Show and tell: stripes of all kinds.

Posted by Julia on March 29, 2024

Time for another round of show and tell! We love seeing what folks are making with yarn from the Hillsborough Yarn Shop – here are a bunch of projects we’ve had the pleasure of seeing in person, featuring stripes of all kinds.

Above is Cindy’s “Bat Shawl,” a pattern from Lotta H Löthgren’s Observations. She used Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere and Malabrigo Ultimate Sock, a perfect match that shows off the slip stitch texture.

Here’s Michele’s “Stripes of Joy” pullover, knit with Malabrigo Rios leftover from various other projects. Pattern by Tif Neilan.

Above is April’s “Pressed Flowers Pullover,” knit with BC Garn Loch Lomond and self-striping Noro Silk Garden Light. Pattern by Amy Christoffers.

Margaretta made this “Shadow Stripe Pullover” with a lovely mix of high and low contrast stripes, a mix of Brooklyn Tweed Tones Light and Loft. Pattern by Jared Flood.

I knit this newborn-sized sweater as a sample for the shop when Kelbourne Woolens Skipper came out last year. The pattern is “French Macaroon,” by Noble Knits, a free download from Ravelry.

Robin saw my “French Macaroon” hanging here at the shop and was inspired to make her own – she modified it into a cardigan and sewed matching baby pants!

Thanks to Cindy, Michele, April, Margaretta, and Robin for sharing their work with us! We love to see what you make with our yarns, and can’t wait to see what comes off your needles next.

Sale Spotlight: Noro Silk Garden Lite.

Posted by Julia on July 23, 2020

Everything in our shop is 15% off during July, our Annual Inventory Sale! All month, I’ll be shining a spotlight on the yarns we have in stock – today, let’s look at Noro Silk Garden Lite!

Noro Silk Garden Lite:

DK weight
single ply, self-striping
45% mohair, 45% silk, 10% wool
136 yards/50 grams
$12 each

Silk Garden Lite is a DK weight yarn that slowly changes from one color to the next several yards at a time, so that whatever you’re knitting or crocheting with it comes out striped. This bias-knit “Argosy” scarf that hangs in our shop shows this well.

Scrolling through Ravelry, I saw that over 300 knitters had used Silk Garden Lite for Jared Flood’s “Noro Striped Scarf,” though the now-classic pattern calls for a heavier yarn.

For “Noro Striped Scarf,” pick two different colors of Silk Garden Lite, two balls each. Not only do the yarns make stripes, but the scarf itself is striped, for a simple knit with big visual impact.

Order online for local pickup or shipping via USPS Priority Mail!

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

Show and tell: for grown-ups.

Posted by Julia on November 23, 2016

I’m back with another round of show-and-tell, this time for the grown-ups among us.

Kellie has been busy crocheting “Artfully Simple Infinity Scarves” with Noro Silk Garden Lite. She reports that the pattern is as easy as its title suggests, but that it’s endlessly entertaining, especially with colorful self-striping yarns like these.

They’re long enough to be worn doubled, as shown above, but short enough to hang around one’s neck simply, as shown below; either way makes an eye-catching accessory.

Margie’s needles are always busy, and she’s so prolific a knitter that these finished projects are already well behind her. Still, they bear sharing: above is her “Inverness Cape,” knit in Berroco Ultra Alpaca, and below is her “Escher Poncho,” knit in Malabrigo Rios, with a bit of Fibre Company Cumbria Worsted around the edge.

And there’s more: here’s Margie’s third “ZickZack Scarf,” knit with Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball and Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace held doubled throughout.

Catherine knit this beautiful “On the Spice Market” with Shibui Staccato, a merino/silk blend that has the perfect drape and luster for this shawl.

She carefully chose colors inspired by those shown in the pattern photo, with a few adjustments to make it her own.

Here’s another Melanie Berg pattern, “Sunwalker,” knit by Emma with the brand new Isager Merilin. This is a shawl that the photo doesn’t do justice, as it’s the texture and hand of the fabric that stood out most to me; shawl-knitters, consider Merilin when fingering weight yarn is called for!

Below is Amy’s “Copenhagen Hood,” a quick cozy accessory knit in Fibre Company Tundra, living temporarily at the shop as a sample for her upcoming class on the subject. There are still spaces in her class, if you’d like to join and knit a hood of your own…sign up on our website!

Joanne knit this “Rise” hat with Shibui Drift and Silk Cloud held together, and was so pleased with it that she came back for more yarn to knit one for her husband. I understand the appeal, seeing how well this came out! I can hardly imagine a softer yarn combination, truly.

Nancy knit this “Flowers of Life” pullover for her husband, using a beautiful palette of Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift in an intricate all-over fair isle pattern. She’s graciously left it at the shop for a few weeks for all to see and admire; come in soon to see this knitted work of art!

Joanne also has some Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift show and tell: a “Beginner’s Fair Isle Cap,” her first-ever colorwork project. With guidance from Nancy, she selected this color combination and arranged the colors within the motif for a unique accesory.

Thanks again to the knitters and crocheters who share their work with us. We feel lucky to play a part in your creative pursuits, and look forward to seeing the projects you plan!

