Tag Archives: made in USA

Kurier Waxed Canvas Project Bags.

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We’ve been searching for a new source for project bags lately, and are so pleased to have found Kurier!

Kurier Waxed Canvas Project Bags:

  • Heavy weight American made waxed canvas
  • Drawstring closure, 9” leather wristlet, removable brass stitch marker holder, four interior pockets
  • Approximate dimensions: 10” H | 10” W | 5” D
  • $98 each

Kurier is a shop in Portland, Maine, featuring handmade clogs and bags by in-house designer, Jasmine Clayton. Her Waxed Canvas Project Bags are pleasingly sturdy, generously sized, and fully lined, with plenty of pockets.

We currently have Waxed Canvas Project Bags in Moss, Slate, Buttercup, and Rose – look for them with our Della Q Circular Needlecases here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

Hello, Brooklyn Tweed Tones!

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We’re excited to announce that Brooklyn Tweed’s new yarn is here: meet Tones!

Brooklyn Tweed Tones:

  • worsted weight
  • woolen-spun
  • 3 ply
  • overdyed
  • 100% Columbia wool
  • 140 yards/50g
  • $13.75 each

At first glance, Tones bears a striking resemblance to Shelter – both are worsted weight and woolen spun, with the same yardage, weight, suggested gauge, and price. There are a few key differences, however, that make Tones an exciting new addition to Brooklyn Tweed’s domestically-sourced, breed-specific lineup; the first is color!

Tones is overdyed in vibrant, playful colors, starting with two baseline shades of undyed natural gray. The lighter shade is the overtone, and the darker shade is the undertone, and each of them has been dipped in 11 new colorways, creating tone pairs.

Another difference between Tones and Shelter is the number of plies. Shelter is a 2 ply, which has a slightly more rustic appearance, and Tones is a 3 ply, which is more round and smooth for outstanding stitch definition. Cables and other texture patterns show nicely in Shelter, to be sure, but they really pop in Tones!

I’m the lucky knitter in charge of knitting a sample for the shop in Tones, and I picked Jared Flood’s now classic “Turn a Square” hat. Wanting to showcase the slight difference between overtone and undertone, I picked Nimbus for both main and contrast color – a low-contrast combination that appeals to my eye.

I’m loving the springy, woolly feel of Tones, and already planning a sweater for myself, naturally – perhaps a second “Docklight,” a sweater I knit for myself seven years ago and still reach for as soon as the temperature drops.

Look for Brooklyn Tweed Tones in the worsted weight section here at our shop! We are now open for drop-in shopping between 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays; you can still order online for local pickup or shipping, as well.

Hello, Germantown Unicorns!

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We’re pleased to have a special new limited edition yarn from Kelbourne Woolens – meet Germantown Unicorns!

Kelbourne Woolens Germantown Unicorns:

  • worsted weight
  • marled
  • 100% wool
  • 220 yards/100g
  • $16 each

Germantown Unicorns are made from mill ends in the spinning process, combining two shades of Germantown for a unique marl.

Each skein is enough for a hat, and the folks at Kelbourne Woolens have designed one for every month of the year. Even better, every one of these patterns is free to download from Ravelry – look there for “January,” “February,” “March,” “April,” “May,” “June,” “July,” “August,” “September,” “October,” “November,” and “December.” This collection shows Germantown’s versatility in a variety of techniques, from ribbing and texture to cables and lace to stripes and colorwork.

These colorful new skeins got me thinking about Andrea Mowry’s “Nightshift” again, that ever-popular slip-stitch shawl – mixing up the Unicorns with solid shades of Germantown makes for exciting new combinations! Here are a few ideas.

Pick your favorite colors and order online for local pickup or shipping!

Hello, Brooklyn Tweed Ranch 03!

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We are delighted to announce that Brooklyn Tweed’s newest yarn has arrived! Meet Ranch 03, the third in Brooklyn Tweed’s series of single-source, small-batch yarns.

Brooklyn Tweed Ranch 03:

  • sport weight
  • worsted spun, 5 ply
  • 100% merino wool
  • 170 yards/50g
  • $16.50 each

Ranch 03 is a sport weight, worsted-spun, limited edition, ranch-specific Merino yarn, which means every fiber in these skeins was sourced from a single flock of sheep living on Campbell-Hansmire Ranch in Eagle County, Colorado.

Brooklyn Tweed has always sought to highlight single breed wools and support US ranchers with sustainable environmental practices. This project allows them to shine a spotlight on the people and practices behind their yarns, one ranch at a time.

