We’re opening the new year of 2010 with a wonderful artist, Melanie of Black Trillium. Melanie dyed for us her 100% superwash BFL Sock. This fine yarn has a lovely tight twist like many popular merino sock yarns, with the added benefit of the silken sheen and slight halo of Blue Faced Leicester. The yardage is 409 yards/374 meters per skein and will be perfect for a pair of socks or that perfect one-skein shawl.  We have a couple colorways this time around, that will make perfect guy socks, while still being interesting to knit. Also, Melanie dyed a colorway especially for yarn4socks named Donna & Valerie. The colorway was inspired by the colors in our logo and is space dyed, so the color repeats are rather long with a little bit of natural in between.  It should be sort-of stripy on socks.  We always love it when someone does a special colorway just for us!

Enough talking, more yarn! And of course, our interview with Melanie!

1. What is your name, company name and which city and state are you from?
Hi, I’m Melanie Dilworth, and I’m the sole owner and dyer behind Black Trillium Fibre Studio.  I’m originally from Seattle, Washington, but I currently live in the Portland, Oregon area with my family.
2. How long have you been dying yarn?
In August of 2008, I started experimenting with yarn dyeing along with some friends that I’d met through my local yarn store.  I’ve been on my own as Black Trillium since November 2008.

 3. How did you get started?
I really wanted to work at something that could be done while I’m at home raising my children.  We have one little boy with another newbie currently on the way.  I was amazed at how much fun some of my favorite bloggers were having dyeing their own yarn, and thought this might be something I could try.  After our first few dye sessions outside, I was completely hooked and was determined to find a safe and fun way to keep dyeing out of my kitchen.
4. What motivates you?
Simply put, color.  Though I have a firm set of dyeing “recipes” and techniques that make consistent colorways, my favorite dyeing sessions are those in which I get find out exactly what happens when “what ifs” are put into play.  The ways in which colors can be layered using different methods of applying dye always produce results that catch me off guard with their beauty, depth and visual interest.  Experimentation and searching for the “new” are probably why I don’t adhere to any one dyeing methodology.
5. What is the favorite product you’ve ever made?
Everything I dye tempts me to stash instead of share, but as I’m still dyeing other peoples’ base yarns I feel like I haven’t quite moved up to a “product” of my own.  I’m really looking forward to establishing my own sock yarn blends that are unique and showcase the true magic of color well-applied.

 6. Do you have any advice for other fiber artists?
Me?  No way, I’m way too new at this.  The one thing I would say is from the perspective of a customer: if it isn’t fun, don’t do it.  My experience with dyers who weren’t enjoying their craft and the customer interaction that comes along with that has left me with a very clear picture of exactly how I don’t want to treat my own cherished clients.

 7. Are there any designers, fiber artists or any other artist you consider your role model?
Absolutely – Melanie from Lotus Yarns, Ruth from Impulsive Arts, Shayla from Shayla Maddox Water & Light, Cara from January One, and my dear friend Shelby from Heartstone Ceramics.  I take so much inspiration from all the amazing things other people do with fiber and non-fiber mediums, and I’m sure I’m missing a few more key folks.

 8. Please share with us a zany or interesting thing about you. It does not have to be fiber related.
 I think it’s interesting to contemplate the amount of time I spent at university without actually coming away with a piece of paper.  I started out in the Biology department at the University of Washington, finishing a good chunk of the course work for an Evolutionary Biology BS.  Organic Chemistry was a blast, but maybe that was foreshadowing this dyeing thing.  Later, I went back and changed over to the English department, and I’ve totally finished everything but some random electives for an English Literature BA.  I know this makes it look like I can’t finish things, but the truth is that I get so immersed in what I’m doing that everything else takes a back seat for a few years.  Having a family has really shown me that balance is necessary, and my super-focused life was much less meaningful than meeting my husband and having my son.  Someday, I may go back after finishing my English degree and get my PhD so I can teach Shakespeare and Chaucer.  But right now, I’m so incredibly happy being at home with my son, and knitting and dyeing yarn that I can’t feel bad about not having that piece of paper.

You can have a look at all the colorways that will be available right here and in a few hours you will be able to purchase your own right here!

It’s time for our traditional Year End Sale. This sale will last 72 hours on December 26, 27 and 28. We have so much inventory that we decided to pass on wonderful savings to you. Select colorways of the yarns listed below will be at 40% off MSRP, that’s awesome savings!

