Hello, Shibui Linen.

Posted by Julia on May 6, 2014

We’re delighted to announce that we now stock Shibui Linen. Our first six colors are now in, and more are coming!

Shibui Linen is a light fingering weight yarn composed of 100% linen, with a unique chain ply structure and 246 yards on each 50 gram skein. It has that somewhat crunchy texture that many linen yarns have, but like all linen, it will soften with washing and wearing. Shibui Linen is cool to the touch, perfect for spring and summer knitting and crocheting, and makes up into a lightweight, gently draping fabric.

For Linen pattern inspiration, you might begin with the Shibui patterns, though you should not feel limited to them. Consider “Mix No. 27,” a structured two-color tank that you might have seen at last month’s Shibui Trunk Show, or “Mix No. 13,” an oversized mesh pullover knit with two strands of Linen held together throughout–no doubt an excellent layering garment for our warm climate.

Shibui yarns are designed to be used in combination with one another, two or three strands at a time. Shibui Linen definitely plays well with others, bringing its drape and texture to whatever yarn it’s paired with.

I’ve recently started knitting a v-neck pullover with Shibui Linen and Cima held together–“Mix No. 17.” I’m loving the interplay of these two yarns, one cool and one warm, one stiff and one stretchy, and the resulting fabric is a happy medium between their two extremes. This is definitely an unusual sweater for me; I’m a devoted lover of wool yarns, with their springy elasticity, but the Linen is a nice change of pace. Also, it’s yellow, a bold color choice for this gray enthusiast. I can’t wait to wear this sweater!

Shibui Linen and Pebble are used together in “Mix No. 28,” a vest that was featured in last month’s Shibui Trunk Show. I had so much fun pairing Linen and Pebble colorways, finding colors that are close but not identical.

Pebble offers its lofty hand and tweedy appearance to the fabric, bringing textural interest to a mostly-stockinette garment.

Shibui Linen and Silk Cloud are another winning combination, but what, we often rhetorically wonder, does Silk Cloud not improve? With its fuzzy mohair and shiny silk content, Silk Cloud brings a bit of drama to the humble Linen.

Though “Mix No. 3” calls for Silk Cloud and Staccato, I predict that Shibui Linen will make an excellent Staccato substitute. Though the fiber content is quite different, the gauge is similar, and linen’s natural inclination to stretch out and hang nicely will make for an elegant shawl.

Come by the shop to see Shibui Linen for yourself! We’re so looking forward to seeing the rest of the colors we ordered, which are on backorder for the time being. I’ll be sure to post when they come in, and as usual, if there’s any color you’re looking for in particular, please let us know–we’re happy to do special orders. See you at the shop!

TNNA, day 3.

Posted by Julia on May 4, 2014

Another day of yarn-ordering is behind us, and we have so many good things coming for the fall! Early in the day, we checked in with Malabrigo.

We also paid a visit to Dream in Color, mulling over their full range of colorways, mixing and matching.

We always love to see what the Fibre Company is cooking up, and this year was no exception.

We also ran into Sandy Blue, who designed the “Autumn Tam” I just finished knitting in Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift. I was so glad to meet her, as it gave me a chance to thank her in person for her amazing pattern and impressive color-sense.

Tomorrow we have a few loose ends to tie up before we hop on a plane and head home. Looking forward to opening the shop again on Tuesday–come in and see us at our regular business hours!

TNNA, day 2.

Posted by Julia on May 3, 2014

It’s been another busy day here at market, walking the showroom floor, seeing the latest yarns from some of our favorite vendors, and placing orders, of course.

The wild and colorful Alchemy booth was our first stop this morning. It was, as always, delightful to catch up with Gina and Austin Wilde, seeing their newest patterns and selecting new colors and yarns to bring into the shop this fall.

Next, we spent time at Shibui, marveling at their fall and winter pattern collections, new colors, and newest yarn.

We always like to visit Habu Textiles, too, to restock the Nerimaki Slub Cotton, Silk Stainless Steel, Nontwist Cotton Boucle, and check out what’s new.

Tomorrow promises more of the same. We are so anxious to share new yarns and projects with you at the shop this fall!

TNNA, day 1.

