Tag Archives: kelbourne woolens

Hello, Kelbourne Woolens Harmony.

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Brand new from Kelbourne Woolens! Meet Harmony.

Kelbourne Woolens Harmony:

  • lace weight
  • fuzzy
  • 72% kid mohair, 28% mulberry silk
  • 230 yards/25 grams
  • 20-25 stitches over 4” on US 2-6 (2.75-4mm) needles
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry

Harmony is Kelbourne Woolens’ debut mohair! This fluffy mohair/silk blend comes in colors paired to the KW palette, but plays well with others – Harmony brings softness and shimmer to any project.

As I unpacked Harmony, I matched each color to another Kelbourne Woolens yarn, imagining how they’d merge in the knitted fabric. Here are some combinations and pattern ideas!

Kelbourne Woolens Perennial + Harmony: PetiteKnit “Oslo Hat” or “Monday Sweater”

Kelbourne Woolens Cricket + Harmony: Tin Can Knits “Simple Yet Effective” cowl or My Favorite Things Knitwear “Norma Sweater”

Kelbourne Woolens Camper + Harmony: Pernille Larsen’s “Baby Bear Bonnet” or Sari Nordlund’s “Champagne pullover”

Kelbourne Woolens Andorra + Harmony: Andrea Mowry’s “Minted” hat or Jenny Ansah’s “Lanes of Hearts” scarf

Kelbourne Woolens Scout + Harmony: Cheryl Mokhtari’s “Harris Hood” or Veronika Lindberg’s “Salty Days Sweater”

Kelbourne Woolens Germantown + Harmony: Kiyomi Burgin’s “Cheslie Toque” or Jackie Rose’s “Saturday Shrug”

Kelbourne Woolens Lucky Tweed + Harmony: PetiteKnit’s “Weekend Slipover” or My Favorite Things Knitwear’s “Cardigan No. 9”

Kelbourne Woolens Erin + Harmony: Tiina Huhtaniemi’s “Tunturi hat” or My Favorite Things Knitwear’s “Cardigan No. 7”

Look for Harmony in the lace weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

Color crush: blue and burgundy.

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Knitters sometimes ask me which they should pick first: the pattern, or the yarn? There’s no right or wrong way to find your next project, of course, nor are these the only two ways. Often we are motivated by color, coming into the yarn shop picturing a particular shade, and searching the shelves for a skein that matches our mind’s eye. Sometimes it’s a color combination that we’re seeking, a pairing that has captured our imagination – here’s one such case.

A knitter came in recently looking for blue and burgundy, and as often happens here at the shop, Anne and Bailey and I started playing along. We pulled out similar shades we had noticed throughout the shop, cobalt and cornflower, merlot and maroon. Long after that knitter left with the perfect yarn for their next project, I was still spotting sapphire and garnet, so I thought I’d share them here on the blog, with pattern ideas for each pair.

Berroco Ultra Alpaca in 62172 and 62121

Knit at a snug 23 stitches to 4″, Ultra Alpaca would make a cozy pair of “Robinia Mittens,” by Anne Ventzel.

Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in Delft and Homemade Jam

A pleasing pair in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter for PetiteKnit’s new “Key Sweater,” with enough contrast to show the colorwork motif.

Berroco Ultra Wool in 33156 and 33145

This sturdy superwash wool would make a nice pair of “Key Mittens,” to match the aforementioned PetiteKnit sweater.

Brooklyn Tweed Loft in Cadet and Homemade Jam

Try this lower contrast Loft pair in Isabell Kraemer’s “Heimathafen” pullover, with its subtle dip-stitch colorwork stripes.

Isager Tvinni in 44 + Silk Mohair in 44 and Tvinni in 36s + Silk Mohair in 36

Hold Tvinni and Silk Mohair together in simple stockinette stripes for PetiteKnit’s “Olga Jacket.”

Sandnes Garn Sunday in 5846 + Isager Highland in Wine

Hold these lightweight wools together for a low-contrast “Melange Sweater,” by PetiteKnit. I wear mine all the time, and Bailey has one in the works now!

Isager Jensen in 44s and Fyberspates Cumulus in Plum

Another compelling combination for marling – hold fluffy Cumulus with Jensen for Anne Ventzel’s “Solange Scarf.”

Kelbourne Woolens Lucky Tweed in Bright Blue and Mulberry

Brioche is another way to combine colors – try Andrea Mowry’s “Harlow Worsted” hat in plush Lucky Tweed.

What color combinations have you been infatuated with lately? Let us know in the comments, or come by the shop and we’ll help you find yarn to match!

Show and tell: soothing stockinette.

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Sometimes there’s nothing more pleasing than plain old stockinette stitch, its soothing rhythm and smooth surface. Here are some soothing stockinette projects from knitters in our community!

