Author Archives: Julia

Hello, Kelbourne Woolens Cricket!

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Kelbourne Woolens is the source of some of our most popular yarns, beloved for the variety of high quality fibers they produce and the accessible price. Their latest is here at our shop – meet Cricket!

Kelbourne Woolens Cricket:

  • fingering weight
  • single ply
  • tweed
  • 100% merino wool
  • 415 yards/100g
  • $24 each

Cricket is a lighter weight version of KW’s popular Lucky Tweed, and comes in all the same colors.

Like Lucky Tweed, Cricket is manufactured in Donegal, Ireland, for an authentic tweed look and soft hand.

A few months ago, the folks at Kelbourne Woolens sent us a small ball of Cricket for swatching. I was the lucky knitter who got that job, and gave it a go in simple stockinette, first on a US 4, and then on a US 6 with a strand of Isager Silk Mohair in a contrasting color.

We’re expecting a Cricket pattern collection from Kelbourne Woolens early in the new year, but in the meantime, here are some pattern ideas that are a good fit for this new yarn!

For a single strand of Cricket:

For Cricket held together with Silk Mohair:

Look for Kelbourne Woolens Cricket in the fingering weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We’re open from 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays; masks required for entry.

The Knitted Fabric, by Dee Hardwicke.

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Another gorgeous book from Laine! Let’s look inside The Knitted Fabric, by Dee Hardwicke ($50).

Dee Hardwicke is an artist and designer who works in multiple media, including chinaware, mosaics, stationery, and knitting. No matter the mode or material, Hardwicke’s work is colorful, and reflects her great love of the British landscape.

The Knitted Fabric is a collection of colorwork projects for you and your home, a mix of garments and accessories, pillows and blankets.

Throughout the collection, Hardwicke shares the process and practice of design, the paintings and sketches and iterations that became the patterns in the book.

She invites readers and knitters to customize these colorwork designs as well, to enjoy the patterns by playing with different colors and motifs, as well as scale.

Swing by the shop to pick up a copy of The Knitted Fabric, and browse all our other books and magazines – inspiring publications like these make lovely gifts for knitters, especially with a Hillsborough Yarn Shop gift certificate tucked inside!

Back in stock: Berroco Ultra Alpaca.

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Good old Ultra Alpaca – this balanced blend of wool and alpaca is a classic, and we’re delighted to have a fresh supply!

Berroco Ultra Alpaca:

  • worsted weight
  • solid and heathered shades
  • 50% super fine alpaca, 50% Peruvian Highland wool
  • 219 yards/100g
  • $14 each

Berroco Ultra Alpaca has the structure and elasticity of wool and the drape, halo, and softness of alpaca. It comes in reasonably priced 100 gram hanks with 219 yards each; enough yarn to make a small scarf, a hat, or a pair of mittens.

Ultra Alpaca comes in a wide range of colors, from fun brights to classic neutrals; I’ve always particularly admired the heathered shades.

Scrolling through projects on Ravelry, I saw that many knitters had made Donna Smith’s now classic “Baa-ble Hat” with Ultra Alpaca.

“Baa-ble Hat,” by Donna Smith, photo © Donna Smith.

Here are a couple of color combinations inspired by the pattern photo!

What else to make with Ultra Alpaca? Here are a few ideas!

Accessories:

Garments:

Look for Berroco Ultra Alpaca in the worsted weight section here at the shop!

Pom Pom Quarterly: Winter 2022.

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The latest issue of Pom Pom Quarterly is here!

Rich with color, texture, and technique, the patterns in this issue are inspired by the work of women artists Etel Adnan and Hilma af Klint.

 

I spotted a few familiar yarns in this issue – Kjerstin Rovetta’s cool colorblock “Periphery” hat is shown in Kelbourne Woolens Germantown, and Amy Blackwell’s “Hilma,” the striking cover sweater, is shown in Malabrigo Rios. Look for both of these in our worsted weight section here at the shop!

Pom Pom always has interesting non-knitting content, as well – this issue features interviews with yarn dyers, an essay exploring the history of the color pink, and a tempting recipe for carrot cake.

Pom Pom Quarterly is $25.50 – come by to snag a copy between 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays. We’re also taking orders online for local pickup or shipping. Along with this issue, we have the Summer 2019, Autumn 2019, Summer 2020, Autumn 2020, Spring 2021, Summer 2021, Winter 2021, Spring 2022, 10th Anniversary, and Autumn 2022 issues in stock – preview them on our blog and get in touch if you’d like to add them to your Pom Pom collection!

