Hello, Malabrigo Caracol.

Posted by Julia on December 9, 2016

Back at TNNA in June, we stopped by the Malabrigo booth, eager to see their newest yarn for the first time. Caracol is not only new, but also an unusual yarn, for Malabrigo and the Hillsborough Yarn Shop alike. We were genuinely surprised when we saw it, and I’m happy to report that it’s now on our shelves! Meet Caracol.

Caracol is a super bulky weight yarn with a thick and thin texture, a style we haven’t brought into the shop for a few years now, as preferences for smoother yarns grew. What really sets this yarn apart, though, is that it’s criss-crossed by a thinner yarn before being kettle-dyed in Malabrigo’s signature super-saturated colorways, creating a unique look and texture we’ve just never seen before.

Some skeins are criss-crossed with a black binder thread, giving a stained glass effect, and others with white, for more subtle variation.

We went home from TNNA with a sample skein of Caracol that was handed over to me for sample-knitting. A yarn with this much personality doesn’t need a complicated pattern to show it off, so I knit up a very quick hat and topped it with a very big pom-pom. The pattern is “The Big Hat,” a free download from Ravelry, also suitable for Malabrigo Rasta if smoother yarns are more your speed.

Those who know me know this is not usually my kind of yarn, but I have to say, this was a really fun change of pace! Caracol is squishy, soft as can be, and provides near-instant gratification. Look for it in the super bulky section here at the shop, and remember it when the need for a handmade gift sneaks up at the last minute!

New colors in Canopy Fingering.

Posted by Julia on November 7, 2016

Back in June, we selected new shades in Fibre Company Canopy Fingering, a luxurious fingering weight blend of alpaca, merino, and bamboo. One or two of those colors arrived shortly thereafter, but the rest were on backorder, so our small basket of Canopy Fingering remained nearly-empty. Then just last week, a box arrived from Kelbourne Woolens, packed up tight with our Canopy Fingering order, and this small basket looks so much happier!

Earlier this year, I knit a “3 Color Cashmere Cowl” with Canopy Fingering, and though it contains no cashmere, it’s perfectly suited to the pattern due to its drapey nature and soft hand.

My first impulse upon unpacking these new shades of Canopy Fingering was to make trios with this cowl in mind. Here’s a combination very close to what I used for the cowl above, brightened with a pop of blue: Macaw, Manatee, and Chiclet Tree.

Below are Obsidian, Crocus, and Purple Passion, for those who love purple.

For the next trio, I kept Obsidion for contrast but swapped out the purples for warmer, brighter shades, Red Ginger and Mango.

What colors would you pull from this candy-colored basket? Come by the shop to play the color game as you plan your next project!

Mirasol Tupa: now on sale!

Posted by Julia on November 4, 2016

Another discontinued yarn has moved to the Sale Trunk here at the shop: Mirasol Tupa. It’s a lovely yarn, but since it’s no longer manufactured, we’re now offering it at a deep discount of 20% off the original price!

Tupa is a DK weight blend of merino and silk, a soft and shiny yarn in bright colors. Knitted fabric in Tupa has a nice mix of bounce and drape, making it ideal for scarves, cowls, shawls, mitts, and hats. We still have sweater quantities, too – look for pattern ideas on our “DK weight” Pinterest board!

Though we’re sad to see good yarns go, we love sharing them with you at a discounted price. Come by to pick up some Tupa at a great price before it disappears!

A reminder: all sales are final on discounted yarn. There can be no returns or exchanges, nor special orders–the discount applies only to what we currently have in stock. Thanks!

New colors in Lang Merino + Color.

Posted by Julia on October 24, 2016

Somewhere in the recent rush of exciting new fall yarns, a big box of Lang Merino+ Color arrived.

Last fall, this soft, superwash, self-striping yarn was brand new, and it quietly became a bit of a bestseller here at the shop.

One 196 yard ball is enough for a hat or pair of mittens, two can make a big, cozy cowl or a cute, quick-knitting baby sweater.

In colorways ranging from bright and playful to muted and mature, it’s no surprise our supply of Lang Merino+ Color quickly dwindled as knitter after knitter succumbed to its appeal.

It’s good to have all the available colors back on our shelves, along with four new shades.

Look for Lang Merino+ Color in the aran weight section here at the shop. See you there!

Hello, Fibre Company Tundra.

Posted by Julia on September 25, 2016

Meet the newest yarn here at the shop, and the star of our current trunk show: Fibre Company Tundra.

Tundra is not a new yarn for the Fibre Company, but it’s one we haven’t had in stock before. This smooth and lustrous yarn is composed of 60% alpaca, 30% merino, and 10% silk. Most of the colors are bright and saturated, though we made sure to bring in a few cool neutrals, too.

Tundra is a bulky weight yarn, ideal for luxurious winter accessories, so keep it in mind as quick-to-make gifts begin to top your to-do list.

Kelbourne Woolens’ Tundra Collection is full of patterns that fit the bill, and if you hurry in, you can see them on display here at the shop and get Tundra at 10% off during the trunk show. See you there!

Just a reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges, returns, or special orders. Thanks!

Hello, Shibui Drift.

Posted by Julia on September 14, 2016

Meet Shibui’s newest yarn, Drift!

