Tag Archives: laine

Observations: Knits and Essays from the Forest, by Lotta H. Löthgren.

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The latest book from Laine Publishing is here – let’s look inside Observations: Knits and Essays from the Forest ($45), by Lotta H. Löthgren.

Lotta H. Löthgren is a writer, knitwear designer, dyer, and yarn shop owner living in a small village in Sweden, a setting that inspired this enchanting collection of essays and knitting patterns.

Observations includes nine knitwear patterns for long-lasting, wearable garments and accessories, along with essays about living a life close to nature.

”The patterns have been created in a quiet conversation with the land, drawing elements from the natural world and translating them into stitches and fabric,” Löthgren writes.

Laine selected beautiful Swiss binding for this hardcover book, a binding technique where the sewn spine is fully visible. It’s as practical as it is pretty – Swiss bound books lay flat when opened, a helpful quality when knitting from a book!

You’ll find Observations ($45) on the teacart with new releases here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop – pick it up if you love texture, colorwork, and thoughtful prose. See you at the shop!

Show and tell: texture and color.

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Need some inspiration for your next project? Here’s another round of show and tell, featuring projects that make interesting use of color and texture.

Carribeth designed and knit this shawl using Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in one of their special applied pooling shades – she did stockinette stitch wherever the yarn was peach, pink, or terra-cotta, but did a mesh lace whenever the aqua blue streak came along. Look for similar patterns on our latest Pop-Up Club blog post!

Above is Wendy’s “SSP (slip stitch party) shawl,” an Isabell Kraemer pattern that combines slip stitch colorwork and texture.

Wendy picked colors in Brooklyn Tweed Peerie and Isager Alpaca 2, so there are slight textural differences in the yarn due to fiber content, as well – a lovely detail!

Margaretta’s “Aloe” socks also combine color and texture using a stitch pattern that was new to her, Anne, and myself – two-colored dip stitch.

The pattern is from Laine’s recent 52 Weeks of Socks, Vol. II, and Margaretta used Kelbourne Woolens Perennial, a soft and squishy merino/alpaca blend.

Anne knit this “Ardelle Hat” using Malabrigo Mecha, a sample for her recent class on the subject. The cabled band is worked flat, then grafted, then stitches are picked up from one edge to complete the body and crown of the hat – a clever construction!

Here is Ruth’s “Wild Flowers” shawl, a floral field rendered in intricate texture patterns using Brooklyn Tweed Arbor. For sharp stitch definition, there’s no better yarn!

Thanks to Carribeth, Wendy, Margaretta, Anne, and Ruth for sharing their projects with us! We love seeing what folks make with yarn from our shop, and always look forward to show and tell.

Textured Knits, by Paula Pereira.

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The latest book from Laine is Paula Pereira’s Textured Knits ($50), an enticing collection of 20 garments and accessories.

Paula Pereira’s love of texture is clear from the designs she’s published on Ravelry and those we’ve seen in Laine Magazine, Pom Pom Quarterly, Amirisu, and Making over the years.

This beautifully photographed book is full of intriguing textural combinations – knits embellished with a bit of crochet, embroidery, or even weaving.

“In every pattern in this collection there is a textured accent, bringing a 3D aspect to the fabric,” writes Pereira. “Sometimes it is a delicate detail, other times it is the overall texture!”

I was especially taken with the stitch pattern on her “Cobogó” cardigan, knit with Brooklyn Tweed Shelter.

We may not have every yarn called for in Textured Knits, but we’re always happy to help you find the perfect substitute!

Textured Knits is $50 – look for it here at our shop, among the latest publications, like Mouche & Friends, Making Memories, 52 Weeks of Socks, Vol. II, Knitted Kalevala, The Knitted Fabric, Traditions Revisited, and more. We’re also happy to take your order online for local pickup or shipping!

Mouche & Friends: Seamless Toys to Knit and Love, by Cinthia Vallet.

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Cinthia Vallet’s charming debut book is here – let’s page through Mouche & Friends: Seamless Toys to Knit and Love ($34).

This delightful collection includes instructions for 12 knitted toy animals, along with pleasingly intricate garments and accessories for each.

Cinthia Vallet’s toy-making process is unique and totally seamless, and she walks you through the techniques step-by-step.

Come by the shop to get a closer look at Mouche & Friends: Seamless Toys to Knit and Love, or order online for local pickup or shipping. Hope to see you at the shop!

Making Memories: Timeless Children’s Knits, by Claudia Quintanilla.

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The latest book from Laine Publishing is here – let’s look inside Making Memories: Timeless Children’s Knits, by Claudia Quintanilla!

Making Memories: Timeless Children’s Knits ($43) is a sweet collection of 25 baby and children’s knits, sized from newborn to 10 years.

Inside you’ll find cardigans, pullovers, socks, mittens, and blankets, often shown in multiple colors and sizes.

I spotted some familiar yarns while paging through the book – Isager Silk Mohair, Jensen, and Spinni, and Tukuwool Fingering, to name a few – but we are always happy to help find the perfect substitute for any pattern.

 

Look for Making Memories: Timeless Children’s Knits here at HYS, along with a slew of new books and magazines! We’re open from 11am-5:30pm, Tuesdays-Saturdays; masks required. You can also order online for local pickup or shipping – just fill out our online order form!

Laine Magazine, No. 17.

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Let’s look inside the new issue of Laine!

Laine Magazine is a publication out of Finland, a knitting and lifestyle magazine with a love of natural fibers as its focus, and a reputation for beautiful designs and artful photography. This issue is full of summer stitching inspiration!

