Blog Reader Specials

Cloud Prints!

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Update!  Wheee! Here are the unclaimed Phydlbitz Sock yarns from the most recent Blog Reader Specials! Visit the BRS page and make your selections today.

Happy November!!

Tonight, most of the country will turn the clock back one hour to mark the end of Daylight Saving Time.  For some reason I went to bed last night and woke this morning thinking the clocks would have changed last night instead of tonight.  I was befuddled when my phone and computer (which change automatically) showed the same time as my battery-operated wall clock.  Have you ever had a funny, strange, or confusing experience with the time change?

Last night I tried a slightly different technique for applying dyes to the yarns — I’m calling it Cloud Prints.   The first one I did was in Espresso (#789-790) and it really tickled me so I tried it again with Spruce overdyed in pale Turquoise (#779-780), and then in Red overdyed in pale Sky Blue (#777-778).  I’m not sure the technique works in every color or combination, but I think I will use it again to experiment further.

This week’s palette selection didn’t really lend itself to the confetti technique (#787-788), so I didn’t do that technique again this week.

There are several segmented yarns where I blended the segment instead of leaving hard edges (#773-774, 775-776, 785-786, and 793-794).   Any of these should work up into self-striping spiral stripes, if knit in plain stockinette, but by doing seed stitch you could break the colors up even more for an interesting effect.

There are a couple nearly solid Twinsets, like #783-784 and 795-796, as well as a couple of monochrome fades (#781-782 and 791-792).

These are all on Phydlbitz Sock 2.0, 75/25 Superwash 25-micron Merino/Nylon, and are metered out at about 450-460 yards, but I always marked them as 430+ to ensure you always get more yardage than is marked on the label.   🙂

Phydlbitz Sock is regularly $28.00 each, but for Saturday and Sunday this week, you may claim any matching Twinset for just $26.00 per skein.

To claim the ones you want, just send me an email with your requested items noted.  I’ll mark your requests off the Available Yarns tally chart below.  I post in many places across social media, and I can’t update all of them, so marking them off here in one place anyone can see when they visit which ones are still available.

And, of course, any previously posted yarns are available on the Blog Reader Specials page where they have been reskeined, labeled, and ready to ship.  If you see some there that you want to get with today’s Preview Pricing discount, feel free to add them with your order.

I expect to have this week’s collection reskeined and ready to ship on or about Thursday.

Available Yarns: 
Rack 1 – 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, 778, 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784
Rack 2 – 785, 786, 787, 788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, 796

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Blog Reader Specials, Ray Knits Socks

The Socks in Progress

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Last week I shared a video about starting a pair of socks (see here). And here is the progress I’ve made as of a few minutes ago.  (a more pedantic discussion is down below)

I cast on and got started, then about half-way up the toes I discovered a problem, so I set them aside to dye a batch of Blog Reader Specials.

The socks were started with a Turkish cast-on, wrapping 2 needles with 14 wraps for each sock, then increasing every other round at both ends of each needle.  For socks I do a yarn over for the increase, and on the next round I knit into the yarn-over through the back of the loop so that the stitch is closed.  There are many different ways to do toe-up increases; this is just the method I like and use, at least for toes.

Anyway, I got about half-way up the toes and paused to count the stitches.  Casting on 14 stitches, then increasing by 2 every other round, I should have had an even number of stitches all the way up.  Nope.  I counted 25 on the first needle.  I looked to see if I had skipped in increase, and then counted all the stitches on all the other needles.  Dang — they all had 25 stitches and should have had 26.  So apparently, my Turkish cast-on only had 13 wraps somehow on both toes.

I wasn’t going to rip it all out and start over.  I decided to remain diligent until I reached 35 stitches on each needle for each toe, front and back.  Working with undyed yarn, inserting an extra stitch would have been too obvious, so I decided to start my contrast band that separates the toe stitches from the instep/sole stitches.

I have always centered my socks at the bottom of the toe, as well as up the center of the heel and back of the leg.  This allows any shift in design or color to be less obtrusive.

So I knitted across the bottom of the toe for 17 stitches with the undyed, and then introduced the contrast yarn, knitting the remaining 18 stitches. I knitted across the top of the toe, came back around and knitted 17 stitches of contrast into the 17 stitches of undyed. When I got back to where I started the contrast, I know that was the 18th stitch, into which I knitted front and back (Kfb), then knitted around to the other side and did a Kfb at the 18th stitch.  And, of course, I did the same thing on the other sock.

So, now I have 36 stitches on each needle for each toe, front and back.

I’m ready to start the next round, but I’ve not decided which sock yarn or yarns to add into this pair of socks.  I’m going to leave that to faithful readers to suggest a skein from all the yarns on the Blog Reader Specials page.   I may well decide to incorporate multiple skeins, with each new color separated by 2 rounds of the contrast color.  Please leave a comment below with the BRS # of the colorway you want me to start with.

