Tag Archives: dk weight

Hello, Morris DK!

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Brand new from West Yorkshire Spinners, in partnership with The William Morris Society – meet Morris DK!

West Yorkshire Spinners Morris DK:

  • DK weight
  • 50% Bluefaced Leicester wool, 25% Bluefaced Kerry Hill wool & 25% Masham wool
  • 122 yards/50 grams
  • hand wash cold, lay flat to dry
  • gauge: 22 stitches = 4″
  • needles: US 6 (4mm)

This collaborative new yarn is named for William Morris, a key figure in the British Arts & Crafts movement of the mid-19th and early 20th centuries. Morris is best remembered for his textile design, but he was also a revolutionary thinker and a socialist who transformed Victorian England’s view on craftsmanship and design. An artist as well as a scholar, Morris was known for designing tapestries, wallpaper, fabrics, and furniture inspired by medieval styles as well as the flora and fauna of the British countryside.

Morris DK is made using three quality British fleeces: lustrous and luxurious Bluefaced Leicester, soft and durable Bluefaced Kerry Hill, and rustic and charming Masham. The color palette has been carefully curated, capturing the iconic hues of the Victorian era.

Designers Debbie Bliss & Chloé Elizabeth Birch have interpreted Morris’s designs into contemporary classic knitwear in this small collection, Impressions.

Anne is particularly taken with “Sunflower,” a half-colorwork, half-cabled pullover in striking high contrast. It’s shown in Morris DK‘s navy and white, called Blackthorn and Daisy.

Look for Morris DK here at HYS!

Hello, Harrisville nightshades & daylights!

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We’re excited to share something new and unique from Harrisville Designs – meet nightshades & daylights!

Harrisville Designs nightshades & daylights:

  • DK weight
  • 3 ply
  • heathered
  • American Cormo & wool
  • 250 yards / 100 grams
  • gauge: 18-22 sts = 4″
  • needle size: US 5-7 (3.75mm-4.5mm)

nightshades is a woolen-spun American Cormo & wool, dyed in twelve delicate shades of black. The palette is subtle and moody, each shade reading black from a distance, but up close, revealing a dusting of color.

daylights is Harrisville’s sunshine counterpart to nightshades, a smaller palette in shades of white, each with just a twinkle of color.

Both nightshades & daylights are dyed on lofty, Montana-grown Cormo and wool, which combine to form a soft and airy DK weight yarn. Cormo is known for its velvety soft hand and balance of loft and elasticity, qualities that make it a versatile fiber for garments and accessories.

Andrea Mowry’s “Night & Day Cowl” makes lovely use of both nightshades & daylights – above is the same combination she used in her sample, Caffeine (dusted with brown) and Static (marled with white). Below are a few of my own pairings…

What else to make with nightshades & daylights? Here are some pattern ideas!

Garments:

Accessories:

Look for Harrisville nightshades & daylights in the DK weight section here at HYS!

Back in stock: CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK.

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Not long ago, we restocked CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK, expanding the palette of that lovely yarn with colors old and new.

Socks Yeah! DK is a thicker version of CoopKnits Socks Yeah!, from designer Rachel Coopey. Both yarns are smooth, tightly plied blends of superwash merino and nylon, which make them perfect for sock-making, as the name suggests.

But soft, easy-care DK weight yarns have plenty of applications beyond socks. Baby and children’s things come to mind, little sweaters like Tin Can Knits’ “Dog Star,” which hangs here at the shop.

Our fresh supply of colors inspired me to put together some more pairings for “Dog Star.”

Here’s a bit of show and tell in CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK, as well – Jill made these “Sweet Pumpkin” hats for her little granddaughters.

Look for CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK in our DK weight section here at HYS, and in our new online store!

Restocking Brooklyn Tweed Arbor, Loft, and Shelter.

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Brooklyn Tweed is back in stock! We’re ordering worsted spun Arbor and woolen-spun Loft and Shelter as fast as they can make them. Loft and Shelter’s well-loved heathered colorways have been particularly scarce over the past few years, but they’re back in production, with the help of Bollman Hat Co’s new stock-dyeing operation in Pennsylvania.

Brooklyn Tweed Arbor:

  • DK weight
  • 3-ply
  • worsted spun
  • 100% Targhee wool
  • 145 yards/50 grams
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry

Arbor is known for its springy elasticity, soft hand, and stellar stitch definition.

