Tag Archives: fingering weight

Dream in Color Pop-Up Club: Montauk & Acrid.

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Dream in Color’s Pop-Up Club is back! Each month, we get 10 skeins of Smooshy Cashmere in a limited edition colorway, hand-dyed in Texas. They’re always popular for Ysolda Teague’s “Musselburgh” hat, Andrea Mowry’s “Free Your Fade” shawl, or a special pair of socks.

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, each skein is unique; we recommend alternating skeins to blend in a larger project
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100 grams
  • machine wash cool on gentle/hand wash setting, lay flat to dry

Montauk arrived in April, a soft variegated mix of cream, lavender, peach, and dove gray.

Two skeins of Montauk makes Lena Skvagerson’s “Shoreline Shawl,” a shallow crescent shaped shawl with lace and stockinette.

Acrid popped up earlier this month, a sunny aqua colorway streaked with marigold.

Jenny Noto designed her “Garden Shawl” for two skeins of Acrid, a half circle shawl with eyelets and slip stitches.

Our friend Margaretta recently knit this lovely pair of “Avena” socks with Smooshy Cashmere in Fen.

It’s great to see variegated skeins like this one knit up – this intricate twisted stitch pattern breaks up the color pooling in a lovely and intriguing way. Pattern by Natalia Vasilieva.

Inspired to cast on? Look for Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at HYS, and in our online store!

“Norma Sweater” kits and colorways.

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Since we opened our online store in September, we’ve noticed a trend in orders. A particular combination of Isager yarns kept popping up in a particular combination of colors.

Having hosted an Isager Archives Knit-Along last spring, we knew exactly what pattern these folks had in mind: “Norma Sweater,” by My Favourite Things Knitwear.

We decided to make it easier on all the knitters out there wanting to make a “Norma Sweater” of their own, and put these special colors together in a kit – look for it in our online store!

If you, too, have fallen for My Favourite Things’ captivating color combination, you can buy all the yarn you need in our Norma Sweater Kit. Just pick the size you want to make and add it to your cart!

You can always pick your own colors, of course – Bailey and I were inspired to do just that as these kits came together. Here are a few other colorways for the “Norma Sweater,” using Isager Tweed, Silk Mohair, and Tvinni.

Look for Isager Tweed, Silk Mohair, and Tvinni here at HYS, and explore all our kits in our online store!

Hello, Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering Non Traitée!

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For years now, Anne has been on the lookout for her ideal merino and silk blend. She hoped it would be fingering weight, tightly plied for strength, and non-superwash for elasticity. I’m delighted to report that she’s found it: meet Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering Non Traitée, a brand new yarn to HYS!

Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering Non Traitée:

  • fingering weight
  • 3 ply
  • hand dyed; we recommend alternating skeins to blend in larger projects
  • 90% non-superwash merino wool, 10% silk
  • 420 yards/115 grams (4oz)
  • hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

Julie and Jean-François are the craftspeople behind Julie Asselin Yarns, hand dyers based in Sherbrooke (Quebec, Canada). Ethical sourcing is important to them, and they keep the process as close to home as possible by working exclusively with yarn mills in Canada and the US.

Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering Non Traitée is smooth and soft, as its fiber content suggests, but also springy and sturdy. In the knitted fabric, this means sharp stitch definition for showing off texture patterns, and a balance of drape and structure. Leizu Fingering Non Traitée looks like a lovely choice for sweater- and accessory-making alike. Here are some pattern ideas!

  • “Mara,” by Audrey Borrego – sideways-knit ribbed scarf/shawl with eyelets
  • “Rose Petals,” by Janina Kallio – triangular lace shawl
  • “Go Go Dynamo,” by Stephen West – a “geometric adventure” with modular sections, brioche, stripes, and more
  • “Pampas Tee,” by Samantha Guerin – circular yoke tee with lace motif
  • “Moon Mint,” by Andrea Mowry – 2-color slip stitch pullover
  • “Alden,” by Jennifer Steingass – colorwork yoke pullover

Look for Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering Non Traitée in the fingering weight section here at HYS, and in our online store!