I have seen other socks knitted with different yarns, and they are often cute, but my regimented mind requires a strong contrast band to separate the various colorways, just like I require the contrast between the toes/heels and the rest of the sock.  I’m sure if I spelled out all the “rules” my brain concocts for socks, some of you might question my sanity.   But rest assured, my sock-knitting rules only apply to my own socks.  In real life there are no rigid rules for socks or most other things.  🙂

Tomorrow I will reskein the most recent BRS yarns so I can ship on Thursday; and also on Thursday I will pull new hanks from cones so I can dye a new batch on Friday.   Reaching the end of the month I realize I’m already over $400 short toward the bills due on Saturday, so I will likely dye a larger BRS collection and hope more sell.  Nearly everyone I know is feeling the pinch these days, and I’m not sure where the breaking point for many people I know.  I’ll just keep doing what I know how to do and hope it all works out.

 

Blog Reader Specials

Beautiful New Combinations

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Several months ago, a fellow dyer shared her collection of dyes from a different manufacturer.  I pulled several of them again this week to use with the brand I’ve been using.   I like the way they work well together.

There are a couple of confetti dyes, several segmented, and a few fades.  The only true DumpDye this week is #771-772 — a combination of blue, gray, purple, and brown; they came out a little darker at one end than the other because of how I immersed them in the dye bath so they appear as fades, but the dyes were all blended in the bath before immersion.

These are all Phydlbitz Sock 2.0 (75/25 Superwash 25-micron Merino/Nylon, 430+ yards), and are normally $28.00 each.

See some you’d like?  Just send me an email and I’ll take care of it for you.  If you are out of the U.S., please let me know.

I expect to have these ready to ship on or about Thursday, with a new collection to show on Friday or Saturday.

Available Yarns: 
Rack 1 – 749, 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 758, 759, 760
Rack 2 – 761, 762, 763, 764, 765, 766, 767, 768, 769, 770, 771, 772

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Ray Knits Socks, Working Stuff

Starting New Socks!

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Yesterday I posted a video on YouTube about knitting up some more socks, so that seems a fairly good place to start documenting the process.  Right up-front I apologize for my raspy voice.  I had a heck of a time just getting my video creator software (VideoPad from NCH) to work right and select the right microphone.  And then it seems it was not positioned the right way on my shirt.  I’ll work on it.

Today I have balled up the undyed and the chocolate-y yarns into center pull balls.   I was thinking I could work off both ends of the center pull balls, but then I remember  how scrambled the yarns got the last time I tried to do something like this.  So I first pulled each skein onto the ball-winder, then put the new ball on the digital scale and reballed two roughly two-ounce balls from each original 4.3 ounce ball.

So now I have enough balls to start the process.

This afternoon, I’ll do a Turkish cast-on to start the toes and the toe bands to separate toe knitting from the sole/instep knitting.  Once I get the toe bands done, I’m going to come back here and invite all y’all to select the next yarn (from the Blog Reader Specials page) to use to start the sole/instep section.  I intend to have several different yarns incorporated in this pair of socks, and they might not match, so it is okay to recommend 3 or 4 colors to get me up to the heel.  There will be a dark band before and after the heel stitches, which will match the toe.  Each color selection will be separated by a band of the darker contrast.

I do 14 wraps to start the Turkish cast-on, knit 1 round plain just to capture and secure the cast on, then work an increase at each end of each even-numbered row until there are 36 stitches on the front and back needle for each foot.  That will make 72 stitches around for each sock, which will ultimately result in 18 ribs up the leg.  I generally start the leg about an inch or so above the heel stitching.

UPS tells me my new yarn should arrive tomorrow but I should be able to get the toes and toe bands done by then.  I’ll try to remember to get  a picture of my progress by tomorrow evening. 🙂

Wish me luck, okay?

Working Stuff

Yoo-Hoo!

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Feeling sorta frisky (wink-wink), getting ready to make a video about planning some sock adventures, will post later today or maybe tomorrow.

I was (finally) able to order some more yarn on Saturday, my supplier processed the order this morning, and I’m waiting for the UPS tracking number to see if my yarns will arrived Thursday or Friday.

Two weekends in a row without new yarn on hand is both frustrating and liberating.  No yarns to dye means no money to be made, but it also means time to breathe a bit, maybe catch up on a little housework, and do a little bit of “Me” stuff.  As long as my rent and utilities are paid, I can breathe a day or two.  🙂

It’s all good, in the end.   But anyway, I’ll be back later or tomorrow to show the yarns I have pulled to knit myself some socks and discuss my intention for making 4, 6, or even 8 socks.  🙂

Blog Reader Specials

Foursomes, anyone?

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Okay, so the Mid-October Surprise sale continues, at least through Friday — all yarns are $24.50 each, with just $1-per-skein for shipping. All available yarns are shown on the Blog Reader Specials page.

