Vogue Knitting and Interweave Crochet Home.

Posted by Julia on November 8, 2014

The winter magazines are still pouring in, and the two latest are Vogue Knitting and Interweave Crochet Home.

Vogue Knitting features patterns for cold-weather garments and accessories, along with a brioche lace tutorial from Nancy Marchant.

I always like to see what Meg Swansen’s Vogue column covers; this issue, it’s provisional cast-ons, a handy technique.

Interweave Crochet Home is a special issue on crocheted home accessories, from blankets and pillows to coasters, placemats, baskets, and more.

Knitting and crochet make very different fabrics, and in many cases, I think crochet is particularly well-suited to home goods. It can be sturdy and structural–essential for something like a rug–and tends to go somewhat faster than knitting, making a big project like blankets or curtains less daunting.

Come by the shop to see these and other new magazines! See you there.

Binkwaffle bags.

Posted by Julia on November 6, 2014

Some months ago, a knitter came into the shop with a very cool project bag. It was dumpling-shaped, reversible, made of sturdy, soft cotton fabric in fun colors. Everyone in the shop admired it, so I jotted the brand name down: Binkwaffle. I’m happy to report that we now carry those very cool Binkwaffle project bags here at the shop, in small and large sizes.

We visited the Binkwaffle booth at TNNA and picked out four color combinations to start with.

The small size is perfect for carrying a shawl-in-progress, or pair of socks, while the larger size is big enough for a good-sized sweater.

Come by the shop to see these bags for yourself! See you there.

Churchmouse patterns.

Posted by Julia on November 3, 2014

We’re delighted to announce that we now carry single patterns from Churchmouse!

Churchmouse Yarns & Teas is a yarn shop in Washington state with an impressive line of knit and crochet patterns, from garments and accessories to home decor and baby things.

Many Churchmouse patterns are simple, and I mean that in the best way–the kind of “simple” that lets beautiful yarn take center stage, and ensures that knitters and crocheters find success and satisfaction in their finished pieces.

One Churchmouse pattern has been particularly popular here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop: the “Easy Folded Poncho.”

For a couple of months now, we’ve had one on display knit in Acadia, Fibre Company’s distinctive DK tweed. The stockinette fabric shows off Acadia’s silk slubs, making a special garment that’s easy to knit and wear.

Come by the shop to browse the single-pattern binders, and remember Churchmouse patterns when you’re seeking reliable uses for spectacular yarns. See you there!

Stockings and ornaments.

Posted by Julia on November 1, 2014

We’ve had lots of requests for stocking patterns lately, as knitters prepare for the holiday season not only with gift-making, but also with hand-stitched decorations. We had only a few stocking patterns to offer, so we went hunting for more. Here’s what we found!

From Leisure Arts, we found one collection of knit stockings and another of beaded knit ornaments. We also reordered a favorite book of stockings from Storey Publishing, reprinted in paperback: Gwen Steege’s Knit Christmas Stockings.

For crocheters, there’s this collection of snowflakes, which would make lovely winter decor, indeed.

We also found a great single pattern from Churchmouse that shows how to knit and embellish stockings in three sizes: wee, medium, and jolly big.

Keep your eye on the blog for more from Churchmouse, and come by the shop to plan your holiday stitching!

New Isager books.

Posted by Julia on October 30, 2014

Along with new yarn from Isager, we also got two new books!

Isager is a Danish yarn company run by designer Marianne Isager and her daughter, Helga Isager. We always look forward to seeing new patterns for Isager yarns, especially from the Isagers themselves.

Spring Summer Autumn Winter is Marianne Isager’s latest collection, featuring a sweater for each season, along with a few simple accessories.

Each of the accessory patterns calls for Isager Alpaca 1 and Spinni held together, creating a unique fiber blend and a rustic marled colorway.

Helga Isager’s latest book is Amimono: the Map Collection.

Inside, you’ll find a mix of garments and accessories, many of which use the same yarn-blending technique.

The “Shetland Cowl” caught my eye, with its simple triangle texture pattern and elegant fibers. The pattern calls for Isager Alpaca 2 held together with a mohair/silk blend, which immediately brought Shibui Silk Cloud to mind.

Incidentally, the Isager and Shibui color palettes are quite compatible; I found plenty of good matches, more than one blog post can easily hold.

Come by the shop to peruse these new pattern collections and the many Isager yarns we carry. See you there!

Hello, Isager Tweed.

Posted by Julia on October 27, 2014

Last week, we welcomed our newest fall yarn: meet Isager Tweed!

Isager Tweed is a fingering weight, single-ply yarn composed of 70% wool and 30% mohair, with 220 yards on each 50 gram skein. Like any classic tweed, the colors read roughly solid from a distance, but on closer inspection, are speckled with contrasting colors.

Anne and I took a long time deciding what we should make with Isager Tweed. It would make a great pair of “Twigs and Willows Mitts” from Botanical Knits 2, a handsome “Barclay” scarf, or a sweet “Rustling Leaves Beret.” I’d love to see an “Aranami Shawl” in five shades of Isager Tweed, too. Ultimately, we were most inspired paging through patterns for Brooklyn Tweed Loft on Ravelry, a treasure trove of fingering weight knits. “Seasons Hat,” “Norby,” “Wheaten,” “Arrowhead Mittens,” “Ticking Cowl” … this is a Ravelry rabbit-hole we’ve gone down oh so many times.

