Tag Archives: merino

Koigu Collector’s Club: Penelope.

Posted by on

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

This month’s limited edition shade is inspired by Bridgerton – fans of the show will recognize Penelope’s signature yellow and pink palette in her namesake colorway.

We love what happens when a solid lace weight mohair is held together with variegated skeins like these, the magical fuzzy halo, subtle color blending, and overall watercolor effect. As soon as Penelope showed up, I reached for Isager Silk Mohair, which has so many shades that would blend beautifully with this limited edition colorway!

We know this combination makes a perfect PetiteKnit “Sophie Scarf” or “Oslo Hat – mohair edition.” If you’re seeking a more intricate pattern, try Sari Nordlund’s “Poet Scarf,” or Ronja Hakalehto’s “Vuono Hat.”

Look for Koigu KPPPM in the fingering weight section here at the shop, and check out the lace weight section for even more mohair!

New colors in Brooklyn Tweed Imbue!

Posted by on

We’re pleased to have three new colors in Brooklyn Tweed’s Imbue yarns!

The heathered shades of Imbue Sport and Imbue Worsted 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.

TAPESTRY: Velvet at midnight. Deep violet with a frosty shimmer of moonlight blue, sparked by bright candle flame.

AMARO: Sunset in Amalfi, a fiery red with bittersweet notes of rich wine, spicy citrus, and warm gold.

PEAT: Mist on the moors. Soft earthen brown with glimpses of shadowy blue pools amid rust-red grasses.

These new shades immediately got me thinking about our beloved Imbue shop samples – Bailey’s “SAWA” in Imbue Sport and Nancy’s “Baa-ble Hat” in Imbue Worsted. Here are a few fresh color combinations for each of these patterns!

Look for Brooklyn Tweed Imbue yarns in our sport and worsted weight sections, respectively, and check out Nancy’s upcoming “Baa-ble Hat” class if you’re looking to learn stranded colorwork!

New PetiteKnit colors in Sandnes Garn Sunday!

Posted by on

Our Sandnes Garn Sunday selection just got brighter – check out these new colors, handpicked by PetiteKnit!

Sandnes Garn Sunday:

  • fingering weight
  • 100% merino wool
  • 257 yards/50 grams
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry

It’s so pleasing to see how the new shades fit in with the existing ones, expanding the color palette to 28 shades. Since we first brought Sunday into the shop last year, we’ve found so many uses for it, from marls to “Friday Tees” to mohair pairings. Here are a few new ideas!

photo © Rebecca Clow

“Lunan,” by Rebecca Clow – crew or polo neck drop-shoulder tee

photo © PetiteKnit

“Amélie Tee,” by PetiteKnit – striped tee in 2 or 3 colors

photo © PetiteKnit

“Holger Shirt,” by PetiteKnit – striped color block pullover, ages 1-14

photo © PetiteKnit

“Amélie Tee Junior,” by PetiteKnit – striped tee, ages 1-14

Look for Sunday in the fingering weight section here at our shop! We’re open from 11am-5:30pm, Tuesdays-Saturdays.

Malabrigo Rios KAL.

Posted by on

We’re delighted to have a fresh supply of Malabrigo Rios, just in time for Malabrigo’s upcoming KAL!

This Malabrigo KAL features the “Lehigh” shawl pattern by Melanie Berg, a talented designer known for her elegant and modern knitwear designs. “Lehigh” showcases the luxurious texture and vibrant colors of Rios.

Choose a high contrast color combination if the first image strikes your fancy – that really highlights the bud pattern in the secondary color. If the gentle color blending of the second image pleases you, pick two colors that are closer in value. Here are some color ideas!

I had way too much fun pairing colors for the Malabrigo Rios KAL – here are even more!

Want to join the Malabrigo KAL, which starts in September? Head to their blog to sign up, and come by our shop to pick out your yarn. You’ll need 4 skeins of Rios ($17 each) in your main color and 2 skeins of Rios in your contrast color.

Look for Rios and other Malabrigo yarns here at HYS – we can’t wait to see your shawls take shape when the Knit-Along begins next month!

Hello, Cascade Heritage Prints.

Posted by on

Brand new from Cascade – meet Heritage Prints!

Cascade Heritage Prints:

  • fingering weight
  • self patterning
  • 75% superwash merino wool, 25% nylon
  • 437 yards/100 grams
  • machine wash cold, tumble dry low

Heritage Prints is a soft, sturdy, machine washable yarn from Cascade. Anne gave it a test drive in this pair of Tin Can Knits “Rye Light” socks for her husband, who loves bright and cheerful hand knit socks.

Anne’s sock-to-be is secured with another new item, Katrinkles DPN holders. They’re made of thick, durable elastic and wide rubber caps, so that any thickness of knitting needle or project fit into them. The elastic stretches to fit over your needles without putting pressure on them, protecting the tips from catching on whatever else you’re carrying around. Look for them in our notions section!

Some of the Heritage Prints colorways make stripes, like the one Anne is knitting with…

…and others make a faux fair isle pattern! You can see a preview of how each colorway knits up on the side of the label. Check out Cascade Heritage Prints and lots of other sock yarns here at HYS!

“Stole” in Isager Merilin.

Posted by on

For over a decade now, Theresa Gaffey’s “Stole” has been a popular project here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. Years ago, Anne knit one in Isager Alpaca 2 that still regularly catches the eye of knitters seeking a soothing, repetitive project.

Now, she’s making a narrower “Stole” with a different Isager yarn, Merilin.

Simplicity is part of the “Stole’s” appeal – it’s easy to execute, but with graceful results. The wide ribbing has a pleasing rhythm, and the wide stripes make color selection particularly fun.

It’s easy to adjust the thickness of the stripes or the size of the piece, making it narrower or wider than the pattern dictates. Rather than work each stripe to a specific measurement or number of rows, Anne is knitting until each ball of yarn runs out, then beginning the next color, using only 5 shades, rather than the suggested 9.

Here are some more Merilin quintets to consider!

Look for Isager Merilin and Alpaca 2 in our fingering weight section here at HYS, along with many other “Stole”-worthy yarns!

Koigu Collector’s Club: Wedding Season.

Posted by on

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

This month’s limited edition shade is inspired by Bridgerton – soft floral colours on a lavender-grey background evoke the dresses, balls, and decor of the show.

I can never resist pairing Koigu with mohair, brushed alpaca, or other fuzzy lace weight fibers  – here are a few combinations to consider for your next “Sophie Scarf” or “Oslo Hat – mohair edition.”

Look for Koigu KPPPM in the fingering weight section here at the shop, and check out the lace weight section to see all the fluffy yarns shown here and more!

Back in stock: Malabrigo Mecha.

Posted by on

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.

Posted by on

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.

Posted by on

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!