Photo © thepetiteknitter

Thepetiteknitter’s “dandewishes” pullover (above) shows how well suited it is to colorwork, too! Also consider: Gudrun Johnston’s “Kirigami,” Andrea Mowry’s “Tincture,” Jared Flood’s “Guernsey Wrap.”

Brooklyn Tweed Loft:

  • fingering weight
  • 2-ply
  • woolen spun
  • 100% Targhee-Columbia wool
  • 275 yards/50 grams
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry

Loft is named for one of its best qualities, which is to say, a unique bounce and airiness. Its woolen-spun, 2ply construction gives it a traditionally handcrafted appearance, ideal for lightweight garments and accessories, lace, and nuanced colorwork.

Photo © Isabell Kraemer

Isabell Kraemer’s “SSP (slip stitch party) shawl” is a fun way to play with Loft’s huge color palette. Also consider: Ankestrick’s “LENU,” Mary Weaver’s “Cosmea,” Caitlin Hunter’s “Birkin.”

Brooklyn Tweed Shelter:

  • worsted weight
  • 2-ply
  • woolen-spun
  • 100% Targhee-Columbia wool
  • 140 yards/50 grams
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry

Shelter is Brooklyn Tweed’s first yarn, and one of the most well-loved – a worsted weight, woolen-spun Targhee-Columbia wool, sourced, dyed, and spun entirely in the USA.

Photo © Andrea Mowry

Andrea Mowry’s “The Weekender” is one of the most popular sweater patterns on Ravelry for good reason – as easy to knit as it is to wear, this cozy, oversized pullover shows off Shelter’s structure, loft, and beautiful heathered colors. Also consider: Joji Locatelli’s “Emery Vest and Pullover,” Jacqueline Cieslak’s “Chroma,” Jonna Helin’s “Nuuk.”

Look for these and other Brooklyn Tweed yarns here at HYS!

New solid shades in Kelbourne Woolens Scout!

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We’re excited to have eight more colors in Kelbourne Woolens Scout!

Kelbourne Woolens Scout

  • DK weight
  • 2ply
  • worsted spun
  • 100% wool
  • 274 yards/100 grams
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry
  • $18 each

This soft and sturdy DK weight wool has become known for its heathered colorways, but these clear, bright solids expand the palette beautifully.

What to knit with Scout? We’ve seen sweaters, shawls, hats, and mittens, among other things – click here to see a blog post with all kinds of pattern ideas. Earlier this year, we shared color combinations in Scout for Lene Holme Samsøe’s “Inge Sweater,” part of our Isager Archives Knit-Along. The KAL is over, though my own “Inge Sweater” isn’t quite complete – maybe that’s why I immediately thought of “Inge when I saw these new shades in Scout!

photo © Lene Holme Samsøe

Look for all 35+ shades of Kelbourne Woolens Scout in the DK weight section here at our shop – we’re open from 11:00 am – 5:30 pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays.

New colors in Fibre Co. Acadia!

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We’re so pleased to have five new colors in Fibre Co. Acadia!

Fibre Co. Acadia:

  • DK weight
  • 60% merino, 20% alpaca, 20% silk
  • 145 yards/50 grams
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry
  • $17.50 each

These new colors brighten up the Acadia color palette considerably, and play well with the more muted shades we already had on hand.

Acadia has long been a favorite yarn in our DK weight section, especially for projects where softness is key and some drape is welcome. The silk slubs takes the dye differently than the other fibers, giving most colorways a rustic, tweedy appearance, which belies its luxuriously soft hand.

Garments knit with Acadia have a mix of structure and drape. We have a couple of samples knit in Acadia at the shop so you can see and feel this in person; look for the Churchmouse “Easy Folded Poncho” and “Quaking Aspen”shawl next time you’re here.

Here are some patterns for two or more colors of Acadia, perfect for mixing and matching new shades and old!

Come by to give Acadia a squeeze and plan your next project!

Hello, Isager Eco Baby.

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Another new yarn from Isager! Meet Eco Baby.

Isager Eco Baby:

  • DK weight
  • undyed
  • chainette
  • 68% baby alpaca, 32% organic cotton
  • 164 yards/50g
  • $10 each

Eco Baby is a cousin to Eco Soft, both composed of baby alpaca and organic cotton, chain-plied into lofty, elastic yarns. Eco Baby is a smaller gauge, less fuzzy, and somehow even softer than Eco Soft!