After the wool was sourced at Campbell-Hansmire Ranch in Wyoming, scoured at Chargeurs in South Carolina, and spun at Worsted Spinning New England in Maine, it traveled here to North Carolina to be dyed at Ultimate Textiles in Rutherfordton. We are not often able to trace a path directly from sheep to skein, but Brooklyn Tweed believes in transparency around the supply chain and in supporting the US fiber industry every step of the way.

What to knit with Ranch 03? The BT design team has come up with a trio of new patterns, showing off what Ranch 03 can do in colorwork, cables, and simple texture:

  • “Spero,” by Jared Flood – colorwork yoke pullover
  • “Dalleray,” by Lis Smith – cabled cowl in two sizes
  • “Hansmire,” by Jared Flood – ribbed hat for all ages – free with purchase of Ranch 03!

I got a head start on my “Dalleray” cowl, and I’m loving every springy stitch. Can’t wait to see it finished and blocked!

Here are some more ideas for Ranch 03 from independent designers:

Order Ranch 03 online for local pickup or shipping!

Hello, Brooklyn Tweed Dapple!

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We’re excited to announce the arrival of Brooklyn Tweed’s newest yarn, Dapple!

Dapple is a 2ply woolen-spun blend of 60% merino wool and 40% organic cotton, a DK weight yarn with softness and bounce. Each 50 gram skein has 165 yards, and costs $15.25.

Dapple is tonally dyed, meaning skeins in the same colorway differ from one another even in the same dye lot. Some are lighter, some are darker, some almost look marled! This isn’t immediately apparent when looking at one skein of Dapple at a time, so I’ve laid out big groups of each colorway to give a better sense of the variety.

It’s a refreshing new look from Brooklyn Tweed, and one that invites new ways of playing with color. Bold stripes and colorwork come immediately to mind, but don’t shy away from using Dapple in a single-color garment; you can arrange the skeins in a gradient from light to dark, or arrange them randomly by value and alternate skeins for a more blended effect.

Like all Brooklyn Tweed yarns, Dapple is sourced, spun, and dyed in the US, an effort to produce beautiful yarn sustainably and ethically.

Part of that ethical production is acknowledging that cotton is a fiber with a fraught history in America, one whose impact is still felt. Cotton production is rooted in the displacement of indigenous communities, the exploitation of the labor of enslaved Black people, and the devastation of land through overproduction.

In contrast, Dapple’s cotton comes from members of the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative, who maintain safe labor practices for their employees while farming in a sustainable manner. It is as important to invest in this work as it is to learn about this history, and Brooklyn Tweed is doing both and inviting us to join them. Going forward, they are donating a portion of Dapple’s proceeds to the National Black Farmers Association, and are sharing a series of videos and essays on textiles and race as they introduce Dapple.

What to make with Dapple? This new yarn has launched with patterns from Jared Flood: “Ginn,” a raglan pullover, and “Urtia,” a half brioche hat. Stay tuned for more pattern ideas, and to see what’s on our needles – we’ve found so many exciting projects for Dapple!

Order Dapple online for local pickup or USPS Priority Mail Shipping – thanks again for your support and understanding during our temporary closure!

Though we’re in the midst of our Annual Inventory Sale, Dapple will not be discounted during this time. Thanks for understanding!

Show and tell: Brooklyn Tweed Peerie.

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Time for another round of show and tell! We love to see what you all are making with yarn from our shop, and when I’m able, I take pictures so that I can share those projects here on the blog. Looking over my current collection of show and tell photos, I spotted three in Brooklyn Tweed Peerie, which is currently 10% off as it’s featured in our BT Sample of the Month. With its soft hand, bold colors, and superb stitch definition, Peerie is worth celebrating – here are a few great ways to use it!

Above is Pam’s “Butterfly / Papillon,” a striking shawl decorated with short rows, which she knit using six shades of Peerie.

Emily was in a mood for colorwork one day, and came by the shop to select an open-ended palette of Peerie for hat-making. She wound up knitting two “Lucerne” hats and a “Bousta Beanie,” two of our favorite fingering weight colorwork hat patterns. These are great fun, whether you’re trying stranded knitting for the first time or just in a colorwork mood, like Emily!

Margaretta has worked with Peerie several times now, coming back again and again for the smoothness, bounce, and stitch definition.

This is her “Ensata Scarf,” rich with twisted stitches, texture, and lace, all of which shine in this special yarn.

Thanks to Pam, Emily, and Margaretta for sharing their work with us, and thanks to everyone who starts their projects with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We can’t wait to see what comes off your needles next. If these talented knitters have inspired you, come by the shop during February to get Brooklyn Tweed Peerie at 10% off!

 

A reminder: all sales are final on discounted yarn. There can be no returns or exchanges. Thanks! 

HYS Wrist Rulers.