First up, here’s Katherine’s “Stockholm Slipover” in Fibre Co. Cumbria. Though PetiteKnit’s pattern calls for DK and lace weight yarns held together, Katherine cleverly picked a single worsted weight yarn that knits up to the same gauge all by itself.

Here I am in my “Melange Sweater” – coincidentally, almost all of today’s show and tell was knit from PetiteKnit patterns! I held two contrasting shades of Sandnes Garn Sunday together, cobalt blue and light beige; check out this blog post for more color ideas. I knit this over a year ago, but never shared a photo of the finished sweater, though it’s become one of my most worn.

Kay is a serial “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition” maker, and I know these aren’t the last ones we’ll see from her! Above and below, she combined Isager Alpaca 2 with either Soft Fine or Silk Mohair.

Yep, Kay made this third “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition,” too! This may be my favorite of her color combinations yet, Kelbourne Woolens Camper and Isager Silk Mohair.

Here’s Hyesol’s “Monday Sweater,” knit with Sandnes Garn Sunday and Hand Maiden Superkid Silk held together. Photos just don’t do this justice – ever since she brought it in, I’ve been daydreaming about knitting a stockinette raglan for myself.

Joanne held Koigu KPPPM and Lang Cashmere Premium together for one super squishy hat! The pattern is Ysolda Teague’s “Musselburgh,” which is knit with two layers, even more stockinette to enjoy.

Many thanks to Katherine, Kay, Hyesol, and Joanne for sharing their handiwork with us! We really appreciate everyone whose projects begin with a trip to HYS, and we can’t wait to see what you come up with next.

Show and tell: Kelbourne Woolens.

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Time for another round of show and tell! Today I have a bunch of projects to share that were made with Kelbourne Woolens yarns. KW makes some of the best loved and best selling yarns at our shop, covering a wide range of gauges and fibers. Let’s see what folks are making with them!

Sandra made her “mayflower jumper” in Katherine’s recent class here at the shop, using Kelbourne Woolens’ DK weight wool, Scout. She added a slip of Hand Maiden Superkid Silk to a few of these motifs, giving them extra depth and a fuzzy halo. Pattern by thepetiteknitter.

Jill knit these “Shetland Solstice” hats for her granddaughters with KW Camper, a fingering weight version of Scout that’s superb for colorwork. Pattern by Gudrun Johnston.

Jill returned to Kelbourne Woolens for her “August Hat,” a free pattern from KW’s Year of Hats. This one was made with Germantown, a sturdy worsted weight wool. Pattern by Sarah Solomon.

Not long ago, I completed a sample for the shop with KW Erin, a bulky weight Donegal wool. Here’s my “Orla” vest, designed by Kathleen Meehan.

Jaime knit this incredible “Powdermill” cardigan using KW Camper.

Kate Davies’ pattern shines in Jaime’s color palette!

Jaime also used Kelbourne Woolens yarn in her “Tessellated Cardigan,” knit during Nancy’s recent class on Andrea Mowry’s pattern. Jaime used KW Andorra along with Isager Silk Mohair and a few special skeins of her very own handspun.

Thanks to Sandra, Jill, Jaime, and everyone who starts their projects with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We love hearing your ideas and helping you find just the right yarns and tools to realize them. See you at the shop!

Show and tell: little critters.

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Time for another round of show and tell! Sharing finished projects from our crafty community is an ongoing part of our daily Instagram posts, but I have a glorious backlog of projects I want to share here on the blog, too. Today, let’s admire these cute critters!

Rosi knit this “Fox (Knit a Teddy)” with Berroco Ultra Wool, a cozy washable wool that’s perfect for toy-making. Check out the fox wearing a “Raincoat (Knit a Teddy)” below!

Ross also made a “Panda (Knit a Teddy)” dressed as a “Doctor (Knit a Teddy),” using Ewe Ewe Sporty in the perfect scrubs color. Patterns by Sarah Gasson.

This “Tearoom Elephant” is Rosi’s handiwork, too, using Berroco Ultra Wool for the body and a mix of leftover yarns for the outfit. Pattern by Susan Hickson.

Victoria has fallen in love with toy-making, too – so far, she’s made “Mouche the Bear” and “Mina the Pig” from Cinthia Vallet’s oh-so-popular Mouche & Friends: Seamless Toys to Knit and Love. For both of them, Victoria chose CoopKnits Socks Yeah!, a soft and sturdy sock yarn.

Karin knit this “Turtles’ Journey Blanket” with Malabrigo Rios, choosing semisolid hand-dyed colorways to evoke sand, surf, and sea. Pattern by Heather Anderson.

Last but not least, here’s Katherine’s “Cody the Cattle Dog,” crocheted with Kelbourne Woolens Scout.

Thanks to Rosi, Victoria, Karin, Katherine, and everyone who starts their projects with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We love hearing your ideas and helping you find just the right yarns and tools to realize them. See you at the shop!

“Artus” shawl in Kelbourne Woolens Scout.

