Global Backyard Yarn & Cookie A Socks = 2 of My Favorite Things!

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It’s always magical when an old favorite thing and a new favorite thing team up! In this project, I paired an old favorite pattern (Cookie A’s In and Out Socks) with some buttery soft sock yarn from my new favorite indie dyer (Global Backyard).

We’ll start with the new thing… well, new to me… the yarn! I swear this stuff feels like it’s cashmere, but it’s actually spun out of extra fine merino wool. It comes in beautiful semi-solid/tonal colors as well as some beautiful variegated colorways if that’s your jam. (I used the Mango Cream colorway here and I snagged some Cherry Blossom for my next pair!)

Global Backyard yarn checks off all the boxes of what I look for in sock yarn:

• Fiber content is 85% Superwash Merino Wool (19.5 Microns!) & 15% Nylon. This is an ideal fiber combo because it has enough nylon to add durability but it’s not so much nylon that it interferes with the natural moisture-controlling properties of the wool. (No sweaty feet on my watch!) Plus, superwash treatment is a non-negotiable for me when it comes to sock yarn.
• Dyed in small batches in a home studio, but using professional methods and commercial dyes. As much as I love shopping from indie-dyers, I have to admit that I’ve had bad experiences with the dye bleeding onto my hands while I work and/or totally fading in the wash.  So, here you get the quality of a large manufacturer but the satisfaction of supporting an individual maker and a small business.
• Free Shipping on $35+ orders! OK, so, as a small business owner myself, I know that it kind of sucks to have to offer free shipping to compete with retailers like Amazon.  So I’m definitely not saying that all shop owners should offer free shipping…  but….  as a consumer, I’ve got to admit, I love free shipping and this is an awesome perk!
• Wool is sourced from a certified mulesing-free supplier. If you don’t know what that means, just trust me when I say that this is a very good thing… I seriously regret googling the term because the pictures are pretty horrifying. I absolutely love that this yarn is as animal-friendly as wool can be.

And now I shall sing the praises of my old favorite thing: Cookie A Sock Patterns!!  If you read my blog a lot, you’ll pick up on a trend that Cookie A is one of my favorite designers. This pattern is called In and Out. I’ve knitted these once before, so I knew what I was getting into… the lace isn’t exactly for the feint-hearted, but they really are beautiful. By the way, I usually knit socks on a US 1.5 needle, but I love the way these look with a tighter gauge on US 1 needles.

Also, FYI, some important Cookie A news: I’m wondering if she’s having an issue with Ravelry because there’s no button to download her patterns there anymore? I tried emailing her but never got a response, which didn’t surprise me because she’s been MIA for a long time. (Hope she’s okay!?) You can buy the pattern on her website but note that the site doesn’t currently have a security certificate… so, you know… buyer beware. If you really want to knit these socks, I’d recommend trying to track down a print copy of her book Knit. Sock. Love. on eBay or at your library. It’s a fantastic pattern collection!

Now for my usual project notes…

yarn details

Global Backyard Sock Yarn in Mango Cream
Fingering Weight
85% Superwash Wool, 15% Nylon
Machine-Washable & Dryable but I’ll Handwash…
100 g/437 yd skein
Purchased in July 2022

project details

pattern: “In and Out” by Cookie A from Knit. Sock. Love. (Ravelry Link)
needles: US size 1 (2.25 mm), nickel-plated fixed circular needles (magic loop)
gauge: 18 stitches and 25 rows over 2” in stockinette (blocked)
yarn used: 315 yards (72 grams)
finished size: Tip of Toe to Back of Heel: 9”; Bottom of Heel Flap to Top of Cuff” 8”
duration: August to October, 2022