• ShibuiKnits Baby Alpaca DK
• Holiday Yarns FlockSock
• Farmhouse Bo-Peep
• Schaefer Lola
• Berroco Sox Metallic
• Beyond Basics Knits
• Kertzer 4 ply
• Araucania Azapa
• Araucania Columio Multy
• Araucania Columio Solid
• Araucania Itata Multy
• Noro Cash Iroha
• Noro Maiko
• Noro Silk Garden Sock
• Noro Retro
• Noro Yuzen
• Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK
• Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran Tweed
• Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy
• Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool
• Random Patterns

 Happy Holidays!

Donna and Valerie

We want to thank all of you for a wonderful Black Friday sale last weekend.  Between that and the December Sock Clubs going out there were so many orders we’re still packing some of them! Everything should be out by tomorrow though. Thanks again!

Our next update is going to be this Sunday December 6th at 9PM EST.

 We will update the store with our first order of Madelinetosh Wren, a delicious merino/silk heavy fingering weight yarn that will be perfect for shawls or even spring or summer sweaters. Have a sneak peek at some of the colorways that will be available right here.

You will also be able to purchase your spot in this February’s Sock Club featuring yarn from the Fiber Denn and a pattern by Melanie Gibbons aka Pink Lemon Twist. The Element for that month will be Ether.

MORE:

Our “Lucky Draw!” winners for December 1st are. F. Nemoir and A. Rolfs. Congratulations to both of you!

Check out our Closeout section for additional great deals on Schaefer Anne, Heather, Conjoined Creations Flat Feet, Noro Kureyon Sock and much more!

This month’s Artist of the Month is Fiberphile. For her yarns, Georgia uses a special dying technique called Alchemy. The yarn is dyed in random overlapping layers of two to four harmonious colors. This technique creates beautiful blending effects and results in a rich multi-dimensional colorscape for your finished project. This lovely 3-ply 100% superwash merino is super-soft and the round shape shows off cables and other interesting stitch patterns beautifully! Her Super Squish Merino sock yarn can be found right here.

Here is our interview with her:

1. What is your name, company name and which city and state are you from?
My name is Georgia Hadley, my company name is Fiberphile, and I’m in Newbury, Vermont.

2. How long have you been dying yarn?
I’ve been dyeing professionally for about a year and a half.

3. How did you get started?
When I started knitting again as an adult, I kept seeing all of this beautiful hand-dyed yarn. I didn’t think I could justify the expense as a beginner knitter, so I decided to dye my own. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I enjoyed dyeing even more than knitting. I had a custom handbag business at the time that I was beginning to burn out from, so it seemed a natural transition to start selling my hand-dyed yarn instead.

4. What motivates you?
Discovery. There’s nothing like the first time I try a new color combination.

5. What is the favorite product you’ve ever made?
There are far too many that I love, but I remember when I happened upon my Copper Rose colorway I was thrilled. It’s still among my favorites.

6. Do you have any advice for other fiber artists?
Believe in yourself. If you’re true to your own creative impulses you can’t go wrong.

7. Are there any designers, fiber artists or any other artist you consider your role model?
I really respect Gryphon of Sanguine Gryphon, for managing to stay afloat and grow her business to meet the demand for her yarns. She has been very gracious when I’ve asked her advice during my own growing pains.

8. Please share with us a zany or interesting thing about you. It does not have to be fiber related.
My philosophy is to try everything that interests you, and not to worry about whether you’ll stick with it or not. If you don’t, how will you ever know what truly makes you happy?

Thank you Georgia!

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Today is December 1st, thus our “Lucky Draw!” day! If you make a purchase today you’ll win a chance at winning a nice prize!

I want to wish everyone celebrating Thanksgiving today a wonderful day with your families and friends. I hope that you all have a great day with yummy food, fun company and hopefully lots of knitting time!

Today I am thankful for many things:

• I have a wonderful family that loves me and great friends
• I have a nice place to live with nice things
• I am thankful for the great foods I will eat today and that I get to eat everyday
• I can have a hobby like knitting and the time for it
• I have access to pretty yarns…

What are you thankful for today?

