stripes!

What else might you like to grab while you're adding more color to your life? Don't miss the Kenyarn, Madrona, and new Hedgehog Fibres colors (on all the bases now).

Rainbow on Pashmina

Want other rainbowy ideas? How about Rainbow by Madelinetosh? We have that on several bases including Tosh Sock and Tosh DK. Fleece Artist also makes a Rainbow.

What about striping rainbow like the ones Knitterly Things makes? She has LOTS of rainbow and off-rainbow ideas like Pure Prism and Misty Mountain Rainbow above, or OMG Pastels and Live in Technicolor below. Plus pastel rainbows, neon rainbows, jewel toned.... do take a look!

Then we have the rainbow striping colors inspired by the work of UK designer Zandra Rhodes for West Yorkshire Spinners. Zandra's Rainbow is available in Sock and DK, plus a slew of other colorful offerings too in Sock and DK by Zandra.

Want more? Who wouldn't?! Brightside is a great rainbow that holds up to wear like this colorful line.

I hope you find something colorful and awesome to start your spring and St Patrick's Day knitting off right!

12 Days of Sock Yarn Winners

Thanks for your patience with me as I finally found time to randomly choose, notify and post about the 12 Days of Sock Yarn Winners! All winners have been notified.

Our 12 Days of Sock Yarn contest is one of my fave times of year here at the shop.  We give away some really great prizes,  it's a time of connection as we learn more about each other, and it adds a lot of joy to my season. I've incorporated new traditions, new projects and oh so much more into my life after so many years of hosting this sock yarny holiday on the blog each December. And especially during the past two years when I see less people and haven't knit in public with my knitting group, this blog and the contest provide much needed connection. If you want some inspiration and a nice lunchtime read, you can go to the Archives link on the right side here, choose a year and the month December and scroll to around the 12th of each month where you can read all the yarny questions and answers. When I go to that link, I realize that I've written thousands of blog posts over the past 16 years..... longer than I've even been a mom. 

Congrats to all the winners and thank you so much to everyone for joining us in another season of cheer!

12th day - Winner is Judy who said, about her knitting mojo "The best way for me is not to try to get it back. Instead I read even more than usual and find that the knitting mojo reappears when it is ready to do so. It is fun to find knitting references in my reading."

11th Day - Winner is Melissa H who said about New Year's resolutions this year, "No resolution. I just try to do something better than before, whatever it is. This year, I’m hoping to make a few kid-sized sweaters for kids belonging to friends who don’t have knitters in the family, and maybe one or two to donate also."

10th Day - Winner is Carol who said about using mini skeins "Yes, for the first time. I tested Susan Ashcroft's Just Wiggle It cowl pattern, and it was by far the most fun thing I knit all year."

9th Day - Winner is Barbara who said her mantra for the year would be "Don't ask the question if you're not ready for the answer."

8th Day - Winner is Jody, who said about new yarn vs stash yarn usage this year, "I have been really happy to have a nice stash of yarn to pull from and have used it whenever possible. I also used some stash yarn to knit projects that were always on my to do list but I hadn’t gotten to them until covid. I would say though that it’s probably been about 50/50 for me when you compare stash use to new purchases. For example I had to buy a lot of red yarn this year - it was the most requested sock color and red is not a color I tend to stash. And then of course you have to replace what you used from your stash lol so definitely a 50/50 split for me."

7th Day - Winner is Elissa. When we asked what project you love for those single skeins you buy but don't know why "OMG, I've got NOTHING! Help! haha"

6th Day - Winner is Annabeth who said about the colors she used a lot this year "I like to think I did a good job of choosing yarn for projects this year so I didn’t have a solid when I wanted a stripe and vice versa. Probably one of my favorite this year though is the Jolly Elf sock set I bought from SSYC! I love the look of a striped sock with solid heels, toes, and cuff!"

5th Day - Winner is Erin who said about her go-to White Elephant gift, "I always thought a white elephant gift exchange was for things around your house that you want to get rid of. My family did one a few years ago - I contributed a cookie jar shaped like a penguin, and received a game of Twister!"