Anne settled on Bristol Ivy’s “Bayard,” pairing Isager Tweed with Isager Alpaca 2, and that striped hat is on her Addi needles now.

Though these two yarns differ in fiber content, ply, and appearance, they are similar in gauge. Most importantly, they share that special Isager color palette, making the Tweed-and-Alpaca-2 color-pairing game especially good fun.

I found equally compelling color combinations when I limited myself to the Isager Tweed basket.

Come by the shop to see Isager Tweed, admire Anne’s hat-in-progress, and plan your next project! See you there.

Downton Abbey and Jane Austen Knits.

Posted by Julia on October 25, 2014

Two more new magazines are here, each inspired by stories of and about the past.

The Unofficial Downton Abbey Knits is full of knitting patterns inspired by the television series Downton Abbey, which is, for those who have somehow escaped seeing it, a period drama taking place in a British country estate during the early 20th century.

The garments in this issue suggest the era as well as the class of the show’s inhabitants, from the aristocrats upstairs to the servants downstairs.

This garter stitch beret is knit in three shades of Isager Alpaca 2, a favorite yarn around here.

This issue of Jane Austen Knits is the fifth such collection of knitting patterns inspired by the novels of Jane Austen. I found lots of familiar yarns within its pages: Swans Island Organic Washable DK in the cover mitts, Fibre Company Meadow in the “Dashwood Lace Stole,” Malabrigo Sock in the “Second Chance for Mr. Rushworth” socks, and more!

Come by the shop to pick up a copy of The Unofficial Downton Abbey Knits and Jane Austen Knits, and don’t forget to check out the Hanne Falkenberg Trunk Show while you’re here!

Hanne Falkenberg Trunk Show.

Posted by Julia on October 23, 2014

We’re thrilled to announce that the Hanne Falkenberg Trunk Show arrived early, giving us more time to enjoy these ten beautiful garments!

Hanne Falkenberg is a Danish designer whose patterns come in kits with her signature Shetland yarn, and are often made in garter stitch with flattering short-row shaping and colorful stripes. They are always constructed in surprising ways to intrigue the knitter and compliment the wearer.

Over the years, we’ve had a few Hanne Falkenberg Trunk Shows, each time getting different designs in different colorways. This group includes Falkenberg’s very newest, “Ypsilon,” a short sleeved cardigan decorated with flattering vertical stripes.

We always have a handful of Falkenberg kits in stock at the shop, though the selection changes from time to time.

As I’m writing this, we have “Lascala,” “Luna,” “Lastrada,” and “Mariager” on the shelf, and now “Ypsilon” joins the ranks, in three different color combinations.

There may well be another Falkenberg design you like, or a colorway you prefer; we’re more than happy to order it for you. In fact, during the Trunk Show, we’re offering a 20% discount to those who prepay for their Hanne Falkenberg kit orders!

Come by the shop before November 9th to admire these clever garments, try them on, and place your order!

Just a reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges and no returns. Discount applies only to in-store purchases. Thanks!

New from Cascade.

Posted by Julia on October 21, 2014

A couple of weeks ago, back when our big Berroco order arrived, an equally big box from Cascade showed up. Inside were some yarns and colors that needed restocking, and a few new things, too.

Highland Duo is an aran weight blend of alpaca and merino spun into a soft, fuzzy, single-ply yarn. Anne picked this palette, a range of neutrals with a pop of red–perfect for winter wear.

We also got these four new colors of Cascade 220 Fingering, heathered shades that fill out our existing selection nicely.

Cascade 220 Fingering is an affordable 2-ply wool in a fingering weight, well-suited to colorwork, shawls, garments and accessories. Head over to Ravelry for all kinds of pattern inspiration for this yarn, and come by the shop to pick some up for your next project!

See you at the shop!

Show and tell: anniversary edition, part 3.

Posted by Julia on October 19, 2014

This week, as we celebrate the shop’s anniversary, we also celebrate the community of knitters and crocheters who have supported us over the years. We always love to see what you’re making with HYS yarns, and I love to take photos of your beautiful finished pieces to share here on the blog. I’ve amassed a big stack of them over the past couple of months, enough for three blog posts! Here’s the third batch.

Maria divides her time between Puerto Rico and North Carolina, and when she’s here, she comes to visit the shop. On her last visit, she brought in two shawls to share. Above is her “Quaking Aspen,” knit in Fibre Company Acadia, and below is her “Stole,” knit in Isager Alpaca 2.

Here, Margie models her recently-completed “Handsome Triangle,” another elegant shawl from Victorian Lace Today. She knit it with Marion Foale 3 ply Wool, a smooth fingering weight yarn, and added beads to the crochet edging to give it a bit of weight and sparkle.

Denise came by the shop recently to share her “Elder Tree Shawl,” knit with one (big!) skein of Great Adirondack Bamboo Cotton. Her daughter helped her model it; aren’t they a sweet pair?

Thanks to the knitters, crocheters, and other fiber artists who start their projects at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, and who share their work with us! We’re lucky to be surrounded by inspiring stitches every day.