Here be Spoilers (Rockin' Sock Club members look away now)

I've been spoiled on all but one of this year's Rockin' Sock Club packages, which was pretty damned disappointing. I wasn't out looking for spoilers, rather the reverse - I was just innocently looking at Ravelry when people hadn't posted the spoiler image rather than their project, and on two occasions I was spoiled by the RSC's own blog before my package had made its glacial way to the UK. Blue Moon thoughtfully packaged things so that they went through letterboxes, so it wasn't as if I had one of my usual waits until I could get to the post office... it was just taking up to 3 weeks to get here.

Anyway; this time's sock yarn is gorgeous. The Yarn Harlot has already posted it on her blog, so everyone in the knitting world has seen the stuff now. And thankfully I'd opened mine just before she posted...

I need to finish the Christmas knitting before I start this - but blimey, it's lovely.

However, I shan't be joining the club again this year. Apart from the exchange rate problem, which will hike the price up enormously, I'd already decided this; the first two packages were rather disappointing, and the whole spoiler issue really didn't make it worth it. Shipping internationally a couple of days before the shipment to the US really doesn't work because it seems that it's batch-shipped to somewhere in London, and then reshipped as "24 hour" ParcelForce, which can take up to another week, according to the dates on the parcel. (Yes, I've mailed Blue Moon about this and had no reply - I don't think that "international" members really show up on their radar; possibly another reason for not continuing). I love the yarn, and the patterns have been great, but the whole "club" thing has been a bit of a disappointment.

I've missed the Socktopus club for this year. I'd really like one where I can make a payment for the whole year so it seems like a present to myself every time the parcel arrives, and given the exchange rates, preferably one from the UK - any suggestions, anyone?