Tag Archives: lace

Hello, Navia Uno.

Posted by on

Meet Navia Uno, one of the newest yarns here at our shop.

Navia is a family-run yarn company from the Faroe Islands, specializing in traditional Faroese wool. Their yarns are now distributed in the US by our friends at Kelbourne Woolens, who traveled to the Faroe Islands earlier in the year and wrote a bit about it on their blog. They also published an interview with Óli Kristian á Torkilsheyggi, the owner of Navia, which gives more insight into the history of Faroese knitting and Navia yarns in particular.

Uno is one of the finest Navia yarns, a lofty lace weight blend of Faroese, Shetland, and Australian lambswool. Its 2ply structure gives the yarn a somewhat rustic appearance, a bit of texture that lends character to knitted fabric without detracting from lace or texture patterns.

What to knit with Navia Uno? This yarn would be right for many patterns calling for lace weight yarn, and we’ve collected a bundle on our “Lace weight” Pinterest board. I searched Ravelry for patterns that call for Navia Uno and projects that use this yarn, and found a few leads:

Searching more broadly for Faroese shawls brought more possibilities to light. Faroese shawls are known for their distinctive shoulder shaping, which helps keep the shawl in place.

Look for Navia Uno in the lace weight section here at our shop!

Show and tell: Hitofude.

Posted by on

Amy has now taught her “Hitofude” cardigan class three times at our shop, and has just begun a fourth. With an unusual construction and a repetitive lace motif, Hiroko Fukatsu’s “Hitofude” is a gracefully draped garment that many knitters have been drawn to. So far, we’ve seen five finished garments come out of these classes, and I can’t wait to share them with you!

Above is Amy’s own “Hitofude,” knit with Shibui Staccato. The combination of silk and superwash merino means drape and shine, both of which bring elegance to this piece.

Many of Amy’s students chose Staccato for their “Hitofude” cardigans; here’s Jane in hers.

Jane lengthened the sleeves and the body of the sweater for exactly the fit she wanted, and it came out just right.

Margie made similar modifications, but used Fibre Company Cumbria Fingering, a wool/mohair blend with more structure and less drape than Staccato. It makes a more substantial garment appropriate for fall and winter, and Margie is happy with the results.

Pam used Madeline Tosh Merino Light for her sweater, which looks springy and playful in a tonally variegated chartreuse. It’s not a yarn we carry at the shop, but Malabrigo Mechita is similar – a hand-dyed, single ply, superwash merino.

This group photo shows Linda, second from the left, in her “Hitofude,” knit with Shibui Staccato. She kept the original sleeve and body length of the pattern for a slightly cropped silhouette. It’s amazing what an impact these slight differences can have from one garment to the next, even with the same pattern – we love seeing knitters in self-made sweaters that reflect their preferences and show off their skills!

Thanks to these knitters for sharing their work with us, and especially for participating in classes here at the shop. We feel so lucky to have such talented teachers on our team, and students who are excited to learn more about their craft. I’m so looking forward to seeing more “Hitofude” cardigans as they’re completed!

The Andorra Collection.

Posted by on

This week, we welcomed Kelbourne Woolens’ very first yarn, Andorra. It came with a small pattern collection that hints at the tremendous possibility in these skeins.

Sport weight is one of my favorites, resting between the lighter fingering weight and the heavier DK weight. It seems to strike a balance to me: fine enough to be intricate, heavy enough not to be intimidating.

Knit it at a tighter gauge and you have a fabric that is cohesive enough to be cozy without being heavy.

Knit it more loosely, and you’ll create lightweight, draping fabric perfect for breezy tops or shawls.

The Andorra Collection covers so much in just six patterns: rich texture, tidy cables, classic lace, and Bohus-inspired colorwork. Courtney Kelley’s “Jenny” pullover is what Anne cast on for recently, the start of which we shared in our January newsletter and the last blog post introducing Andorra.

While we don’t have print copies of these patterns yet, they are available on Ravelry and as Ravelry In-Store Pattern Sales here at the shop.

Look for Andorra itself in our sport weight section. See you there!

Show and tell: lace.

Posted by on

Our Thanksgiving break continues, and the shop will be closed until we reopen on Tuesday, Nov. 28th. Til then, I have more show-and-tell to share! The theme of this bunch is lace.

Betty knit this “Stone Point” poncho during Amy’s class here at the shop, her first-ever lace project! The yarn is Fibre Company Luma, a dk weight blend of wool, cotton, linen, and silk.

