Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

Ka-dots

That's what James calls them.  They aren't polka dots, they're ka-dots and I'm hoping he doesn't try to peel them off the walls.

James' room was the one room we painted before we moved in, and we painted it with the leftover paint that we had from his tiny room (which was originally a sleeping porch) in the old house.  The room was decorated the same way, with the furniture Joe built and the curtains my mom sewed.  The only thing on the walls was a cross stitch sampler I made for my nephew, over 10 years ago.  But now I've discovered the wonder that is a removable decal, and oh my it is fabulous.  A few months ago when Dooce was showing how she was decorating her soon-to-arrive baby's nursery, I took a look at Dali Decals and bought several things, including the polka dots for James' room.  I also bought white birds to put high in the walls of our foyer.  If you are looking for a quick and easy (and non permanent) way to decorate a space, I highly recommend a purchase from Dali, as they were quick and easy, and when I made a mistake on color, I was able to get someone on the phone to correct my error immediately.  I will definitely be buying more from them.

It feels good to finally get things done the way I want in our house.  It's finally feeling more like home,after a year and a half of being here.  Joe's doing his part too- we're having 10 cubic yards of mulch delivered this morning.  Which means that for the lovely Independence Day weekend, I will will likely be downing Aleve (and these muffins, which I just baked- YUM) after spreading a ridiculous amount of mulch.  Edited to add: Oh, God, it arrived and THIS is what 10 cubic yards of mulch looks like.  *faint*

I've received several nice e-mails lately asking why there hasn't been much blogging and why I've fallen off the face of the earth.  Summer's always a busy time for us, as Joe's not working, and we spend lots of time going to the park, zoo, or just hanging out.  So we're just busy relaxing and being a family and I blog less.  But also, my Sock Summit planning and organizing is taking quite a bit of time too.  I'm planning a wonderfully fiber-filled booth, and every facet of planning a event 2000 miles from here is a pain in the booty.  Oh, and there's one more thing that's been all-consuming.... and I'll share that with you after a bit..... NO, I'M NOT PREGNANT. 

I hope you all have a lovely holiday weekend!

Here we go again...

The Van Zandt's are again torturing themselves with painting.  Painting really shouldn't be torture, but when you combine my need for getting the Exact. Right. Color, with Joe's OCD-like impulses to make the job look perfect, plus a toddler's need to screw %$*# up, then you've just guaranteed a tortuous affair.

After buying paint samples and then entire gallons of two different pale greens for our foyer, I decided that I just wasn't bold enough to choose such a color- the colors were a combination of lime/celery and just too bright for an entryway, so we're using it for our laundry room and James' bathroom.

So I instead went with a buttercream paint for the foyer, which happens to be the same color as the kitchen and master bedroom in our old house.  I loved the color before, and I still love it.  I think it will look really nice with the bright white woodwork, and natural wood on the floors and stairs.  And it's neutral enough that it will look nice leading into the family room's blue and all the bedrooms upstairs.

You can see it here compared with the "builder beige" of the former paint color and I hope you can tell that it will really brighten up the window-less foyer.  But much to Joe's dismay, it's going to take three coats.

One a more fibery note, did you see the new colors of Alpaca Sox in the store?  Not only are there two new kettle dyed (Bronze Maple and Blue Jay) , two new solids (Cereza and Lago), and three new variegated colors (Sailor's Delight, Frenchman Bay, and Nor'Easter) but I have a restock of all the other colors. Meaning that I have ALL the colors in stock for only the second time ever.  Ever since the Lace Ribbon Scarf was published, this yarn is a bit hard to get in stock in all the colors.  So if you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend doing so, either for scarves, socks, or this simple shawl, which I will be casting on once the weather gets a bit cooler. I'm going to use Alpaca Sox for the project, and follow the pattern, except that I won't have to hold the yarn doubled b/c the weight of Alpaca Sox is heavier than the yarn called for in the pattern.  I'm thinking of using Bronze Maple or Cereza, both new colors.

sKNITches Bebop and Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn

Just when you think that summertime will make the livin' easy, life slams you with a reminder that you must work hard and get little sleep.  Not that I'm complaining really..... a big project I've been working on for the store this year is finally coming to fruition (details coming soon!), I've got a fabulously-fiber-filled Sock Summit booth to finish putting together, I'm planning James' 2nd birthday BBQ (which is really just an excuse to eat ribs and drink beer with lots of family and friends), and yarn is pouring in at an alarming rate.  Again, no complaints, but no rest either!  And, of course, Joe and I chose this time to take 5 days off and go visit family.  Which is about the only reason I'm sane right now, because I left work at home and relaxed!

