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Rockin’ 2010
Notorious Sock Knitters | December 11, 2009
Today we are posting the announcement for the 2010 sock club on the brand spanking new part of the website just for the club, where if you so desire you have the the ability to purchase Gift Certificates for those who want to give or receive the sock club membership as a holiday gift.
There are a few changes that I want to tell you about. There are also some decisions I made based on changes to overhead, and reflect what my overall vision for the club has always been and how I would like to keep it that way.
In my musings (torturing myself) over what I wanted from the club this year and what I wanted it to give you, I remembered something. Something pretty powerful and important to me and I hope, to you.
I remembered the very beginning. The start of all this sockiness. The why and how and then the why again. While this was all percolating, I got a phone call from Amy Detjen wanting to settle up some things from the Summit that was (and yes will be again). We got to talking about past-present time connections and how looking back from where we come from helped shape our choices and decisions. Historical Imperatives.
Well, as you can imagine this stirred up all kinds of stuff for me. All of this was pretty early on in the fall (it takes awhile to plan a club year, kind of like building a village). Anyway there was the bonk on the head and more ruminating and some pricing and maybe even a tear or two. I pretty much had my vision down and was on my merry way to making it a reality. Contacting designers, getting better pricing, harassing the USPS for price changes, making any blog or web changes, making sure there are still enough sheep around to make this work for another year…. it is a very long and time consuming list, and also my job which (almost all the time) I love. I am lucky and feel like a conductor of a pretty extraordinary orchestra.
I know… get to the point already. The Rockin’ Sock Club® has always been first and foremost a club all about the knitting of socks. We are completely and thoroughly all about the sock. Some even say we might take it a bit too far but I don’t agree, I don’t think that’s really possible. Secondly, we try to be fun and silly, hence the whole club aspect. In keeping with this tradition of ours and working on the idea of where we have been and where we are going - and the bridge between all of it, I’m taking our commitment to the humble sock even further.
It is my goal to achieve this through working with two designers each month for the year. One a seasoned experienced designer that has maybe been around the heel a few times, the other, a brand new designer. The extra punch here is that all of the new designers are or have been RSC members and were not designers before their membership. You know what this means right? It means we are not just creating Notorious Sock Knitters, we are birthing Notorious Sock Designers.
Each package, two designers work with the same yarn, the same colour and a theme. We get to sit back and watch what they each do and learn from it, and each time, you get two patterns. I do not have words to tell you how excited I am about this aspect of the two designer approach. Double sock knitting duty. Also opportunities for a designer challenge, won’t that be fun?
As you can see from our established designer list, we have the extreme good fortune to have Meg Swansen with us this year. A talented designer, knitter and also Elizabeth Zimmermann’s daughter. I wanted to acknowledge and honor EZ and all that she has done and given us knitters and Meg generously agreed to be a part of this.
Nancy Bush and Anne Hanson are also on this list and I am so happy to be working with Anne again and thrilled to have the chance to create a bit with Nancy. I keep pinching myself when I look at the list. Just crazy good and there are still 6 more whose names you do not know yet. It’s a surprise for you. (Not me. I know who they are.)
Also on the design end of life, we have redesigned the web presence of the sock club. Wait until you see the blog and its new features. Our new web team are rock stars and we are lucky to have them.
I have worked very hard to keep the price down- especially as costs I can’t control go up. I have done this by taking the rings off the emergency keychains so now they are emergency mini-skeins, by finding better sources for materials and building the site differently.
In all of this musing and planning, I realized that I got a little swayed from my path in the past year or so and offered more swag in each package - and really it turns out that swag (the little gifts and presents) is one of the biggest costs in the club, especially if you want good knit related tools. I remembered this year that this isn’t a swag club, it is a sock knitting club with some extras thrown in here and there. I would rather spend time and money on offering the “best in sock” then researching, buying, packing and providing swag that you didn’t ask for and might not like. There are some awesome swag clubs out there. We are just not one of them, so this year there will be some of the usual stuff, (NSK club member stuff) and then 2 surprises at some time during the year.
