Gemini Knit-Along.

Posted by Julia on March 3, 2013

Looking towards Spring, Anne and I have cast on for short-sleeved pullover sweaters. We are each making Gemini, a tee knit seamlessly in the round from the top down.

Designed by Jane Richmond and available for free on Knitty, Gemini is written for Katia Linen, a dk weight blend of cotton and linen. I’m making up a sample Gemini in the yarn called for, and Anne is substituting with Mirasol Samp’a, an organic cotton.

In choosing an appropriate substitute for Katia Linen, we wanted to be sure that Anne would be able to get the gauge that the pattern calls for, and that the resulting fabric would behave similarly to the fabric that Katia Linen creates. That means picking a plant fiber, like cotton, linen, hemp, tencel, or bamboo, as all of those fibers have a tendency to stretch and drape. Richmond’s design takes that into account, and she suggests that the knitter pick a finished size about 4″ smaller than their own bust size. In an elastic fiber, like wool, 4″ of negative ease would make for a snug fit, but in a plant fiber, which lacks elasticity, it means a nice, easy fit, not too loose and not too tight.

Want to make a Gemini of your own? Join us in this informal Knit-Along. We have a nice selection of colors in both Katia Linen and Mirasol Samp’a, and even more when you consider the many other good substitutes that are available: Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy and Cotton Frappe, Cascade Ultra Pima, Berroco Pure Pima, Queensland Haze, Tahki Cotton Classic, Sublime Organic Cotton DK and Soya Cotton DK, Katia Degrade, and many more. Come by the shop to see our Geminis-in-progress and we’ll help you find the perfect yarn to knit your own spring top.

Knits at Home, Knits of Tomorrow.

Posted by Julia on March 1, 2013

Two new books have made themselves at home on the teacart of late. They share a publisher, a craft, and project category–Interweave Press, knitting, and home decor–but they differ greatly in their aesthetic. One has “modern” in its subtitle and the other, “retro.” Curious? Take a look.

Ruth Cross’s Knits at Home: Rustic Designs for the Modern Nest is a collection of patterns for handknit home decor items.

Wall hangings, rugs, covers for pillows and footstools, lacy curtains, and afghans all can be found here.

Most are knitted in soothing neutral colors, and make use of interesting texture patterns. Cross also gives guidance on designing handknits for the home.

On the other hand, Sue Culligan’s Knits of Tomorrow: Toys and Accessories for Your Retro-Future Needs takes a playful approach to home decor, working intarsia robots into pillow-covers and potholders, and knitting litte rocket ships to make a baby mobile. Culligan goes beyond home decor, as well, with accessories and cases for laptops, tablets, and other technological gadgets.

Whatever your taste, consider these new books as resources if you’re thinking of knitting for your home. You’ll find them on the teacart as you walk into the shop, among the latest books and magazines. See you there!

Show and tell: stoles, shawls, and scarves.

Posted by Julia on February 27, 2013

Here’s another group of beautiful finished knits from our friends and clients, brought gleefully into the shop for show and tell.

Kathie came in recently wearing a completed Stole made in the delightful Isager Alpaca 2. She had so enjoyed the project that she came back to get enough yarn for a second Stole in a different color combination. She’s not the first to cast on immediately for a second Stole… the meditative simplicity of the pattern and the exquisite softness of the yarn can make this project addictive. What nine colors of Alpaca 2 would you put together?

Margie has finished another large shawl, Dusk, from Grace Anna Farrow’s The Fine Line, a collection of shawl patterns using Isager yarns.

Dusk is a square shawl, made by knitting a large garter stitch square, then picking up stitches around its edges and working a wavy lace pattern as a deep border. Margie’s Dusk shawl is made in Cascade 220 Fingering and finished with a bright, contrasting i-cord edging.

Albina has been busy knitting these two scarves for some dear friends. One is all in seed stitch, made with Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in a heathered purple shade. The other, I’m flattered to say, is North Arrow, a pattern I wrote and self-published on Ravelry last March. Albina used String Theory Bluestocking and Cascade Heritage Silk to knit her North Arrow.

