…just yesterday Mr Natosi & I argued over whether or not it is cool to send candy to strangers. I’m not saying I don’t think it’s a great idea and I know some do it and it is received with extreme glee, it just isn’t a liability I want to take on, so instead I am offering you, our beloved Sock lovers, friends, family & fans a chance to get these
~ ::((( tasty handmade hand warmers )))::~
of which we have only a small and limited supply of…
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Reviewed by Trina:
Before a couple of years ago I had all but given up on wearing tights. Even queen size hose were pretty iffy, unless I was looking for something that barely fit my thighs, bagged out at my ankles and feet, but could be pulled up to my armpits. I am near the smaller end of the plus size spectrum, about a size 16-18, but still there just aren’t a lot of options out there. Then Niq asked me to try the Foot Traffic Combed Cotton tights. I was skeptical, but I obliged. They fit, actually fit, curves, thighs, tush and all, and did not end up being an almost body suit! I was soooooo excited.
Then came word that we were going to be able to order a plus size version.
OVER THE MOON! Because even though the regular size is amazing, I was almost maxing out the stretch, the waist band rolled a bit, and the thighs did tend to wear out faster than I hoped.
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It has snowed every day for nearly a week now with more due.
This being our busiest week online I was grateful for everyone braving the elements every day to keep the socks flowing out our door & into your homes.
Saturday was the last big day for shipping, and the forecast calls for freezing rain and ice so I announced first thing Saturday morning that Sunday is a snow day for us, no one will be working in our warehouse and our store will be closed. Yes, this should be a huge weekend for our store, not in the ice though, the roads will not be safe, the news keeps telling us so. Stay home if you were gonna come see us because we’re not there.
Don’t worry, we will be back on Monday, all bundled up and ready to go…
If you need your socks by Wednesday they best be shipped 2 day express, or picked up at our store, we’ll be there til 4 on Wednesday. Well, we won’t actually be there personally, our vacation starts after we get caught up on Monday!!! But we’ll have plenty of Sock Dreamers on hand to get you your socks & other dreamy goodies.
Happy Winter Solstice!!!
In previous years Ozone has had an angora jambiere that was quite popular.
This year they’ve made a mohair version and wow is it warm!
thick, soft and really toasty, especially if you wear them over a pair of cotton or bamboo tights (try MP cotton lined wool tights or leggings for the ultimate warm combo). I wasn’t sure I needed a pair of these mohair socks til I tried them, then I thought about it… long ribbed mohair socks that are actually made in France and only cost $45. I know, times are tough and we’re all watching our spending, uncertain what the future holds. For $45 I can stay warmer without turning the heater up, I can enjoy wearing skirts on chilly days, and they are really stylish not merely functional, suddenly they are sounding like a very good value. But I hate itchy wool things and don’t always want to layer to lessen the itch. …that’s okay because I wore these over bare skin on a very windy day with a cute skirt and a light velvet overcoat and I was totally comfy. Only had to pull the socks up sporadically, not every step or every five minutes, just once in a while. Plus, uncuffed they went just about to the tops of my legs! of course, your results may vary, but my body double Dara (I say that only because several of us often have a hard time telling which of us is in a picture of legs if there are no hints given) has longer more muscular legs than I do and they were nearly thigh high on her too, but she cuffed them down for the photos to help keep expectations realistic…
Another high end treat:
Orkney Angora leg warmers…
For years I ordered their anklets, knee highs & thigh high angora socks as well, but as they and they’re staff get older they have decided not to make those by hand anymore. Happily, they are still making us the wrist and leg warmers, though for how much longer I am uncertain. If there is still a strong enough market for $60 fuzzy warmth this winter I may bring in more colors, for now I stuck with the classics: black, brown, charcoal and olive…
Stay warm with us, and we’ll keep the comfy socks & warmers coming!
SPRINKLES!!!!! I Luvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv SPRINKLES!!!
O Nubbies are a rich creamy vanilla sock with a generous serving of happy little multicolored sprinkles scattered all around (red, green, blue, yellow, and orange nubbly bits lovingly tossed about on an uber cozy sock). They are quite sweet looking, and there is a soothing comfort to wearing them.. I can’t quite figure out what exactly gives them that effect (perhaps its the decadent dessert thoughts that the sprinkle pattern evokes… or maybe its the soft to the touch, thick and cuddly sock itself)… whatever it may be, it’s good…. yummy good!!
