Simply Socks Yarn Co. Blog

Living Vicariously

My older sister lives a completely different life than I do.  While I wouldn't trade what I have for anything, sometimes I hear her stories, and look at pictures of her most recent excursion, and I just want to live vicariously for a day... okay maybe a week.  See if you don't agree with me after taking a look at some of these photos from her recent work-related trip to Italy.

 

 

 

  

     

Have you had a job that took you to exotic locales?  Is it as great as I imagine it would be?  Or does it get old after while and make you long for home?

Beyond Basic Knits

Some dyers have a knack for naming.  In the case of Bette, naming her small yarn dyeing business Beyond Basic Knits just shows how well she knows her trade.  Her yarn definitely supasses basic- no lie there!  Bette's specialty is dyeing up striped sock yarn- that elusive sect of hand dyed sock yarn that is rare to find reliably because it's a pain to dye, takes longer, and thus many dyers won't even do it, or aren't able to keep up with orders.  So I've added her yarn to the Simply Socks line up, and here's hoping you love her yarn as I do.

Bette has sent me some perfectly-named colorways for you to choose from, some very timely like Happy Jack Stripey and Frankentut, and others just plain gorgeous like Le Jardin ("garden" in french), Victorian Vixen and Black Cherry Soda.  So check out her Merino and Stripey collections before they disappear.  I only have two Stripey colors in stock now, but more colors are going to arrive in two weeks.

I'm knitting up Happy Jack Stripey right now, though I did consider knitting the Peppermint Twist first so that I could knit some candy cane socks.  I thought this would be a cool pair of socks to wear while taking James (who will be mini-Darth Vader) out for his first Halloween.  Like my Trekking 126 socks, these are also a 3x1 rib with a picot edge.  I cast on 68 sts for this sock, so if you don't have fat cankles like me right now (NO, I'm NOT pregnant again.  I just have wide ankles.) then you can cast on fewer stitches and get slightly thicker stripes (mine are 3 rows).  The skein is a generous 460 yards, so I'm not worried about running out of yarn- even with my size 11 supermodel feet.

SSS

I have second sock syndrome, commonly knows to sock knitters as SSS.  I don't know that it's ever been an issue with me, the knitting of just one sock and then wanting to move immediately onto a new one before finishing the old one.  I usually start the second sock of a pair right after finishing the first.  I like finishing up my projects and not having a bunch of UFOs lingering in my project basket.

I'm not trying to deny this.  In fact, I'm documenting it with photographic evidence.

I think it has something to do with the bit of adrenaline that you get when you start a project... Imagining how a coloray will knit up in a certain pattern.  Seeing how the lace repeats slowly reveal the pattern as you finish the rounds.  Rushing through a row so you can see how a self-patterning yarn will see knit up, even if you've seen pictures of exactly how it will end up.  These are all the little things that add up into knitting addiction, don't you think?  And when life is tough, that little burst of excitement really makes a difference in an otherwise crappy day.  What keeps you coming back to knitting again and again?

The first sock has been ripped out twice so far, and this is my third attempt.  It's the Trekking 126 yarn (which is almost sold out again), and after knitting it on US 1 Addi's, I've switched to US 0 and a k3,p1 rib.  Switching to US 0 really made a difference in my stitch definitiion. And I really, really like how the 3x1 rib shows off self-patteringing yarn.  Much better than a 2x2 rib.  What I like is that there are more knit stitches, which shows off the patterning of the yarn much better than purl bumps.  It's highly likely I will use the same rib for all my self-patterning sock from now on- especially the Harry Potter yarn, should I remember to snag myself a ball of the Ron colorway in the second batch.  That's right, I didn't even get a ball of yarn in my own store- it all sold out in less than 2 hours, and I FORGOT TO SAVE ONE FOR MYSELF.  ARGH!

At left is my first attempt at "mosaic knitting" which uses yarn-overs to make it look like you are doing more complicated colorwork, when really you are just knitting one color for two rows at a time.  You can find a few patterns on Ravelry, and some really nice ones, like this "T Pattern" in Sensational Knitted Socks and More Sensational Knitted Socks.  The pair of socks will take 2 skeins of Artyarns in color267 and one skein of corrdinating color of 132.  These short socks are for me.

The third sock I've finished is the Embossed Leaves sock from Interweave Knit's book Favorite Socks - it's a must-have compilation of sock patterns from various IK magazine issues.  Embossed Leaves Socks is one of my favorite patterns, and this is the third (perhaps fourth?) time I've knitted it.  The yarn is Fleece Artist's BFL sock in Ivory, and while I'm out of that particular color, I do have more on order.  If you must knit these socks now, I recommend doing so with Casbah in Ivory- who doesn't love cashmere?

Thank you for all the kind comments and e-mails about the recent losses in my family.  It's been a crappy two weeks for my family.  And yes, my mom is fine- her leukemia is still in remission.  She's a cancer-fighting rock star!  2 years and counting!

Opal's Harry Potter Sock Yarn Now Available!

I'm not kidding, the yarn is finally here.  If you pre-ordered, your yarn is already out the door!