So the yarn..... Sam at sKNITches has sent a shipment of herBebop superwash merino sock yarn. I've snatched a little more of Truffle and Raspberry Cola which were the first to sell out when I had this yarn last year, and I have other cool new colors like Shrimp on the Barbie and Brown Sugar.  Sam's moving to new digs, so I won't be able to get a new order from her for a little while.  Like usual, her yarn is hard to get, but I've ordered enough to keep you happy for awhile (the yarn store owner types with hope).  Shown here: Shrimp on the Barbie and Raspberry Cola

Brand new colors of Noro Kureyon sock yarn arrived here and so I have all those, plus restocks of all your favorite colors.  The new batch has inspired me to knit this scarf, which I found on Ravelry.  It's inspired by Jared Flood's popular design, but I think it's more dynamic b/c it is diagonal rather than simple horizontal stripes.  So choose your favorite two colors and knit it!  It looks fabulous, don't you think!?

  

I'm in full-on planning mode for James' 2nd birthday.  The invitations I made (pictured at left with private info smudged out so the internet-kidnappers can't come and take my baby... you can never be too careful!) 3 weeks in advance, and that's a big accomplishment for me since I've been finding it hard to get anything accomplished in a timely manner.  I like making my own holiday cards, but I haven't really had much fo a chance since having James.  Now that he's older I have a bit more time to get out all my paper, stickers and fun punches and do some of that stuff again.  For James 1st birthday, we just had close family over, but for this one we've decided to invite James' little friends too, which will make for a fun afternoon of grilling and swimming.

Can you tell I'm obsessed with that pale aqua color?  First my beach chairs and picnic tables, then my living room walls, now James' invitations...  Next thing you know I'll only sell aqua yarn.

Another Single Sock!!

A week ago, I added Alchemy's new Juniper sock yarn to the store in both the semisolids and colorways- I've been waiting for 4 years for Alchemy to add a sock yarn to their line, and it's almost worth the wait.  I say almost because while this is a wonderful yarn, I'd rather not wait at all for something I want.  I'm not a patient person.  But Alchemy really got it right with this one- they've created a lovely new string for us string addicts to play with.

I had a hard time choosing a color.  I'd seen someone's lovely Forest Waltzsock on Ravelry, and when I was considering what color to sample for the store, I was sure that was the color I was going to start with.  But there was something about the Vintage Jade semi-solid Element that caught my eye. (this color is already sold out, but I hope to get more for you soon)  Alchemy puts their semi-solid colors into Element categories, as Earth/Fire/Wind/Water/Metal are the inspirations for these colors.  What caught my eye about the Vintage Jade was that the skein looked like it was in dappled sunlight; some of the skein seems to be shrouded in shadow, and that gives the color a depth that you don't always see in semi-solid colors.

The skein wound with no problems.  No knots, no thin spots, and no undyed parts.  Once I started knitting, I noticed that the cake started collapsing (from the outside and inside) when a few yards had been taken from the center pull ball.  The cake didn't hold it's shape well, likely because the way the yarn is plied doesn't make it very elastic.  It seems to be a sturdy yarn, but not very elastic.  When I pull on it, it doesn't have the "sproing" that some yarns do- it doesn't get longer when I pull on it.  Which is why the cake kind of pulls apart when you pull yarn from the center. Not a big deal really, but you may want to keep the cake in a knitting pouch or zip top bag to keep the yarn from tangling once the cake really implodes.

The yarn is on the thin side of fingering weight, much like Lorna's Laces, so I knit withUS 0 Addi double point needles, and cast on an extra pattern repeat using the Nutkin pattern.  This creats a very nice, firm fabric, and the stitch definition is very sharp.  It makes a very perfect looking fabric, which I luuurve.

Instead of knitting the picot edge like the Nutkin pattern calls for, I knit a k1tbl, p1 rib, b/c I'm not a huge fan of the picot edge on most socks, and because I like how the look is repeated in the slip stitch heel.

While I haven't yet worn or washed my sock, the fabric seems soft and sturdy and I think it will hold up really, really well.  I won't be machine drying the socks, even though the label says I can.

What really stands out to me in this yarn is the color.  The color combinations are interesting, the dyeing seems perfect in every skein I've seen, and even the names of the colors are cool.   Scarlett's Dark Secret, Secret Agent Blues, Persephone's Pomegranatete.... cool, eh?

*I haven't heard from all the winners of the Anniversary contest yet, so check the previous blog entry to see if you are a winner, then e-mail me at allison@simplysockyarn.com .

Contest Winners

I really enjoyed reading all of your comments from the contest.  After reading the last of the comments last night, I said to Joe that I love how nice you all were and how it really makes me feel good that so many knitters appreciate my small place in the knitting community.  You all left such nice comments and often e-mail me such thoughtful notes and I really didn't expect that aspect of my business when I started out.  I hope that all of you know how you have affected my life; not only by helping me support my family, but also making me a more tolerable wife because you all put me in a better mood!  Joe likes that too!