Limited edition colors from Koigu & Dream in Color.

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Koigu & Dream in Color are two of our favorite hand-dyers, and we love to see the special limited edition colorways they come up with each month.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 grams

Rococo is the latest shade from Koigu Collector’s Club, a subtle mix of salmon pink and terracotta, with mini streaks of ivory and deep blue. New Koigu colorways always make us think of PetiteKnit’s “Sophie Scarf” – KPPPM held together with a strand of lace weight mohair is a magical blend!

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, each skein is unique; we recommend alternating skeins to blend in a larger project
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100 grams
  • machine wash cool on gentle/hand wash setting, lay flat to dry

Dream in Color’s new Pop-Up Club colorway is Inflorescence, a wild rainbow mix of neon colors. One skein is enough for a “Prism Twist Reversible Hat” – two layers in different stitch patterns makes a two-in-one accessory!

Look for Koigu KPPPM and Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at the shop!

Limited edition colors from Koigu & Dream in Color.

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Koigu & Dream in Color are two of our favorite hand-dyers, and we love to see the special limited edition colorways they come up with each month.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 grams

Mocha Mousse is the latest shade from Koigu Collector’s Club, inspired by Pantone’s color of the year. These variegated skeins are streaked with warm shades of brown, and would make a cute PetiteKnit “Sophie Scarf” held together with a strand of lace weight mohair!

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, each skein is unique; we recommend alternating skeins to blend in a larger project
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100 grams
  • machine wash cool on gentle/hand wash setting, lay flat to dry

Snowy Twilight is a saturated mix of blues and purples, a low-contrast variegated colorway that reads solid from a distance. This subtle color variation makes it a great choice for more complex stitch patterns, like Alicia Plummer’s “Grant’s Point Socks,” or Emily Greene’s “Bevel Mitts.”

Look for Koigu KPPPM and Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at the shop!

Hello, Fleece Artist Bluenose Socks!

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We’re thrilled to introduce our newest arrival, from Hand Maiden’s sister brand, Fleece Artist – meet Bluenose Socks!

Fleece Artist Bluenose Socks:

  • fingering weight
  • 2ply
  • hand-dyed
  • each skein is unique; we recommend alternating skeins to blend in a larger project
  • 75% treated bluefaced leicester wool, 25% nylon
  • 440 yards / 100g
  • suggested needle size & gauge: US 2/2.75mm; 32st/4″
  • machine wash cold, lay flat to dry

Fleece Artist is a small family run company based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The folks at Fleece Artist are dedicated to breed specific fibers such as bluefaced leicester, fine kid mohair, merino and other fuzzy beasts. Bluenose Socks is a great example of this, a practical and hardwearing sock yarn made of treated bluefaced leicester wool – BFL, for short.

BFL is known for its strength, luster, and drape, a combination of qualities that makes it quite versatile – socks, hats, mitts, and shawls would all be good uses for Bluenose Socks.

I went searching for new-to-me sock patterns that have a little bit of texture, enough to keep the knitting interesting but not so complex that the stitch pattern gets lost in variegated colorways. Summer Lee has a few that fit this description perfectly: check out “The Daily Socks,” “Hibernal Socks,” “Stillwater Socks,” “Mermaid Avenue Socks,” and the especially whimsical “Classic Bobble Sock Set.”

Look for Bluenose Socks in the fingering weight section here at HYS, and click here to check it out on our online store!

Limited edition colors from Koigu & Dream in Color.

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Koigu & Dream in Color are two of our favorite hand-dyers, and we love to see the special limited edition colorways they come up with each month.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 grams

Polaris is the latest shade from Koigu Collector’s Club, a deep blue with zippy neon streaks.  It would make a cute pair of Andrea Mowry’s “DRK Everyday Socks,” with contrasting cuffs, heels, and toes in Ewe Ewe Fluffy Fingering!

