Tag Archives: merino

Show and tell: stripes.

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Time for another round of show and tell! Today’s projects all feature stripes, whether high-contrast or low, many-colored or few.

First up, Margaretta’s “Chevron Cloud,” knit with Hand Maiden Superkid Silk and Isager Alpaca 2. Pattern by Espace Tricot.

The color and yarn combination here is subtle, but exquisite – variegated mohair creates painterly stripes, and Margaretta picked a shade of sage green Alpaca 2 that matches without blending in or disappearing.

Karin came by the shop wearing her “DRK Everyday Cowl,” by Andrea Mowry, knit with Malabrigo Arroyo. The solid Natural is a perfect complement to the wildly variegated Aniversario.

Here’s the “Versa Cowl” I knit as a shop sample with Malabrigo Seis Cabos. Pattern by Aimee Pelletier.

People often ask how hard the slip stitch pattern is, and I’m happy to say that it’s neither hard nor a slip stitch pattern – just knits, purls, and stripes!

Last but not least, here’s Kristin’s “Stole” in Isager Merilin. Like Anne, she used just five colors to make a narrower wrap that’s just right for spring.

Many thanks to the knitters who shared their stripes with us today, and to everyone who starts their project with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. We are inspired by your stitches and can’t wait to see what you come up with next!

Hello, Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering Non Traitée!

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For years now, Anne has been on the lookout for her ideal merino and silk blend. She hoped it would be fingering weight, tightly plied for strength, and non-superwash for elasticity. I’m delighted to report that she’s found it: meet Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering Non Traitée, a brand new yarn to HYS!

Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering Non Traitée:

  • fingering weight
  • 3 ply
  • hand dyed; we recommend alternating skeins to blend in larger projects
  • 90% non-superwash merino wool, 10% silk
  • 420 yards/115 grams (4oz)
  • hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

Julie and Jean-François are the craftspeople behind Julie Asselin Yarns, hand dyers based in Sherbrooke (Quebec, Canada). Ethical sourcing is important to them, and they keep the process as close to home as possible by working exclusively with yarn mills in Canada and the US.

Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering Non Traitée is smooth and soft, as its fiber content suggests, but also springy and sturdy. In the knitted fabric, this means sharp stitch definition for showing off texture patterns, and a balance of drape and structure. Leizu Fingering Non Traitée looks like a lovely choice for sweater- and accessory-making alike. Here are some pattern ideas!

  • “Mara,” by Audrey Borrego – sideways-knit ribbed scarf/shawl with eyelets
  • “Rose Petals,” by Janina Kallio – triangular lace shawl
  • “Go Go Dynamo,” by Stephen West – a “geometric adventure” with modular sections, brioche, stripes, and more
  • “Pampas Tee,” by Samantha Guerin – circular yoke tee with lace motif
  • “Moon Mint,” by Andrea Mowry – 2-color slip stitch pullover
  • “Alden,” by Jennifer Steingass – colorwork yoke pullover

Look for Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering Non Traitée in the fingering weight section here at HYS, and in our online store!

Limited edition colors from Koigu & Dream in Color.

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Koigu & Dream in Color are two of our favorite hand-dyers, and we love to see the special limited edition colorways they come up with each month.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 grams

Rococo is the latest shade from Koigu Collector’s Club, a subtle mix of salmon pink and terracotta, with mini streaks of ivory and deep blue. New Koigu colorways always make us think of PetiteKnit’s “Sophie Scarf” – KPPPM held together with a strand of lace weight mohair is a magical blend!

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

Dream in Color’s new Pop-Up Club colorway is Inflorescence, a wild rainbow mix of neon colors. One skein is enough for a “Prism Twist Reversible Hat” – two layers in different stitch patterns makes a two-in-one accessory!

Look for Koigu KPPPM and Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at the shop!

Limited edition colors from Koigu & Dream in Color.

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Koigu & Dream in Color are two of our favorite hand-dyers, and we love to see the special limited edition colorways they come up with each month.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 grams

Mocha Mousse is the latest shade from Koigu Collector’s Club, inspired by Pantone’s color of the year. These variegated skeins are streaked with warm shades of brown, and would make a cute PetiteKnit “Sophie Scarf” held together with a strand of lace weight mohair!

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

Snowy Twilight is a saturated mix of blues and purples, a low-contrast variegated colorway that reads solid from a distance. This subtle color variation makes it a great choice for more complex stitch patterns, like Alicia Plummer’s “Grant’s Point Socks,” or Emily Greene’s “Bevel Mitts.”

Look for Koigu KPPPM and Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at the shop!

Limited edition colors from Koigu & Dream in Color.

