Tuesday, January 13, 2009

My personal sock club 2009

An idea I have shamelessly, in fact, proudly, stolen from a group on Ravelry is to have my own personal sock club for 2009.

If you haven't read about it, the idea is that you select sock yarn from your stash, even choose a pattern for the socks if you want, put each yarn and pattern in a separate brown paper (or similar) bag, and then every month select one at random - and there you have it, your personal sock club! It's part stashbusting, part making your yarn exciting again. And fun too!

I have chosen 12 yarns, but I'm pretty sure I won't get a pair done each month - I'll just grab a new bag when I finish the previous pair. I've picked yarns that I haven't used for socks before (with the exception of Koigu), or yarn that is "precious", or yarn that has been gifted to me (and in most cases, it's a combination of at least 2, if not 3, of those things). And all of these socks are going to be for me me me! (can you tell I'm over the Christmas knitting!)

1. Socks that Rock Lightweight - Beryl, 2. Wollmeise - Hollerstaud'n, 3. Koigu KPM, 4. HipKnits - Moody, 5. Claudia's Handpainted - Oops, 6. Dream in Colour Smooshy - Lipstick Lava, 7. ShiBui Sock, 8. Sweet Georgia sock yarn - Envy, 9. Malabrigo Sock - Chocolate Amargo, 10. Sundara Yarn - Grey over Roses, 11. Lisa Souza - Garnet, 12. Koigu

I also haven't chosen patterns for each of the yarns, although I do have a couple selected - the Wollmeise (which was from the first Wollmeise sock club shipment) will be this pattern which was designed for the yarn; the green Koigu will be Embossed Leaves; the HipKnits will be Bellatrix. I might do purl-less monkeys in either the ShiBui or the Claudias, and the Malabrigo or Lisa Souza will probably be cabled or twisted stitches, possibly something like Bayerische. We'll see how I feel on the day! (note, all Rav links)

I can't wait to "receive" my first shipment! Just have to finish another pair of socks first...

22 comments:

Bells said...

What a fabulous looking display of precious sock yarns. I'm so doing this (I know, I've been saying that for a week now). I love love love this idea! Stay tuned for my copy cat post.

amy said...

I thought about doing this for 2008, after I decided it was really too expensive to join a sock club when I already had more sock yarn than I was likely to knit anytime soon. But I didn't do it--I had a list of other things I wanted to get done. Perhaps I'll do it for 2010!! I still love the idea, especially considering I still have some of the same sock yarn I was staring at a year ago!!

Lea said...

what a fantastic idea - and who needs a sock club when you have such yummy red and green yarn ? - and besides you might get some great orange soon too. I think I will have to copy this idea - later.

Caffeine Faerie said...

I wish I had enough sock yarn to do that... It's a brilliantly fabulous idea.

Maybe I'll plan that for next year... once I've hit probation with my yarn slim-down...

Gidgetknits said...

Thanks for the brilliant idea! I'd been wondering if I should do something in lieu of a sock club (ouch - exchange rates!) and this is really the cleverest way. Although... I just have to figure out how to get 'surprise extras' in there for myself!!

LynS said...

What a great idea. May I also borrow/steal/adapt it? I have relatively little sock yarn stash, but I don't want to accumulate more, and I also need to build up my sock-knitting skills. But I suspect I have at least enough for 6 pairs (there's always more than you think), so I could do one every two months. I think I'll need public commitment via my blog and regular checking-in to make it happen!

Bells said...

Gidget is so right about needing surprise packages. I might get a 'surprise' after six pairs of socks or something.

MadMad said...

Oooooh! I think you should take it one step further and mail them to yourself, for that extra bit of excitement! (Can you tell I lead a boring life?!) Anyway, great idea! I have two sock patterns I'm dying to try: the Herringbone in IK Winter (it's also in that new book, socks with handpainted yarn), and the L one that the Harlot is making now... I can't think of the name... But both work great with yarns that are multi colored.

Andrea said...

I love it! I think I have enough sock yarn to do it, but I'm not sure (being 17,000-odd km from my stash). My current socks are started from my old stash, so they can count as my first pair - can't they? Pretty please?

Anonymous said...

I think this is a great idea. It's also a good excuse to re-display all the jewels that were hiding in the stash cupboard. :)

kgirlknits said...

saw this over on SSoS, had to rush over here and check out your fab "club" ;)

love what you've chosen!

DrK said...

its a great idea and i love it but im not doing it, and no you cant make me. not unless i do a whole heap of stash enhancement.... well ok, if i must!

Unknown said...

I love this idea and might steal it. Although by the look of your gorgeous yarns I'd like to be in your sock club.

AD
x

Sarah said...

Very nifty idea - well stolen and executed - look forward to seeing these beauties become socks throughout the year. I don't need any encouragement on the sock front - maybe I need a sweater club!

sweetp said...

Great idea, you have some lovely ones in your collection!!

Donna Lee said...

We could mail each other a skein with a pattern somewhere in the middle to mix it up and add some surprise. That might be fun. Maybe I'll try to organize something like that for the spring. Everyone in the Brown Bag club can put their names in and we'll send each other a month's selection.

Em said...

Pretty, pretty yarns. The more I think about this idea, the more I like it. I might do this (in a rather more limited capacity) for myself, too. I'm so afraid I'll screw up and somehow ruin the gorgeous yarns I have that sometimes I'm scared to cast on for socks. Huh. guess it's time to bag some up. Maybe three our four bags ought to do. Damn, between you, Bells, and Momolla, I think I might be sold on the idea.

Geek Knitter said...

Look at all the pretties! I swoon at the loveliness, truly.

This is going to be fun to watch!

Alwen said...

What pretty yarns you and Bells have up for this!

I really need to let up on the socks for myself and find another outlet for my sock yarn, though. Hmmmm.

jp said...

What a fantastic idea...and the yarn looks fabulous.

TinkingBell said...

I've been enjoying mine (but you need a big dark bag to pop them into) - when the yarn says what it wants to be, it's matched with the pattern, ziplocked and popped into the bag. Then I grab.

Occasionally I also put back (don't feel the love for cabes, or whatever) but it is fun - and it spreads your stash around so it looks less.........

Linda said...

Fab idea! Your sock yarns look lovely. :)