A reminder.

Posted by Julia on July 28, 2013

We’re quickly coming up on the end of the month, and with it, the end of our Annual Inventory Sale. With that in mind, let today’s blog post be a quick reminder to come into the shop before the sale ends. Everything in the shop is 15% off for just a few more days–every skein of yarn, every pair of needles, every hook, every book, every magazine, pattern, notions case, project bag; all of it is discounted. If you’ve been meaning to come by to take advantage of the sale but let the month get away from you, hurry in before the end of the day on Wednesday, July 31st.

See you at the shop!

Another reminder–all sales are final on sale items; there can be no exchanges, no returns, nor will we special order. Discount applies only to in-store purchases. Thanks!

Show and tell: sweaters and cowls.

Posted by Julia on July 26, 2013

Here are a few more show and tell projects, sweaters and cowls that were recently completed and brought into the shop to share.

Mara showed up at the shop wearing this tank top she knit with Berroco Touche, a worsted weight blend of cotton and rayon. She was excitedly shopping for yarn, Birthday Club postcard in hand, but I had to interrupt her to take her picture. The pattern is Pennekamp, one of the many free patterns available from Berroco’s website–a great resource. I love the color, and the reminder that handknits are wearable year-round, even into the heat of summer, if the fiber and design are right.

Abby brought in this sweet little sweater she recently finished knitting, modeled on a favorite store-bought sweater that has already been passed down from her older daughter to her youngest. This new hand-knit iteration is made in three shades of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, and designed by Abby herself, with some guidance from Ann Budd’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters.

Here’s another top-down sweater: Molly’s recently-finished Gemini pullover. She used the dk weight Katia Linen yarn that the pattern calls for, and the result is a lightweight fabric that’s cool to the touch, perfect for summer wear. Like many Gemini-knitters, Molly plans on adding a single crochet border to the neckline in an effort to stabilize it and minimize stretching.

Margie made these two cowls using the free Abstract Leaves Cowl pattern. The purple cowl is knit with Marion Foale 3-ply Wool, a solid-color fingering weight yarn. The gray and white cowl is knit with Malabrigo Lace, a lace weight single ply merino. Seeing these two side-by-side is a great illustration of how one pattern can be used to create very different-looking garments just by using different yarns. Though the fiber content of the two yarns is similar, they differ greatly from there–different stitch definition, different coloration, different gauge, different drape, a different look entirely. Margie’s cowls are intended as gifts, and it’s a great gift pattern for knitters who are low on time, or yardage–a mere 125 yards of lace or fingering weight yarn are called for.

Thanks to all these knitters for their show and tell, and thanks to everyone who starts, continues, and completes their projects at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We love to see what you create with our yarns.

Show and tell: shawls and stoles.

Posted by Julia on July 24, 2013

This past week has been an abundant one for show and tell at the shop; there is so much to share that I’ll divide it up into two posts. Today, I’ll focus on shawls and stoles, for a great deal of them have found their way into the shop lately.

Here’s Margaretta’s completed Color Affection in three shades of Titus, a shawl that has inspired many knitters to create Color Affections in their own three-color combinations of Titus. I made one myself, which recent visitors to the shop may have seen hanging on the wall.

Margaretta used the first three shades of Titus that were available, Dark, Original, and Light, which make a gentle gradient from dark gray to light brown to pale beige. As a lover of neutral colors, this Color Affection really appeals to me; I can’t wait to see all the others that I know are in progress or soon to be started!

Paula and Kristin came in last week, each with a Stole on the needles. Both are made in Isager Alpaca 2, a cuddly fingering weight blend of merino wool and alpaca. Over the past year, Anne and I have seen so many beautiful colorways come together as knitters select yarn for the Stole, which uses an incredible nine colors total. What still surprises me is how different each stole can look from the next, though they all draw from the same 20-color palette. Paula’s Stole, above, is subdued and calming to the eye, while Kristin’s, below, is vibrant and bold.

Here are two shawls that Barbara crocheted in a recent Triangular Crochet Shawl class at the shop, using the 8 Hour Shawl pattern, available as a free download from Ravelry.

Having just graduated from Beginning Crochet not long ago, Barbara is on a roll, planning another two crochet shawls in the same yarn she used here, the beloved Malabrigo Rios. Soft, springy, colorful, worsted-weight, and machine-washable, Rios is a great choice for all kinds of knit and crochet projects, from shawls and scarves to sweaters, hats, mitts, blankets, and baby things.

Thanks to these knitters and crocheters for sharing their work with us! If any or all of these projects inspire you, come by the shop to get some Titus, Isager Alpaca 2, or Malabrigo Rios for shawls and Stoles of your own. Our Annual Inventory Sale is on through July 31st, so come in soon to take advantage of the 15% discount on everything we have in stock. Additionally, we have a Beginning Crochet class coming up soon, if any knitters out there are inspired to try another craft; read more about it and all our classes on our website. See you at the shop!