The costs are as follows;
Domestic: 235.00
Canadian: 239.00
International: 289.00
As you can see the price increase is greatest on the Canadian and International memberships. This is because of the USPS price increase and because we now have to fill out forms (by hand) on all Canadian & International packages. We were squeaking through on another system and they stopped us, so with our apologies and by necessity, some of the time and labor involved in that process have to be passed on.
You will also notice that we changed the shipping out of BMFA date to the last week of the month. This is to give ourselves a little slack. We’ve heard a rumor that some knitters (I think it was only a few) thought that we were late with packages almost all year because my attention was elsewhere at those times. I’ve double checked this to make sure that we were ok, and it turns out that it was simply not true - as a matter of fact there were a few times that the packages went out early to avoid conflict. (The package that came out around Sock Summit is a good example. That one went out early to make sure that the Summit didn’t mess up the club. The few times we were late (besides the time I bumped my head) were related to factors outside our control. There is a lot involved in getting this to you each month and if at any point there is a hold up in one of those steps well, I do my best to make sure this does not happen but if I order things for the club in plenty of time, well within that companies shipping terms, and they don’t come through… Never mind. Let’s leave it at how much I hate that I can’t control other companies, just this one. It looks like suppliers might have an easier time with the last week of the month, so we’re trying that.
One other issue that was brought to my attention -the lack of contests and games for the year, and I’ll take the heat on this. I have not really dropped the ball as was suggested - it was more that I let the lack of participation, comments and feedback in the contests and games lead me to believe that knitters weren’t interested in them.
In all of the playful aspects of this years club there has been only a tiny response and I took that to mean that this was not important to most of you. There are more than 2000 knitters in the club, and at it’s peak, only 80 people have ever responded or participated in this part of the program.
Still my job is to serve every single one of you, so even if there is only one response then we are going to play. (Also, I’d like to point out that your odds of winning are apparently fantastic- since there’s so little competition. ) I am sorry. I assumed and we know what that does. I should have asked. Right now the scrappy binder contest is up and there will be another contest next week to make sure that everybody (who would like to) has ample opportunity to play. (Just a quick note here: These contests and communications will always be here on the Club Blog. Some have suggested that it would be better if the forums/communication were moved to the NSK group set up on Ravelry, but that isn’t possible. Ravelry is a nice company run by some nice people who have their own rules, and besides the additional time and money it would take to monitor this site and theirs, one company cannot run it’s customer connection and care through another’s. You’ll always find us here, and we promise that as always, reaching out to us here at our company will get you awesome customer service, and we hope that the new components of the blog will make this community even more fun for you.)
Well, I think that covers just about all of what I want to say without giving too much away.
As with any new system, there is a learning curve, so let us all be patient with one another and please read all the instructions. I did my best to make this as simple as possible for us all.
Click on this link 2010 RSC and it will take you right to the Homepage.
The 2010 RSC homepage link is on the Blue Moon Site in the side navigation bar as it was last year.
We will be opening regular registration on Monday January 4th.
Sock Camp details and sign-ups to follow right after January 4th.
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37 Responses to “Rockin’ 2010”
Best of luck for Rockin’ 2010. I love this club and can’t wait to re-up. You do a fantastic job and I’m looking forward to even more sock love. Tina, you are AWESOME! Thanks for all your hard work for BMFA, Sock Summit (even if I couldn’t go), and Knot Hysteria.
Thanks so much Tina. What a great concept with the new designers. I generally don’t enter the contests because by the time my packages get delivered down here near Antarctica, it’s all over bar the shouting
But maybe I’ll try my luck this year……
There were contests? Guess I wasn’t paying very good attention.
I’ve been debating whether to re-up for next year, but after what I’ve read, how can I not?! Thanks for all your hard work!
It sounds awesome and exciting! Thank you, Tina. I’m really looking forward to making a second year with the club, even if I have to raid my change jar.
As an entrant into the Scrappy Binder contest, I’m crossing my fingers that there really won’t be much competition. My budget would be very very happy if I could sneak in a discounted club membership! (I know it’s worth every penny you charge… I just got into a bit of lace knitting this year that took up oh, about 10 months, so I didn’t have as much time to knit socks. So, I have to figure out if I should join this year, or take a year off to knit up my stash from this year! I really love all the designers though!)
