Here is the group shot of the most recent Blog Reader Specials added to the BRS page.
I was battling a setting sun, with awkward shadows, but it’s still an impressive collection.
For Tuesday, March 3, all matching Twinsets will be invoiced at 15% off. Unmatched skeins will be invoiced at 10% off. All orders paid today will ship tomorrow.
Happy Saturday!
Another fun collection of Phydlbitz Sock for you — 75/25 Superwash 25-micron Merino/Nylon, 460 yards each.
Along with several of my regular techniques, I tried something new on Twinset #175-176. Besides being a regular sprinkle, I used 4 different colors and overlapped each section so there are two colors in each section, but each color covers 2 section. Interesting blending, and I’ll probably try it again in the future with different colors.
There are a few long-span two-tones (72-inch repeats), like #169-170, #181-182, and #185-186.
Twinset #177-178 is done with rich red bands that were supposed to be separated with gold bands. The red bled into the gold while in the steamer so it looks like a deep orange bands. It still looks amazing, just not the clearly segmented red-and-gold I had intended.
Twinset #189-190 is a purple speckled with a pink over-wash. Twinset #191-192 is a similar style, with turquoise sprinkles with a pale gold over-wash.
If you’d like a close up or outside daylight picture of any particular pair, please let me know this weekend; they’ll be reskeined and labeled for the Blog Reader Specials page when they are fully dried.
Phydlbitz Sock is normally $28.00 each, but for Saturday and Sunday visitors are invited to claim any two or more skeins for $26.00 each.
To claim the ones you want, just send me an email with your selections. I’ll mark your choices off the Available Yarns chart below and send you a PayPal invoice.
I expect to have these ready to ship on or about Wednesday.
Available Yarns:
Rack 1 – 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180
Rack 2 – 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192
Happy Saturday!
It’s not Spring yet but I can hardly wait and I think yesterday’s dye choices reflect this.
Most of the first batch of dyes came out pale, pastel, and perfect for wrapping a summertime infant in a light weight blanket. Others were dyed as richer solids ready to coordinate with the pastels.
For a heavier weight yarn Phydlbitz Sock is great for knitting double strand, or even chain-plied for the equivalent of triple-strand, to really mix the multi-colored yarns well.
These are all Phydlbitz Sock 2.0 (75/25 Superwash 25-micron Merino/Nylon, 460 yards) and normally are $28.00 each. For Saturday and Sunday, visitors are invited to claim any matching Twinset of this week’s collection (#145 – 168) for just $26.00 each skein. .
To claim the ones you want, just send me an email (ray@knitivity.com) with your requested numbers. I’ll mark your requests off the Available Yarns tally chart below and send you a PayPal invoice. Let me know if you are outside the U.S. so I can calculate shipping correctly.
I won’t be able to ship on Wednesday (it’s a clinic day for me), so I’ll ship on either Tuesday or Thursday.
Available Yarns:
Rack 1 – 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156
Rack 2 – 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168
Happy Sunday!
Just as I was getting ready to dye yesterday, I discovered we were under a tornado watch until 9:00 p.m. Probably not a big deal, but my area is prone to power outages during heavy storms and I didn’t want to have a dye session interrupted (hard to dye in the dark). But I had to get it done, so I pressed through.
I was able to get a couple Twinsets done in a splatter-dye (#131-132 and #137-138), both of which included colors I don’t normally combine. Twinset #143-144 is done with a 36-inch gradient fade from darkest to lightest reds.
Two other Twinsets to note are #129-130 and 133-134. Many people have been knitting up versions of the Melt the ICE resistance hat (link to Ravelry), so these Twinsets were dyed for those who want it. I made note of the recipe for these, so I can dye more if you need them.
Since I was somewhat rushing to beat the threatened storm, most of the yarns are solid or mostly solid. Twinset #141-142 is a very dark purple-brown-navy blend of colors from last week. Any of these would be excellent for your lacework, shawls, scarves, and so forth, or for doing color block work with a mix of solids.
These are all Phydlbitz Sock 2.0 (75/25 Superwash 25-micron Merino/Nylon, 460 yards, normally $28.00 each. For Sunday and Monday, visitors are welcome to claim any two or more skeins from this week’s collection (#121-144) for $26.00 each. Just send me an email (ray@knitivity.com) to claim the ones you want.
I expect to have these ready to ship on Wednesday or Thursday.
Available Yarns:
Rack 1 – 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132
Rack 2 – 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144
=================================
Want to always get the deals first? Insiders get a better Preview Pricing discount and sometimes reduced shipping, too! Subscribe to the Knitivity Insider.
Well, yeah, I guess it is!
I’ve just finished uploading to the Blog Reader Specials page all the yarns not claimed from last week’s dye session. Here is the group shot of them:
But there are lots of other yarns also still available so go visit Blog Reader Specials page and see which ones fit your plans for knitting into the spring.
And if you place an order today (Wednesday, 11 February), you’ll get FREE SHIPPING inside the U.S. 🙂
Easiest way to place an order: just send me an email (ray@knitivity.com) and tell me which ones you want.
