Tag Archives: local

Hello, Cutthroat Yarn Gradient Cotton.

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Last week, we got another shipment from Cutthroat Yarn in Leesburg, Virginia. Meet the newest of our yarns, Gradient Cotton.

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Like Cutthroat Yarn Gradient BFL, Gradient Cotton is a hand-dyed fingering weight self-striping yarn, where each shade is many yards long, for wide stripes. The big difference between these two yarns is in fiber content. The mercerized cotton in Gradient Cotton is grown right here in North Carolina, and like all plant fibers, it makes inelastic, drapey fabric that is cool to the touch, perfect for a lightweight spring or summer accessory.

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All of the patterns I mentioned in my recent Gradient BFL post are suitable for Gradient Cotton, too. Consider also Tina Whitmore’s “Radiance Shawlette,” Mindy Ross’s “Reverse Psychology,” and Kateryna Golovanova’s “Spearmint Tea.”

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Look for Cutthroat Yarn Gradient Cotton in the fingering weight section here at the shop, on a shelf just beneath Gradient BFL. See you there!

Hello, Cutthroat Yarn Gradient BFL.

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We’re delighted to announce that we now carry Gradient BFL from Cutthroat Yarn!

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Gradient BFL is a 100% superwash bluefaced leicester wool in a fingering weight, and it’s hand-dyed by Cutthroat Yarn founder Jeanette Ward in Leesburg, Virginia. We’re always on the lookout for locally-sourced yarns, and plied self-stiping yarns, too; Gradient BFL fills both of these needs nicely.

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Each 100 gram skein has 443 yards, enough for a shawlette, hat, cowl, pair of mitts or socks. Use Gradient BFL anywhere self-striping yarn is called for, like Stephen West’s “Spectra” or “Daybreak,” Melinda VerMeer’s “Nymphalidea,” or Melissa La Barre’s “September Circle.” Some patterns that don’t call for self-striping yarn look equally lovely in gradient yarns like these; consider Hilary Smith Callis’s “Starshower,” Martina Behm’s “Hitchhiker,” or Kelly McClure’s “Sockhead Slouch Hat.”

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Instead of choosing from a set selection of colorways, we asked that Jeanette dye a few of her favorites for us, and we love what she came up with. The colors have no names or numbers, and may never be duplicated, so be sure you get enough for your project! Look for Cutthroat Yarn Gradient BFL in the fingering weight section here at the shop.

Hello again, Shenandoe Farm.

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Last week, we had a visit from Elaine of Shenandoe Farm. She came with stories of a successful year and with a bag of beautiful yarn, made of fiber grown right here in Orange County, North Carolina.

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We’ve stocked Shenandoe Farm yarns before, though it’s been a while since we sold the last remaining skein, so a new delivery was welcome. This new batch is composed of 80% mohair, 10% wool, and 10% llama, spun into a dk weight at Zeilinger Wool Co. in Michigan, a family business for over a century. The heathered color is a natural one, just the shade of the animals that grew the fleece to make it.

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Eager to get her hands on this special yarn, Anne knit a swatch on a few different needle sizes, so we could get a sense of what gauge it’s most comfortable at.

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From there, it was put in my lucky hands. After a bit more swatching, we decided this sturdy stuff would be well-suited to a pair of Churchmouse “Welted Fingerless Gloves,” a go-to pattern here at the shop. I’m busy stitching up a pair as a sample for the shop.

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Look for Shenandoe Farm yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. Hope to see you soon!

Late Bloomer yarn bowls.

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We’re happy to announce that we now carry ceramic yarn bowls from Late Bloomer Pottery!

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Frumet is a local potter who makes beautiful functional pieces here in the Triangle. We’ve been carrying her ceramic buttons at the shop since June, and are thrilled to add these yarn bowls to our selection of locally-made goods.

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Yarn bowls are designed to hold your ball of yarn as you’re knitting or crocheting from it, keeping it from rolling around on the floor or getting tangled with notions in your bag. Just place the ball in the bowl and thread your working yarn through the spiral cut-out in the side.

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A beautiful yarn bowl makes an exquisite gift for a knitter or crocheter, so keep it in mind for the upcoming holiday season. Whether it’s a gift for you or someone else, come by soon to snag one of these special bowls; we have just four in stock, though Frumet will be cooking up more in her kiln soon.

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See you at the shop!

Late Bloomer Buttons.

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We’re delighted to announce that we now carry handmade buttons from Late Bloomer Pottery!

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Frumet is a local potter who makes beautiful functional pieces here in the Triangle. She and Diane recently discovered a love for button-making, and we’re so thrilled to share the fruits of their labor with you.

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Smaller buttons come in threes, and larger buttons stand alone; each Late Bloomer Button is unique and hand-crafted, a perfect match for special hand-stitched garments and accessories.

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Come by the shop to see our selection of Late Bloomer Buttons, and stay tuned for yarn bowls from Late Bloomer Pottery later in the year!

Crochet Traditions.

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We got another new magazine in at the shop this week.

Crochet Traditions is here, full of interesting articles, photos of intricate crocheted heirlooms, and patterns and techniques to keep your hooks busy.

I was particularly intrigued by an article on tobacco twine crochet, a regional crochet tradition local to North Carolina. According to the article, the Person County Museum of History in Roxboro is home to several incredible crochet pieces made from tobacco twine during the 1930’s. As a lover of fiber arts and a student of Southern history, I was so pleased by the intersection of the two in this article. Come by the shop to get a copy of Crochet Traditions if this is up your alley, too!

 

Spindles and shawl pins.

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Earlier this week, we were visited by local fiber artist Lorin Fields, the woman behind Local Color Hues, whose vibrantly hand-dyed merino roving we stock at the shop. She had something special to show us: hand-crafted drop spindles and shawl pins, made in Siler City exclusively from North Carolina hardwoods. Even as non-spinners, Anne and I were wooed by these beautiful pieces, which is why four spindles and four shawl pins have made the Hillsborough Yarn Shop their home.

A special, handmade drop spindle like this would make an excellent gift for a spinner or spinner-to-be, especially when paired with a soft puff of roving. If, like Anne and I, you’re more knitter or crocheter than spinner, the shawl pins are worth a look, and will make for a perfect finishing touch on a wrap or shawl.

Come by the shop to pick your favorite, and to admire the handiwork of a skilled craftsperson.

Local Color Hues.

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A brand new batch of roving for spinning and felting has just arrived at the shop, hand-dyed by local fiber artist Lorin Fields.

 
This 100% merino roving from Local Color Hues is buttery soft, and comes in super-saturated semisolid colorways. I’m not a spinner, myself, but these are extremely tempting little bundles of fiber nonetheless. I imagine that it would be a pleasure to work with, and could be transformed by a spinner into some really special yarn.

Come by the shop to see Local Color Hues roving up close. You’ll find it tucked in the Local Yarns corner, next to wool roving from Brightside Wool.

Brightside Wool.

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We were approached recently by a woman who, as a former sheep owner, had an excess of unspun wool. She showed Anne a few puffs of roving, dyed in a handful of solid hues, and explained that this one was 100% Shetland wool, while that one was a blend of Cotswold and Shetland, with some Lambswool mixed in. Anne petted the roving as the woman asked, would you like to carry it at the shop? Why, yes!

We have only a modest selection of wool for spinning at the shop, namely Great Adirondack’s hand-dyed Blue Faced Leicester, so we were only too happy to take on a small selection of locally produced roving. Look for Brightside Wool roving right alongside the Great Adirondack roving, near the desk.