Just a reminder–all sales are final on sale items; there can be no exchanges, no returns, nor will we special order. Discount applies only to in-store purchases. Thanks!

Knit to Flatter.

Posted by Julia on July 22, 2013

After a few months on backorder, Amy Herzog’s Knit to Flatter has arrived at the shop.

Knit to Flatter is a book about knitting sweaters that fit exactly how you want them to fit. Herzog begins by identifying different body types–top-heavy, bottom-heavy, and proportional–and offers patterns for each, along with a few suggestions about what shapes and design features flatter those body types and why.

I appreciate that Herzog doesn’t give strict do’s and don’ts for different body shapes, but instead stresses that “beauty is in the eye of the wearer,” and that whatever shape, size, and type of sweater makes you feel great is exactly the sweater you should knit. Whether you know what those shapes, sizes, and types are, or whether you’re looking for figure-flattering suggestions, Knit to Flatter can be a helpful resource in creating sweaters you love to wear.

Before you start knitting, Herzog has you take your measurements, not only the usual bust, waist, and hip measurements, but also from hip to waist, from waist to underarm, neckline depth, and upper torso circumference, along with various sleeve lengths.

From there, she discusses positive and negative ease, and has you compare your own measurements against the measurements on the schematic of whatever pattern you’ve chosen. Where there are differences, you’ll want to make modifications to the pattern, and Chapter 6 covers that in depth. I found this table especially helpful; it lists various modifications along with how difficult they are and what other pieces of the sweater they affect.

I’ve been working on a sweater for a few weeks now using Herzog’s book as a guide in making modifications to the pattern. I was giddy at the thought of starting a new project, eager to cast on, but before I did, I sat down with my pattern, pencil and paper, measuring tape, and Knit to Flatter. I spent a few hours figuring out what modifications I wanted to make, how to make them, and made notes on the pattern where my own knitting would depart from the instructions. I lowered the neckline, shortened the body, which meant recalculating the waist shaping, and added bust darts. It was a little intimidating, but Knit to Flatter kept it from being overwhelming, and now that I’ve made all my changes to the pattern, I can sit back and knit. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all comes together.

Come by the shop to take a closer look at Amy Herzog’s Knit to Flatter, and get it at 15% off during our Annual Inventory Sale!

Knitting Traditions.

Posted by Julia on July 20, 2013

The Fall 2013 issue of Knitting Traditions is here!

Knitting Traditions is a magazine focused on the history of hand-knitting, and often profiles the knitting traditions of a particular place or time. In this issue, it’s a particular technique that’s highlighted: lace.

As always, there are plenty of articles to read along with patterns to knit.

Come by the shop during July to snag this issue of Knitting Traditions at 15% off. Our Annual Inventory Sale is on until the end of the month, so hurry in to take advantage of the 15% discount on magazines, books, patterns, needles, hooks, notions, bags, and of course, yarn. See you there!

Hanne Falkenberg hat kits.

Posted by Julia on July 18, 2013

Hanne Falkenberg is a Danish knitwear designer whose patterns come in kits with her signature shetland wool yarn. You may have seen some of her designs in person at our Hanne Falkenberg Trunk Show last Fall, when a group of finished garments were lent to us so that knitters interested in Falkenberg kits could admire the sweaters and try them on for size. Her colorful Lascala scarf has been hanging on our wall for some time now, intriguing knitters with its garter and slip stitch colorwork. Here is the smallest Hanne Falkenberg project yet: a hat, perfect for dipping your toe into Falkenberg’s clever designs.

The body of the hat is knit in stripes, though you can’t see it in this picture; the black stripes are knit in reverse stockinette, and the blue stripes are knit in stockinette, which recedes behind the reverse stockinette stripes like an accordion.

The result is a cozy, stretchy, textured hat that fits snugly and is long enough to pull down over your ears to keep the cold away. Winter accessories like this make for great summer knitting, if seemingly counterintuitive. It’s small enough not to feel heavy as you work on it, and will certainly be ready to wear when the cold weather reappears.

We recently got a shipment of kits to make these hats in all manner of color combinations, from the subdued to the whimsical.

Come by the shop to try the hat on for yourself, and get one of the kits at 15% off during our Annual Inventory Sale!

Mini messenger bags.

Posted by Julia on July 16, 2013

Last weekend, three new knit samples arrived at the shop.

These are Mini Messenger Bags, designed and knit by Marsha, who is also teaching an upcoming class on the subject. They’re cute little cross-body purses, big enough to hold a wallet, phone, and other small necessaries. In the process of designing the Mini Messenger Bag and writing the pattern, Marsha knit four of them, each one in a different kind of yarn and at a different gauge. She learned that plant fibers like linen and cotton are a good fit for the bag, and that just about any weight of yarn will work, so long as you go a few needle sizes down from what’s suggested on the ball-band for a sturdy fabric. Three of her four Mini Messenger Bags are now on display at the shop.