Over the years, Laine has introduced us to many knitwear designers and yarns from all over the world, a trend that continues in this issue – contributors are based in Taiwan, France, Norway, Catalonia, Chile, Denmark, the US, and Finland, of course.

Beyond the knitting patterns, there are seasonal recipes and plenty of good reading, including a profile of designer Cinthia Vallet, who penned Laine’s recent book of hand knit toys, Mouche & Friends.

Laine magazines are $30 each – come by the shop or order online for local pickup or shipping! We also have Laine No. 8 and No. 13 (marked down to 50%, no less!), along with Laine’s recent books, Knitted Kalevala, The Knitted Fabric, and Traditions Revisited. See you at the shop!

52 Weeks of Socks, Vol. II.

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The folks at Laine have brought us another exciting new book – 52 Weeks of Socks, Vol. II!

52 Weeks of Socks was wildly popular when it was first published in 2020, and ever since, sock knitters have been clamoring for more. Like its predecessor, this new volume includes 52 patterns for knitting socks and slippers, an astonishingly large collection, and a beautiful one.

The patterns within are colorful and abundant, featuring 47 talented designers from all over the world. Some of their names are familiar, but many are new – we can’t wait to get to know their work!

52 Weeks of Socks, Vol. II is heavy with inspiring patterns using a variety of techniques, but it is also a beautiful object unto itself. Like all Laine publications, the photography is tantalizing, the color palette soothing and evocative.

I spotted two familiar yarns among these pages, Fibre Co. Amble and Isager Sock Yarn. Look for them in the fingering weight section here at our shop, along with so many others – Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio Sock, Malabrigo Ultimate Sock, and CoopKnits Socks Yeah! all come to mind.

52 Weeks of Socks, Vol. II is $50, a great price for 52 patterns – look for it here at the shop, or order online for local pickup or shipping!

Neons & Neutrals: a Knitwear Collection Curated by Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimée.

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The latest book from Laine Publishing is here – let’s look at Neons & Neutrals: a Knitwear Collection Curated by Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimée!

Aimée Gille is the dyer behind La Bien Aimée, and for this eclectic collection, she reached out to designers with a wide range of aesthetics, whose work differs from one another and speaks to all kinds of knitters. Her first book, Worsted, had a particular yarn as its theme, but this new book is all about color, and illustrates that theme with yarn of all kinds.

As its title suggests, Neons & Neutrals features unexpected, eye-catching color combinations and textures. Most garments and accessories are shown in two different colorways, showcasing yarn from a variety of producers and dyers.

Some of these designers are well known, and the others are worth getting to know – Inese Sang, Maaike van Geijn, Karen Cronje, Anna Husemann, Layla Yang, Caitlyn Turowski, Cecelia Campochiaro, Valerie Ng, Maysa Tomikawa, Florence Spurling, Lotta H Löthgren, Brandi Cheyenne Harper, Marie Régnier, Susan Chin, Brienne Moody and Julia Wilkens.

While we may not have every yarn shown in Neons & Neutrals, we have so many lovely substitutes throughout the shop – we’re happy to help you find the perfect yarn for your project!

Neons & Neutrals: a Knitwear Collection Curated by Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimée is $43,  and available here at the shop – we’re still taking online orders for local pickup or shipping, as well. We also have a few copies of Worsted ($40), and many other beautiful books from Laine Publishing!

52 Weeks of Easy Knits.

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52 Weeks of Easy Knits ($50) is the latest book from Laine, an inspiring tome packed with 52 approachable patterns for garments and accessories. Let’s take a look inside!

This is the third in Laine’s ambitious 52 Weeks series, and instead of focusing on a particular kind of garment, it invites knitters of all skill levels to cast on for pleasing, uncomplicated projects.

The book begins with an introduction to yarn choice, pattern reading, cast-ons, bind-offs, finishing – all manner of techniques.

The patterns themselves are fun, modern, and varied. You’ll find colorblock cardigans, slip stitch socks, bobbled shawls, striped scarves, ribbed beanies, textured mittens, and more within these pages.

You can see them all on Ravelry, a virtual way to browse the book; the list of designers is impressive, including Isabell Kraemer, Sylvia Watts-Cherry, Veera Välimäki, Jonna Hietala, Paula Pereira, George Cullen, Meiju K-P, among many others.

52 Weeks of Easy Knits is $50, not a bad price for 52 patterns – look for it here at the shop, or order online for local pickup or shipping!

Laine Magazine, No. 16.

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Let’s look inside the new issue of Laine!

Laine Magazine is a publication out of Finland, a knitting and lifestyle magazine with a love of natural fibers as its focus, and a reputation for beautiful designs and artful photography. This issue was photographed in Helsinki, and includes an article about the Craft Museum of Finland.

Issue 16 features patterns from an amazing group of designers from all over the world, the likes of Dee Hardwicke, Rosa Pomar, Fiona Alice, Eri Shimizu, and more.

Beyond the knitting patterns, there are seasonal recipes and plenty of good reading, including this piece about caring for your handknits. Need any Eucalan wool wash, or coconuts mesh laundry bags, or sweater brushes? We’ve got it all!

Laine magazines are $30 each – come by the shop or order online for local pickup or shipping! We also have Laine No. 8, No. 10, No. 11, No. 12, No. 13, and No. 15 in stock, along with Laine’s recent books, Knitted Kalevala, The Knitted Fabric, 52 Weeks of Easy Knits, and Traditions Revisited. See you at the shop!