Having larger/longer legs and my size 11’s to contend with… of course you know that I’m going to say I wish these could be a bit longer in the feet and in the legs. However… these are certainly still VERY wearable for me! They come up easily over my wide calves, and although they just reach knee high on me, they stay up perfectly there unless I decide to push them down (by the way… they look adorable scrunched around the ankles like slouchies).
I may have to grab a pair of the new Men’s Extra Long Sock Garters. I’m thinking that I’d love to do the sweet yet tough contrast look and mix my O Nubbies up with a pair of dark brown men’s garters and some beat up canvas ankle boots. (talk about too cute!).
And just think…. whereas endulging in an abundance of real sprinkled desserts may not end up looking so good on the legs… these sprinkled treats will look great no matter how many pairs you stuff in your drawers.
It was a gorgeous day today…
dense fog in the morning, followed by a day of sunshine.
I was doing some work in the warehouse when I heard footsteps overhead.
I snuck up the ladder and peeked out over the roof…
and there I spied Liz
with two of our coworkers posing in socks.
You see, we have new Dream Stockings
and Liz, leader of the Dream Stocking section
is getting pictures of them for you…
what you don’t see is that Sixten is off to the side
in the new & improved M Squareds
and sock garters, because Lily, our resident sewing ninja
is sewing up oodles of sock garters so we may finally stay in stock
and we need pictures, lots and lots of pictures.
More on these latest items in the days ahead.
Sock Inspector Lola says: Get down from there at once!
…surely being so far from the ground is a safety hazard.
If you’re looking for a warm wool sock to keep your feet and legs warm this winter, get the Lambswool Turncuff OTK. These are a thick knit sock, reminiscent of old socks that your granny would knit by hand for you. At first they are a bit itchy and tight to get on, just as their page mentions, and they weren’t quite long enough for me to turn a cuff down. I don’t usually pull my socks up very tight, but in writing this review I realized they should be able to have a cuff turned over, so I tried to pull them up much higher and what a nice surprise! I got at least an extra 2-3 inches in height. Which I promtly turned into a cuff. Once I pulled them tight they easily came over 4 inches above my knee. I guess the fibers needed to *warm up* to become more agreeable. Amazing what happens when you pull your socks up isn’t it? ;)
Made from 72% wool and 28% nylon, I was a little worried about itchiness before I got them on. For testing I put one sock over a nylon to try and reduce the itch, while the other sock was worn on bare skin. The one on bare skin *warmed up* better and I was able to pull it higher than the other sock. Interestingly, the sock on bare skin stopped itching completely so the nylon under the other sock became unnecessary. In fact, it became uncomfortable as the toes on that foot got colder. Wool has the amazing ability to retain body heat. So, hey, let’s learn some about wool shall we? :)
edited from wikipedia.org:
Fibers with a fine crimp have many bends and usually have a small diameter. The number of bends per unit length along the wool fiber approximately indicates spinning capacity of the wool.
Because of the crimp, wool fabrics have a greater bulk than other textiles and retain air, which causes the product to retain heat. The amount of crimp corresponds to the thickness of the wool fibers. A fine wool like merino may have up to a hundred crimps per inch, while the coarser wools like karakul (a corser wool used mainly in Asia for rugs) may have as few as one to two crimps per inch. Wool possesses much greater ability to return to its natural length after being stretched than any artificial fiber.
~In water or steam, wool can stretch to about twice its length without breaking.
~It is difficult to ignite and has low flame spread and heat release properties. (A woollen rug has protected a horse from severe burns when his trailer caught on fire.)
~Wool has the power to readily absorb and give off moisture. It can for instance, absorb moisture up to one-third of its own weight. Synthetic fibers can only absorb 2-3 per cent of moisture before they begin to feel wet.
~Wool absorbs sound and reduces noise level considerably making it an ideal material to use in such places as concert halls to attain the best acoustics possible.
~The retention of moisture within the fabric prevents a build-up of static electricity.