This little black bag was knit with Punta Yarns Montoya Beach, a light fingering weight linen. For a dense and strong fabric, she held the yarn double as she knit.

This blue bag was knit with Katia Linen, a dk weight linen and cotton blend that I’ve used before in knitting my Gemini sweater.

This pink bag was knit with Mirasol Sawya, a worsted weight blend of cotton, alpaca, and silk.

Marsha’s own Mini Messenger Bag, which is pictured in the pattern but absent from the shop (because she uses it, of course!), was made in Punta Yarns Linen Soft, an aran weight linen yarn. The bags’ sizes vary with differing gauges, of course, but it leaves a lot of options in terms of yarn selection.

All three are lined with fabric and finished with zippers, which are probably the two most unusual skills that the pattern requires. If you’ve never done this kind of sewing before, fear not; Marsha’s class requires only the most basic hand-sewing knowledge–she’ll guide you through sewing the lining and setting in the zipper. For those who can’t attend the class, Marsha has also created a photo tutorial that supplements the pattern.

Read more about the class on our website, where you can also sign up and prepay to hold your space, if you like. We’ve got Marsha’s patterns in stock, and tons of yarns to choose from if you’re inspired to create a Mini Messenger Bag of your own. Come by the shop to see these cute Mini Messenger Bags for yourself!

Two new books for crocheters.

Posted by Julia on July 14, 2013

Two new books have arrived here at the shop, both focused on crochet.

Crochet One-Skein Wonders is exactly what it sounds like: a collection of crochet patterns that can be completed with a single skein of yarn.

The patterns are sorted, just like our shop, by the weight of yarn that’s called for. There are 101 patterns within, collected from crochet designers all over the world, including one right here in our neck of the woods.

Crochet One-Skein Wonders is a great resource for crocheters looking for small projects of all kinds, from scarves and shawls to baby things and home accessories.

Convertible Crochet is the latest book from designer Doris Chan, a collection of motif-based patterns that can be arranged and assembled into different garments, or worn in different ways.

Chan shows not only how to create each motif and join them together in the patterns she’s written, but also how to customize and modify those motifs and patterns to make a unique garment.

Come by to see these latest crochet books. You’ll find them on the teacart, surrounded by the very latest in knitting and crochet books and magazines. Remember, our Annual Inventory Sale is on through July 31st, and the 15% discount applies to books, too! See you at the shop.

Six years and counting.

Posted by Julia on July 12, 2013

Once again, we’ve won “Best Yarn Shop” in the News of Orange County’s Reader’s Choice Awards. We’re so proud to have six years’ worth of “Best Yarn Shop” awards hanging in our window!

Thanks so much to all who voted, and to everyone who supports the shop!

Two top-down sweaters: show and tell.

Posted by Julia on July 10, 2013

Anne and I feel lucky to be surrounded every day by people making things, whether they’re wearing their latest creation, sharing their works in progress, or planning their next project. We’re always excited to see what clever uses our knitters and crocheters make of the yarn they get from the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, and I love to share those projects here on the blog, as well. The two most recent show-and-tell photos I’ve snapped have much in common. Both are short-sleeved sweaters, and both are knit seamlessly from the top down.

Here’s Mary in her “Charlotte Cardigan” made in Mountain Meadow Wool Cody, a sport weight organic merino that is grown, spun, and dyed in Wyoming. The pattern comes from Swans Island, and is written for their Organic Merino Worsted yarn. The suggested gauge is 17 sts = 4″, which suggests a worsted to aran weight yarn knit at a slightly open gauge for a gently draping fabric. Mary adjusted her needle size to get stitch gauge with a significantly thinner yarn, hoping for a lighter weight sweater. The resulting fabric is light and stretchy, the sweater fits just how she wanted it to, and is sure to get plenty of wear. Having been so successful, Mary has already begun another “Charlotte Cardigan” in Schulana Lambswool, and is planning two more in Ewe Ewe Wooly Worsted and String Theory Merino DK!

Here, Marion models her Gemini, a short sleeved t-shirt made in Cascade Ultra Pima, a dk weight mercerized cotton. She lengthened the sleeves a bit, as well as the ribbing on the cuffs. These kind of changes are simple to make on a top-down pullover; she simply continued knitting each sleeve past where the pattern told her to stop. No big deal as pattern modifications go, and it has a real impact on the look and fit of the finished product.

Inspired to create a top-down sweater of your own? We have single patterns in many styles, and books on the subject, as well. The Gemini pattern is available for free from Knitty, and we just happen to have some new colors in Cascade Ultra Pima. Come by the shop to plan your next project, and be sure to get in here during July to do so at a 15% discount!