Whee! Finally! I have already marked my calendar so that I will be ready to sign up in January. I can hardly wait! Everything sounds fabulous Tina. I am glad now that I bought a whole bunch of skeins of STR over the last couple of weeks, so that I will be able to knit up all of the patterns for 2010. Now all I have to do is find the time… maybe they will let me trake a sabbatical from work so that I can stay home and knit?
Have a great weekend!
Kelly in Ottawa
Dear Tina, I wanted to thank you for the amazing work you do. Reading your words reminds me of the need to just say thank you for the colour, the patterns, the dyer’s notes. I always anticipated the arrival of the sock package. While the stitch pickup was cool (thank you!), the thing the made my heart sing was the colour of the yarn and the possibility it represented.
I read it all , I love it and I will be back for my third year as a sockateer from the bottom of the world . Can’t wait
Hi there,
So, are current members going to get preference, as per usual, if we wait until January 4th to sign up? Conversely, are we supposed to buy gift certificates for ourselves? Will things be opened up for the non-members for 2009 at some later date in January?
I am bit confused.
Tina, most of all, I love the light-hearted comments you make. Sometimes it hits just when I need it most. The Dyer’s Notes are joy to read. You must spend a lot of your life in giving to us, and you have needs for yourself that get left behind. When you have gone so far and done so well with STR, you are putting your all into it. I am one after all the years in the club who entered 1 contest. I know you wanted us to participate and it must have been a little disappointing to you. But I will put more effort into those contests. I read almost all that you write to us and it is great!
Thanks Tina for all that you do, all that you give, and last - all that you share.
Hey Notorious Sock Knitters! If you think the past years’ clubs have been great…..OMG!~ The 2010 Sock Club is da bomb! I’ve only been given a sneak peak of what is to come and holy cow….our esteemed Depraved Dyer has outdone herself once again! Just when you think it can’t get any better…..POW! Looking forward to 2010 and fabulous things to come!
I am constantly amazed at how you come up with new ideas to keep the club fresh and new. Looking forward to next year. Wish I could sign up now.
I concur with those who like the key chains. I have belonged to several other sock yarn clubs and eventually dropped out of all but Rocking Sock Club. The effort and the extras I received have made it worth the price. I have also had to to use the emergency sock yarn more than once. I am very tall (6′3) and have large feet (Size 11). Because of this, I have to adjust the patterns and that little fob of yarn is enough to get the socks to fit. I would pay more for the club rather than lose the swag.
Knitting Mafia everyone signs up on the 4th. The Gift Certificates are for those who want to give the sock club as a Holiday gift.
There is plenty of room for everyone no worries. Bottomline number has not been breached yet so…
So excited Tina!! This is going to be another fabulous year, I just know it! Thank you for steering this awesome ship for us! Its going to be an awesome ride!
And I’m beyond excited to be able to be a budding Notorious Sock Designer! Thank you!!
YEA! I am so excited about the 2010 RSC. I am a new club member (joined in August 2009) and have only knit two pairs of socks (however, it better be five before Christmas because I have promised my DH, DD, and DS each a pair under the tree
). But I digress - Thank you so much for enabling me down this wonderful path! And don’t worry about the swag - Yea for the yarn, dyers notes and (now) double patterns!!
I was very excited about the extra pattern for Dec. 2009. Now I will have a whole year of being excited about extra patterns! The extra December pattern reminds me of a contest idea that I had: What do you do with the extra bits of sock yarn? The people who mail their extra bits to knitters who need extra bits to finish their socks would (obviously) win. The rest of us could play for second place.
Thanks for everything you do for us, Tina. I am happy that you stated the RSC blog will be the focus for members. Dial-up limits access to sites like Ravelry for those living in the frontier of computer access and I read everything on the RSC blog. I even participated in two contests. I am also glad that socks, not swag will prevail in 2010. And what designers you have enlisted. I am having so much fun with RSC and DH has given me a gift certificate for next year, my third year. And maybe I can swing camp in 2010. Peace and joy.