Posted by on

Koigu & Dream in Color are two of our favorite hand-dyers, and we love to see the special limited edition colorways they come up with each month.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 grams

Polaris is the latest shade from Koigu Collector’s Club, a deep blue with zippy neon streaks.  It would make a cute pair of Andrea Mowry’s “DRK Everyday Socks,” with contrasting cuffs, heels, and toes in Ewe Ewe Fluffy Fingering!

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

Dream in Color’s new Pop-Up Club colorway is Fen, a variegated mix of soft blues and greens. Two skeins makes the new “Frosted Forest Scarf,” by Lena Skvagerson, a cozy brioche scarf trimmed with stockinette ruffles.

Look for Koigu KPPPM and Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at the shop!

Limited edition colors from Koigu & Dream in Color.

Posted by on

Koigu & Dream in Color are two of our favorite hand-dyers, and we love to see the special limited edition colorways they come up with each month.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 grams

The Koigu Collector’s Club continues with Marble, a moody mix of warm and cool neutral tones. One skein makes a pair of Churchmouse “Turkish Bed Socks,” two makes “Barb’s Koigu Ruffle,” or pick a pair in contrasting colors for Andrea Mowry’s “Harlow.” Or add a strand of Isager Silk Mohair for PetiteKnit’s “Sophie Scarf” or “Oslo Hat – mohair edition.”

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

Dream in Color’s new Pop-Up Club colorway is Sunup, a variegated mix of peach, pink, lavender, and aqua. One skein makes a “Terra Hue Shawl,” “Sockhead Slouch” hat or “Lightweight Hipster” shawl.

Look for Koigu KPPPM and Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at the shop!

Koigu Collector’s Club: Fall Ceremony.

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The Koigu Collector’s Club continues! Each month, we’ll receive 21 skeins of KPPPM in a limited edition color dyed especially for a select group of local yarn stores that carry Koigu. KPPPM is a fingering weight superwash merino, hand-dyed in vibrant colors by mother/daughter team Maie and Taiu Landra on their farm outside of Toronto, Canada.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 grams

Their latest limited edition colorway is Fall Ceremony, a moody indigo blue streaked with pumpkin orange and forest green, a more saturated color than we’ve seen from Koigu in a while.

It got me thinking about Churchmouse’s “Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf” pattern, which blends disparate variegated shades into a harmonious fabric that almost looks woven.

“Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf,” © Churchmouse Yarns & Teas

Three skeins of Koigu KPPPM is all it takes to knit this scarf, and whether they are high or low contrast, in complementary or nearly clashing colors, this simple stitch pattern seems to bring any color combination together. Here are a few that appealed to me.

Look for Koigu KPPPM in the fingering weight section here at the shop, and in our new online store!

Dream in Color Pop-Up Club: Petrichor.

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Dream in Color’s Pop-Up Club is back! Original owners Nancy and Veronica handed their company over to Maddytosh earlier this year, who are capably 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

Petrichor is a highly variegated skein, blending ivory, brick red, burgundy, and olive green in a high contrast colorway.

This limited edition autumnal shade got me thinking about our latest batch of Hand Maiden Superkid Silk. These shades of light pink, sage, and bronze pair beautifully with Petrichor, perhaps for a “Cheri Chevron Shawl,” by Ambah O’Brien.

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!

Hello, Malabrigo Metamorphosis Sock!

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Another new yarn from Malabrigo! Meet Metamorphosis Sock.

Malabrigo Metamorphosis Sock:

  • fingering weight
  • gradient, hand dyed
  • each skein is unique
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 440 yards/100 grams
  • machine wash cool, lay flat to dry

Malabrigo’s beloved superwash merino Sock yarn has been transformed! Metamorphosis Sock is the same yarn but has been hand-dyed in gradient colorways, which shift slowly from one shade to the next. This makes subtle stripes in the finished garment.

Because the colors never repeat within a skein, Metamorphosis Sock is a great choice for one skein shawls like these:

Self-striping or gradient yarns are often paired with solid shades, to frame them in stripes or intarsia patterns:

Here are some color combinations, pairing Malabrigo Metamorphosis Sock with Malabrigo Ultimate Sock.

Look for them both in the fingering weight section here at the shop, and in our new online store!

Back in stock: CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK.

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Not long ago, we restocked CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK, expanding the palette of that lovely yarn with colors old and new.

Socks Yeah! DK is a thicker version of CoopKnits Socks Yeah!, from designer Rachel Coopey. Both yarns are smooth, tightly plied blends of superwash merino and nylon, which make them perfect for sock-making, as the name suggests.

But soft, easy-care DK weight yarns have plenty of applications beyond socks. Baby and children’s things come to mind, little sweaters like Tin Can Knits’ “Dog Star,” which hangs here at the shop.

Our fresh supply of colors inspired me to put together some more pairings for “Dog Star.”

Here’s a bit of show and tell in CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK, as well – Jill made these “Sweet Pumpkin” hats for her little granddaughters.

Look for CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK in our DK weight section here at HYS, and in our new online store!