If you’re not celebrating Thanksgiving today with us, we still have something fun for you starting tomorrow.  Tomorrow is Black Friday here in the US and it’s time for one big sale! For those not in the US, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season. Thankfully, at yarn4socks you wont need to get up at 2 AM to wait in line but you can shop in the comfort of your home, behind your computer. Thank you for being wonderful customers and enjoy this sale!

Our sale will last for 48 hours on Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28 of November. Everything (not including closeout items) will be 30% off. That’s really everything: needles, stitch markers, patterns, Fleece Artist and Handmaiden kits, and all of our fingering, sport/dk, worsted/aran and bulky weight yarns. For example, that means that Madelinetosh Tosh Worsted will cost only $12.60/skein, that the Handmaiden Casbah will only be $17.50 and that if you want 100% cashmere (Handmaiden 4-ply cashmere) you will be able to get it for a mere $22.40 a skein. There are a lot of great deals to be had!

The sale will start at midnight tonight EST but you will know the sale has started when all the prices will change color and the original price will have a slash through it.  No need for a coupon code, everything will be discounted automatically.

Enjoy!

Our next update is going to be Sunday night on November 15 at 9pm EST.

At our next we’ll have tons and tons of new stuff.

All sorts of Fleece Artist / Handmaiden kits like the Celtic Vest, Ana Bandana, Hans & Hanna Mitts & Hat, Thrum Mittens, Soft Socks/Mitts, Lu, MinO and Sea Vines Vest.

Soft Mitts/Socks kit in Morgana

We’ll also have lots of Fleece Artist and Handmaiden yarns like Mini Maiden, Maiden Hair, Casbah, 4 ply Cashmere, Silk Twist, Merino 2/6 and Somoko.

Handmaiden Mini Maiden in Bronze

We’ll also have new Pancake & Lulu stitch markers, Stitchy Mushroom box bags and a new Della Q project bag.

Large Stitchy Mushroom Box bag in Petal Party

We already sold out of the first instalment of the December Sock Club but were able to get an extra 35 spots open thanks to Roxanne. These extra spots will sell out by Monday so make sure to sign up before we’re totally out! The December Sock Club will be featuring Anne Hanson from Knitspot and Roxanne Yeun from Zen Yarn Garden. The Element for the December Club will be Fire and will feature Roxanne’s cashmere blend sock yarn.

 Our Lucky Draw! winners for November 1st were V. Mercer and M. Carlisle. Congratulations to both of you!

Our November Artist of the Month featuring Rainy Days & Wooly Dogs’ GothSocks will be available on the stroke of midnight Saturday the 31st EST.
Isn’t it fun that on Halloween night you’ll be able to get some GothSocks? Leave the candy to the kids, we’ve got some awesome self-striping sock yarn with a goth twist for the adults!

Here’s our interview with Stephanie the dyer behind GothSocks:

1. What is your name, company name and which city and state are you from?
Stephanie Cullison, Rainy Days & Wooly Dogs from Kirkland, WA.

2. How long have you been dying yarn?
I’ve been dyeing for only about a year and a half. First time dyeing was at a friends house with Kool-Aid. I was hooked. I met up with some fibery friends for a “dye party” and we bought a bunch of undyed fiber and some acid dyes and there was no looking back

3. How did you get started?
A friend and I started up Rainy Days & Wooly Dogs because…well…I love yarn. I love fiber. I love dyeing it. It seemed like it would be a lot of fun to combine all of those and sell them! After a month or so of dyeing semi solids we talked about making things a little more dark and gothy and the idea of GothSocks came about. We hadn’t seen anyone doing black or gothy in yarns and figured it would be fun. I eventually took the biz over myself  and have been making GothSocks on my own ever since!

4. What motivates you?
All sorts of things. I guess I could get really sappy and say my kids and family. I have been a stay at home mom for 16 years. My kids have been my whole life for all those years. They still are. My oldest is my only daughter and I think it’s really important for her to see that no matter what…you can do and be who you want to be. I have been rocking funky hair and being the “weird mom” in the suburbs for years and I think it really is important to be yourself. That’s what motivates me

5. What is the favorite product you’ve ever made?
I love all of them. Really!  But I really love my Cake or Death? GothSock because I am a huge Eddie Izzard fan and every time I dye up that colorway I can hear the Church of England skit that it was pulled from.