If you want to purchase this yarn, go to the link below:

http://www.simplysockyarn.com/servlet/Categories?category=SOCK+YARN%3AOpal,+Harry+Potter

If this link no longer works, that means that the yarn has sold out.  US stores received about half of what we ordered b/c of the flood at the Opal factory.  My original order was huge, so Simply Socks Yarn Co. still received several large boxes of this yarn, but I still expect it to go quickly.  I expect a larger amount to arrive in approximately one month, and will post here and send out newsletters when it's available again.  If you are interested in preordering the entire collection from the second shipment due in approx one month, that option will likely be available later today.

Shown above- Dumbledore.  Shown below- Tonks and Harry & Ron.

Trekking 126 is back

I just wanted to give you a quick update that Trekking color 126 is back in stock.  I ordered a lot of it, so I'm confident that it be in stock for more than 5 days this time!

Also new, Amy's Vintage Office!  It's the second color from the Color Commentary Series from Lorna's Laces.  Several prominent knit-bloggers have designed colorways for Lorna's Laces, and Amy Singer (author and editor of Knitty Magazine) designed this one.  Her inspiration is an office full of classic, vintage office furniture.  Can't you see it?  I love the old metal furniture from 40 years ago- stuff that upscale stores are now reproducing at crazy prices.

I was also able to snag a bit more of Franklin's Panopticon, the first color released in the series.

Aren't these beauties?

Now doesn't that look like the beginning of a goegrous sock?  Therese is knitting these out of the Peacock and Plumage colors that Lorna's Laces dyed up for our current sock yarn club.  If you like the pattern, you can get it on Ravelry here.

But for those of you who have been waiting on the Harry Potter sock yarn from Opal, I've been told that Simply Socks order has shipped!  I'll put the yarn on the website as soon as it arrives (and I'll do a quick post on the blog), and I'll also ship out the preorders.  This could all happen as soon as Friday or mid weekend- it all depends on UPS.  I don't have more details, but will post here as soon as I do.  I won't be able to send out individual e-mail updates.  I do expect the yarn to go quickly b/c of the flood at Opal us yarn stores are only getting about 40% of what we ordered, but I do have A LOT more on order from Opal's second shipment, which will come in about a month.

I also expect the Trekking color 126 "Brach's Candy" to arrive later today or tomorrow.

I'm sorry to say that I won't be blogging much this week.  We've had a few deaths in our family and life just isn't easy at the moment.  I do hope to have some lovely socks to share next week, as I've been medicating myself with a bit of "knitting therapy."

blargh

My brain is fried.  The week has been a combination of accounting and canning jam.... both things that aren't necessarily the most enthralling things in my life, but both things that needed to be done.  And my jam didn't set the first time so I had to re-set it today.  And now Joe is out of town and I get my little-ball-of-energy James all to myself for the weekend.  What does that mean?  Well, if you see a frazzled woman wandering around the Johnny Appleseed festival, pushing a stroller with her belly, a carmel apple in one hand and a ripping her hair out with the other.... that would be me.  I refuse to miss the festival (and the tasty treats it provides) just b/c I'll have to make it through the crowds by myself.  But I'll also keep my fingers crossed that Joe gets back in time, thus making it possible to use my second hand for another tasty treat- maybe corn bread drizzled with honey....  Jeez, no wonder I haven't lost my baby weight!  All I think about is food!  ARGH!

Oh yeah, yarn....  So I have the two new colors from Shibui Knits.  Zinnia and Tweed are quite nice, don't you think?  I also have every other color in stock now, so if you've been waiting on backordered colors, you can see the full line here.

 

I'm happy to say that I will be getting more of the Trekking XXL 126 back in stock next week.  I again ordered quite a bit of it (THREE TIMES more than the last time) and I hope it doesn't sell out again in 5 days.  Not that I don't like selling yarn, but I don't like to perpetuate frustration when things sell so quickly that knitters get angry.

So I've torn out my Trekking 126 socks TWICE now.  The first stockinette sock didn't stay up on my leg- it just slouched down, obsuring the color pattern.  The second sock had too many purl bumps which obscured the color pattern too.  So my third attempt is going to be something like a k3,p1 rib.  What kind of cuff would you suggest for that?

Knitting and Fringe

I have to say, I've been having a lovely time the past week doing some evening knitting while watching TV.  I have avoided TV most of the summer as most reality shows suck and I don't watch repeats. But now that there is some new programming on (and I finally have a DVR), I'm back in my knitting chair, casting on and knitting away.

While I'm almost finished with one of my Trekking color 126-Brach's Candy (currently sold out), I've decided that I don't like the sock and I'm going to rip it out and start over.  I won't even bore you with a picture because the sock really is that boring.  I just knit simple stockinette, which is fine for many self-patterning yarns, but it just isn't moving me much.  So I'm going to frog the entire thing and do something with a bit of a rib.  It just needs a bit of elasticity to keep the sock up on my leg, and the plain stockinette makes the sock slouch, thus the pattern of the jacquard gets lost in the slouch-folds.  Not cool.

