Acadia Collection Trunk Show!

Posted by Julia on June 29, 2016

I’m happy to announce that a new Trunk Show has arrived at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! Come by soon to see the Fibre Company Acadia Collection.

This collection is named for the yarn it features: Acadia, a dk weight blend of merino, alpaca, and slubs of silk. The silk takes the dye differently than the other fibers, giving most colorways a rustic, tweedy appearance, which belies its luxuriously soft hand.

The Acadia Collection is designed to show off this special yarn, and so it features classic, simple garments that walk the line between casual and elegant.

So often we knit from instructions and sets of measurements and guesses about how a sweater will look or feel after we spend time creating it; a trunk show is a unique opportunity to experience a handknit garment before you put the work and money into making it, to be sure it’s what you want before you begin. Come by the shop before July 10th to see the Acadia Collection for yourself, to admire and try on these garments for size!

Going-to-Market Sale spotlight: Schulana Sojabama.

Posted by Julia on May 20, 2016

From May 10th – June 5th, we have Colinette and Schulana yarns discounted during our Going-to-Market Sale: single skeins are 30% off, or 40% off when you buy 10 or more! Throughout the sale, I’ll be highlighting some of these yarns and giving ideas for what to make with them. Today: spotlight on Schulana Sojabama.

Schulana Sojabama is a dk weight blend of 55% bamboo and 45% soy, with 120 yards on each 50 gram ball. These smooth, silky plant fibers have maximum drape, making Sojabama perfect for lightweight scarves, shawls, and loose-fitting summer sweaters.

Looking through projects on Ravelry using Sojabama, I spotted a few “Summer Flies” shawls and the lovely lace “Gridwork” scarf. The natural drape of this yarn makes it ideal for the “Drop Stitch Scarf,” as well, or cast on extra stitches for a wider piece and make a drop stitch shawl.

For larger garments, consider Amy Herzog’s “Bryony,” Purl Soho’s “Silken Straw Summer Sweater,” or Shellie Anderson’s “Nova,” “Meridian,” and “Interval.” Sojabama is the right gauge for an “Easy Folded Poncho,” and would make a lovely summer version of that timeless pattern, perfect for covering up in chilly air-conditioned spaces.

Come by the shop to check out Schulana Sojabama and all our other discounted yarns during the Going-to-Market Sale!

A reminder: all sales are final on discounted items. There can be no returns or exchanges, nor special orders–the discount applies only to what we currently have in stock. Thanks!

New patterns for Dovestone DK.

Posted by Julia on April 20, 2016

I’m happy to report that we recently got some new single patterns for Dovestone DK, the yarn featured in our current Baa Ram Ewe Trunk Show.

Alison Moreton’s Landmark Collection features garments and accessories knit in Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone DK. Each design is inspired by a landmark in Yorkshore, home of Baa Ram Ewe.

The pattern photos show each piece before the landmark that inspired it, a fascinating peek into the process of translating the shapes and textures around us into knitted fabric.

Another new collection for Dovestone DK is Ella Austin’s Dovestone Smallholding.

This sweet spiral bound book is filled with stuffed animals and dolls knit in Dovestone DK: a cabled kitten and wensleydale lamb, colorwork fowl, pig, and shetland pony.

Look for these new patterns here at the shop, and come before May 6th to catch the Baa Ram Ewe Trunk Show and the 10% discount on Dovestone DK that goes with it. See you there!

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

Mirasol Samp’a: now on sale!

Posted by Julia on April 5, 2016

Another discontinued yarn has moved to the Sale Trunk here at the shop: Mirasol Samp’a. It’s a lovely yarn, but since it’s no longer manufactured, we’re now offering it at a deep discount of over 25% off the original price!

Mirasol Samp’a is a DK weight 100% organic cotton, naturally dyed in a pleasing palette of pastels, punctuated by a few brights. Consider this yarn for baby sweaters and blankets, washcloths and market bags, summer shawls and tees. Look for more pattern ideas on our “DK weight” Pinterest board!

Though we’re sad to see good yarns go, we love sharing them with you at a discounted price. Come by to pick up some Samp’a at a great price before it disappears!

A reminder: all sales are final on discounted yarn. There can be no returns or exchanges, nor special orders–the discount applies only to what we currently have in stock. Thanks!

The Acadia Collection.