Hello, Malabrigo Noventa!

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Meet Noventa, a brand new yarn from Malabrigo!

Malabrigo Noventa:

  • super bulky weight
  • single ply
  • hand-dyed
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 90 yards/125 g
  • $24 each

Noventa is plush and squishy, perfectly suited to cold-weather accessories, and one skein makes a hat or cowl in a hurry.

Here are a few one-skein pattern ideas for Noventa:

Look for Malabrigo Noventa in the super bulky weight section here at HYS, near Malabrigo Rasta! We also carry Mecha, a slightly thinner bulky weight yarn – visit us between 11am-5:30pm, Tuesdays-Saturdays; masks required for entry.

Knitted Kalevala, by Jenna Kostet.

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Let’s peek inside the newest book from Laine!

Knitted Kalevala ($45) is a book of colorwork patterns inspired by Kalevala, a collection of mythic poems and folklore of Finland. The Kalevala is full of ancient symbols, mythical creatures, and nature, which you’ll see reflected in Jenna Kostet’s patterns.

The garments and accessories of Knitted Kalevala are decorated in striking large scale colorwork motifs in a range of gauges – here’s one in Isager Jensen, a rustic wool you’ll find in the DK weight section here at our shop.

The poetry and stories of the Kalevala are interspersed with the patterns, making this book an intriguing read.

Knitted Kalevala is $45 – look for it here at our shop, among the latest publications. We’re also happy to take your order online for local pickup or shipping!

NFC Loft + fingering weight.

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There are so many popular patterns that call for a lace weight mohair paired with fingering weight wool – sometimes in a matching color, sometimes a contrasting one, always creating an enticing fuzzy fabric. Neighborhood Fibre Co. Loft is just the yarn for this, and we’ve got loads of options in the fingering weight section here at our shop – you’ll find a few ideas below, and keep scrolling for patterns!

  • Brooklyn Tweed Peerie: fingering weight, 100% merino wool, 210 yards/50 grams, $17.25 each

Sweaters:

Accessories:

It can be tricky to visualize how different colors and textures of yarn will look when knit together – Tin Can Knits has a super helpful blog post about just that, “Layering With Mohair.” Read it and you are sure to be inspired – we can’t wait to see what yarn and color combinations you come up with!

Dream in Color Pop-Up Club: November 2022.

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Dream in Color’s Pop Up Club is back! Every month, we’re getting a special new colorway from Dream in Color, a Tucson-based producer of small batch hand-dyed yarns. November’s new limited edition colorway is here while supplies last!

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100g
  • $34 each

November’s special colorway is a pale lavender grey, with speckles of plum and burgundy.

It pairs beautifully with the David Hess colorway in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Loft – this trio of skeins is perfect for Andrea Mowry’s “Birds of a Feather” shawl!

“Birds of a Feather,” by Andrea Mowry, photo © Andrea Mowry

Here are a few more such combinations using other Pop-Up Club colorways, a flock of shawls-to-be.

Look for Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at our shop! We are open between 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays; you can still order online for local pickup or shipping, as well.

Amirisu, Issue 25.

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A new issue of Amirisu is here!

Amirisu is a knitting magazine based in Japan, each issue filled with articles, interviews, and patterns from designers all over the world.

Bristol Ivy, Paula Pereira, Alice Caetano, and others have contributed to this issue, designing garments and accessories with a special emphasis on silhouette – sculpture is the theme.

I spotted a couple Brooklyn Tweed yarns in this issue – a colorwork hat in fingering weight Loft and a pullover in DK weight Arbor.

Amirisu often includes tutorials and essays on crafts other than knitting, and this issue has a braided rug – a craft I’ve taken up myself, so I was pleased to see it here.

Amirisu is $24 – swing by to pick up a copy or order online for local pickup or shipping!

Hello, & Make Aran!

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The Fibre Company has just launched a new line of yarn, & Make! These are yarns for stitchers at every stage of their crafting journey, made of natural, sustainable fibers from renewable sources. We’re starting with & Make Aran, a soft and squishy blend of Highland wool and alpaca.

The Fibre Co. & Make Aran:

  • aran weight
  • 2-ply
  • solid and heathered colors
  • 50% Highland wool, 50% alpaca
  • 164 yards/100g
  • $17.50 each

What to knit with & Make Aran? Here are some ideas!

Garments:

Accessories:

Come by the shop to see & Make Aran for yourself! We’re here from 11-5:30, Tuesdays-Saturdays; masks required.