Sherri knit this beautiful blanket for her new daughter-in-law, Leah. The stitch pattern is good old feather and fan, a great introduction to lace knitting, and the yarn is a wide range of odds and ends from Sherri’s stash – this is a great way to use those bits and pieces and play with color along the way!

Here is a lace pattern on a somewhat smaller scale: Lois’s “Feather the Waves Socks,” knit with Malabrigo Sock. Lois has found a favorite in this vibrant hand-dyed yarn; this is the third pair she’s made with Malabrigo Sock!

Margaretta is an especially prolific lace-knitter, and lately her projects are made with Brooklyn Tweed yarns. After knitting a “Your Ice Cream Shawl” with Vale, she came back for another; this is her second project with Vale, Jared Flood’s now-classic “Girasole.”

After completing that, Margaretta took on Jared Flood’s “Lucca,” this time with Arbor. The heavier gauge of this yarn made a more substantial fabric and a larger piece, turning a circular shawl into a spectacular blanket.

Kellie has been knitting with Brooklyn Tweed, too – here she is modeling her “Hop Brook” shawl, knit with Loft. What a lovely match of yarn and pattern – a little rustic, a little delicate, and the light color lets the lace edging shine.

We love seeing what folks make with our yarns – thank you so much for sharing your projects with us. Hope you’re enjoying the holiday weekend, and we look forward to seeing you on or after the 28th!

Brooklyn Tweed Vale Trunk Show!

Posted by on

We are delighted to announce that a new trunk show from Brooklyn Tweed is here to spend a couple of weeks at our shop. Come by before August 20th to see the Vale Collection!

The Vale Collection features five garments: four popular lace patterns from the Brooklyn Tweed archives that have been revised for Vale, and one brand new design from Jared Flood.

The old favorites are “Girasole,” “Rock Island,” “Bridgewater,” and “Lucca,” classic lace shawls in a variety of shapes. “Gully” is the newest pattern, a brioche cowl that takes just one skein of Vale.

Seeing this collection in person is a treat, and really highlights the quality of the yarn. Vale is a lace weight Rambouillet wool, with 450 yards on each 50 gram skein. It’s worsted-spun for a smooth yarn with sharp stitch definition, one that’s spectacularly bouncy in the skein and in the knitted fabric.

These exquisite pieces are on display here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop until August 20th, and while they’re here, we’re offering 10% off purchases of Brooklyn Tweed Vale. Hurry in to see the show and soak up some lace knitting inspiration!

Just a reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges or returns. Thanks!

Show and tell: lace.

Posted by on

We always love to see what you’re making with HYS yarns, and I love to take photos of your finished pieces to share here on the blog. Sifting through the many delightful show-and-tell photos I’ve accumulated, I noticed a group of projects with a technique in common: lace.

Margaretta has a fondness for lace-knitting, and has completed two lace shawls recently. The one above is “Arlington,” by Emily Ross, knit with Shibui Staccato.

The pattern is easy to modify for the stockinette-to-lace ratio of your choosing, and Margaretta opted for a lace-heavy version, with stunning results.

Above is Margaretta’s most recent finished piece, “Your Ice Cream Shawl,” knit with the new and exciting Brooklyn Tweed Vale.

Two of our teachers have been working with lace, too. Below is Amy’s “Stone Point” poncho, knit with the Fibre Company’s new yarn, Luma. She’s in the midst of teaching a class on the subject, so we expect to see more “Stone Point” ponchos in the coming months, knit by her students! In the meantime, look for this one on display here at the shop.

Robin has a lace class coming up this fall, featuring Lisa Hannes’ “Laurelie,” a two-color shawl with lace and mosaic motifs.

Her “Laurelie” is made with Plymouth Happy Feet and Isager Merilin, a marriage of two yarns alike in gauge, but different in fiber content. They play well together in the finished piece; look for it on the wall here at the shop, and head to our Classes page to sign up for the class!

Itching to start a lace project of your own? Brooklyn Tweed is hosting a Summer of Lace Knit-Along, and their blog is full of helpful hints and project ideas. I know some of you are participating, and look forward to seeing your finished pieces!

Thanks to the knitters who shared their work on the blog today. We love seeing what you’re working on, and can’t wait to see what you come up with next. See you at the shop!

Refined Knits.

Posted by on

A new stack of books have found a place on the teacart here at the shop, Jennifer Wood’s Refined Knits.

