I changed my mind: Fiber of the Month club prices are going to stay the same for the foreseeable future. My club members are my favorite people in the universe! I think they deserve an extra break.

Tomorrow, the Gritty Knits fiber club selection will get a little bigger: NOM of the month club memberships will be available… with a super duper special double-yarn offer for anyone who signs up by May 31. (In case you didn’t know, my clubs have no time commitments. Even if you don’t want to join the club long-term, you can still take advantage of the two-for-one yarn deal in June.)

Oh man. I have really been dreading having to write this blog. Though I’d prefer to beat around the bush for a while longer, I’ll just come out and say it. (Er… type it.) I have to raise my prices.

Here’s why:

Three times over the past couple years, I’ve gotten letters from my main fiber suppliers explaining that the price lists were changing due to the rising costs of raw materials, and three times I did the math and decided that I could afford to eat the difference and keep my retail prices the same. “You’ll still make money because the lower you keep your prices, the more they can afford to buy!” said the little voice in my head. Then when the post office changed the base rate for Priority Mail to a more expensive, tiered system, I kept my shipping the same and decided I could afford to lose a dollar or two per order on that too.

Well, yesterday the email came with the dreaded fourth price increase, and WOW… It’s bad enough that I finally have to adjust the prices on Gritty Knits to reflect my new sky-high costs. I’m going to keep them as low as I can afford to, and continue to offer bulk discounts on certain fibers. There will be an extra $1 added to shipping charges but it will still be flat rate, no matter how huge your order is. (As always, those with teeny-tiny orders can still contact me directly for a custom invoice.)

New prices will go into effect May 1, and will be limited to mostly the ecru fibers/combed tops. Fiber of the month clubs will also see a change, but existing members will be grandfathered-in with their current rates for as long as they stay.

Prices will remain the same for angelina and yarn.

Our squishalicious new merino/cashmere/nylon sock yarn NOM is now available in the shop. It comes with a free pattern, and it’s this month’s never-ending-sale item, so get it while it’s cheap!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the starting lineup for the 2011 season of NOM yarn. Batting first is Sour Apple, followed by Sunny Days and Seasoning. In fourth position is the clean-up man Nude. Rounding out the team are Oil Change, Violette and Barbie. Opening day is April 1st; regular price tickets will be $28 at the gate, discounted to $22 for the month of April so we can start building a fan base. There will also be a few AAA team members in the discount bin such as Marina, Scarlet and I Hate Oranges on permanent discount for $18.

Finally, after a year of planning and a couple of false starts, the newest addition in the Gritty Knits yarn family will be available for sale at the beginning of next month. Nom is a fingering weight, kettle-dyed yarn made from a blend of 80% superwash merino wool, 10% cashmere, and 10% nylon. Each 105 gram hank contains a generous 460 yards. Nom is dyed by hand in small batches and bathed in Eucalan wool wash before being sent to the drying rack. This yarn is incredibly versatile; soft enough to wear around your neck, yet strong enough to be made into socks. Nom fans will also receive their choice of free pattern with purchase.

I just finished knitting my first pair of Nom socks and I’m sketching designs for a pair of gloves. I can’t wait to see what beautiful projects others make with it.

Oh boy, the mailman left me a package! I wonder what it could be!

I have absolutely no idea what could possibly be contained inside… although I am suspicious of the fact that it’s shaped like a human leg.

Surprise! It’s actually a human leg!

Uh oh, maybe the mob is trying to send me a message. (Or maybe I ordered it from Ebay to model my new sock pattern. But that’s much less exciting than my other theory.)

Sighhh… one of my angelina suppliers is no longer going to carry the color Sweetheart Red. They said it wasn’t a big seller.

Oh, Red, I feel like we should have had more time together! Think of all the batts you and I could have carded! What will I use when I want angelina that’s more copper than red, but more red than copper? Why must the good die young? So long, old pal. I will miss you dearly.

p.s. I bought all they had left. There’s plenty in the store right now but once those are gone, I won’t be able to restock.