Posted by Julia on March 21, 2016

We just got a new pattern collection from Kelbourne Woolens, designers and distributors of Fibre Company yarns. This group is named for the yarn it features, a yarn that has become a classic in the few years we’ve stocked it: meet the Acadia Collection.

Fibre Company Acadia is a dk weight yarn made of merino wool, alpaca, and silk.

The silk fiber takes the dye differently than wool and alpaca, and stands out from those fibers, creating a tweedy, rustic look. The feel of this yarn is far from rustic, however; Acadia is just as soft as its fiber content suggests.

The Acadia Collection celebrates this special yarn in its natural undyed shades with classic garments that walk the line between casual and elegant.

Look for Acadia in the DK weight section here at the shop, and peruse the Acadia Collection while you’re here!

Hello, Shibui Rain.

Posted by Julia on February 12, 2016

We’re delighted to announce the arrival of Shibui’s newest yarn, Rain.

Rain is a dk weight mercerized cotton, but it’s unlike any mercerized cotton we’ve seen. First, its chainette construction sets it apart from more traditional plied cottons, adding a bit of elasticity where plant fibers typically have none. Second, its smooth, shiny texture suggests silk more than cotton; this is truly elegant fiber, and it makes up into gently draping fabric.

Shibui’s Spring/Summer 2016 pattern collection makes good use of Rain, along with Shibui’s other warm-weather yarns, Twig and Linen.

With warm weather in mind, most of these garments are loose-fitting tunics and tops, knit at somewhat open gauges for maximum drape.

Some patterns work with just one strand of yarn, while others mix two yarns together for a unique fiber blend.

“Spectrum” is one such pattern, working Rain and Silk Cloud together for a drapey scarf or wrap with a mohair halo. The pattern is free with the purchase of Shibui yarns for the project.

Anne has already begun knitting two of these new designs, eager to get Rain on her needles.

“Nova” is a sleeveless tunic with a neckline suggesting a mandarin collar, for which Anne selected one of her favorite, most-worn colors, “Abyss.”

She’s also begun work on “Horizon,” a colorblock pullover, using Linen and Cima in the unexpected shade of “Apple.” “Equinox” is also on Anne’s to-knit list, I believe; yes, she’s fallen hard for Shibui’s Spring/Summer collection, indeed.

Look for Rain in the DK weight section here at the shop!

New colors from Baa Ram Ewe.

Posted by Julia on February 6, 2016

The folks at UK yarn company Baa Ram Ewe dreamed up two new colors for their Titus and Dovestone DK yarns, and I’m happy to report that we now have them on our shelves here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

The two yarns take the dye differently, coming out bright and clear in Titus, but deeper and heathered in Dovestone DK. “Lotherton” is a bright turquoise, and “Rhubarb” is a hot pink.

These new shades are definitely the boldest we’ve seen from Baa Ram Ewe, yet they fit nicely into the color palette, offering new opportunities for high-contrast color combinations.

Dovestone DK is a dk weight blend of 50% bluefaced leicester, 25% masham, and 25% wensleydale wools, all sourced and spun in the UK. It’s a nice big 100 gram hank with 252 yards, plenty for a hat, pair of mitts, or small cowl. For pattern ideas, look to Carol Feller’s Dovestone Hills booklet, Kate Davies’ Buachaille, and our “DK weight” board on Pinterest.

Titus is a fingering weight blend of 50% wensleydale wool, 30% alpaca, and 20% bluefaced leicester wool. There’s plenty of pattern inspiration for Titus to be found on our “Fingering weight” Pinterest board, of course, and we’ve seen some beautiful Titus projects here on the blog over the years, but we wont turn our nose up at new patterns for Titus, either.

Titus Mini Knits is a collection of accessories knit and crocheted in Titus, from mitts and socks to hats and cowls. CoopKnits Toasty Vol. 2 is another round of accessories in Titus from designer Rachel Coopey, whose colorwork patterns look like such fun.

Come by the shop to see all the new goodies from Baa Ram Ewe, and consider Titus or Dovestone DK for your next project!

Buachaille.

Posted by Julia on January 16, 2016

We’re big fans of designer Kate Davies around here. We keep her Colors of Shetland and Yokes on the shelf at the shop, and I knit from them and daydream about them often. Throughout the last months of 2015, we followed along on Davies’ blog as she created her own yarn and developed new designs for that yarn. Her newest book, Buachaille, collects those designs, and we’re delighted to have a stack of copies on the teacart.

