HYS bags.

Posted by Julia on October 21, 2016

If you happen to follow us on Instagram, or visited us at the shop last weekend, you may have already seen our newest addition: sturdy canvas totes and zipper bags decorated with our own Hillsborough Yarn Shop logo!

Anne and I have been plotting these bags for some months now, working with the kind and helpful folks at EnviroTote to create the perfect tote bags and zipper pouches. They sent us samples in a variety of dimensions and weights of canvas, so we could select just the right combination.

We wanted sturdy canvas bags that could hold up to years of use, fabric heavy enough that a small knitting needle couldn’t easily poke through. We also wanted a product that was made in the USA, and we’re proud to report that these fit the bill in both departments.

We’re thrilled with how our bags came out, and hope that you love them just as much as we do!

Come by the shop to pick up the knitting tools you need, along with Hillsborough Yarn Shop bags to stow them in. See you there!

Back in stock: Binkwaffle bags.

Posted by Julia on March 23, 2016

Our supply of Binkwaffle bags had dwindled to just two lonesome bags when we got a package from Holly at Binkwaffle and breathed a sigh of relief.

We have sold out and reordered again and again since we first brought Binkwaffle’s reversible dumpling bags into the shop. Their clever design, colorful prints, and just-right size have endeared them to many a knitter.

Every batch of bags is a surprise in terms of the colors and prints available. Both small and large sizes are back on our walls, brightening the shop.

Come by to pick up a Binkwaffle or two!

Hello, Jul Forager bags.

Posted by Julia on September 28, 2015

Every year, we go to market hoping to find something that surprises us, something we didn’t know we were looking for. We didn’t go to market looking for elegant leather bags, handmade in the USA, but once we saw them, we knew we had to have them at the shop. Say hello to these Forager bags, from Jul Designs!

We have Forager bags in two sizes. The Forager Market Bag is a generous 18″ wide x 14″ tall x 5″ deep, a simple, streamlined tote made of lightweight leather. It’s big enough to carry a large project, along with your notions, a pattern book or two, and other necessities.

They are unlined, save for a cream-colored lining at the bottom, making it easy to spot what you’re looking for as you shuffle through the contents of your bag. We also asked that Laura, designer and owner of Jul Designs, include little metal feet on the bottom, to protect the bag when it’s set on the floor.

The Sweety Forager Bag is a smaller version of the same style, at 13.5″ wide x 9.5″ tall x 4″ deep. It’s big enough to function as a small purse, but would make an equally lovely project bag, with room enough for the essentials.

We fell hard for these bags! Anne picked a Forager Market Bag for herself in black, Rosi went with red, and I wound up with one in brown.

Check out our selection of Jul Forager bags next time you’re at the shop! We hope you love them as much as we do.

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!