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, each skein is unique; we recommend alternating skeins to blend in a larger project
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100 grams
  • machine wash cool on gentle/hand wash setting, lay flat to dry

Dream in Color’s new Pop-Up Club colorway is Fen, a variegated mix of soft blues and greens. Two skeins makes the new “Frosted Forest Scarf,” by Lena Skvagerson, a cozy brioche scarf trimmed with stockinette ruffles.

Look for Koigu KPPPM and Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at the shop!

Limited edition colors from Koigu & Dream in Color.

Posted by on

Koigu & Dream in Color are two of our favorite hand-dyers, and we love to see the special limited edition colorways they come up with each month.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 grams

The Koigu Collector’s Club continues with Marble, a moody mix of warm and cool neutral tones. One skein makes a pair of Churchmouse “Turkish Bed Socks,” two makes “Barb’s Koigu Ruffle,” or pick a pair in contrasting colors for Andrea Mowry’s “Harlow.” Or add a strand of Isager Silk Mohair for PetiteKnit’s “Sophie Scarf” or “Oslo Hat – mohair edition.”

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, each skein is unique; we recommend alternating skeins to blend in a larger project
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100 grams
  • machine wash cool on gentle/hand wash setting, lay flat to dry

Dream in Color’s new Pop-Up Club colorway is Sunup, a variegated mix of peach, pink, lavender, and aqua. One skein makes a “Terra Hue Shawl,” “Sockhead Slouch” hat or “Lightweight Hipster” shawl.

Look for Koigu KPPPM and Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at the shop!

Hello, Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mondim!

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We are so excited to announce that we now carry yarn from Retrosaria Rosa Pomar, a yarn company and haberdashery known for its heritage Portuguese wool. We have Mondim and Vovó on our shelves now – let’s take a look at Mondim!

Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mondim:

  • fingering weight
  • 3 ply
  • 100% fine Portuguese non-superwash wool – most batches of Mondim are made exclusively from the wool of native Campaniça sheep
  • 421 yards/100 grams
  • gauge: 24-32 sts x 30-48 rows = 4 x 4 inches
  • needle size: 2-4mm | US 1-6
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry

Mondim is a non-superwash fingering weight yarn made from fine Portuguese wool, and named after a Portuguese village once famous for its sock knitting cottage industry. Tightly plied and sturdy, Mondim is a great choice for making socks, hats, and sweaters alike.

Mondim comes in a huge range of colors, the most of any Retrosaria Rosa Pomar yarn. We have a mix of variegated, speckled and solid shades in stock, carefully selected to play well together. Think Andrea Mowry’s “Curio Socks,” Amy Christoffers’ “Pressed Flowers Socks,” and Hanna Leväniemi’s “Broken Seed Stitch Socks.”

If single color socks are more your speed, try Andrea Mowry’s “DRK Everyday Socks,” Stephen West’s “Dustland Socks,” or Tin Can Knits “Rye Light.” Anne will be teaching “Rye Light” in her upcoming Learn to Knit Socks class – she added it to the schedule just to have an excuse to work with Mondim!

Look for Mondim in the fingering weight section here at HYS!

Koigu Collector’s Club: Fall Ceremony.

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The Koigu Collector’s Club continues! Each month, we’ll receive 21 skeins of KPPPM in a limited edition color dyed especially for a select group of local yarn stores that carry Koigu. KPPPM is a fingering weight superwash merino, hand-dyed in vibrant colors by mother/daughter team Maie and Taiu Landra on their farm outside of Toronto, Canada.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 grams

Their latest limited edition colorway is Fall Ceremony, a moody indigo blue streaked with pumpkin orange and forest green, a more saturated color than we’ve seen from Koigu in a while.

It got me thinking about Churchmouse’s “Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf” pattern, which blends disparate variegated shades into a harmonious fabric that almost looks woven.

“Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf,” © Churchmouse Yarns & Teas

Three skeins of Koigu KPPPM is all it takes to knit this scarf, and whether they are high or low contrast, in complementary or nearly clashing colors, this simple stitch pattern seems to bring any color combination together. Here are a few that appealed to me.

Look for Koigu KPPPM in the fingering weight section here at the shop, and in our new online store!