4th Day - Winners (there are three!) are Staci who says about her knitting in 2021 "I don't think I've completed anything in 2021 :( I've been plagued all year with a wrist injury. I'm trying to finish a Never Not Gnoming by Christmas right now. That will be the winner if I manage."
and
Mary, who says "Christmas stockings would be my most satisfying knit. Something new to me."
and
Shamilya who says "Hats! Hats! Hats! I knit lots of hats this year most of them variations of the same two patterns, but the last hat I made was a new pattern (barley hat) and I managed to use all 110 yds of yarn. No scraps!!! I held the yarn double with alpaca (first time doing that) and had to cut the decreases short, but I ended with a hat that fit exactly as I wanted it to. I still have some of the alpaca leftover, but I'm so happy I used all of the wool because it was haunting me."

3rd Day- Winner is Anne who says this about what marks the start of the holiday season for her, "The day after Thanksgiving is the main marker of the Christmas season for me to start decorating and planning. But if I am thinking of making knitted gifts for Christmas that starts in July as I just don’t do hurried deadline knitting. Knitting is my fun and stress less time and needs to stay that way!"

2nd Day - Winner is Amy G who says about her favorite holiday recipe "I love this post because of all of the great ideas! We have a few favorites - homemade Chex Mix is a must and super addictive. For Christmas morning we do Caramel Pecan Rolls - although for the younger set who don't know better, we make some without pecans. A new favorite for every other year is Tyler Florence's Beef Wellington!"

1st Day - Winner is Denise. I asked you all about what you've done during this difficult year to spread kindness, and she said "I am really working on kindness. Kindness in my dealing with others-giving them the benefit of the doubt, being supportive. This Christmas I did the usual- buy toys for underprivileged kids and donate to the food pantry, but I also mailed a $100 gift card to someone I know who is a single mother of 3. I hope she enjoys a little extra this season. I also started a knitting group with my 3 favorite knitters and at our meeting this month gave them all a handmade Christmas project bag with a skein of Christmas sock yarn. Just something to brighten their day. I have also made an effort to be an extra big tipper these last few months as people in the service industry have been working hard and understaffed for quite a while. I wish everyone a healthy and happy holiday!"

Kenyarn is here!

I'm so happy to be able to welcome a new dyer to the shop! Jake Kenyon of Kenyarn has a really devoted following and I'm right there with you all, that's for sure. Such zesty colors, and I especially like that he pulls inspiration from some of my favorite things, literature, Broadway shows and science.

Shown above in Cirrus DK colors The Empress and Gluttony

I'm especially pleased that Jake developed five colors just for Simply Socks Yarn Company, all with a space theme. Here are Earth, Mars, Neptune, Shooting Star and Milky Way. I have these for you on both Stratus DK (superwash merino) and Cirrus Fingering (superwash merino/nylon sock).

If you're coming to visit us in person this weekend, we look forward to showing these to you in person. I've updated our open days through the end of the year so you can better plan your visits to Fort Wayne, Indiana.

I have to more hand dyers coming to SSYC later this spring and I can't wait to share them with you. Kenyarn is dyed in Rhode Island, and the next two are imports, so a bit more unpredictable in their arrival. Want more from Kenyarn? We will definitely be adding more from this dyer in the spring/summer.

HiKoo Madrona Sock Yarn - A Contest!

I have a new yarn to share! For those of you who like a super soft sock yarn with alpaca, I have something just for you. New Madrona Sock is a blend of alpaca, merino, bamboo and nylon and it's just perfect for that extra special, luxuriously soft feeling. And for just $20 a ball!

The color range is super nice, isn't it? Just click on this link and see them all lined up so beautifully on the page and tell me that the color range isn't just oh-so-lovely! The colors all go really nice together too, so if you want to combine for sock striped socks or a colorwork sweater, this would be a great choice. And, again, just $20 a ball for a blend that we haven't had before. It would be great in socks and cowls for gifts, right?

I'm really happy to see something new in the fiber offerings. It's been a hard year or so of finding things other than the typical merino/nylon for socks, as mills with low staff have been focusing on what sells the best, not creating new and exciting yarns for sock knitters. We've carried yarn from this HiKoo line before, if you remember American B.R.A.N.D. yarn from years ago that featured wool from American Rambouillet, and then was spun in PA and dyed in NC. I like that this is another non typical blend for sock knitters and I hope you like it too!

Want to enter to win a skein of your own? Tell me in the comments what project you're working on this week. Please feel free to leave a link to a project page or Ravelry pattern so if others are inspired by you that they can do similarly. We love details around here! Reading your comments is like sitting around a table of knitting friends and hearing what you're up to. Please leave me one comment by noon EST on Feb 28. Thanks!