~The tensile strength of wool gives it a very high resistance to flexing stresses. This feature enables wool to pass through severe processing without undue waste, and allows the manufacture of a durable fabric.
~Wool does not conduct heat, but acts as insulator to keep the body at an even temperature.
~Wool and sheep have not undergone any genetic modification. (Except Dolly the cloned sheep)
~Wool is generally a creamy white color, although some breeds of sheep produce natural colors such as black, brown, silver and random mixes.
So, wool is the perfect fiber for warm winter socks! I think the Lambswool Turncuff OTK are a fabulous sock! They’re long, beautifull and comfy cozy. I can see both men and women enjoying these socks. The marling is just gorgeous & the black has alot of blue in it. It’s quite beautifull. The feet fit my 6.5 feet just a touch loosely in the toes, so I’m thinking they’d fit a size 7-8ish perfectly. There’s big thick ribbing all the way down to the toes, yet the soles of the feet are a smooth knit, so you’re not walking on ribbing. Which can hurt after awhile.
After a washing they got even softer and more dreamy. But beware: because they are wool, heat and movement while wet will make these shrink up, so best to let them soak & dry flat. But they should also work well with wet stretching if any of you need to do that. These also stay up well too. They’re made by Hot Sox and come in 3 colours. At $17.00 a pair, it’s a wonderfull winter sock.
The choreographer/director of the dance video in the last post sent me this still image this weekend. I love that they are all wearing our striped Dream Stockings!
I don’t get a chance to post every worthy picture people send us.
…but some are just so charming I can’t resist.
Now, to start our week…
two nice letters I found in feedback this morning:
Message:
I just received a variety of your socks/thigh highs from my hubby. I love the socks & your site and have added you to my bookmarks. I sense an addiction brewing ;)
Sincerely,
Rachel
Message:
Just found your site… where have I been. Thank goodness there are others who share my passion for socks. My faves are stripy ones – there used to be a store here in my town called Socks Appeal, but they have long since closed down, so I was left to scour the shelves during Halloween mostly to try to find some comforting socks… I had almost given up hope. Thank you again – soon to be a very loyal customer! :)
Malena
and an odd one…
where can I get info on mens floppy socks
thank you
Brian
Can anyone tell me what “men’s floppy socks” are exactly?
11/28/07 update, loose socks was what he sought.
Remember when you were little and you wanted to wear that tiara to the grocery store… or the football helmet to your Aunt Celia’s wedding? Remember how that one favorite thing to wear could change the mood of every adventure you had? These favorite things seemed to take on magical powers, and we got to be someone special each time we wore them.
Armwarmers and gloves are like that for me… The moment I put them on I feel special. I end up pointing much more than necesssary (which way did you want to go, this way? that way?… oh it’s over there… etc.) I tend to make grand sweeping gestures with my hands just to catch a glimpse of how these fun accesories accent what I feel is the second most expressive part of us all (our face being the first). My large hands feel prettier, more delicate… and don’t even get me started on the funky factor of anything that gets to hang out over your wrists with folds of fabric.
They are also most excellent for “squishing tall buildings”
These are perfect for holding the hand of someone you love
Now when you take something this cute and make it in plaid, it just can’t get any better than that.
The Plaid arm warmers fit my larger hands just fine, they come mid way up my forearm all the way stretched out (but I like em scrunched up at the wrist). These are the sort of thing that look even better the more you wear em.
Sure these have a function… they can certainly help to keep you warmer on brisk days…
but for me, these are just pure magic fun! (I’m even wearing them while I’m typing this up… they ummm, really help with my typing… yeah, that’s it… wearing them helps with my typing) ;o)
Yes, our 1000th item has been added!
now, not all of the 1000 being counted are still active, but many are.
In fact, because I added these a few weeks ago (just didn’t have pictures ready) and have added quite a few since we are actually up over 1034 right now.
And that does not account for size and color options…
which brings our choices for you to well over 1000!!!
At $11.00 these little cammies are a pretty cool deal. They come in four choices that stay up for just about anything. But true to most woven patterned socks, these are going to be snug, even on thin legs, bearable for me, but large legs beware! We’ve got a few other new Super Kawaii choices too. And more B.ellas coming, with new Hot Sox and MPs not too far behind!!!
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