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The holidays are coming, and one of last year’s most popular gifts is back in stock, with a twist – check out our new blue Wrist Rulers!

Wrist Rulers are leather bracelets engraved with inches and centimeters, handmade in Portland, Oregon. These leather wrist rulers are beautiful and practical, a winning combination in our book.

We have three lengths available, to wrap twice around a variety of wrist sizes – 14″, 15″, and 16″. To choose a size, loosely wrap a measuring tape twice around your wrist, then add an inch, and pick the length closest to that number. They’re blue, to match our exclusive Malabrigo colorway, and they have something special engraved on the back…

Look for Wrist Rulers near our notions section here at the shop! Our shelves are brimming with potential gifts – think Harmony Farm Candles, Cocoknits Maker’s Keeps, Akerworks Swatch Gauges and Knitting Tool Kits, HYS zipper pouches, Baggu totes, and of course, good old Gift Certificates. Thanks for shopping locally this holiday season, and for thinking of our shop as a gift source!

Hello, Brooklyn Tweed Ranch 02.

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We are delighted to announce that Brooklyn Tweed’s newest yarn has arrived!

Meet Ranch 02, the second in Brooklyn Tweed’s series of ranch-specific, small-batch yarns.

Ranch 02 is a worsted weight, woolen-spun, limited edition, ranch-specific Rambouillet yarn, which means every fiber in these skeins was sourced from a single flock of sheep living on Forbes Ranch in Kaycee, Wyoming.

Brooklyn Tweed has always sought to highlight single breed wools and support US ranchers with sustainable environmental practices. This project allows them to shine a spotlight on the people and practices behind their yarns, one ranch at a time. You can learn more about Forbes Ranch from a lovely video produced by BT – it gives a good sense of the people who made this yarn possible.

After the wool was sourced at Forbes Ranch in Wyoming, scoured at Bollman Industries in Texas, and spun at Crescent Woolen Mill in Wisconsin, it traveled to Pennsylvania to be dyed at Caledonian Dye Works. The 10-color palette is inspired by the landscape of northern Wyoming, and the sheep that roam the land.

What to knit with Ranch 02? Anything that calls for Shelter, Ranch 01, or worsted weight yarn of any kind. Here are a few ideas from the BT archive, all available to purchase from Ravelry and many available in print here at the shop:

Looking beyond Brooklyn Tweed designs, here are a few other patterns that would be great for Ranch 02:

Jared Flood has also designed two new patterns especially for Ranch 02, a textured yoke pullover and a cabled hat. As a special treat, you can get a coupon for a free download of Flood’s “Tillage Hat” with any purchase of Ranch 02 here at our shop!

Look for Ranch 02 in the worsted weight section here at our shop while supplies last, and check out our full selection of Brooklyn Tweed yarns and patterns while you’re here. See you at the shop!

New colors in Kelbourne Woolens Germantown.

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Last week, a big box arrived from Kelbourne Woolens, packed full of their worsted weight wool, Germantown. Inside were six new colors, plus a handful of colors we’d sold out of.

Germantown is a recreation of a classic wool that had been produced in Germantown, Pennsylvania, under a few different brand names since the mid-to-late 19th century. Made of 100% North American wool, Germantown is a worsted spun, worsted weight yarn with a smooth texture, soft hand, and nice elasticity.

The Kelbourne Woolens team see this yarn as a classic basic wool for beginners as well as more advanced stitchers – easy to work with, with good stitch definition, but at a reasonable price for a domestically-produced yarn of this quality.

These new colors are a playful mix of brights and pastels, one that fits beautifully into the existing Germantown color palette. 

© Kelbourne Woolens

One skein is enough for a hat, and the folks at Kelbourne Woolens are designing one for every month of this year. Even better, every one of these patterns is free to download from Ravelry – look there for “January,” “February,” “March,” “April,” and “May,” and stay tuned for the rest of their Year of Hats!

See you at the shop!

HYS Needle Gauges.

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Hillsborough Yarn Shop needle gauges are back in stock!

Our needle gauges are made for us here in the US by Nancy’s Knit Knacks, and feature holes for measuring needles from 1.50 mm to 19 mm, or US 000 – US 35.

We love and trust these gauges because of how many sizes they cover, and also because they include both millimeters and US sizes, which do not always line up the same way from brand to brand. An Addi US 1 is not the same size as a Knitter’s Pride US 1, for example – Addi’s US 1 is 2.50 mm and Knitter’s Pride’s US 1 is 2.25 mm. When in doubt, check the measurement in millimeters!

Every notions case and project bag needs one of these, for double-checking needle size, comparing millimeters to US sizes, or measuring swatches. Look for them in our notions section here at the shop!