Below are the four randomly chosen winners for our anniversary contest.  If you are listed here, please e-mail me at allison@simplysockyarn.com with a first and second color choice of Dream in Color's Starry, and your shipping address.  Congrats!

1. Bertha, who commented:

   "My favorite yarn I've purchased from SSYC I think would have to be one of the skeins of Handmaiden Casbah. Maybe the Masala colorway? Casbah might be my favorite yarn base ever and I loved seeing everyone's lace ribbon scarves when you did you the knitalong! 

BTW, Bertha, do you have an Etsy store?!  Those pillow on your blog are to die for!!

2. Debi, who commented:

   "Happy Anniversary Allison!!  Favorite yarn? Heather, Heather, Heather!!!  Did I mention HEATHER?"

3. Marci, who commented:

   "I've just discovered this site - but I will certainly be back! Congratulations on your anniversary. What catches my eye? EVERYTHING! Seriously, while I tend to like solids and semi-solids best, I don't think there's anything in the shop that I can't envision knitting into something beautiful."

4. 5elementknitr, who commented:

That Zauberball intrigues me as do the bamboo/wool sock blends and I love the variety y'all have!

Alchemy's Juniper Sock Yarn.... seriously.

I thought I should at least post a tiny something, just so you don't think I've dropped off the face of the earth.  Though I'm wondering if the end of the earth is less busy than it is here, maybe I'd like to be there instead?

But I know that there are a couple things you want to know about....

Crystal Palace has sent a new shipement of their Mini Mochi colors.  After being out of them for months now, I'm finally able to get them again.  They are pretty darned popular, and once you knit them, you'll see why.  I have one and a half socks finished and I'm hoping to have the pair completed in the next week. but don't hold me to it.

And if you haven't noticed on the website yet, I have a WONDERFUL new yarn to share... Juniper sock yarn by Alchemy Yarns of Transformation, in their Elements (semi-solids) and Colorways.  I've been waiting for Alchemy to come out with a sock yarn since before I opened the store. Since I've been a fan of their yarn for awhile now, they were one of the few small dyeing operations I spoke with when putting together the initial line up for the store.  Well, four years later, Alchemy has introduced a lovely new yarn.  I'm knitting it right now in the Vintage Jade colorway in the Nutkin pattern, and I couldn't be loving it more.

While I usually knit fingering weight socks on US 1 needles, Juniper is on the thinner side of fingering weight, somewhat like Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, so I had to do one more pattern repeat on the Nutkin pattern to make up for my a) wide feet, and b) use of size US 0 needles.

Want a very, very thorough review of the yarn?  Check out what Clara Parkes wrote in a recent Knitters Review newsletter.

Shown below: Bali Forest, Slip Stream and Aubergine

 

Come Celebrate with SSYC!

It's hard to believe that a unique idea I had over 4 years ago has turned into what is now Simply Socks Yarn Company.  When I came up with the idea of having a store that specialized just in sock yarn, I did so for many reasons: I was tired of buying sock yarn in several sources and paying several shipping costs.  There was no online store that had a large selection or that carried more than a handful of lines. I was tired of uncommunicative internet retailers and policies that didn't work for me as a knitter or customer.  And I wanted a way to utiltilize the retailing, web and graphic design, and public management tools I had acquired throughout school and my career.  And knitting?  Well, who wouldn't want to incorporate her obsessive hobby into her livelihood?

I'm so grateful to all of you who have helped make my store a success.  If I could, I'd come to your door and thank each of you.... but that's well over ten thousand doors, and I have a hard time finding 20 minutes for the treadmill.  So instead you should come visit me at the store's booth at Sock Summit and and I'll give you a big thanks then!

For SSYC's 4th Anniversary, I'm going showing my thanks in ways that have been popular since SSYC's first celebration.  Carrying on a fine tradition instituted by dyers like Fleece Artist, Cherry Tree Hill and Lorna's Laces, Schaefer Yarn has created a special edition colorway to commemorate this event, and has dyed only 100 skeins in the Heather (merino/silk/nylon) yarn base.  The skein is a lovely combination of bright pink and salmon against a mocha backdrop, and the colors really pop with the sheen that the silk gives the yarn base.  I'm even throwing in a free Undulating Waves Scarf pattern (made popular by the Yarn Harlot) for each of you that e-mails me at service@simplysockyarn.com after your purchase.  Don't purchase it through the link, just e-mail me.