Posted by Julia on May 2, 2014

On Thursday, Anne and Rosi and I flew to Indianapolis for the National Needlearts Association’s annual trade show and marketplace. Our flights were delayed, but we passed the time knitting, of course. My hands have been busy with another Shibui sample for the shop, “Mix No. 26.” Meanwhile, Anne and Rosi have been stitching on sweaters, the Isager “No. 15” and a self-designed cabled pullover, respectively.

This morning we got up early for 8:00 am classes, which were followed quickly by a luncheon and lecture, another round of classes, a crazed kit and new-product sampling event called “Sample It,” and a fashion show.

It’s been a long day, full to the brim with ideas and activity. Tomorrow brings more classes, and the most highly-anticipated part of TNNA for us: visiting all of the vendors on the showroom floor, seeing new yarns, colors, and designs, and placing orders for the shop. From us here at market to you here on the blog: more soon!

Market awaits.

Posted by Julia on April 30, 2014

Anne, Rosi, and I are getting ready for our annual trip to Market. The National Needle-Arts Association holds an annual conference and trade show every year, an event that came a little earlier than usual this year. TNNA is where we do the majority of our fall and winter yarn ordering for the shop, and where we look out for exciting new products and project ideas. We also take classes, both in technique and in business, and we come home even more inspired than usual to be in the business of yarn. The shop will be closed from Thursday, May 1st – Monday, May 5th, and will reopen at our usual business hours on Tuesday, May 6th. Til then, I’ll leave you with this little teaser: the first six shades of a brand-new-to-HYS yarn have arrived.

More on that when we return on Tuesday. In the meantime, keep your eye on the blog for updates from Market!

Sirka counters.

Posted by Julia on April 28, 2014

Whether you use a row counter, paper and pen, an app on your phone, or some other method, we all need to keep track of where we are in a pattern when we’re knitting. Simple instructions may require nothing more than your own short term memory (like “work in 2×2 rib until piece measures 2.5 inches”), but the more complicated your piece, the more help you’ll need. A knitter brought these new Sirka counters to our attention recently, pulling one out of her knitting bag to show us how it works. Most row counters are intuitive enough that you likely wont need instruction: press a button and the number goes up in the usual fashion, 1, 2, 3 and so on. The Sirka counter, however, is a smarter counter that does more than just count up. Curious? So were we.

We now have Sirka counters in stock alongside our regular row-counters, because Sirka allows you to count more than one thing at a time. As knitters, we often have to do this, whether it’s tracking both the frequency and number of decreases, or maybe even all that and stitch pattern repeats. To use the Sirka, you assign one of those three tasks to each of the differently-colored hands, and use the “crowns” beneath the face of the counter to set the number you’re counting to. So not only does it help you keep track of how many rows/increases/repeats you’ve done, it tells you when you’ve gotten to your intended stopping place.

We also stock the Sirka LP, which is the same counter designed to be readable “upside-down,” should you wear it around your neck or pin it to your lapel as you work. Read all about how to use the Sirka counter, including helpful examples from knitting patterns, in the Sirka manual, and come by the shop to take a closer look at this intriguing gadget.

Two new classes.

Posted by Julia on April 25, 2014

Marsha recently brought in two new knit samples, demonstrating techniques and projects she’ll teach in upcoming classes.

The “Waterhouse Mitts” class will teach stranded two-color knitting, following this free pattern from Ravelry. This one was knit with Marion Foale 3-ply Wool and Sandnes Garn Sisu, two fingering weight yarns in high-contrast colors.

Above is the “Loose Lattice Keyhole Scarf,” a Marsha original. Consider the Loose Lattice Lace class a “beginning lace” workshop, where you’ll swatch the Loose Lattice stitch pattern in the yarn of your choice and then knit a scarf with or without a keyhole to the dimensions you desire. This bright summery sample was knit in the aran-weight Debbie Bliss Stella, a blend of silk, rayon, and cotton.

Show and tell: baby things and cowls.

Posted by Julia on April 23, 2014

I’m always collecting photos of the beautiful finished pieces knitters and crocheters bring in to share with us, garments that started their lives as HYS yarns. Time for another round of show-and-tell!

Paula knit this baby vest in Swans Island Organic Washable DK, a semisolid merino wool, making for a brighter version of the sample “Cabled Vest” that hangs at the shop. The pattern is from Susie Haumann’s All You Knit Is Love, a sweet booklet of baby things designed for Isager yarns. Much as we adore Isager yarns, we’re all about yarn substitution here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop–a buttery soft machine-washable yarn in the same gauge as the pattern is a perfect fit for this baby sweater.