DSCN5570

Refined Knits is a collection of patterns for garments and accessories, focusing on lace, cables, and stitch patterns that combine the two.

DSCN5578

I spied some of our very favorite yarns in this book, like Shibui Staccato and Fibre Company Knightsbridge.

DSCN5577 DSCN5576

This cabled cardigan uses Shibui Staccato and Pebble held together, for a thicker fabric and a unique combination of a lustrous solid color yarn and a tweedy one.

DSCN5574

Along with the patterns, Wood offers tutorials and tips throughout the book, shedding light on some of the techniques she employs.

DSCN5579

Come by the shop to browse our collection of books, magazines, single patterns, and handknit samples. We hope you find inspiration here as you plan your next project!

Friends of Shibui Trunk Show.

Posted by on

Another trunk show has arrived, another opportunity to see hand-knit garments in person, which is always better than in photographs. Come by the shop before November 24th, 2015, to see garments by independent designers Julie Hoover and Steve Rousseau knit in Shibui yarns!

DSCN5245

We have five of Julie Hoover’s designs on the wall, four sweaters and one cowl, and they all share that elegant, simple-with-a-twist aesthetic that Shibui is known for.

DSCN5237

Steve Rousseau’s designs are something very different: contemporary lace shawls with graphic, geometric motifs. We have seven of his rectangular shawls on display and one triangular shawl, and they all beg to be admired and studied closely.

DSCN5246

All the garments in this show are made with Shibui Pebble, a lace weight blend of 48% recycled silk, 36% wool, and 16% cashmere.

DSCN5252

Most of these pieces use this delicate yarn held singly, but a few sweaters are knit with two strands of Pebble held together throughout, for a thicker fabric.

DSCN5239

All of the patterns are available as Ravelry In-Store Pattern Sales, where we print a copy for you and a digital copy is also saved in your email or Ravelry pattern library. We’re offering all in-stock Shibui yarns at a 10% discount during this Friends of Shibui Trunk Show, so visit us before November 24th to plan your next project in Shibui yarns!

 

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! 

New books for knitters and crocheters.

Posted by on

For the past couple of months, we’ve been all about the new yarns, but new books have been coming in, too. Read on for a peek at the latest publications to find a home here at the shop.

DSCN5129

Faina Goberstein and Simone Merchant-Dest have compiled a wide variety of slip-stitch patterns in their newest book, The Art of Slip-Stitch Knitting. Look here for sweater and accessory patterns, as well as stitch patterns you can apply to your own designs.

DSCN4774

Romi Hill’s New Lace Knitting is a collection of patterns for sweaters, scarves, hats, shawls, and more, all decorated with the kind of lacy openwork that Hill is best known for.

DSCN5005

I noticed two of our favorite fingering weight yarns put to use in this collection, both of which are excellent for lace knitting: the “Williwaw Cardigan” in Shibui Staccato, and the “Fallen Leaf Shell” in Swans Island Natural Colors Merino Fingering.
DSCN5006

Poetic Crochet, by Sara Kay Hartman, is full of crochet garments inspired by classic poems. Hartman also makes use of a favorite Shibui yarn: Shibui Silk Cloud.

DSCN5131

Come by the shop to treat yourself to a new book!

Brioche and lace: two new books.

Posted by on

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for new books! Here are two of the latest publications from Interweave, each one focused on a single technique.

DSCN3589

Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark’s Brioche Chic offers 22 garment and accessory patterns for men and women, all of which include brioche knitting.

DSCN3592

Brioche is a lofty, stretchy fabric that can look like plush ribbing in its simplest form, and like twisting, multicolored cables or lace when modified or combined with other techniques.

DSCN3593My favorite in this collection: “Chevron Deep-V Pullover,” knit in Fibre Company Acadia.

DSCN3591

If you’ve never tried brioche, this book is a great place to start, and its sure to keep you interested long after you’ve mastered the basics of the technique.

DSCN3482

Everyday Lace, by Heather Zoppetti, is all about incorporating lace patterns into wearable, non-fussy garments. Inside, you’ll find patterns for sweaters of all shapes: tunics, vests, shrugs, pullovers, cardigans, and some accessories, too.

DSCN3483

I spotted a few garments in familiar yarns. The “Kirkwood Vest” above is knit in Malabrigo Silky Merino, and the “Bellemont Cardigan” below is knit in Swans Island Organic Merino Worsted.

DSCN3484

Come by the shop to find inspiration in a book or two, and plan your next project!