Tag Archives: merino

Back in stock: Malabrigo Mecha.

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We got a sizable order from Malabrigo this week, a beloved Uruguayan yarn company known for vibrant hand-dyed color and soft, squishy merino wool.

Malabrigo Mecha:

  • bulky weight
  • single ply
  • hand-dyed
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 131 yards/100 grams
  • $16.50 each

Mecha is soft and smooth, with that doughy look that single ply yarns can have. Anne used Mecha for the “Ardelle Hat” shown above, with a cabled band that reminds me of challah.

Because it’s so soft and easily machine-washable, Mecha is ideal for making cozy accessories. Here are a few pattern ideas:

Look for Malabrigo Mecha in our bulky weight section here at the shop!

“Friday Tee” in Sandnes Garn Sunday.

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Anne recently finished her PetiteKnit “Friday Tee,” a striped, broken rib top in 2 colors.

Though it was a labor of love at this tiny gauge, the finished fabric is amazing – lightweight and stretchy, soft and smooth – an ideal handknit tee!

Come by the shop to admire Anne’s  “Friday Tee” up close; the wide raglan and folded neckline are thoughtful details that elevate this pattern.

“Friday Tee,” by PetiteKnit, photo © PetiteKnit

Anne and PetiteKnit both used Sandnes Garn Sunday in eye catching high contrast color combinations. Anne used the darker shade as the main color, while PetiteKnit used the lighter shade there – I think it works either way, and it’s nice to be able to see both options. Looking at projects on Ravelry can also help with visualization as you’re selecting your own colors.

We just restocked this springy fingering weight merino, so there’s a lot to play with. Anne, Bailey, and I all contributed to the color combinations shown here, and we can’t wait to see what else folks come up with!

Look for Sandnes Garn Sunday in the fingering weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

Dream in Color Pop-Up Club: Violetear.

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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. Their latest limited edition colorway is here while supplies last!

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100g
  • $36 each

Violetear is a variegated mix of white, bright blue, and shades of green, with burgundy speckles.

What to knit with these special skeins? Consider “Terra Hue Shawl,” a slip stitch scarf with a woven-looking texture that shines in highly variegated yarn like this. Simple stockinette or garter stitch are also a nice way to spotlight Violetear; consider the “Sockhead Slouch” hat or “Hitchhiker” shawl.

Look for Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at our shop!

New colors in Fibre Co. Acadia!

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We’re so pleased to have five new colors in Fibre Co. Acadia!

Fibre Co. Acadia:

  • DK weight
  • 60% merino, 20% alpaca, 20% silk
  • 145 yards/50 grams
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry
  • $17.50 each

These new colors brighten up the Acadia color palette considerably, and play well with the more muted shades we already had on hand.

Acadia has long been a favorite yarn in our DK weight section, especially for projects where softness is key and some drape is welcome. The silk slubs takes the dye differently than the other fibers, giving most colorways a rustic, tweedy appearance, which belies its luxuriously soft hand.

Garments knit with Acadia have a mix of structure and drape. We have a couple of samples knit in Acadia at the shop so you can see and feel this in person; look for the Churchmouse “Easy Folded Poncho” and “Quaking Aspen”shawl next time you’re here.

Here are some patterns for two or more colors of Acadia, perfect for mixing and matching new shades and old!

Come by to give Acadia a squeeze and plan your next project!

LYS Day 2024: special shades from Koigu!

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Happy Local Yarn Store Day! Come by the shop tomorrow, Saturday, April 27, for 25% off featured yarns and 50% off select books – you can read all about those sales on our recent blog post.

Koigu sent us something special for LYS Day: 3 new Koigu Collector’s Club Colors!

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 g
  • $15.50 each

Each of these limited edition colorways was inspired by Maie Landra’s original paintings and dyeing method. Maie is one of the co-founders of Koigu and designed the original Koigu colours back in the 80s and 90s.

Brave New World, painting by Maie Landra

Brave New World, limited edition Koigu colorway for LYS Day 2024

Analog, painting by Maie Landra

Analog, limited edition Koigu colorway for LYS Day 2024

Connection, painting by Maie Landra

Connection, limited edition Koigu colorway for LYS Day 2024

Pair Brave New World, Analog, or Connection with a fuzzy lace weight yarn and you have the makings of a soft and lovely “Sophie Scarf” or “Oslo Hat – mohair edition,” – here are a few color ideas!

