Tag Archives: merino

Back in stock: Malabrigo Arroyo.

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Malabrigo Arroyo is back in stock!

This sport weight superwash merino is a favorite around here, and its cubby was looking empty before this week’s shipment arrived.

Each 100 gram skein of Arroyo boasts 335 yards, enough for a scarf, cowl, shawlette, hat, tiny baby sweater, or pair of mitts. Here are a few pattern ideas, projects that knitters on Ravelry have used Arroyo for again and again:

We have two samples at the shop knit with Malabrigo Arroyo, as well – a newborn-sized “Baby Surprise Jacket,” and a “Drop Stitch Scarf.” Though the latter calls for worsted weight yarn on a US 8 needle, I made our sample with one skein of Arroyo on a US 7, casting on an extra pattern repeat to make up the difference in width.

You’ll find Malabrigo Arroyo in the sport weight section here at our shop, and check out our whole selection of Malabrigo yarns while you’re here!

New colors in Fibre Co. Cumbria Fingering.

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Earlier in the week I introduced eight new shades from Fibre Company for their Cumbria Worsted. I’m delighted to report that those same eight shades are also available in Cumbria Fingering!

Like its big sister, Cumbria Worsted, Cumbria Fingering is a soft and sturdy blend of 60% merino wool, 30% masham wool, and 10% mohair. The soft white merino is blended with the dark gray masham, creating a natural heathered base color over which all the other colorways are dyed. Each 100 gram skein boasts 328 yards, enough for a hat, pair of mitts, or small cowl.

What to knit with Cumbria Fingering? Since this yarn first arrived in 2016, many designers have found beautiful uses for it. Bristol Ivy designed a whole collection for Fibre Co. Cumbria, and we have print copies of those patterns here at the shop.

Heading to Ravelry, there’s even more pattern inspiration from the Fibre Co. – “Textured Sweater,” “Long Cardigan,” and “Travelling Cable Sweater” are all knit with Cumbria Fingering. Looking to independent designers, consider Melanie Berg’s “Tamdou,” Jana Huck’s “Kite Runner,” Kathryn Folkerth’s “Badlands Mitts” and “Badlands Hat,” local designer Emily Walton’s “Alvin Mitts,” and the entire “Year of Mittens” from Kelbourne Woolens.

Look for Cumbria Fingering in the fingering weight section here at the shop!

New colors in Fibre Co. Cumbria Worsted.

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Fibre Company just added eight fresh new shades to Cumbria Worsted!

Cumbria Worsted is composed of 60% merino wool, 30% masham wool, and 10% mohair. The soft white merino is blended with the dark gray masham, creating a natural heathered base color over which all the other colorways are dyed.

How to use Cumbria Worsted? Look for worsted weight patterns where stitch definition and structure are important; think cables, texture patterns, hardy sweaters and heirloom blankets or shawls.

My first thought on seeing these new colors was how perfect they’d be for “The Weekender,” Andrea Mowry’s basic pullover that has charmed so many of us. It’s never to late to join our informal Weekender Knit-Along, and we’ve also got Weekender classes on the schedule!

We’ve got print patterns from the Fibre Co. for Cumbria Worsted, too, and of course there’s plenty to choose from on Ravelry – also consider Marie Greene’s “Stillwater” cardigan, Hannah Fettig’s “Coastal Pullover,” Kate Gagnon Osborn’s “Clawthorpe” pullover, “Rockcliffe” scarf and “Seathwaite” hat, and Alana Dakos’ “Four Seasons” shawl, to start with. Keep digging, and you’ll likely end up with a long wishlist of patterns perfectly suited to this yarn. Let us know what you find!

Come by the shop to see the new Cumbria Worsted colors and plan your next project!

Dream in Color Pop Up! Club: August.

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Dream in Color’s Pop Up! Club is back! Every month, we’re getting a special new colorway from Dream in Color, a Tucson-based producer of small batch hand-dyed yarns. August’s new limited edition colorway is here while supplies last!

Dyed on Dream in Color’s aptly-named Smooshy with Cashmere, this highly variegated colorway is streaked with purple, teal, deep blue and brown, among other shades.

Smooshy with Cashmere is a super soft blend of superwash merino wool, cashmere, and nylon – perfect for a special shawl or pair of socks. A skein like this would make a great “Starshower,” “Pebble Beach Shawl,” “Sockhead Slouch Hat” or “Sockhead Cowl,” all patterns that do well with variegated yarn. Look for more pattern ideas on our “Fingering weight” board over on Pinterest.

You’ll find this limited edition colorway in the fingering weight section here at our shop, along with other special skeins from Dream in Color. See you there!

Koigu Collector’s Club: Summer Love.

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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.

Dyed on KPPPM, Koigu’s signature fingering weight superwash merino wool, Summer Love is ideal for making shawls, cowls, baby sweaters, and of course, socks.

