Arranmore Collection Trunk Show!

Posted by Julia on November 11, 2016

Yesterday we were pleasantly surprised to receive a highly-anticipated trunk show a full week earlier than expected. Come by the shop to see the Kelbourne Woolens Arranmore Collection in person!

This group of cozy garments and accessories is named for the yarn it features: Fibre Company Arranmore, a bulky weight tweed composed of merino, cashmere and silk.

One of the most notable qualities of Arranmore is its loftiness in spite of its bulky gauge. Sweaters knit in bulky yarn can droop and sag with time, but Arranmore holds its shape, warm but not heavy.

Anne’s completed “Carrowkeel” hangs with this show, though if you’ve been to the shop in the last month or so you’ve likely seen it already. It’s such a classic, this simple stockinette turtleneck, and it looks even better on than it does on the wall. Though the wall is where it’s lived since she sewed its last seam, I did convince her to pose for a photo.

Look for the Arranmore Collection Trunk Show here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, on display until November 27th! Perhaps you’ll find your next project among the collection. See you at the shop!

Hello, Fibre Company Tundra.

Posted by Julia on September 25, 2016

Meet the newest yarn here at the shop, and the star of our current trunk show: Fibre Company Tundra.

Tundra is not a new yarn for the Fibre Company, but it’s one we haven’t had in stock before. This smooth and lustrous yarn is composed of 60% alpaca, 30% merino, and 10% silk. Most of the colors are bright and saturated, though we made sure to bring in a few cool neutrals, too.

Tundra is a bulky weight yarn, ideal for luxurious winter accessories, so keep it in mind as quick-to-make gifts begin to top your to-do list.

Kelbourne Woolens’ Tundra Collection is full of patterns that fit the bill, and if you hurry in, you can see them on display here at the shop and get Tundra at 10% off during the trunk show. See you there!

Just a reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges, returns, or special orders. Thanks!

Tundra Collection Trunk Show!

Posted by Julia on September 22, 2016

A new Trunk Show has arrived to inspire and delight Hillsborough Yarn Shoppers! Come by soon to see the Tundra Collection and Tundra: Elements.

The Tundra Collection features hats, cowls, and other winter accessories knit in the soft, luxurious, and brand-new-to-the-shop Fibre Company Tundra. (More on that soon!)

None of these garments require more than 3 skeins of Tundra to make, so they’re quick, satisfying projects.

Tundra: Elements is a booklet of sweater patterns all derived from one simple design, a cozy raglan.

Add stripes or pockets, choose a hood, v-neck, henley, or turtleneck, and the look changes entirely, though the basic shape is the same.

We’re offering a 10% discount on Fibre Company Tundra during the Trunk Show, so hurry in to get this brand new yarn at a great price!

Just a reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges, returns, or special orders. Thanks!

The Arranmore Collection.

Posted by Julia on August 30, 2016

With the arrival of Fibre Company’s exciting new yarn, Arranmore, comes a predictably lovely pattern collection from the design team at Kelbourne Woolens.

Inspired by traditional Irish knitwear, the Arranmore Collection features six sweaters, two hats, and a scarf.

Tweed yarns like Arranmore liven up simple stockinette, to be sure, but they do equally well in texture and cable patterns, and bring nuance to stranded colorwork.

Anne’s knitting “Carrowkeel” as a sample for the shop, using Arranmore in “Meara,” a deep blue with flecks of cobalt and red.

This cozy turtleneck is designed to be worn with positive ease, and looks like perfect North Carolina winter outerwear to me.

Meanwhile, I’ve been working on a “Finn Valley” sample, using Arranmore’s “St. Claire,” a natural white with flecks of beige and pale blue that really lets the cables shine. I’m sorry to report that this color is currently on backorder; let us know if it tops your list so we can alert you when it arrives!

Look for the Arranmore Collection along with Arranmore yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

Hello, Fibre Company Arranmore.

Posted by Julia on August 28, 2016

We’re excited to announce the newest yarn from the Fibre Company, Arranmore!

Arranmore is a bulky weight tweed, composed of 80% merino, 10% cashmere, and 10% silk. It knits up quickly at a gauge of 3.5 – 4.25 stitches per inch, using US 8-10 needles. Though it’s thick and warm, it’s not heavy; with 175 yards on each 100 gram skein, it’s quite lofty for a bulky yarn.

Arranmore is spun in a mill that traces its roots to the tweed industry of 19th century County Donegal in Ireland. Like any classic tweed, Arranmore is dotted with flecks of fiber in contrasting colors, and like any Fibre Company yarn, its colorways and fiber content have been thoughtfully fashioned. Read more about the fascinating process behind Arranmore on the Kelbourne Woolens blog!

Anne picked up two sweaters-worth of Arranmore on our TNNA trip so we could have shop samples ready before our order even came in. Though we’ve been knitting as fast as we can, and Arranmore truly seems to knit itself some days, our sweaters are still on the needles.

Keep your eye on the blog for more on the glorious pattern collection that accompanies Arranmore’s release!

Berroco Portfolio, Vol. 1.

Posted by Julia on October 5, 2015

This fall marks the 10th anniversary of Berroco’s now-classic Ultra Alpaca yarn, a soft and sturdy blend of wool and alpaca. To celebrate, they’ve published a beautiful pattern collection showcasing the full range of Ultra Alpaca, from the fingering weight Ultra Alpaca Fine to the bulky weight Ultra Alpaca Chunky. Take a peek inside Berroco Portfolio, Vol. 1.

Berroco Portfolio, Vol. 1 features patterns from independent knitwear designers, the likes of Bristol Ivy, Mary Jane Mucklestone, Martina Behm, and Thea Colman.