6. Do you have any advice for other fiber artists ?
Stay true to yourself and have fun. That’s the key. I think a sense of humor is an imporant thing to have. If it’s not fun then you’re doing it wrong

7. Are there any designers, fiber artists or any other artist you consider your role model?
I have long admired all of the indie fiber artists around these days. Our community is full of some of the most amazing people. I can’t think of just one that I would call a role model.

8. Please share with us a zany or interesting thing about you. It does not have to be fiber related.
I asked my husband to help me with this question and his response pretty much sums things up, “Your existence and the way you live is pretty zany. Isn’t that enough?” So there. If that’s not enough for you….I think the fact that I have 4 kids and a home biz makes me very zany indeed (even if I didn’t have purple hair!). Oh..and did I mention that I’m double jointed too? Yup. Zany indeed.

This weekend’s updates are going to be two-fold.

First we’re going to have our Artist of the Month feature which will be available on the stroke of midnight Saturday the 31st. Isn’t it fun that on Halloween night you’ll be able to get some GothSocks? Leave the candy to the kids, we’ve got some awesome self-striping sock yarn with a goth twist for the adults! You can have a look at the colorways that will be available right here. Donna and I have already picked some for ourselves and I can’t wait to cast on! There’s a limited amount available, and it will go fast! There will be an interview with Stephanie of Rainy Days & Wooly Dogs right here on November 1st as well.

Secondly we’re going to have our regular Sunday night update on November 1st at 9pm EST.

We’ll have for you new colorways of Artsygal Stripes, of Lotus Yarns Aura, the new Dream in Color Knitosophy colorways as well as a restock and new colorways of Madelinetosh Tosh Worsted. Each link will bring you to a photo of the yarns in question.

Sign ups are open for our December Sock Club featuring Anne Hanson from Knitspot and Roxanne Yeun from Zen Yarn Garden. The Element for the December Club will be Fire and will feature Roxanne’s cashmere blend sock yarn. Spaces are limited so sign up early!

Don’t forget our “Lucky Draw!” drawing on November 1st! One of the winners could be you!

Our next update is going to be on on Sunday October 18 at 9pm EST.

We’ll have for you the latest Knitspot and Laura Chau patterns, 5 colorways of Noro Retro, a wool, silk and angora Aran weight yarn (5 more colors are on backorder), new colorways of Madelinetosh Sock (including Citrus, Sequoia, and Terrarium, my favorite!) and a restock on Lotus Yarns Aura.

Sign ups will open for our December Sock Club featuring Anne Hanson from Knitspot and Roxanne Yeun from Zen Yarn Garden. The Element for the December Club will be Fire and will feature Roxanne’s cashmere blend sock yarn. Spaces are limited so sign up early!

Our October Sock Club will be shipping tomorrow. There was some delay with the dye job but the yarn is on its way to us. As soon as they arrive (they’re coming from Canada) we’ll get your clubs out to you. So sorry about this delay!

 Did you all notice the coupon above? If you live in New England and are planning to visit Stitches East in a few days, print a copy of the coupon and bring it to our booth, you’ll get 20% off all of our yarns! We will have lots of hand-dyed sock yarns like Madelinetosh, the new Dream in Color Knitosophy, Lotus Yarns Aura, Fleece Artist and Handmaiden yarns and kits, Artsygal Stripey as well as lots of other Indie dyers and lots more!

Come and find us at booth #418 and say “hello”! Don’t forget your coupon! We’ll be there from Thursday night until Sunday.

Last week-end, Sarah and I packed the truck and headed north in pursuit of a picture perfect fall week-end.  Friday it started to rain on the way up (did I mention our site at the festival was outside), and it rained all the way through Sunday mid-day.  Despite the horrific  weather Sarah and I had a GREAT time.  We arrived at our Bed and Breakfast The green Trails Inn in Brookfield Vermont, around 5pm on Friday.  We were pleasantly surprised, the innkeeper Jane Doerfer, professional cookbook author,  was delightful.   Non stop eating all week-end.  The food was outstanding.

The Green Trails Inn.

Across the street from the Green Trails Inn was another fabulous fine, Ariel’s Restaurant.   Located at 29 Stone Road Brookfield, Vermont.  

The Famous Vermont Floating Bridge across the Street from the Inn.

Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival.  We love you Vermont, what a great group of knitter.  It didn’t matter if it was raining or flooding the Vermont Knitters came out any-ways and we had a great time, see you next year.