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Our friend Debbie recently knit this stunning “Artus” shawl with Kelbourne Woolens Scout.

Natasja Hornby’s cozy pattern uses a mix of colorwork techniques and texture to great effect. The narrow bands of 1×1 color are made with stranded knitting, while the eye-catching diamond pattern is made with mosaic or slip stitch knitting – just one yarn in use per row.

Debbie spent a long time considering color values and placement in order to get the maximum impact out of her Scout. Her color palette is below.

Looking closely at Hornby’s “Artus” pattern photos and projects on Ravelry helped me to understand the color placement, too – where I might want the most contrasting colors to meet, and where lower contrast would also appeal.

Above is a color palette inspired by Hornby’s “Artus” pattern photos, and below are more ideas in Scout!

Inspired to make an “Artus” of your own? Check the pattern for yardage details, and shop Kelbourne Woolens Scout here at HYS!

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!

Show and tell: PetiteKnit “Oslo Hats.”

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PetiteKnit’s oh-so-popular “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition” is a contemporary classic. It’s simple and wearable, with thoughtful details that make it fun to knit and easy to gift. Here are some that we’ve had the pleasure of seeing in person, made with yarns from HYS!

Diana knit this “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition” with Kelbourne Woolens Perennial and Fyberspates Cumulus held together, inspired by our well-loved shop sample.

She loved the pattern, and came back for more yarn, intrigued by the color and yarn blending possibilities. The “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition” on the left is made with a marled sock yarn from our sale trunk, held together with Isager Silk Mohair. Diana made the hat on the right with Malabrigo Arroyo and Cumulus held together.

Kay is another serial “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition” maker, and I know these aren’t the last ones we’ll see from her! Above, she combined Fibre Co. Amble and Cumulus, and below, Isager Alpaca 2 and Silk Mohair.

Hyesol chose Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball Crazy for her “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition,” and gave this self-striping yarn a fuzzy halo with Isager Silk Mohair.

Thanks to Diana, Kay, and Hyesol for sharing their hats with us – we love seeing what you make. If these lovely projects inspired you to make your own “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition,” come by the shop to see all the lace and fingering weight yarns we have to choose from!

Show and tell: mohair magic.

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Back with more show and tell! We love the fuzzy halo of mohair, and the magical way it can enhance whatever yarn it’s paired with. Here are some recent projects folks have made with mohair from HYS.

Linda has been on a “Sophie Scarf” streak – here’s one she made holding Malabrigo Caprino and Isager Silk Mohair together. This enchanting combination shows how even high contrast colors can blend together when one of the yarns is lace weight mohair, letting the thicker speckled yarn shine through. Pattern by PetiteKnit.

Here’s Hyesol in her “Sweater No. 29,” knit with Isager Jensen and Silk Mohair held together – thanks for modeling a mohair sweater in this summer heat, Hyesol!

The combination of sturdy Jensen and soft Silk Mohair is perfect for a cozy sweater, and this butter yellow color shows off the cable pattern beautifully. Pattern by My Favorite Things Knitwear.

Margaretta knit this “Helli” slipover with another blend of rustic and soft – Kelbourne Woolens Cricket and Malabrigo Mohair. Pattern by Tiia Reho.

Here’s a close up with the yarn she used, so you can see the ingredients in this unique combination, a single ply tweed and a hand-dyed mohair/silk – we love the result!

Stephanie made this “FairTee,” blending Hand Maiden Superkid Silk and Berroco Ultra Wool DK. The low contrast color combination of a pale speckled mohair and a solid cream wool creates an elegant, subtle colorway well suited to the pattern by Trine Knitwear.

Thanks to Linda, Hyesol, Margaretta, and Stephanie for sharing your mohair magic with us!

Show and tell: colorwork sweaters.

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Time for another round of show and tell, this time featuring colorwork projects!

Here’s Aubrey’s “Halibut,” a striking pullover knit with Kelbourne Woolens Cricket and Isager Silk Mohair held together throughout. This was her second sweater and her very first colorwork project! Pattern by Caitlin Hunter.

Liz came in with two incredible colorwork projects to share – the first is Midori Hirose’s “Paul Klee Sweater,” knit with Brooklyn Tweed Loft and Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift.

“Taquile” is another of Liz’s creations, a cozy pattern from Marianne Isager’s A Knitting Life: Out into the World. She knit it with Isager Alpaca 3, a soft and lofty chainette.

Anne recently taught a class on Isabell Kraemer’s “Nasrin” sweater, and Katherine was the first in class to finish. Like Anne, Katherine knit hers with Kelbourne Woolens Camper, adding the contrast edging at the neck, cuffs, and hem. If this lovely sweater piques your interest, check out our blog post showing color combinations!

Thanks to Aubrey, Liz, and Katherine for sharing your projects with us. If you want some guidance and camaraderie as you knit a colorwork sweater of your own, check out our class page for a new class coming up in August!