But I was sitting here musing about some of the yarns and how they could be used together.  What about a simple triangular shawl pattern, but using 2 different colorways, with 8- or 10-row bands of each color, BUT doing stockinette for one color, then reverse stockinette for the other color.  It would result in a welted texture, rather than just a plain smooth stockinette all the way.  You could do a 5-stitch garter stitch or seed stitch border along each side going across the top.

This is just one way to use different coordinating or contrasting colors.

So I pulled out some Twinsets that feel like they’d work together in such a scheme.  First I got a picture of them all, and then made different pairings, shown down below.

Your color sense and inspiration is probably different from mine.  I realize the sun and shadows wreak havoc on trying to judge individual pictures, and I would be more than happy to photograph whatever combination you’d like to see together.  Just email me and let me know which yarns you’d like.  I can’t control the sun or shadows but I can at least photograph combinations all in one light at the same time. 🙂

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No, I’m still here!

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Happy Monday!

I didn’t dye this weekend, but have been taking a sort of imposed break.  There’s simply a lot going on with me and my body and life in general.  I suppose that happens when you hit 70+ and we have to pay attention better to our body and health.

I’m hoping next weekend I’ll be able to order more yarn but in the meantime….

Mid-October Surprise!

October 13-17 every skein will be invoiced at $24.50 each, with $1-per-skein for shipping inside the U.S.

Visit the Blog Reader Specials page and see what is available and ready to ship.

Blog Reader Specials

Are These Autumn Colors?

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Happy Saturday!

First, I failed to mention it but October 1 was my 19-year anniversary!  It’s been a wild ride, and a lot of people didn’t think I’d last more than a year or two.  I’ve seen dyers come and go, but I’m still here.  Barely, but here nonetheless. 🙂

I went into yesterday’s dye session thinking I would color for autumn, with changing leaves and the colors of the world changing.  I’m not sure I hit that particular target, but I am really tickled at how the colors landed, anyway.

Several segmented dyes, all of which will create some interesting spiral striping socks, Twinsets #731-732, 733-734, 739-740, and 743-744.   Each of these includes at least 4 different dyes.  We also have a couple of interesting fades — Twinsets #725-726 and 737-738.

A few DumpDyes include #727-728, 735-736 (reblended reds, plus gold and brown), and 747-748 (navy, chestnut, and other colors — but NO black at all).

These are all Phydlbitz Sock 2.0 (75/25 SW 25-micron Merino/Nylon, 430+ yards each), normally $27.50 each.  For Saturday and Sunday, you are welcome to claim any matching Twinset of this new collection for just $25.50 each skein.

To claim the ones you want, just send me an email with your selections noted.  I’ll mark your requests off the Available Yarns tally chart below and send your PayPal invoice.  If you are outside the U.S., please let me know so I can calculate your international shipping rate.

I expect to have these ready to ship on or about Wednesday.

Rising Prices

As much as I dislike the idea, I have held off raising my yarn prices since at least 2022.   With the cost of nearly everything rising , I will be raising the base yarn price to $28.00 per skein starting next week.  I would love to keep prices the same, but I still need to eat and cover my bills as well.   If you want any of the previously posted Blog Reader Specials, this would be the week to claim them.

Available Yarns: 
Rack 1 – 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736
Rack 2 – 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743, 744, 745, 746, 747, 748

Click images to view larger version in your browser.Picture of assorted hand-dyed yarns hanging to dry.

Picture of assorted hand-dyed yarns hanging to dry.

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Blog Reader Specials

Surprised Even Me!

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Happy Sunday!

I wasn’t sure where I was going when I started the dyeing yesterday, so I  don’t know if I got there, but that’s okay.  Once it all came out after the wash-and-rinse, I am overall pleased with this week’s collection.

Starting backwards (sort of) the last Twinsets I dyed were both Dump Dyes; #701-702 is a blend of all the leftover darkened navy, sky blue, gray, and violet, while #703-704 is a swirling blend of olive, gold, and some dribs of chestnut.  Twinset #707-708 is pure confetti,  while #719-720 is a combination of rose segments separated with a bolder confetti swirl.  Twinset #723-724 is an overall sky blue dip dye.

There are several segmented dye jobs with assorted colors.   The two Fade Twinsets look similar but #717-718 are faded olive, while #709-710  is a fade of leftover colors blended in the dipping bowl from one of the segmented yarns.

These are all Phydlbitz Sock 2.0 — 75/25 Superwash 25-micron Merino/Nylon, and marked at 430 yards, but closer to 460-470 yards.  These are $27.50 each, but you can claim a matching Twinset for just $26.00 per skein on Sunday and Monday.   They’ll be posted at full price on the Blog Reader Specials page after reskeining and labelling.

To claim the ones you want, just send me an email with your selections noted.  Unless otherwise requested, I will ship via USPS Ground Advantage within the U.S.

I expect to have these ready to ship on or about Wednesday.

Available Yarns:
Rack 1 – 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712
Rack 2 – 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724

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