This highly variegated colorway blends all the colors of the rainbow, conjuring bright tie-dyed shirts or boxes of crayons. Orange, purple, gold, red, pink, sky blue, and indigo – these are playful skeins!

We still have small quantities of some previous Koigu Collector’s Club colorways on hand – Rebirth, Tulips, and Birch – and it’s fun to see how they relate to one another, to combine them for stripes and fades. Think “ZickZack Scarf,” “Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf,” and “Free Your Fade.”

For more pattern ideas, check out our Fingering Weight board on Pinterest.

You’ll find this limited edition colorway of Koigu KPPPM in our fingering weight section, among a variety of inspiring sock yarns. See you at the shop!

Dream in Color Sock-It Club: July.

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The Dream in Color Sock-It Club is back! This time around, each limited edition skein comes with a 100-yard mini skein for coordinating heels and toes.

July’s colorway is inspired by green tiger barbs, flashy fish that swim in dyer Veronica’s aquarium. It’s a variegated mix of aqua, teal, and silvery blue, with little dots of green that echo the accompanying olive mini-skein.

The base is Smooshy, a tightly-plied fingering weight yarn that’s ideal for sock knitting, composed of 85% superwash merino and 15% nylon for strength.

Look for these limited edition skein sets in our fingering weight section while supplies last!

New colors in CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK.

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This week brought five new colors in CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK.

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. Consider Socks Yeah! DK for everyday accessories, like Churchmouse’s classic “Welted Fingerless Gloves” and “Welted Cowl & Infinity Loop,” or Sarah Young’s “Rikke Hat.” Baby and children’s things come to mind, as well, little sweaters like Dani Sunshine’s “Pixie Dust,” tincanknits’ “Peanut” and “Dog Star,” which I had on my mind as I put these combinations together.

Look for CoopKnits Socks Yeah! DK in our DK weight section here at the shop!

Koigu Collector’s Club: Tulips.

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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.

May’s special colorway is called Tulips, a riot of greens with flecks of other bright colors dyed on KPPPM, Koigu’s signature fingering weight superwash merino.

This highly variegated colorway has so many different colors in it! I had fun pairing it up with solid shades in other fingering weight yarns, thinking of Andrea Mowry’s brioche “Harlow” hat, which Amy is teaching in an upcoming class here at the shop. Brooklyn Tweed Peerie and Shibui Staccato are both wonderfully soft, come in a range of rich solid shades, and are the right gauge for pairing with Koigu KPPPM.

Peerie, with its stellar elasticity, is perhaps especially well-suited to the “Harlow” hat, if your interest is piqued by that pattern. Head to our Classes page to sign up now for a fun introduction to two-color brioche!

Other two-color projects that you might consider include Craig Rosenfeld’s “Drea’s Shawl,” Stephen West’s “All the Angles” and “Clockwork,” or Christy Kamm’s “ZickZack Scarf.”

Tulips and Riviera are a nice match to my eye – two limited edition colorways aligned!

Look for Tulips in our fingering weight section here at the shop. See you there!

Dream in Color Pop Up! Club: May.

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Dream in Color’s Pop Up! Club continues! Every month, we’re getting a special new colorway from Dream in Color, a Tucson-based producer of small batch hand-dyed yarns. May’s new limited edition colorway is here while supplies last!

Smooshy with Cashmere is the featured yarn again this month, dyed in a limited edition variegated colorway, streaked with gray, ochre, and shades of pink from pale rose to fuschia.

Veronica of Dream in Color tells us this colorway is inspired by Parry’s Penstemon, one of her favorite Sonoran desert wildflowers.

A skein like this would make a great “Starshower,” “Pebble Beach Shawl,” “Sockhead Slouch Hat” or “Sockhead Cowl,” all patterns that do well with variegated yarn. Look for more pattern ideas on our “Fingering weight” board over on Pinterest.

You’ll find this limited edition colorway in the fingering weight section here at our shop, and hurry in if you want to snag one – these special Dream in Color shades don’t last long!

Dream in Color Pop Up! Club: April.

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Dream in Color’s Pop Up! Club is back! Every month, we’re getting a special new colorway from Dream in Color, a Tucson-based producer of small batch hand-dyed yarns. April’s new limited edition colorway was somewhat delayed, but we’re pleased to announce that it’s here while supplies last!

Dream in Color Bonny is the featured yarn this month, a soft and squishy base of 2ply superwash merino. April’s colorway pairs ivory and pastels with bold streaks of blue, fuschia, and orange.

We also got in some special Dream in Color BFL Cash & Silk for Local Yarn Store Day this past Saturday.

The variegated Grand Canyon Centennial colorway pairs beautifully with any of these semi-solid shades for a “Riotous” or “Magical Thinking” shawl.

You’ll find these limited edition colorways in the fingering weight section here at our shop, and hurry in if you want to snag one – these special Dream in Color shades don’t last long!