As long as I keep getting my yarn and dyer’s notes I’ll always be a happy customer. You are fabulous, the yarn is gorgeous and both are inspiring. What else could I want?
I’m thrilled and honored to be included as a designer this year. Thank you for all the work you do to support and encourage!
Wow! Twelve patterns a year! I like Kelly’s thought. I have a huge stash of my favorite yarn (and the stash grows every year) and it will be so much fun to dump it all out and root around in it to pick for the second pattern each time. I started sock knitting late in 2006 and immediately became addicted. Socks are all I knit. By the time I learned of the RSC in 2007, it was full and too late to join, but on the first day I could, I signed up for 2008. Until I got my first RSC shipment, I went through my stitch dictionaries and picked patterns to knit. I made some neat socks that year, but since joining the RSC I have learned what sock design is all about. I will be entering the contest as a new sock designer when the time comes. I have lots of ideas swimming around in my head.
This has been a very bad year for me. I lost my two best friends, my mother-in-law and my husband. Knitting socks has saved my sanity and helped me find a new state of normal. My packages from RSC are the best mail I get, even better than money. My routine is to get the mail as soon as it is delivered, rip into the envelope and check out the yarn and see how close I was to guessing what it would be. I then pull the cord and get out the pattern and dyer’s notes. A glance at the pattern and then on to the dyer’s notes where I read every word. Then a good study of the pattern. I knit almost exclusively from the toe-up so I look to see if I can convert to toe-up. Usually I can with small changes. And then the swift and winder come out and off I go! I name every pair of socks I knit and for RSC socks, I use the dyer’s notes and the pattern name as my inspiration. With each pair of socks, a new adventure begins.
I cannot adequately express how much I appreciate all the hard work and thought that goes into the RSC every year. The swag is fun, but it is the dyer’s notes, the wonderful yarn and the patterns that are most important to me. They are a chance for reflection and learning six times a year. It is one of the things, along with a wonderful, supportive bunch of friends, that has gotten me through the last year.
Sharon, I am so sorry for your loss this year. It is amazing how knitting can help us heal a little bit…I’m so glad to hear it has helped you this year especially. (((hugs)))
I think the swag is just an added bonus and I would rather have 12 patterns a year as you suggest than have other stuff. More patterns = more knitting!
I like this club and am excited to sign up in January. This will be my third year!!! Can’t wait!
{{{{Sharon}}}} Thank you for sharing what this club means for you. I am sorry for your loss of your best friends and humbled by what you wrote. It really is a special thing to belong to this club. I have learned a lot this year and look forward to what next year brings.
I can’t wait to sign up on the 4th. The RSC has helped to keep me sane this year. As a Police Dispatcher I can be fairly stressed sometimes. Like Sharon I feel that there are friends here that help me destress. I love the yarn, the patterns and the dyer’s notes. I don’t “understand” the swag and this year I was late participating and I don’t understand the games either? Not very bright I guess…LOL
We are on dial up at home, so I can’t follow along every day, but I do love being part of the club.
Hiya,Tina!
Having been a member since the beginning, I really appreciate how you’re nurturing the 2010 club with your founding vision and balancing the traditions with new vision–perfect example, the legendary designers with the up-and-coming ones! And,hey, without the keychains,my mini-skeins may become a necklace this year!
Youer reflection upon the contests and delivery times shows you’re listening and I hope all the members listen to you,in return, and remain active on the official blog rather than discussing club issues on Ravelry where they may not reach you.
The glow of the December 31st Blue Moon will light our way into another inspiring year of the Rockin’ Sock Club!
Just re-read your note Tina…taking the key ring off the mini skein is brilliant…absolutely brilliant. They will pin up much easier without it.
I love the little skein…just love it. I have to get out more perhaps.
Ack! What happened to my earlier comment?! Just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed every year I have been a member of this wonderful sock club! As for last shipments? I’ve not noticed a one, so maybe there were some who, in their socky enthusiasm *thought* their shipment was late. OK, so this last shipment was late-but that was no fault of BMFA-our glorious USPS decided not to attempt to deliver my package and instead held it hostage until my psychic ability would tell me to go pick it up!
