Niqkita's Sock Journal

one of the first socks I bought and sold were the Pippy Longstockings.
Always a favorite, they are the ultimate comfort sock.
But even early on availability was sporadic at best with at least a couple of dry years when no amount of begging the folks responsible for EG Smith seemed to help. Then it did and they became plentiful, once again, sporadically. And all the while it has been my quest, to have them made in greater variety, longer, different patterns, textures, but no one, but one, seems able to do these just as they are, let alone better…
longer, better top stretch, colors? We have obtained and distributed an amazing variety of really cool socks, some of them pretty darned close…
but these remain just out of reach.

Last spring I was offered the real thing, made for us, longer, under our label and I jumped at it, along with the original length, leg warmers, stockings & tights.
The labels are gorgeous, by the way, wait til you see them.
As some of the most promising things in life go, we never did get that one item I wanted, the one sock that I made the whole deal in hopes of obtaining never showed up in a big box too heavy to lift. Lots of these did though, and leg warmers, OTK stockings (soon to be added) & Lemonade Stockings (we still need to cut those lemons & mix in the sugar, but the first batch will be up & ready for a picnic soon enough).
As of this past week I found out that we could not get the longer version afterall, the sample of the replacement version was not at all the same sock so I rejected it based on quality and cost. But this quest, and many other sock dreams, are far from over.
and now, a little flash back…

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.

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.

Liz & Amanda recently dreamed up a whole new batch of stripy combinations…

Last week they all arrived here at the warehouse
…so we set about trying them out and taking pictures

Liz did the photography and write up (“copy”) for this style
and I was beckoned to join them for a group shot to use for the thumbnail
…it was a welcome break from my daily doings! We both had cameras so I shot a few from my perspective. They are pretty colors, unusual combinations I wouldn’t have thought up myself, and the usual old-fashioned fit, like the other striped Dream Stockings have. Someone recently referred to this as being “from the days before lycra”. Actually, they do have a touch of lycra in them, just not that snug, hold onto your every curve, kind of lycra content most socks have, and many of us like it that way. They go over our knees and stay in our dreams, they may not stay up perfectly or fit everyone and we love them just the same! if you love our various colored knees combos or our M Stripes these are a cornucopia of yummy new choices!

Naomi was, as usual, late for her own party…
Kimi had been waiting for what felt like days, weeks even, for her best friend to be ready. For the umpteenth time she was changing skirts and threw another shoe across the room. “Maybe I should just wear pants!” Naomi announced in frustration as Kimi stared out the window of the warehouse replying “why don’t you just put on some tights so we can get going? you’ll be able to stay up longer anyway if you do…” “I’m perfectly capable of staying up on my own you know” Naomi replied smartly as she slipped on some cowboy boots and marched towards the door continuing, “just because I don’t have those cool stay ups in my top like you do doesn’t mean I’m going to come tumbling down anytime soon, besides, I’m marled!”

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!!!

 

shhhh … I mean it!!

Keep it down now …. cause once it gets out that THESE ARE SOOO fANTASTIC  everybody and their mother is going to buy multiple pairs and deplete the stock before I get more. Envision an old movie department store scene where people are grabbing anything, and mutiple tug’s of war breakout…  ”mine, mine, mine” “I had it first” “let go of my sock” “Unhand that thigh high you cad“  :O)

Simone brought our fall order in the other day…
I have been eagerly testing them out every day since!
I’ve photographed all but two styles (will add those next week) and am editing away tonight/tomorrow til I have them all ready to go. As soon as I do I’ll make them all live, should be by tomorrow afternoon. I already added in the four new argyles.
I went with small amounts of everything for this first order because they are fine Italian made socks and could put a dent in anyone’s sock budget, even mine. After trying nearly all of them I am most excited about the ribbed wool OTKs and will be ordering oodles to keep you all warm in the wee winter months ahead…

notice how the larger size on the left are indeed longer than the smaller size on their right …and the stretch amazed us! unfortunately it was far too warm to really give those a try, but I saw enough to know you are all going to love them!

btw, do any of you know the name and/or origin of the flower symbol on these?

I love these on warm days and cool days and on weeks like this when the weather can change noticeably in less than 20 minutes they are especially nice because not only do they look ever-sO-Lovely over my knees, they are awesome slouched…
You get a totally cool casual look and feel with the greatest of ease.

and, of course, the really good news today is that the small footed are in!!!

Raubynn has sort of been an unofficial sock girl and one of my dearest friends for at least a couple of years now. She, like so many of you, often has trouble getting socks to properly fit her above average feet & stems so a pair of the robin’s egg blue O Lovelies in the large size was a must try for her. And just like us she found the large size too large for her shoe size 10 toes, and just like us she loved them anyway. When she showed me her pictures I asked if I could share her results with all of you because her shoes are so darned pretty! We have the small size on its way to us now too…

I have to say I loved these on line from the first moment
…but then when I got them in my hands I wasn’t too sure
…and the foot was actually very large….
I just wasn’t sure…
although the look is what was in my memory from long ago
…after boiling them to shrink the feet (heehee) and actually wearing them around –
I really fell in love with them
…and they are so good with maryjanes- were not too thick at all…
loved the look and I loves the little – not too much – slouchiness of them….
very old fashioned I think….
very Brooke Shields “Pretty Baby”…

the color is so soft on these…very beautiful…and i adore the ribbing.
and both sides stayed thru all my wearing them the way i had arranged them…
one side cuffed with a bit of scrunch…the other up over my knee. A+