Drift is a worsted weight blend of 85% extra fine merino wool and 15% cashmere, and it’s just as soft as its fiber content suggests.

Drift knits up between 4.5 and 5 stitches per inch on a US 8, a heavier gauge than we’re used to seeing from Shibui.

Like all of their yarns, Drift is designed to be mixed with other Shibui yarns for interesting effects: add a strand of Silk Cloud for a fuzzy halo, for example.

The Fall/Winter 2016 pattern collection, by Shellie Anderson, makes good use of Drift, as well as familiar Shibui yarns like Staccato, Cima, Dune, Maai, and Pebble. These garments continue in the Shibui tradition of modern, wearable pieces, designed with elegant simplicity but great attention to detail.

Come by the shop to meet Drift and see patterns from the new collection!

Hello, Isager Merilin.

Posted by Julia on September 9, 2016

I’m delighted to introduce the newest yarn from Isager. Meet Merilin!

Merilin is a fingering weight blend of 80% merino wool and 20% linen. Those two fibers take the dye differently, giving the yarn a heathered quality which is more pronounced in the darker shades.

The Isager color palette is one of the more distinctive across all the yarn companies we work with. Pastels, neutrals, and muted jewel tones are at the forefront in every Isager yarn, but especially Merilin; the upside to a limited, curated color selection like this is that they all go well together.

For pattern ideas, consider Suvi Simola’s “Frosty Acorn” and “Qipican” pullovers, as well as her “Leap Year Cardigan.” All those sweaters were designed for Isager Merilin, though it would do just as well in any other fingering weight pattern–Joji Locatelli’s “Boxy” and “3 Color Cashmere Cowl and Shawl” come to mind, as does Theresa Gaffey’s now-classic “Stole.” Visit our “Fingering weight” Pinterest board for more ideas, and explore your own Ravelry favorites for that gauge.

Look for Merilin in the fingering weight section here at the shop, where you may well find your next project. See you there!

Hello, Fibre Company Arranmore.

Posted by Julia on August 28, 2016

We’re excited to announce the newest yarn from the Fibre Company, Arranmore!

Arranmore is a bulky weight tweed, composed of 80% merino, 10% cashmere, and 10% silk. It knits up quickly at a gauge of 3.5 – 4.25 stitches per inch, using US 8-10 needles. Though it’s thick and warm, it’s not heavy; with 175 yards on each 100 gram skein, it’s quite lofty for a bulky yarn.

Arranmore is spun in a mill that traces its roots to the tweed industry of 19th century County Donegal in Ireland. Like any classic tweed, Arranmore is dotted with flecks of fiber in contrasting colors, and like any Fibre Company yarn, its colorways and fiber content have been thoughtfully fashioned. Read more about the fascinating process behind Arranmore on the Kelbourne Woolens blog!

Anne picked up two sweaters-worth of Arranmore on our TNNA trip so we could have shop samples ready before our order even came in. Though we’ve been knitting as fast as we can, and Arranmore truly seems to knit itself some days, our sweaters are still on the needles.

Keep your eye on the blog for more on the glorious pattern collection that accompanies Arranmore’s release!

Back in stock: Malabrigo.

Posted by Julia on August 23, 2016

Two enormous boxes of Malabrigo yarn arrived at the shop last week, big enough to fill the table in the classroom.

I cut open those behemoths and sorted the yarn by type, stacking colorful bags of Rios, Arroyo, Sock, and Mechita. Before tucking them away in storage, I pulled one skein of each new color to be sure that every available shade is represented in our various Malabrigo cubbies throughout the shop.

Sock and Mechita are the stars of this particular Malabrigo order, with 17 bags of each yarn. Both are fingering weight, superwash merino yarns hand-dyed in those memorable Malabrigo colorways; the difference is just that Sock is plied and Mechita is a single-ply.

Above is our Malabrigo Sock cubby, full again at last.

Here’s our current selection of Mechita, a particularly photogenic bunch of skeins. I spotted some colorways that have never before been seen at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, and look forward to seeing how they look when they’re knit or crocheted into fabric.

Look for Malabrigo Sock and Mechita in the fingering weight section, where you’ll also find Malabrigo Finito and Mora. Come by to pick up a skein or two for your next project!

Back in stock: Shibui Staccato.

Posted by Julia on August 21, 2016

Our stash of Shibui Staccato had dwindled to a dangerously low number of skeins when – thank goodness! – our order arrived last week.

Staccato is a lustrous blend of 70% superwash merino and 30% silk in a fingering weight. Like Cima, it has a nice high twist, giving it the look of a string of pearls.

Each 50 gram skein has 191 yards, enough for a hat or a pair of mitts; two skeins would make a special pair of socks, and three skeins makes a stunning “3 Color Cashmere Cowl.” Staccato looks to be a stellar shawl or sweater yarn, as well; check out the “Fingering weight” board on our Pinterest page for pattern ideas!

Look for Shibui Staccato in the fingering weight section here at the shop, and peruse our full Shibui selection while you’re here. We keep Silk Cloud, Pebble, Cima, Linen, Twig, Rain, Dune, and Maai in stock, along with two big binders of Shibui patterns!