Tag Archives: hand-dyed

Dream in Color Pop-Up Club: Kaleidoscope Eyes.

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Dream in Color’s Pop-Up Club is back! Over the past few months, owners Nancy and Veronica have handed over their company to Maddytosh, who are continuing the Dream in Color brand. Their yarn is now hand-dyed in Texas by a team trained by Veronica, and the skeins of Smooshy Cashmere are just as vibrant as ever.

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

Kaleidoscope Eyes is a vibrant, multicolored skein, blending bright pinks, purples, green, and orange in a way that’s both playful and bold.

As soon as Kaleidoscope Eyes came out of the box, I thought of Kelbourne Woolens Perennial and all its playful shades of pink. These three would make a striking “Temperance Shawl,” or a “Free Your Fade,” by Andrea Mowry!

Here are some other two- and three-color patterns for mixing and matching Perennial and Smooshy Cashmere:

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

Koigu Collector’s Club: Penelope.

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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

This month’s limited edition shade is inspired by Bridgerton – fans of the show will recognize Penelope’s signature yellow and pink palette in her namesake colorway.

We love what happens when a solid lace weight mohair is held together with variegated skeins like these, the magical fuzzy halo, subtle color blending, and overall watercolor effect. As soon as Penelope showed up, I reached for Isager Silk Mohair, which has so many shades that would blend beautifully with this limited edition colorway!

We know this combination makes a perfect PetiteKnit “Sophie Scarf” or “Oslo Hat – mohair edition.” If you’re seeking a more intricate pattern, try Sari Nordlund’s “Poet Scarf,” or Ronja Hakalehto’s “Vuono Hat.”

Look for Koigu KPPPM in the fingering weight section here at the shop, and check out the lace weight section for even more mohair!

Dream in Color Pop-Up Club: Neon Cream.

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Dream in Color’s Pop-Up Club is back! Over the past two months, owners Nancy and Veronica have handed over their company to Maddytosh, who are continuing the Dream in Color brand. Their yarn is now hand-dyed in Texas by a team trained by Veronica, and the skeins of Smooshy Cashmere are just as vibrant as ever.

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

Neon Cream is the latest limited edition colorway, a fun explosion of electric lime melting into hints of warm gray. Here it is knit up into a “Terra Hue Shawl,” a slip stitch scarf with a woven-looking texture that shines in variegated yarn like this.

As soon as I saw Neon Cream, I thought of Joji Locatelli’s “Elton Pullover” and “Elton Cardigan,” simple sweaters made special with subtle stripes of mohair, like Sandnes Garn Tynn Silk Mohair.

This zippy highlighter green would shine with a contrast color, too – how about a pair of Stephen West “Contrast Blast Socks,” or a Lamb & Kid “Popple Bandana,” pairing Smooshy Cashmere and Malabrigo Ultimate Sock?

Inspired to cast on? Look for Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at HYS, and ask us for a coupon for a free “Terra Hue Shawl” pattern!

Koigu Collector’s Club: Wedding Season.

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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

This month’s limited edition shade is inspired by Bridgerton – soft floral colours on a lavender-grey background evoke the dresses, balls, and decor of the show.

I can never resist pairing Koigu with mohair, brushed alpaca, or other fuzzy lace weight fibers  – here are a few combinations to consider for your next “Sophie Scarf” or “Oslo Hat – mohair edition.”

Look for Koigu KPPPM in the fingering weight section here at the shop, and check out the lace weight section to see all the fluffy yarns shown here and more!

Back in stock: Malabrigo Mecha.

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We got a sizable order from Malabrigo this week, a beloved Uruguayan yarn company known for vibrant hand-dyed color and soft, squishy merino wool.

Malabrigo Mecha:

  • bulky weight
  • single ply
  • hand-dyed
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 131 yards/100 grams
  • $16.50 each

Mecha is soft and smooth, with that doughy look that single ply yarns can have. Anne used Mecha for the “Ardelle Hat” shown above, with a cabled band that reminds me of challah.

Because it’s so soft and easily machine-washable, Mecha is ideal for making cozy accessories. Here are a few pattern ideas:

Look for Malabrigo Mecha in our bulky weight section here at the shop!

New colors in Malabrigo Mohair!

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We’re excited to share six new colors in Malabrigo Mohair!

Malabrigo Mohair: 

  • lace weight
  • hand-dyed, variegated
  • 72% mohair, 28% silk
  • 229 yards/25g
  • $15 each

The original Mohair palette highlighted Malabrigo’s well loved variegated colorways, but these new additions are all tonal, or semi-solid.

We love pairing lace weight mohair with other yarns – the soft halo it brings to the knitted fabric is enchanting! These match up beautifully with Malabrigo Ultimate Sock, pictured above. Below are pairings in Brooklyn Tweed Loft, Tones Light, and Kelbourne Woolens Camper. There are many, many more yarn and color combinations where these came from – come by the shop to make your own perfect pair!