Margaretta has been one busy knitter lately. She recently knit this “Baby Surprise Jacket” following Elizabeth Zimmermann’s classic pattern as written in the updated Knitting Workshop.

She chose yarns in colors that reminded her of Maine, striping one shade of Dream in Color Classy with two shades of Malabrigo Rios. Sometimes, knitters worry about whether or not they’re allowed to mix different brands of yarn in one project, and this little sweater is proof that you needn’t worry. Are the yarns identical? No, but they are comparable, and the result is a seamless transition from one yarn to the next–a perfect sweater.

Of course she had some leftovers, so she knit a little hat to go with, the “Boston Whaler Hat,” to be exact. It’s a Ewe Ewe pattern that Anne has made several times; you may have seen the pink and purple sample at the shop. I love these little green whales, and I particularly love the tubular cast-on Margaretta used to start the ribbing, a technique she found in Leslie Ann Bestor’s Cast On, Bind Off.

Here is Margaretta’s “Mix No. 23” double-knit cowl (did I mention she’s been a busy knitter lately?). Rather than the two strands of Shibui Cima that the pattern calls for, Margaretta used one strand of Cima and one strand of Silk Cloud in the striking color combination of Mineral and Ash.

The result is a shimmering, fuzzy fabric, a delight to wrap around one’s neck, no doubt. Bravo, Margaretta!

I have a cowl to share, too–the “One Skein Zigzag Cowl” from our informal Knit-Along, knit in the brand new Ewe So Sporty yarn. Come by the shop to see it for yourself, and get a hands-on sense of how this yarn knits up.

This is neither a baby thing nor a cowl, but remarkable show-and-tell nonetheless: Anne recently finished her “Mix No. 19,” a tunic knit with Shibui Silk Cloud held doubled throughout. Light as a feather and soft as can be, this is one luxurious top. It’s a simple knit with thoughtful details, like folded hems on the body, neckline, and armholes.

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.

Stashbot.

Posted by Julia on April 20, 2014

Many of you are probably familiar with Ann Budd’s Handy Guides for knitters and crocheters, little pamphlets for estimating how much yarn is necessary for any given project. They work by matching up the gauge of your yarn with the finished dimensions of your garment-to-be. Designer Hannah Fettig has created a similar yardage estimator that she calls Stashbot which answers the important question, how much yarn do I need for my project?

Stashbot is a small booklet, just the size to tuck into your knitting bag. It begins with a concise and friendly explanation of how to use it, discussing important variables in yardage requirements, like gauge and positive/negative ease.

Like the Knitter’s Handy Guide to Yarn Requirements, Stashbot is divided up into a series of project types: sweaters, socks, hats, scarves, etc. It certainly overlaps with Budd’s guide, but also offers a wider range of gauges and a wider range of sizes, starting at 3 months where the other starts at 2 years, and going up to 60″ chest circumference.

I particularly like that Stashbot offers so many more choices in the “sweater” section. Beyond “vests” and “sweaters,” you’ll also find yardage requirements for shrugs and three different sweater lengths: cropped, average, and tunic length. Come by the shop to take a closer at Stashbot and pick up a copy of your own!

Knitter’s Graph Paper Journal.

Posted by Julia on April 18, 2014

I’m happy to announce that we now stock Knitter’s Graph Paper Journals at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, the perfect notebook to slip into your knitting bag.

These slim, unassuming notebooks are full of knitter’s graph paper, with squares that, like knitted stitches, are wider than they are tall. This makes them ideal for penciling in all manner of knitting charts, from cables and colorwork to lace, intarsia, and texture patterns.

The Knitter’s Graph Paper Journal is made in Oakland, CA, and designed by a knitter, Narangkar Glover. The pages may be blank, but the inside covers are packed with information: a ruler on one edge, a needle inventory, a key for common knitting symbols, a guide to yarn weights and fabric care symbols.

It’s simple and practical, but also beautiful, I think. I bought one the moment we got them in stock, and just having one in my hands makes me eager to sketch some new stitch pattern, or plan a colorwork project. I look forward to filling it with notes, charts, and ideas.

Come by the shop to pick up a Knitter’s Graph Paper Journal for yourself or a friend!