Come by the shop tomorrow, April 27, to celebrate LYS Day and shop our sale! Koigu KPPPM and Isager Silk Mohair will both be 25% off, along with six other featured yarns, one in each gauge section.

Thanks for supporting our shop on LYS Day and every day, we love being your local yarn store!

 

A reminder: all discounted yarns are final sale, no returns or exchanges. Discount applies only to in-stock items, no special orders. Thanks for understanding!

“SAWA” in Brooklyn Tweed Imbue Sport.

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We try to have a handmade sample in every yarn we carry, to give folks an idea of how the yarn knits up, and inspiration for how to use it. When the time came to make a sample in Brooklyn Tweed’s newest yarn, Imbue Sport, Bailey got the coveted assignment.

Here’s her “SAWA” shawl, a brand new pattern from Olga Buraya-Kefelian. Knit in 3 colors, “SAWA” features bold texture and eye-catching shapes made with slip stitches, exactly the kind of sculptural or architectural knitwear Buraya-Kefelian is known for. Check out her MDK Field Guide, we still have copies at the shop!

Imbue Sport’s elasticity is ideal for a highly textured pattern like this, and its softness just right for something wrapped around the neck. Bailey picked greens and blues, a trio of light, medium, and dark.

Here are some more “SAWA” color ideas…

Look for Brooklyn Tweed Imbue Sport in the sport weight section here at our shop, and be sure to admire Bailey’s “SAWA” when you visit!

Dream in Color Pop-Up Club: Mystic Prism.

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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. Their latest limited edition colorway is here while supplies last!

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100g
  • $36 each

Mystic Prism is a pastel rainbow of pink, aqua, lavender, and butter yellow.

Variegated skeins like these are beautiful on their own – one skein makes a “Sockhead Slouch” hat or “Reyna” shawl – but they always inspire me to create color combinations. Here are a few I put together with the “Temperance Shawl” in mind, a three color garter stitch and eyelet pattern that works well in low, medium, and high contrast color combinations.

  • Malabrigo Ultimate Sock: fingering weight, hand dyed, variegated and semi-solid colorways, 75% superwash merino wool, 25% nylon, 420 yards/100g; $21 each

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

Hello, Brooklyn Tweed Imbue Sport!

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We’re pleased to present the latest from Brooklyn Tweed: meet Imbue Sport!

Brooklyn Tweed Imbue Sport:

  • sport weight
  • worsted spun, 3ply
  • heathered colors
  • 100% merino wool
  • 190 yards/50g
  • $18.50 each

Just like Imbue Worsted before it, Imbue Sport’s heathered shades are made by blending brilliantly dyed hues of unspun wool, like an artist mixing paints. When spun, these bright solid colors mingle into richly heathered shades that are harmonious across the entire palette – ideal for stripes and colorwork!

What to knit with Imbue Sport? Here are some ideas!

Look for Imbue Sport here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, along with other Brooklyn Tweed yarns! We’re open from 11-5:30, Tuesdays-Saturdays.

Back in stock: Isager Merilin.

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We’re pleased to have Isager Merilin back in stock, with more colors than ever!

Isager Merilin:

  • fingering weight
  • 80% wool, 20% linen
  • 228 yards/50 g
  • $11 each

We’re always on the lookout for plant and animal fiber blends, since they offer the best of both worlds: elasticity and drape, structure and coolness.

Merilin blends merino wool and linen, fibers that take the dye differently, giving the yarn a heathered quality more pronounced in the darker shades.

Years ago, I knit this little swatch showing Merilin on a range of needle sizes, but I have my eye on a bigger project as soon as time allows – a narrower version of Theresa Gaffey’s now-classic “stole.” I can’t wait to pick out colors!

Til then, what else to make with Merilin? Here are a few ideas…

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

Back in stock: NFC Organic Studio Worsted!

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Delighted to have a fresh supply of Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Worsted!

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio Worsted:

  • worsted weight
  • hand-dyed
  • machine washable
  • 100% organic merino wool
  • 200 yds/4 oz
  • $34 each

What to knit with Organic Studio Worsted? Easy care worsted weight wools are some of the most versatile yarns we know of, here are a few pattern ideas…

Here’s Anne’s “Autopilot,” knit with Organic Studio Worsted in Amy Sherald, a lavender speckled with cobalt blue. Look for it here at the shop, and feel free to try it on!

Come by the shop to see NFC Organic Studio Worsted for yourself. We’re open from 11am-5:30pm, Tuesdays-Saturdays; masks required for entry. Hope to see you soon!