✨ EKF National Parks Favorites Collection ✨

🌲 faqs, fun facts + tips! 🏔

General Info

Release Date: 
Sunday, March 12th at 7pm Mountain Time
 
Turnaround Time: 
Your order will ship in 12-16 weeks (June 4th-July 2nd) after you placed your order! however, it is important to note that this is the absolute latest that your order will ship. we start shipping preorder yarn about 3-4 weeks into dyeing so we're able to keep yarn moving out of the studio as we go, making it more likely that you receive your yarn in a shorter turnaround timeframe.
 
    Shipping: 
    we automatically combine orders if you place more than one during the preorder - this is automatic so no need to email us asking us to do so
      all shipping overages over $5 will be refunded
        we ship orders as they become ready, so depending on what you order and when we dye it, you could get it well before the 12-16 week turnaround time
          if you need to change your shipping address, you must email us at explorerknits@gmail.com so we can update it in our shipping system!
                Love Tax:
                In January of this year, we did a trial run of implementing our love tax discount (previously anti-fat tax discount). This time, we're going to continue to implement it but in a slightly more efficient way for our team!
                 
                If you qualify for and would like to use the love tax discount, you will enter the phrase 'LOVE TAX' in the order notes box when placing your order. Please note that you should not enter this in the discount code/gift card box, but the order note box. This is a manual discount code we're attempting to ease the discount application process on our end!
                 
                After we close the preorder, we will sort through all orders with 'LOVE TAX' notes in them and issue a refund back to you that reflects the 10% off discount!
                As a reminder, our Love Tax discount is 10% off purchases of 7 or more skeins of the same colorway on the same base.
                 
                Bases offered:
                Variegated: Suri Alpaca Lace, Denali Sock, Cashmere Sock, Earthy Sock*, Rockies DK, Cashmere DK, Earthy DK*, Carlsbad Worsted
                 
                Tonal: Suri Alpaca Lace, Denali Sock, Cashmere Sock, Tweed Sock, Earthy Sock*, Rockies DK, Cashmere DK, Tweed DK, Earthy DK*, Bouclé DK*, Carlsbad Worsted
                 
                Colorways offered:
                Variegated: Denali National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, Acadia National Park, Sequoia National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Serengeti National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Petrified Forest National Park
                 
                Tonal: Timber, Oxide, Pollen, Tawny, Muckross, To the Stars Who Listen, Linen, Fir, Yaki, Drift, Nightfall, Chinle
                'Sets' offered:
                 
                sock sets (1 100g variegated skein + 1 20g coordinating tonal mini skein all on Denali Sock)
                 
                tonal mini skein sets (on Denali Sock and Tweed Sock)
                 
                tonal full skein sets (available on all tonal bases listed above)
                 
                variegated full skein sets (available on all variegated bases listed above)
                 
                entire collection full skein sets (available on all variegated bases listed above)
                 
                All dyed-to-order (preorder) sales are final.  
                 

                New Bases!

                Earthy Sock ($30): our 100% Non-Superwash Merino, 4-ply, 436 yards/100g
                 
                Earthy DK ($30): our 100% Non-Superwash Merino, 4-ply, 246 yards/100g, 26 micron
                 
                Bouclé DK ($30): our 100% Superwash Merino base, single ply, 240 yards/100g
                 

                Non-Superwash Fun Facts

                New to NSW? So are we! We all know how much I love our superwash bases, but I thought it would be nice for those, like myself, who haven't tried it much before and want to understand some of the interesting facts and benefits of using this base! Here are some below:
                 
                regulates body temperature well (keeping the wearer not too hot/too cold) - hikers often use wool as insulating base layers/socks to keep dry while hiking
                 
                blooms well when blocked and maintains structure, especially in colorwork projects
                 
                moisture wicking/more water resistant than superwash yarns
                 
                more sustainably produced (less resources go into non-superwash yarn processing)
                 
                dye less bright than our superwash yarns, often looking like a desaturated, more blended version of the colorway

                  Bouclé All Day

                  We are SO excited to be offering our Bouclé DK base for the very first time! A lot of people are just starting to use bouclé, so we asked our lovely boucle sample knitter for some tips and tricks for your first time working with this yarn:
                   
                  swatching with bouclé yarn is essential - because of its less elastic nature compared to our other DK bases, your non-bouclé DK gauge will likely be much different than your bouclé gauge (our sample knitter knit swatches on US 2-6 to see the fabric the boucle creates on each size for our Port Sweater sample)
                   
                  use markers - bouclé yarn is harder to read so having removable stitch markers for marking increases/decreases, etc. is recommended!
                   
                  test out needle/hook styles - some makers prefer super sharp needles to get into the bouclé stitches easier and others prefer dull needles to prevent snagging the bouclé loops. Our sample knitter recommends trying both if you have the option when swatching!