Happy Friday!
While preparing today’s mailing, I’m listening to “Happy Classical Music” from HalidonMusic on YouTube. I nearly always listen to classical music, and I think Halidon puts out the best collections and they put up new ones almost daily. Halidon “is a prominent Italian independent record label, music publisher, and distributor based in Milan, founded in 1999. It is widely recognized for operating one of YouTube’s top-ranking classical music channels, which boasts over 3 million subscribers and offers a vast catalogue of classical, instrumental, jazz, and pop music.
I’m reminded of an incident many years ago when one of my granddaughters came to play Scrabble with me one afternoon (a joy and pleasure on its own, which I miss). I had some classical music playing softly, and she asked if we could listen to something else, more like the country music she heard at home, if I remember correctly. I told her she could hear her music at home on her own, but I wanted her to hear my music so that when she grew up and heard classical music she would remember me, and hopefully fondly. She is grown now and filling her life with amazing young adult adventures as all my grandkid are, and I’m proud of them.
Anyway, forgive this old man’s fleeting reverie. Onward to this week’s yarns!
I went into the session not sure what would happen because the dyes that called out to me didn’t seem to go together. But, if you’ve followed my work a while, you know that I often let the colors dictate what to do. 🙂
Most of the colors are fairly obvious, but I’ll mention a few of them. Twinset #97-98 started with a wash of a blue-gray with a band of saturated chestnut across the middle (about 72-inch repeat). #101-102 is a random splattering of pink and gray. #103-104 is a steel blue fade, with spinkles at one end of the hank in dark brown and chestnut. #107-108 is 100% splattered navy that spread and migrated in the steamer. #113-114 is a band of chestnut melded into a band of teal on either side, fading into a wash of a pale pink-gray.
This week’s DumpDye solid is #119-120 — a mix of the remaining teal, turquoise, and navy. I pour all the dyes into the dipping bowl, stirred it all around to thoroughly mix, but I noticed that in spite of my best efforts each of the original colors seems to shine out here and there. From a distance, it looks like a solid color, but up close it is clearly a blending of related colors. I think the effect is stunning.
All of these yarns would make beautiful socks, and many of them would be amazing shawls, scarves, or other accessories.
These are all Phydlbitz Sock 2.0 (75/25 Superwash 25-micron Merino/Nylon, 460 yards), and are normally $28.00 each. For Friday and Saturday, you may claim each matching Twinset from this week’s collection (#97 – 120) at $26.00 per skein ($52 for the pair).
To claim the ones you want, send me an email (ray@knitivity.com) with your numbered requests. After striking them from the Available Yarns chart below, I’ll send you a PayPal invoice including shipping. 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 or Thursday.
Available Yarns:
Rack 1 – 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108
Rack 2 – 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120
=================================
Want to always get the deals first? Insiders get a better Preview Pricing discount and sometimes reduced shipping, too! Subscribe to the Knitivity Insider.
Just a quick update, thanks to the winter storm crossing the country.
First, yesterday afternoon the mail carrier finally took away all the packages ready to ship (save one that was requested to ship next week).
Then, the incoming yarns for February’s dyeing. I put in the order last Saturday. Normally, I would order on a Wednesday, and I’d get it that following Friday or Saturday. This time, it was Wednesday before I even got an order confirmation with a tracking number, with delivery expected yesterday. Then yesterday it was adjusted to show delivery today. As of this morning, my yarn was somewhere in Kentucky, with expected delivery on Monday. I know this winter storm is impacting things, so I can’t get too upset. It’s just frustrating. When it gets here, I’ll get back into the regular cycle of putting out a new collection of Blog Reader Specials each week.
Meanwhile, I’m occupying myself with a bit of knitting and puttering around the house. I’m still working on the socks, just about to reach the heels. And the holiday stocking project is in line for me to re-work the heel. And I need a cozy for my French press; I get frustrated that by the third cup, the pot has gone rather tepid. Yuck.
So, I’m sitting in limbo, waiting for current yarns to sell, waiting for new yarns to arrived, and fiddling with projects that need doing.
I hope the rest of the country is reaching a point to start thawing soon, although I know many of you are snowed in or iced in. Hopefully, it is only a few more days.
Happy Friday!
Seems like every corner of the country is experiencing a LOT of extreme winter-ness, and Houston is no exception. According to local forecasting we will drop below freezing again this weekend, but no significant precipitation (rain or snow) for Houston.
I ordered February’s yarn last Saturday. FedEx didn’t actually get the package until Wednesday, and now it looks like I won’t get it until Sunday or (more likely) Monday. Usually when I order on Wednesday, it arrives on Saturday, but the FedEx app shows they are having significant weather delays back east.
So, instead of dyeing up a new collection, we’ll enjoy an End-of-Month/Empty the Bins discount sale, since the rent is still due whether I dye new yarns nor not.
Here is the latest group of yarns not claimed from last weekend’s collection. They’ve all been photographed and posted to the Blog Reader Specials page, of course.