These semisolid shades are particularly well suited to lace, texture, or cable patterns like Midori Hirose’s “Ranunculus,” Tin Can Knits’ “Love Note,” PetiteKnit’s “Agnete Cardigan,” or Andrea Mowry’s “Pink Fizz.”

Look for Malabrigo Mohair in the lace weight section here at HYS! We’re open 11-5:30, Tuesdays-Saturdays.

Dream in Color Pop-Up Club: Violetear.

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Dream in Color’s Pop Up Club is back! Every month, we’re getting a special new colorway from Dream in Color, a Tucson-based producer of small batch hand-dyed yarns. Their latest limited edition colorway is here while supplies last!

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100g
  • $36 each

Violetear is a variegated mix of white, bright blue, and shades of green, with burgundy speckles.

What to knit with these special skeins? Consider “Terra Hue Shawl,” a slip stitch scarf with a woven-looking texture that shines in highly variegated yarn like this. Simple stockinette or garter stitch are also a nice way to spotlight Violetear; consider the “Sockhead Slouch” hat or “Hitchhiker” shawl.

Look for Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at our shop!

Hello, Hand Maiden Superkid Silk.

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We’re so excited to welcome a brand new yarn company to our collection here at Hillsborough Yarn Shop – hello, Hand Maiden!

Hand Maiden Superkid Silk:

  • lace weight
  • fuzzy
  • hand-dyed, every skein is unique
  • 70% mohair, 30% silk
  • 437 yards/50 grams
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry
  • $26 each

Hand Maiden yarns are dyed entirely by hand in tiny batches – just enough for a single sweater at a time – in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Our first yarn from Hand Maiden is Superkid Silk, an ethereal blend of fuzzy mohair and luminous silk.

We picked a quiet palette to start with, thinking of cool coastal colors, pastels and speckles that are missing from our other mohair/silk yarns.

Lace weight mohair is often carried along with other yarns, adding a soft halo to the knitted fabric – think Ankestrick’s “Garden Cardigan,” Tin Can Knits’ “Love Note,” My Favorite Things’ “Sweater No. 18,” or PetiteKnit’s “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition,” “Novice Slipover,” and “No Frills Sweater.”

Vareigated mohair tints whatever yarn it’s held with in a particularly magical way. Even a high contrast color combination can blend, bringing depth and interest to the finished knit. We had fun brainstorming yarn combinations for these skeins of Superkid Silk – the possibilities are endless!

Come by the shop to see and touch Superkid Silk for yourself, and to plan your next project!

LYS Day 2024: special shades from Koigu!

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Happy Local Yarn Store Day! Come by the shop tomorrow, Saturday, April 27, for 25% off featured yarns and 50% off select books – you can read all about those sales on our recent blog post.

Koigu sent us something special for LYS Day: 3 new Koigu Collector’s Club Colors!

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 g
  • $15.50 each

Each of these limited edition colorways was inspired by Maie Landra’s original paintings and dyeing method. Maie is one of the co-founders of Koigu and designed the original Koigu colours back in the 80s and 90s.

Brave New World, painting by Maie Landra

Brave New World, limited edition Koigu colorway for LYS Day 2024

Analog, painting by Maie Landra

Analog, limited edition Koigu colorway for LYS Day 2024

Connection, painting by Maie Landra

Connection, limited edition Koigu colorway for LYS Day 2024

Pair Brave New World, Analog, or Connection with a fuzzy lace weight yarn and you have the makings of a soft and lovely “Sophie Scarf” or “Oslo Hat – mohair edition,” – here are a few color ideas!

Come by the shop tomorrow, April 27, to celebrate LYS Day and shop our sale! Koigu KPPPM and Isager Silk Mohair will both be 25% off, along with six other featured yarns, one in each gauge section.

Thanks for supporting our shop on LYS Day and every day, we love being your local yarn store!

 

A reminder: all discounted yarns are final sale, no returns or exchanges. Discount applies only to in-stock items, no special orders. Thanks for understanding!

Dream in Color Pop-Up Club: Mystic Prism.

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Dream in Color’s Pop Up Club is back! Every month, we’re getting a special new colorway from Dream in Color, a Tucson-based producer of small batch hand-dyed yarns. Their latest limited edition colorway is here while supplies last!

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100g
  • $36 each

Mystic Prism is a pastel rainbow of pink, aqua, lavender, and butter yellow.

Variegated skeins like these are beautiful on their own – one skein makes a “Sockhead Slouch” hat or “Reyna” shawl – but they always inspire me to create color combinations. Here are a few I put together with the “Temperance Shawl” in mind, a three color garter stitch and eyelet pattern that works well in low, medium, and high contrast color combinations.

  • Malabrigo Ultimate Sock: fingering weight, hand dyed, variegated and semi-solid colorways, 75% superwash merino wool, 25% nylon, 420 yards/100g; $21 each

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