Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Kristin Nicholas Sock Yarn from Nashua Handknits

The title of this post kind of says it all. This is my big news! I've designed a sock yarn for Nashua Handknits in my very own color range. They've named it Best Foot Forward - or BFF for short. There are 8 lovely color combinations.

My sock yarn had its debut at TNNA over the weekend and it was such a huge hit. It was the first time I had seen it except in the presentation materials shown here. This page is the lay-out as the yarn is shown in Nashua's Look Book that is mailing to all their current wholesale accounts this week. Doesn't it look great?

Here's what the label looks like. Lydian, the graphic designer at Nashua, took some of my spot art I found recently and used one of my flowers on the front of the label. Then she gently squeezed in a small photo of each of the colors in a knitted up swatch. I think this is a great idea so that sock knitters know all the variations that are out there and can keep coming back for new colors.


The put-up is also knitter-friendly. It comes in 100 gram balls so one ball is enough to make a pair of socks. The yarn is composed of the standard sock blend - 75% wool and 25% nylon - so it will be long lasting and wearable. The yarn was spun in Italy and there are 459 yards in each ball! I've got to find some size 1 sock needles and start a pair with the couple of balls I snagged from the Nashua trade show booth!

I designed the sock yarn's colorway so that it mimics my Fair Isle designs that I usually knit in my Julia yarn. I combined solid stripes of color with some "faux" Fair Isle bands. The Fair Isle Bands were designed to look like Ikat fabric. Ikat fabric is one of my favorite fabrics made by hand-dyeing warp threads before dressing a loom. There are many ethnic cultures who still make ikat fabric. When I was in college and grad school studying textiles and weaving I made my own ikat fabrics. It was incredibly difficult to do and I marvel at the precision that textile makers in other countries still do to produce such incredible patterned fabrics. Have a look at this website if you are curious. I've got a few of these fabrics in my textile collection and I really treasure them!

As with all sock yarns, depending on the number of stitches and the width of the sock, your socks will vary from the photos on the label. But at least you get an idea of the color range and the finished product.

If you are a local yarn store (and I know there are plenty of you reading out there since I met so many of you this weekend), make sure you ask your Nashua/Westminster rep about my new sock yarn Best Foot Forward. Nashua is running a special - if you buy one bag each of the eight colors, you'll receive a free sock for display. But place your order quickly as sample socks may be limited. The yarn is due to ship to stores in the middle of July.

Look for it then!

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

The colors look great, and the name is the best ever for a sock yarn. Congratulations,
Gretchen

Unknown said...

Awesome color combinations. Can't wait to try it.

Katrina said...

This is so cool!

beth said...

Oh my! Now I really, really do have to learn how to knit socks.

ellen said...

It's all so beautiful, and I too, need to learn to knit socks. I find them frightening.

Unknown said...

I LOVE that! And I'm really into self-patterning sock yarn. Can't wait to try it!

Louisa said...

Those are the most beautiful sock yarns ever! Of course they would be, being yours, Kristin. Can't wait to see if I can snag some eventually. Congrats on the new book also!

Thistledew Farm said...

ooooo, lovely! Makes me want to learn to knit - I am dangerously close to putting down my crochet hook for a pair of needles! Love the BFF play!!!

Eileen said...

Beautiful colors! Can't wait to try it.

Dianne MacDonald said...

Congratulations! This is a "good thing" you have done. Everyone needs to have at least one pair of socks on the needles all the time. The colorways are so happy!

countrychicken said...

Congrats!! I am really excited about this. Tonight is my last sock class - toe-up - so I'm ready for some of that great looking yarn you have designed. My LYS was in Columbus this past weekend at the show - I hope they ordered some of your yarn!!

Nik said...

This comes at a time when I'm becoming a sock knitter. The designs are really nice.

kelley hart said...

That yarn is so YOU! I must get my mom to knit me up a pair.

Mereknits said...

Kristen I am new to sock knitting but will look for your lovely yarns. You did a great job witht he colors.
Meredith

Julie said...

I'm not a big sock knitter, but I may make an exception. The colors and patterns look really great!

Anonymous said...

OMG the colors are fabulous. why am I not surprised! Can't wait to order some from somewhere asap.I need this yarn in my collection I love Ikat and to have it in socks is fantastic.

mascanlon said...

Ok, that's done it, I have to master knitting beyond k in a circle until you run out of yarn!

TerryMoran said...

Really well done. I love self-patterning yarns. I still think they're magic! Can't wait to buy some this Summer.

marit said...

Great colours!

Sarah said...

Love it. Can't wait to try making it up.

alison said...

Beautiful!...The colors are absolutely delicious! I am dreaming of socks, and mittens, and hats...oh my! Can't wait to get my hands on this new yarn!

Anonymous said...

What would make it perfect for me would be enough of one of the colors in a solid to make heel and toes. I love socks with solid heel and toes in matching or contrasting color.
Judy

Kate G. said...

Congratulations, Kristin. It's only June and already you have a lamb business, a book and a new yarn line launched.

Leslie said...

Oh this is *wonderful*! I really love self striping or self patterning sock yarn as I dislike having to tote a stitch pattern with me. Socks are my "meeting and/or waiting room" project; I used to have a "car book" now I have "car socks"

Willow said...

How soon will BFF be in yarn shops?

I'm visiting in LA for a few days and am going to check out a couple yarn shops in the South Bay.

Anonymous said...

Kristen,

Your creative spirit shines through in the book and yarn. Lovely stuff to look at. I am looking forward to the book's release in November.

Debra in Seattle

Unknown said...

These are great looking--I like the wider "faux fair isle" bands and the Ikat style patterning. As usual with your colors, there isn't a clunker in the group. Will be putting the word in at my lys.

Turtle said...

huge congrats! i love the colorways and self striping designs! Nice job!!

Anonymous said...

Kristin, it's terrific -- I like the combos and esp. patterning more than Kaffe's actually. I'll for sure be looking for this at my LYS. Congratulations!

Amy Greeman said...

Kristin! This almost makes me want to knit socks.

Shell said...

~~~~~~~~~~~
hi Kristin,
~~~~~~~~~~~
wow, I can't wait to use your yarns,
gorgeous colors ~ I'll be knitting socks for me, my son, baby friends and perhaps even the beloved cat :)
Knitting gives me so much joy because of great dsigners such as yourself to help me on my fiber journey with fabulous yarns.
Beautiful work ~ wonderful label design too.
~ meow to TheKittenFarmer ~
I have five baby kittens on my porch.
Shell

WandaWoman said...

Very nice! Congrats to you! I love the colors, but that's not surprising. You use colors that I tend to gravitate towards naturally anyway.

Cindy said...

Placing our order today...yahoo! Hoping to get you to Saratoga???

Karin said...

I was just going to say I hope a yarn shop near me will stock this, and there's Cindy ordering it already. Cool.

barb said...

I found you on my PBS channel (thank goodness we got rid of cable or I would have never seen the show you were on, its only on local channels). ANYWAY, your new yarn is beautiful. I am new to knitting, but I am a sockaholic. I love knitting socks. I am anxious to knit pairs of socks from your gorgeous colored yarn.

barb in MI

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