Berroco sent along a sample of Thea Colman’s contribution, a seamless cardigan with texture panels called “Rye.” The pattern photo shows it in a heathered green shade of Ultra Alpaca, and our sample is in a no less fetching red. Come by the shop to take a closer look, or try it on for size.

Ultra Alpaca is a rare blend of luxury and practicality, a quality yarn for a reasonable price. We’re celebrating its 10 year anniversary by putting bags and bags of it on our shelves, refilling favorite colors and adding some new ones, too.

Our stash of Ultra Alpaca Chunky has also grown, just in time for cold weather stitching.

Berroco Portfolio, Vol. 1 has a few great patterns for Ultra Alpaca Chunky, too.

Come by the shop to plan some cozy fall and winter projects, and consider Ultra Alpaca when you do. See you there!

Hello, Ultra Alpaca Chunky.

Posted by Julia on October 2, 2014

Meet the newest yarn from Berroco, Ultra Alpaca Chunky.

A bulky weight blend of wool and alpaca, Ultra Alpaca Chunky is the newest addition to Berroco’s Ultra Alpaca line.

Each 100 gram skein boasts 131 yards, enough for a hat or a pair of mitts. With a suggested gauge of 3.5 stitches per inch on a US #10, this is instant gratification yarn, perfect for cozy accessories and warm, jacket-like sweaters.

Berroco booklet #349 features patterns for Ultra Alpaca Chunky, a collection of accessories and garments.

A sample of one of these patterns, “Duchamp,” now hangs at the shop, knit in a cheery red.

“Duchamp” is a textured shawl, a modular knit whose construction is sure to keep you interested as you stitch.

Look out for this free pattern tucked into the Ultra Alpaca Chunky cubby–a cozy textured scarf, knit with just 3 skeins.

Come by the shop to see Ultra Alpaca Chunky and plan some instant gratification knitting of your own!

Even more Malabrigo.

Posted by Julia on March 4, 2014

A few weeks ago, Anne and I were thrilled to unpack two giant boxes from Malabrigo, stuffed with Rios and Mecha, two super-soft superwash merino wool yarns in worsted and bulky weight, respectively. We had written to Malabrigo some months ago with a dream list of all the colors we’d love to have in each yarn, knowing that they wouldn’t all be available at once. These are well-loved yarns, and as such, we often have to wait a while for our orders to be fulfilled. Imagine our surprise and delight when a second mammoth Malabrigo order was shipped our way last week!

We have better stock in Rios and Mecha right now than we have ever had to my memory, so if these are yarns you love, come by the shop and enjoy the full cubbies. They’re already going fast, though, due to that particular Malabrigo combination of beauty, softness, easy-care, and good value. If you’re hoping to put your hands on specific colorways, feel free to call ahead and check that we still have them in your desired quantity.

For pattern ideas, check out the “Inspiring Stitches” board on our Pinterest page, where you’ll find patterns for all kinds of HYS yarns, including Malabrigo Rios and Mecha. See you at the shop!

Back in stock: Malabrigo Rios and Mecha.

Posted by Julia on February 5, 2014

Malabrigo is a small yarn company out of Uruguay that is well known for its soft merino yarns, and their vivid, hand-dyed colorways. Many designers publish patterns with Malabrigo yarns, and a quick Ravelry search reveals that many thousands of knitters and crocheters have made projects with these yarns at one time or another. We know plenty who return to Malabrigo again and again, not only because of their good quality but also their good value. The combination of “small company” and “big exposure” means that we sometimes have to wait a while for our orders to be fulfilled, but it’s always worth the wait. Behold: a new Malabrigo shipment, bursting with tempting bags of Rios and Mecha!

Rios is Malabrigo’s worsted weight superwash merino, a yarn that’s hard to keep in stock because it does so well in so many kinds of projects.

Baby blankets, mittens and scarves, slipper socks, hats and headbands, garments for children, crocheted shawls and cabled sweaters–I’ve seen Rios put to good use in all those projects and more.

Mecha is Malabrigo’s newest yarn, a single-ply, bulky weight, superwash merino. Since we first received it in September, it’s become a popular choice for cozy and quick-knitting accessories, cowls in particular.

Maybe it’s the incredible softness of the yarn that makes people want to wear it right around their necks. Consider the following free patterns if you, too, are itching to make a cowl in Mecha: “GAP-tastic Cowl,” “Bandana Cowl,” and “Drop Stitch Cowl.” Suppose you’d rather knit a shawl, or a hat: try “Distinction,” “Thorpe,” or the “Ardelle Hat,” also free downloads from Ravelry. Visit and follow us on Pinterest for even more inspiring ways to make use of all the yarns you’ll find at HYS.

Come by the shop to see our selection of Malabrigo yarns, and come soon if you’re after some color or kind in particular–Rios and Mecha do tend to sell out quickly!

Hello, Mountain Fusion Teton.

Posted by Julia on December 11, 2013

Just in time for last-minute holiday gift-making, we received 6 new colors in Mountain Fusion Teton, a bulky weight merino wool.

Mountain Fusion Teton is the result of a collaboration between two small US yarn companies: Mountain Meadow Wool, of Buffalo, Wyoming, and Mountain Colors, of Corvallis, Montana. This springy, colorful yarn is 2 ply, where one ply is thick and the other is thin.

This gives a pretty consistent texture with plenty of color interest, not to mention enough yarn in one skein to create a hat or cowl in an afternoon. The pattern for this simple hat is printed on the Mountain Fusion Teton yarn label; also consider “Thorpe,” or the “Drop Stitch Cowl,” both of which are available as free downloads from Ravelry.

Come by the shop to pick up a skein or two of Mountain Fusion Teton, and you’ll have cozy winter accessories in no time, whether for yourself or for someone yarn-worthy. See you at the shop!