Though I think of Kate Davies as a sweater designer, these patterns are all for small accessories.

Hats, mitts, mittens, slippers, cowls, even felted bracelets can be found within this book, and for some, Davies offers two versions–one decorated with stripes, and another with stranded colorwork.

We don’t carry Kate Davies’ Buachaille yarn, but we do have some good substitutes in the DK weight section at the shop. Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone is a blend of British wools with the same 2 ply structure and a similar look, in saturated solid colors. For a DK weight with a bit more drape, consider Fibre Company Acadia, with its soft alpaca and tweedy silk content. A machine washable wool like Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK would work well here, too, perhaps especially for the house slippers. Buachaille shows a DK weight yarn knit up at a range of gauges, but as long as you’re getting the gauge the pattern calls for and a fabric you like, you can confidently substitute yarns.

Buachaille is so much more than a book of knitting patterns, which should come as no surprise, given its author. Kate Davies’ books are always good reads as well as good knits, and this one ups the ante with traditional Scottish recipes. Pick up Buachaille for a glimpse at the beautiful Scottish Highlands that Kate Davies calls home.

Look for it on the teacart here at the shop!

Hello again, Shenandoe Farm.

Posted by Julia on January 8, 2016

Last week, we had a visit from Elaine of Shenandoe Farm. She came with stories of a successful year and with a bag of beautiful yarn, made of fiber grown right here in Orange County, North Carolina.

We’ve stocked Shenandoe Farm yarns before, though it’s been a while since we sold the last remaining skein, so a new delivery was welcome. This new batch is composed of 80% mohair, 10% wool, and 10% llama, spun into a dk weight at Zeilinger Wool Co. in Michigan, a family business for over a century. The heathered color is a natural one, just the shade of the animals that grew the fleece to make it.

Eager to get her hands on this special yarn, Anne knit a swatch on a few different needle sizes, so we could get a sense of what gauge it’s most comfortable at.

From there, it was put in my lucky hands. After a bit more swatching, we decided this sturdy stuff would be well-suited to a pair of Churchmouse “Welted Fingerless Gloves,” a go-to pattern here at the shop. I’m busy stitching up a pair as a sample for the shop.

Look for Shenandoe Farm yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. Hope to see you soon!

Hello, Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK.

Posted by Julia on October 17, 2015

Rowan’s newest yarn has arrived at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! Meet Pure Wool Superwash DK.

We’ve long been searching for a good quality superwash wool in DK weight, one that comes in loads of colors and at a reasonable price, and this yarn is it. Last fall, Rowan met a similar need with their Pure Wool Superwash Worsted, and this yarn is very much a thinner version of the same good stuff.

Superwash DK weight wools like this one are good for all kinds of projects, from accessories to home goods to garments. One 145 yard ball would make a nice pair of mitts, like the Churchmouse “Welted Fingerless Gloves,” or for that matter, my own “Welting Fantastic Mitts.” Baby and children’s things are also a good fit for Pure Wool Superwash DK; I’ve made “Milo” a couple of times using Rowan Wool Cotton, and this yarn would make a nice wintry version of the same little vest.

For adult sweaters, Martin Storey’s Easy DK Knits is a collection worth checking out. Rowan sent along a sample of the cover sweater, “Barbican,” a garter stitch pullover with drop stitch patterning at the bottom edge. Come by the shop to see it in person, and get a tangible sense of how this yarn works up. Easy DK Knits uses a variety of knitting techniques to make relatively simple sweaters, including texture patterns, cables, and beginner-level colorwork.

In addition to these patterns, consider Rowan’s recently-announced Fall Knit-Along, featuring this very yarn, and hosted by designer Amy Herzog. Herzog is a prolific sweater-designer, and one who cares deeply about how those sweaters fit the knitters who make them. Her Options Knit-Along will guide you through the creation of a highly-customizable sweater knit in Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK, from choosing a size to making modifications to finishing. There’s a textured pullover option and a striped cardigan option, and it looks like there’ll be other options within each of those. Read more about it on her website, where you can download the shopping list and get ready to start the Rowan Options Knit Along this Monday, October 19th!

Look for Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK in the DK weight section of the shop, where we’re happy to help you plan your next project. See you there!