When you claim any two or more matching skeins (shown as Twinsets on the BRS page), your whole order will be invoiced at 15% off. You are welcome to include single non-matching skeins into your order as well.
To make your order, just email me the numbers of the ones you want. As always they are first-come, first served, and I do try to mark off requests as soon as I can.
I was supposed to ship out the most recent orders, but my mail carrier came around several hours early yesterday and I wasn’t able to hand off the packages, so I put in another pick-up request for today. Let’s hope the mail carrier comes within her normal time period today, eh?
What do you knit in the cold of winter? Do you knit/crochet for the current season, or plan your handwork to be done several months in advance? Do you buckle down with hats, mittens, gloves, and blankets? Or do you imagine sun-drenched days and start knitting beach cover-ups or maybe light shawls against the air-conditioning draft? What is your crafting pleasure when it is best to stay indoors and warm?
One of my long-time knitting friends and Knitivity supporter asked about dyeing Pride yarn. I’ve tried in the past, with less-than-perfect results — the biggest issue is preventing colors running into each other. What works better for my set-up is to dye solid color skeins, and then break them down into sets of mini-hanks. This allows the knitter to create whatever combination of stripes or blocks, to distribute the colors in whatever way works best.
There are, of course, many commercial mills producing solid colors in more quantifies and at lower prices than I can offer, so I’m not sure it would make sense for me to duplicate what others can do more easily, especially for color-specific themes, like Pride, Christmas, Fourth of July, etc.
However, there are other times when mini-skeins would make sense for hand-dyed yarns — for example a range of nature-themed yarns, or beach/water themes, etc. If this is something you would like me to do, please feel free to share your ideas.
I hope all of you are able to stay warm, dry, and safe as Mother Nature marches her way across the country.
=================================
Want to always get the deals first? Insiders get a better Preview Pricing discount and sometimes reduced shipping, too! Subscribe to the Knitivity Insider.
Happy Friday!
I hope all y’all are safe and warm as we anticipate a Big Freeze; we’ve gotten reports to expect an impact across much of Texas, including Houston, so I’m getting ahead of the game. I keep hearing reports from the local news and weather people, making me quite anxious. And I remember February 2021 when nearly all of Texas shut down and we lost power. The governor says the Texas power grid is able to handle it this time.
Me, in a poorly insulated mobile home, just hope the power stays on. I have a couple amazing milkhouse heaters, and a gas stove to simmer a large stock pot, so even if it is too cold to work, I can manage.
After pushing the dyeing through yesterday, the yarns are now drying in the fan room away from the outdoor cold and moisture.
These are all Phydlbitz Sock 2.0 (75/25 Superwash 25-micron Merino/Nylon, 460 yards) and are normally $28.00. I have extended this week’s Twinset TWOS-day deal through Sunday, that discount also applies to this newest collection, i.e., all visitors are welcome to claim any matching Twinset of this week’s collection at 12% off ($24.64 per skein); or you can take individual single skeins at % off ($26.32 per skein). You may combine your selections with any previously posted Blog Reader Specials.
To claim the ones you want, just send me an email (ray@knitivity.com) with your selection. I’ll mark your requests off the Available Yarns tally chart below, and then send you a PayPal invoice.
As noted on Tuesday’s post, all shipping rates went up on January 18, much to my surprise.
I expect to be able to ship on or about Wednesday or Thursday, but that will depend as much on the local weather conditions as on anything else. If there is a delay beyond a day or two due to the weather, I will let customers know.
Available Yarns:
Rack 1 – 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84
Rack 2 – 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96
=================================
Want to always get the deals first? Insiders get better Preview Pricing discounts and sometimes reduced shipping, too! Subscribe to the Knitivity Insider.
Edit: Based on updated forecast for the coming weekend, I’m extending the Twinset TWOS-day deal through Sunday. It looks like we’ll be in a freeze for several days, which (because we are in Texas) likely means the possibility of widespread power outages. I’d rather be safe than sorry, so if I can sell a few yarns along the way, the better off I will be.
Tuesday, January 20, is Twinset TWOS-day — All matching Twinsets will be invoiced at 12% off ($24.64 per skein); all single skeins will be invoiced at 6% off ($26.32 per skein).
This is the group shot of the latest unclaimed yarns, just posted to the Blog Reader Specials page, where you will find all available yarns ready to ship.
I was also surprised to learn that shipping rates went up over the weekend, discovered after I’d already invoiced customers at the lower rate. Per news reports it is supposed to be about a 5% increase on packages. According to USPS.com my most common package (a 12-skein heavyweight box) would be $22.45 at the post office, but since I use a contracted service it will be about $16.75 for my customers in most of the United States.
And another thing — Houston is expected to get a hard freeze this coming weekend. If you know my current housing situation, it maybe be too cold for me to work, so I don’t know if I’ll have a new batch of yarns coming over the weekend. If I do, great; if I don’t, well that’ll be okay, I suppose. I have little control over the weather.