Thanks to all for the show and tell! It’s such a pleasure to see Hillsborough Yarn Shop yarns grown up into stunning garments like these.

Vogue Knitting.

Posted by Julia on February 25, 2013

The Spring/Summer 2013 issue of Vogue Knitting has arrived at the shop, the latest in a recent flurry of new magazines.

This issue is full of fashion-forward knits, as usual; bold garments in black and white are featured, as are warm-weather garments and lace patterns.

There’s also a nice piece on tubular cast-ons and bind-offs from Meg Swansen.

Look for it on the teacart, among the latest magazines and books. See you there!

Hello, Mountain Meadow Wool.

Posted by Julia on February 23, 2013

We are thrilled to announce that we now carry Cody, a sport weight merino wool from Mountain Meadow Wool.

Mountain Meadow Wool is a small yarn company out of Wyoming that is dedicated to producing locally sourced and naturally processed yarns. Run by co-owners Karen Hostetler and Valerie Spanos, Mountain Meadow Wool seeks to support the ranching industry, thereby preserving the open spaces of the American West. They pay ranchers fairly for their finest fiber, then spin it and dye it with vegetable-based spinning oil and natural dyes. Each skein is traceable back to the ranch the sheep were raised on, and a QR code can link those with smartphones to a video of that ranch.

I fell in love with Cody after knitting a swatch.

It’s springy and soft, and because it’s a 2-ply, the resulting fabric has a slightly pebbled texture. I worked it in simple stockinette, with a garter stitch border. The yarn doesn’t sugest a needle size or gauge, so I experimented, knitting a while on a US 4, then a 5, then a 6. Cody is happy at all three gauges; the thing is to pick a fabric that suits your intended use. I’ve already snatched up a sweater’s worth of this incredible yarn, and for my purposes, a US 5 is perfect. For a shawl or scarf, a 6 gives a slightly more open fabric that will drape beautifully. You’ll run into bits of grass as you knit, a reminder of how close this yarn is to the land; they are easily plucked out as you go. Give this yarn a try and see if you fall in love, too.

Come by the shop to see Cody for yourself!

Back in stock: Habu cashmere.

Posted by Julia on February 21, 2013

I’m happy to report that we have reordered Habu N-86 2/26 Cashmere, a lace weight yarn made of 100% cashmere.

Since it first arrived back in August, it has been petted, admired, and then it quietly sold out, one soft, tiny skein at a time. One day we turned around and there were only five little balls of the stuff in their basket. Time to reorder, indeed.

This time, we branched out some from the neutral colors and included a rich red and a cool seafoam green. This yarn is happy when held singly for a delicate shawl, and perhaps even happier when two strands are held together to create a more substantial fabric.

Come by the shop to take a look, especially if you’d missed it the first time around. See you there!

Two new colors in Titus.

Posted by Julia on February 19, 2013

As soon as we learned that Yorkshire yarn company Baa Ram Ewe had begun producing new colors of their well-loved yarn, Titus, we ordered some for the shop. Say hello to Titus Light and Titus Dark.

All three shades of Titus share a common gauge and fiber content: fingering weight, and comprised of 50% Grey Wensleydale, 20% Bluefaced Leicester, and 30% alpaca, all sourced in the UK. Baa Ram Ewe created Titus with the mission to revive the once-thriving British textile industry, and it seems they’re off to a good start, given the warm welcome Titus has received in the knitting world. We first learned of Titus through Clara Parkes’ glowing review, and recently saw another rave from Edinburgh designer and blogger Kate Davies. Even in a single undyed color, this yarn has wooed many. With three natural shades, Titus is even more tempting.

How to make use of it? Some HYS knitters are using Titus as the main color in their Quill shawl. Anne wants to use all three in a Color Affection shawl. A set of tam and mitts calling for Titus can be found in Ann Kingstone’s Born and Bred, which are now available as single patterns as well as in kits with the yarn.

