Wednesday, June 21, 2006

More sock yarn just arrived...

Another small shipment of Opal sock yarn came in. Included in the shipment is a snazzy handpainted colorway (#20) along with some Mosaic & Elements colorways, 4 solid colors, and a bag of miscellaneous self-patterned colorways - too many to list here.

The next big collection from Germany is due in the store next month... stay tuned for more info. As a reminder, join our new SockAnon club to get advanced notice and first chance at the new yarn as it comes in!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

SockAnon

People addicted to Sock Knitting need assistance. Sock addiction sneaks upon oneself suddenly and unexpectedly. As owner of Marin Fiber Arts (and suffering from the addiction myself), I feel the need to give back to those addicted to sock knitting. What better way to enable - I mean serve - the sock knitting community than to provide a fun, exciting, and social club filled with sock yarn, patterns, discounts, and an exclusive meeting place!

SockAnon is Marin Fiber Art’s exclusive club for sock knitters. For the basic annual membership fee of $35 you get admission to SockAnon meetings (second Saturday of the month), discounts (20% discount after you buy yarn for 10 pairs of socks), free sock patterns, and early notification of sock yarn shipments.

For $150 you also get sample skeins of sock yarn (enough to swatch with) throughout the year as well as sock yarn (enough for a pair) at least four times per year.

Stop by the store to sign up or call 415.459.4600 for more information.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Allergy season...

...has hit me _h_a_r_d_. I took Sunday off and let Maya guard the kingdom while I stayed home and got some rest.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the National Needle Arts Market put on by the TNNA. It's where shop owners go to buy merchandise for their needlework stores. My good friend Grenadine Girl tagged along... we had much fun. You can read her humorous account of our madcap romp through the skywalks of Indianapolis here.

So what did I order? I promised myself not to buy too much yarn since I've done the bulk of my ordering already as the yarn reps have been visiting me during the past month. Nonetheless, I found lots and lots of goodies to tempt you with this fall.

A brief recap:

1. Lots of Lorna's Laces yarn in Shepherd worsted, Sock, and the new Swirl DK.
2. A new line of hand-dyed yarn from Conjoined Creations, two wacky but sweet ladies. Hand-dyed laceweight Soy Silk, anyone?
3. A lovely bulky thick-n-thin from Nature's Palette - I'm excited about this one!
4. Gobs of yarn from Karabella, including cashmere blends that will make you swoon.
5. Buttons and more buttons... cute, moderately-priced buttons from Muench as well as a new line of limited production ceramic buttons not yet available in the bay area.
6. Purse handles
7. A new line of wool wash available in three scents.
8. Two lines of knitting bags, from Namaste' and Susan Todd.
9. Several yarns from Aurora Yarns, a distributor of Scandinavian and Italian yarns located in Moss Beach, CA. The owner Frederikka is possibly the nicest person I've ever met!
10. Several yarns (including a beautiful chenille) from Fonty, a French company distributed in the US by Russi Sales. The Russis are possibly the nicest people I've ever met!
11. I had the pleasure of meeting Kirsten Muench, head honcho of Muench Yarns (who also distributes GGH yarns). Kirsten is possibly the nicest person I've ever met! GGH has some exciting yarns coming for fall but I haven't firmed up my order as of yet. Ran out of time!
12. Last but not least: we got to meet Australia's Jo Sharp! She is definitely the nicest person I've ever met.

Ok, so I met a lot of really-really nice people. Yay. I had lots of fun and even though people tell me I'm crazy, I can't wait for the winter trade show in San Diego so I can do this all over again. Go Yarn!

Warren

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

First Shipment of Opal Sock Yarn is here

Just received my first shipment of Opal sock yarn. For those of you who following Opal, these are not new colors but rather previously available colorways. The next 'collection' is due out in July.

For pictures of the following colorways, go here.

Petticoat: 1297
6 ply: 1254
Handpaint: 17
Elements: 1072
Dreamcatcher: 1236
Masterpiece: 3701, 3704, 3706, 3708

They are all wool/nylon blend, fingering weight (except for the 6 ply which is sport weight). The colors are really really cool.

Check them out!

Sock Obsession

Something strange and wonderful happened to me a few weeks ago.

I caught Sock Obsession.

I've been knitting socks for a long time - long before self-patterning sock yarn. It was fun. Occasionally I'd make a pair of socks - and usually mess up the sizing somehow. Some were too tight at the cuff, some were too loose. Never wore the socks I made. But they were fun to make.

Since opening the store last October, I've knitted a few socks to demonstrate yarns I carry, including a self-patterning Lana Grossa yarn. I taught myself the short row heel. They were fun to make - but not any funner than any other kind of knitting I do.

Then, one day a few weeks ago, I decided to teach myself how to knit socks with two circular needles. I chose a nifty skein of coral-colored Fortissima Socka (wool/cotton) yarn which I assumed had gradual color striping judging by the look of the ball.

To my amazement and delight, this yarn *did* self-pattern, and in a very cool way... it was hard to set down the sock and give my fingers a rest. In addition, knitting with two circulars was a revelation! I always liked working with 5 double points but I never *loved* working with them. I *love* working with two circulars - the process is so much more fluid.

I made the first sock in three days. I completed the second sock three days after that.

I am now on my third pair of socks... I'm trying every color of Sockotta I carry.

My first pair was knitted with Susan Bates circulars needles, knowing full well that the needle of choice for many sock knitters is the Addi Turbo. After completing the first coral Fortissima Socka sock, I felt Sock Obsession permeate my being, and I knew I had to carry Addi Turbos if I wanted to spread the Obsession. It's kinda like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, really. Once obsessed, I must spread the obsession to everyone I know and love.

I now carry Addi Turbos. I'm also excited to be an official Opal sock yarn dealer - my first shipment should arrive today. I've ordered plenty of sock yarn for the fall. And, last but not least, I am planning a Sock Knitters' club - members will get lots o' sock yarn and plenty of discounts. More details will follow later in June.

Friday, June 02, 2006

It's here: Lorna's

Today I unpacked a small shipment of Lorna's Laces hand dyed goodness.

What I got:

1 bag (8 sk) of Shepherd Sock in Tahoe (already sold: 2)
1 bag (8 sk) of Shepherd Worsted in Rainbow
2 sk each of shepherd sock in the following colors:
daffodil
happy valley
watercolor
glenwood
manzanita (solid)
charcoal (solid)
sunshine (solid)
china blue (solid)

2 sk each of angel (angora/lambswool) in the following colors:
daffodil
cool
mineshaft
irving park
purple club
uptown
tuscany

This stuff sells out quickly, so hurry in if you see something you like.