I am amazed at how the club is ever changing and evolving with new ideas and fun! The creativity never stops and I am so happy to be a part of it all. Here’s to RSC 2010 and “Taking it to the Streets”!
I have so enjoyed being a Notorious Sock Knitter this past year! My first year has been beyond my expectations. I just discovered sock knitting in Sept ‘08 and am seriously addicted. Joining this club helped open up a whole new world of yarn possibilities beyond self-patterning Opal-LOL. I love reading the Dyers Notes with each shipment. Reading about the idea behind and thought put into each colorway adds so much. I love the glimpses into Tina’s color brain.
The yarn quality and gorgeous colorways have helped me to totally reach SABLE this past year (with the help/temptation of those discounts). My STR yarn is my favorite for sock making. I’ve just recently branched out to using it for making some baby items for my anticipated first grandchild (yay-finally!).
Since I am an empty nester, I really felt I needed for something in my life besides work, and knitting has so filled it for me. It’s introduced me to other wonderful knitters, and opened me up to so many new experiences. I found out about Sock Summit through Stephanie and Tina, and it was the highlight of my year. The planning, excitement, seeing the premier designers, the fantastic opportunity to take a class with Cookie-what a treat to end the year with one of her sock designs! SS, and treating myself to this club was something I never would have done for myself in the past. Thank you for this lovely club-I am so very excited about the coming year and can’t wait to see all the new patterns. My socks, and my life, will continue to rock!!
This is just terrible!
In 2007, I saw the lovely packages my friend got, and it drove me batty. I joined in 2008, and I really loved it, but I got bogged down somewhere and didn’t keep up. I HAD to join again in 2009, and I was sure I could catch up, easy. But I’ve been very, very bad this year, and I’ve not done much sock knitting. I still haven’t finished all the kits from 2008, and I won’t let myself skip ahead, so I really shouldn’t join for 2010.
But I really want to. It would be so much easier if Tina didn’t make this sound so awesome!
Of course I’ll be signing on for another year. There cannot be too much focus on sock knitting. Don’t you even dare entain such a thought, Tina!
My only little complaint is I’ve been jonesing for a “NSK World Domination Tour” T-shirt all year…every since I saw it appear on the blog opening page! Nope, can’t get too overzealous with the sock knitting! Somebody has to take this sock knitting seriously! I think some of my casual aquaintances think we’re sock knitting mercinaries, or something. Gotta keep ‘em guessing. hugs!
We are designing a World Domination tshirt to put up for sale to all you NSK’s.I saw it yesterday and I
am thrilled.
Must Knit Faster….want the tshirt too..LOL
I am not sock knitting tonight, I am sewing bunny ears on a 4 1/2 inch tall rabbit? He is very cute and the socks are calling me.
If I don’t want to put beads on last January’s club socks do I get tossed out of the Club?
Looking forward to 2010.
Woohoo!! T-shirts and everything!! Of course, I’m so far behind with sock kits that I probably shouldn’t join, but hey, it’s Tina, it’s Socks That Rock, it’s …. it’s…. fun!!
A t-shirt! Excellent! I am definitely interested. I want to be the coolest kid on my block in my brand-spankin new rockin’ sock club gear!
Back home from y trip to Egypt..of course I carried along my RSC..did some recruiting.. so shall see..I am so excited to start another year with RSC..Keep coming up with great fun..Thanks for not going to anything else..I just enjoy my carry along socks…so do others…
Tina, as a new sock club member I loved the work you did this year. I am not in it for the swag but the colours and the patterns and the comments. I love knitting my socks and thinking about other club members around the globe knitting away as well. I didn’t participate in the contests because I barely have knitting time let alone contest time. But! I like to see the results, read the comments etc and will try harder next year. As for the Ravelry issue- on dial up at only 28kB/sec in the boonies it is almost impossible to use. Keep the Blog! Carmen
will there be a new blog for 2010 or will the wordpress 2009 one just be updated?
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