On top of that, a recent Wooly Wormhead pattern calls for Titus, and the people at Baa Ram Ewe recommended this cabled cardigan pattern from Susan Crawford as a good match for Titus, as well.

The longer Titus lives at the shop, the more pattern ideas come up, it seems. We are just loving this yarn. Come by the shop to see all three shades of Titus, and to plan your next project.

Interweave Knits.

Posted by Julia on February 17, 2013

The latest issue of Interweave Knits is here, ushering in the next season: Spring 2013. As I paged through it, I noticed a handful of garments and accessories made in familiar yarns–yarns that can be found at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. A cowl in Classic Elite Firefly, a pair of fingerless gloves in Malabrigo Lace, and a child’s dress in Tahki Cotton Classic Lite.

Come by the shop to grab a copy of this latest issue, and to browse all the latest books and magazines. See you there!

Hello, Yarn Hollow.

Posted by Julia on February 15, 2013

We are delighted to announce that we now carry Photograph, a yarn from Yarn Hollow.

Yarn Hollow is a yarn company that has grown from one dyer in her garage to a three-person hand-dyeing operation out of Grandville, Michigan. Yarn Hollow has a variety of yarn bases and a palette of colorways that can be applied to any base yarn. Back in June, at TNNA, we got a kit for the Range Wrap featuring Yarn Hollow’s Photograph, a worsted weight yarn made of 100% bluefaced leicester wool. Initially, it was the Jul closures used to fasten the Range wrap that caught our eye. Then we got our hands on the yarn, and it was clear that Photograph had to have a home at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. The bluefaced leicester drapes beautifully, but maintains a good deal of springiness, with some fuzziness and lustre to boot.

The Range Wrap is an asymmetrical shawl of sorts, made of two triangles that meet at a point, making a shape almost like a pair of wings. It’s simple to knit, and can be worn in a variety of ways with the help of Jul’s French Curve closures or Floral Pedestal Button closures.

We now have Range Wrap kits in four colorways (the colorway of our sample, and the three shown below), each of which comes with the pattern and an HYS zip case. We left the closures out of the kit so you could choose your own, and we also got a few extra patterns in case you want to pick different colors or yarn for your Range Wrap.

We also got three colors of Photograph in greater quantities outside the kits, for those of you who want to use this yarn in other projects, like accessories or sweaters.

Come by the shop to see Yarn Hollow’s Photograph, and to admire and try on the Range Wrap. We hope you love this yarn as much as we do!

Vintage and Bargello knits: more new books.

Posted by Julia on February 13, 2013

Two more new books have arrived at the shop since last I rounded them up.

Vintage Design Workshop, by Geraldine Warner, teaches how to update vintage knitting patterns as well as how to customize contemporary patterns to create a vintage look. It’s not a collection of retro patterns, but rather a series of tutorials on how to substitute yarns, make alterations to size and shape, and otherwise adapt existing patterns, old and new.

I was especially intrigued by the section on particular elements of garments–differently shaped sleeves, collars, cuffs, edgings, and pockets–which can be switched out to give any basic sweater a more purposeful, tailored look.

This book deserves attention not only from those who knit from vintage patterns, but anyone interested in modifying or designing knit garments.

Bargello Knits, by Patty Nance, bills itself as “the revolutionary new way to tame the unpredictable beauty of variegated yarns,” and indeed, the techniques within are completely new to me. As many of us know from experience, multi-colored yarns can be surprising, creating stripes or pools of color that vary dramatically depending upon how many stitches are cast on.

To gain control over these capricious yarns, Nance uses a technique similar to intarsia, dividing up variegated yarns into smaller bobbins and knitting small sections of the piece from each bobbin. This has the effect of concentrating short color repeats into blocks that can be several rows high, where the same yarn knit in plain stockinette or garter stitch would make horizontal streaks of color.

Along with carefully explained Bargello knitting techniques, the book is full of patterns. If you’re a lover of variegated yarns but have been disappointed by color pooling in the past, flip through Bargello Knits for interesting new ways to make use of the stuff.

Come by the shop to take a closer look at these and our many other books on knitting and crochet. See you there!