“Field Sweater,” by Camilla Vad, photo © Camilla Vad

Like many of you, we first became aware of this yarn when we saw it in Camilla Vad’s “Field Sweater,” a pullover with a stunning texture pattern at the yoke, reminiscent of wheat sheaves.  There’s a “Field Cardigan,” too, along with “Field Mittens,” “Field Beret,” and “Field Slipover” – Eco Baby is a lovely choice for any of these patterns.

Anne gilded the lily on her “Field Slipover,” adding a strand of Isager Silk Mohair to her already soft Eco Baby. The result is a decadent, cuddly fabric with a fuzzy halo that still shows the texture pattern beautifully.

You have to touch this one for yourself – come by the shop to give it a squeeze!

Our supply of Isager Silk Mohair is at an all time high, with more colors than ever. Matching shades of Eco Baby and Silk Mohair blend together seamlessly, but these undyed shades can be livened up with colors of a similar value, as well. Here are some ideas!

There are so many more color combinations to try – look for Isager Eco Baby and Silk Mohair in the DK and lace weight sections, respectively. We can’t wait to see what you put together!

Back in stock: Sandnes Garn Line.

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Sandnes Garn Line has become a staple since we introduced it last March – we’re delighted to have a fresh supply and loads of new colors, just in time for spring!

Sandnes Garn Line:

  • light worsted weight
  • 53% cotton, 33% viscose, 14% linen
  • 120 yards/50g
  • $7.50 each

Line is a light worsted weight plant fiber blend that knits up at 5 stitches per inch on a US 6 needle.

It’s soft, cool, machine washable, and drapes beautifully, qualities that make it ideal for warm weather garments.

Above is my “Anker’s Summer Shirt,” a top-down, seamless PetiteKnit pattern, suitable for a knitter’s first sweater. Here are more pattern ideas for Line:

Look for my “Anker’s Summer Shirt” on display at the shop, and find Sandnes Garn Line in our worsted weight section!

Back in stock: Bamboo Pop!

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Universal Bamboo Pop is back!

Universal Bamboo Pop:

  • DK weight
  • solid and variegated shades
  • 50% cotton, 50% bamboo
  • 292 yds/100g
  • $11 each

This DK weight plant fiber blend is smooth, soft, and cool to the touch, ideal for warm weather stitching. It’s been particularly popular for making Knitted Knockers – soft, comfortable, knit prosthetics for breast cancer patients. Since 2015, we’ve collected them here at our shop to donate to UNC’s cancer center a few times a year. Read more about the project on the Knitted Knockers website!

Anne made the “Hitchhiker” shawl above with Bamboo Pop  – check it out next time you’re here at the shop. What else to make with Bamboo Pop? Here are some ideas!

Tees and tanks:

Accessories:

Come by the shop to plan your springtime knitting! We look forward to seeing you there.

Hello, Lang Cashmere Premium!

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A brand new yarn has arrived – meet Lang Cashmere Premium!

Lang Cashmere Premium:

  • DK weight
  • 100% cashmere
  • 126 yards/25 g
  • $28 each

It’s been quite some time since we kept a 100% cashmere yarn in stock here at HYS. We’ve had a few that were discontinued, one by one, and so many other fibers that were luxuriously soft – alpaca, silk, and merino wool, to name a few. But enough people inquired that we felt compelled to seek out a new cashmere yarn, and when Anne got her hands on a sample ball of Lang Cashmere Premium, the choice was made.

Lang Cashmere is not sourced from a specific breed of goat, but rather from the long, fine undercoat of around 20 different subspecies of domestic goats. The soft and delicate cashmere hair is carefully combed out by hand, yielding just 200-380g of raw fiber from each animal.

Cashmere is known for its exquisite softness, of course, but also for being especially warm – yarn like this is best for smaller accessories, to make the most of each precious yard. Anne ordered Churchmouse’s “Cashmere Beret” pattern to go with Lang Cashmere Premium, a perfect pairing of yarn and pattern.

When it came to the shop sample, Anne, Bailey and I all agreed – it has to be something worn around the neck! I’m using two balls of Cashmere Premium to knit a “Scarf No. 4,” by My Favorite Things, and each stitch is decadent.

Here are some other pattern ideas!

Look for Lang Cashmere Premium in the DK weight section here at our shop!