So I've cast on this little beauty:

 

Does it look familiar?  It may, because it's the same color and pattern as this sock that I knit two years ago for Sockapalooza (which is coming back soon), but instead of Fleece Artist's merino, it's Fleece Artist's BFL sock.  And I adore it.  I remember how much I loved knitting the Embossed Leaves socks from Interweave Knits Magazine (the pattern was republished in their book Favorite Socks) with the Ivory colorway.... and so I did it again!  The BFL sock yarn takes the color differently than does the merino base, so the yarn is deeper in color, so it almost feels like I'm knitting a different color than before.  And I really like the slightly fuzzy halo to the yarn.

*FYI, I'm out of the BFL in Ivory, but I do have it in Merino, Casbah and Sea Wool.

These are going to be gift socks, so I'm trying to make sure there are as few mistakes as possible, but I don't think I've ever knit a technically perfect pair of socks.  There's always a slight mistake somewhere, and I'm not the type to care.  What about you?  Do you knit perfect socks?  Or are you of the "perfection-is-an-illusion" camp?

I'm sure I'll make great progress on this sock and it's mate in the coming week, as more new TV shows come on the air.  I'm already hooked on Fringe (Alias meets X-Files, what's not to like?) and Bones, and I'm really looking forward to the new seasons of The Office and 30 Rock.  What shows are part of your perfect knitting-TV combo?

Ask the Knitters

Hello Fellow Sock Knitters,

I'm a long-time sock knitter, and I thought I was dedicated to knitting socks with double points.  I've never had a problem with ladders (the irregularity in the fabric between the stitches) before, but I'm knitting my first sock on 2 circular needles and see ladders forming where I switch from one end of the circular to the other.

This is infuriating, and I'm considering giving up altogether on circulars.  I know that many knitters are devotees of knitting socks on two circulars, and I want it to be an option for me too, but I refuse to see the quality slip.  I tried knitting the stitches tighter before and after the needle change, but it seemed to make the problem worse.  I tried to concentrate on a even tension throughout, but that didn't seem to help either.

Please tell me what works for you!  HELP!

Not-so Nuts for Circulars

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Help a knitter out and leave your advice in the comments below.  Do you have a question you'd like answered by the knitters?  E-mail service@simplysockyarn.com.

Pagewood Farms Reviews

Apparently many of you are feeling the same way I am about the Trekking Brach's Candy colorway.  I'm almost done with my first sock and will post pics later- no that's not my completed pair at left!  I wish. I'm sorry to say the yarn is almost sold out, and I cannot get more.  It's sold out in the US already and I can't get a straight answer about whether it's going to be dyed again and shipped to US stores or not.

And before I get to the reviews, I learned that Opal's Harry Potter sock yarn collection is not being delayed along with the movie.  The yarn will still reach US stores in the beginning of October, and I'll post here when it does.  I'll also ship out the yarn to those of you who pre-ordered the collection (pre-orders are sold out, so I can't take any more).

I have two more Pagewood Farms sock yarn reviews for you today, one review is for the Alyeska cashmere blend yarn, and the other is Denali, which is the merino/nylon blend.  I'm really pleased with both of them, but I have to say that I'm most pleased when seeing how lovely the finished socks are knit up.  Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes a picture is just what it takes to push a knitter over the edge and cave.  A picture can push a knitters mind from "that looks like a nice sock yarn" to "OMG, I have to knit that NOW."  When I look at the socks below, that's exactly how I feel.

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Teyani was the lucky test knitter who recieved the skein of Pagewood's Alyeska sock yarn (the luxurious cashmere blend), and you can find her favorable review on her blog.  Teyani raised cashmere goats, so she knows a bit about cashmere.  I don't think her goats came in the Crayon colorway though.....

Laura test knit the Denali sock yarn for me, and her review was also favorable.  Well, really any sock yarn that I carry is going to get a favorable reivew.  Why would I carry a bad sock yarn?  I don't think I have gotten a bad review from anyone yet about sample yarn I've sent.  Either I'm selective in the yarn I consider carrying, or most sock yarns are just really, really good quality.  Have you come across a bad sock yarn yet?  If so, don't tell me which one (I don't want to foster negativity when someone may have had one bad experience for an otherwise good product), but feel free to describe your bad experiences in the comments below.  I'm all for (anonymous) sock yarn gossip.

Denali Sock Yarn in the Rainbow colorway:

From the moment I say and touched this yarn I was blown away.  It fet so soft and there were so many colors that I couldn't quite figure out how a dyer could pull this off (Anne said something similar in her review- that she expected her Yukon sample would have been muddy in color where in the color changes were, but there wasn't any muddy-ness).  I quickly would the skein without incident.  There were no snags, breads, worn parts or knots.

This yarn was an absolute please to knit- the colors were amazing.  All sorts of variations of pinks, purples, blues, oranges, turquoise and grays.  The colors are distributed randomly and did not pool.  The sock blocked well and feels soft and warm on the foot. I hightly recommend this one and will stock up on it myself!