And, like I have for every anniversary, I'm having a bit of a contest!  In the comments below, tell me about one or more of your favorite skeins that you've purchased from Simply Socks in the past 4 years.  You can even leave links to projects if you want to show them off.  And if you are new to the store, take a look through and tell me what catches your eye.  There will be FOUR winners, each getting to choose a skein of Dream in Color's Starry sock yarn.  You can only enter in the comments section below ONCE before June 10 at midnight.  I'll list the winners here on June 12, so you'll have to check back then to see if you won.

Thank you very, very much to each of you who has made Simply Socks Yarn Company your online sock yarn source for the past 4 years!  It's been a blast!

Fleece Artist Merino 2/6 and Casbah

I have some great new colors now in stock of Fleece Artist's Merino 2/6, Sea Wool, and Hand Maiden Casbah. 

Included in this shipment is the special Syrah color of Casbah from the last sock yarn club.  Several of you asked that I have Fleece Artist dye some more just for you so you could make scarves and shawls out of it.  If you were in the Specially Solid sock yarn club and want an extra skein or two of the Syrah colorway, e-mail me at allison@simplysockyarn.com.

Some of my faves from this shipment, in Casbah, are shown below: Stardust, Ocean & Earth

I also have all the Shibui Sock colors availabel again, so if you were waiting on a particular color, you'll find it for now.  I also have replenished the stock of Shibui patterns.  If you are on a purchasing freeze, then don't look at that link b/c there are some cute patterns in their collection that will definitely tempt you!  I'm a fan of the Transition Sock and Glove patterns, myself.

Know what's coming in a few days?  The store's 4th anniversary!  You know what that means.... a special edition colorway, contest and lots of kind thoughts going your way for making the past 4 years possible!

Nutkin Much

It's been life as usual around here- which is nice for a change.  There's nothing too exciting or pressing going on right now in my life, which is nice because then I feel like I can just relax.  Do you feel that way?  When someone asks you "What's new?" and you almost feel boring because you don't have anything new to share, but secretly you love it?  It means that you can just sit back and enjoy what's happening around you without being too stressed by anything.  Business as usual.

I've been enjoying several things lately.  First, James.  He's been doing super cute things.  He learned his alphabet and surprised me the other day by saying it from the beginning to end without any help from me.  Admittedly, much of it was garbled, but he sang it all the way through with the right cadences and everything.  He has started trying to wear my flip-flops around the house, and the 3D glasses are a hit too.  He's getting so big!

Second, the Nutkin sock pattern.  I'm knitting it right now (with yarn I'll share later) and it's an easy and beautiful pattern.  You should try it if you haven't already.  It seems to be one of the most popular sock patterns on Ravelry (I'm AllisonSSYC).

Third, this pork chop marinade.  This whole South Beach diet thing gets tiresome after awhile, and I really lasted only a week (rather than 2) before I started adding back a tiny amount of carbs to my diet..in the form of a margarita at a pool party last weekend.Oh, come on- you wouldn't have been able to resist a tasty drink in the pool, would you?  But I'm still being very good, and it's not difficult when you have tasty morsels to look forward to.  And I actually had all the ingredients for this marinade in my kitchen!  How often does that happen?

Fourth, the lovely Unique Sheep Gradiance sock and scarf kits that came in last week, then sold out, then arrived again Thursday.  I have several new colors in the store, so you'll have to take a look and see which one (or three) speaks to you.

Fifth, seeing that the Sock Summit classes sold out so quickly!  I'm getting so excited to go there in August as a sponsor of this huge event!  While I completely knew the conference would be popular, I really didn't expect sock knitters to crash the server when registering, especially since Tina (owner of Blue Moon Fiber Arts and organizer of the Summit along with the Yarn Harlot) told me that she was sure it wouldn't crash b/c they had a spankin' new server dedicated to the Summit.  Just goes to show that even us "dealers" can still underestimate knitters' love of sock yarn.  Man, you guys make me proud.

Who here got classes?  And who is still going even though you didn't get classes?  There's always the one-hour-wonders.  There really are some good deals on flights right now.  Anyone ever used Frontier Airlines?  What's your opinion?

Ask the Knitters

Dear Knitters,

I'm addicted to striping sock yarn, and I've been grabbing lots of it up lately, 'cuz it seems that it's more available than it used to be.  I now have a small stash of Mini Mochi, Zauberball, Vesper and Noro that I want to dive into.

So here's my question:  Is there a pattern that you would reccomend that really shows off striping yarn well?  I often just knit a simple 2x2 or 3x1 rib, but I want to have other options, since I have lots of yarn to choose from now.

Thanks for your help,

Stuck on Striping Socks

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Help a knitter out and leave your answers in the comments below.  Have a question you want answered here?  Title an e-mail "ask the knitters" and send it to service@simplysockyarn.com .  Your question could be chosen for the blog.