Show and tell: hats.

Posted by Julia on January 20, 2016

Here’s another batch of show and tell, projects that started their lives as yarns here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. Earlier in the week, we saw examples of knitters who go back again and again to the same patterns; today, let’s look at hats.

Peggy tried her hand at colorwork for the first time in a recent class here at the shop, and this glorious “Northallerton” hat is what she made. I love the three shades of Baa Ram Ewe Titus she chose, and her pom-pom came out perfectly!

Here’s Hazel’s “Wurm,” knit in Noro Silk Garden Lite, a self-striping yarn. She used two balls that started at different points in the color sequence, striping back and forth to emphasize the stripes of stockinette and reverse stockinette that make the hat so squishy and slouchy.

To the left, you’ll see Margaretta in a beautiful cabled hat she just finished, knit with Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone. The pattern is “Palatino,” from Carol Feller’s recent collection, Dovestone Hills. It’s constructed side-to-side and cleverly shaped with short rows. Nicely done, Margaretta!

The hat below is Emily’s creation, a slouchy striped beanie knit with Dream in Color Smooshy. Wanting a snug, cozy brim, she worked a deep folded hem in stockinette. Rightfully pleased with the results, she wrote a pattern, so you could make one, too; look for her “Red Moon Slouch Hat” pattern on Ravelry!

Thanks to those who share their projects with us, it’s inspiring and exciting to see all that you create. It’s a show-and-tell kind of week here on the blog, so you can look forward to another round in just a few days. In the meantime, see you at the shop!

Three new knit samples.

Posted by Julia on June 19, 2013

Over the weekend, Amy dropped off three new knit samples, each one the subject of an upcoming class.

We’ve seen this Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf pattern made up in Zauberball Starke 6; here, it’s shown in Noro Silk Garden in shades of blue, green, and purple. The self-striping yarn really highlights the short-row construction of this garter stitch scarf, and the aran weight yarn knits up quickly, creating a cozy accessory.

The Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf class meets two Saturday afternoons in August; read more about it and sign up on our website.

This Inspira Cowl is knit with two different colors of Noro Kureyon in a simple stranded colorwork pattern. It’s a generously sized cowl that is shaped to hug the neck and accomodate the shoulders. The Inspira Cowl is an opportunity to learn to knit in the round, make decreases, and work a two-color stranded knitting pattern. Class meets two Saturday afternoons in September; head over to our website to sign up now.

This last sample, a fair isle tam, is made using one self-striping yarn, Noro Silk Garden, and one solid color yarn, Plymouth Galway. The solid color recedes into the background and the self-striping yarn pops out as the main pattern color, giving the look of a many-colored fair isle garment without having to weave in all those ends. I’m sorry to report that Amy’s Beginning Fair Isle Tam class is already full, but the pattern is free from Knitty.com, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions should you decide to tackle it on your own. And if you’re set on learning fair isle knitting, including weaving in all the ends, take a look at Anne’s Introduction to Fair Isle class, which meets Wednesday evenings in July. She’ll even teach you how to bravely cut your knitting, creating steeks!

Come by the shop to see all three samples, and the yarns used to create them. If you hurry in today, June 19th, you can even get the Noro yarns at 25% off, on this last day of our Going to Market Sale! See you at the shop.

Show and tell.

Posted by Julia on June 17, 2013

Time for another round of show and tell, where I get to show off all the incredible things folks are making with yarns from HYS. I’m always pleased by the variety of projects you all are working on, from skirts to scarves, from sweet knits for babies and children to sophisticated garments for adults.

Abby knit this three tier skirt for her daughter’s fifth birthday, then kindly brought her in to model it for us. The yarn is Cascade Ultra Pima, a dk weight cotton that is sure to stand up to all the twirling and playing and other five-year-old wear-and-tear that it’s meant for.

Robin sent us this photo to share a pair of baby blankets she made for a soon-to-be-born set of twins. The pink one was made with Plymouth Select Worsted Merino Superwash, and the blue one was made with Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran. Both are soft, squishy, machine-washable wools that are perfect for cuddly blankets like these.

Margie saw the Argosy scarf hanging on the wall at the shop and decided she wanted to make one. Not two weeks later, she had finished two Argosy scarves, one in Noro Matsuri and one in Noro Silk Garden Light. Both dk weight yarns self-stripe in those signature Noro colorways, but Matsuri is mostly cotton, with a bit of wool, and Silk Garden Light is a blend of wool, silk, and mohair.

The results are slightly different in terms of stitch definition, but equally striking, with their diagonal stripes and geometric openwork. Want to make an Argosy scarf of your own? Amy is teaching a class on the subject in July, where you’ll learn chart-reading, lace, cable cast-on, and other skills. Read more about it and sign up on our website!

Pat fell in love with this color of Araucania Chacabuco, a textured bulky weight cotton yarn, but wasn’t quite sure what to make with it. She took it home, found a simple poncho pattern, knit it up, and then came back to show us what she’d come up with. Because of the boucle texture of this yarn, a simple stockinette stitch is all that’s needed to show it off; the yarn is interesting enough without a complicated stitch pattern. The resulting garment is soft and surprisingly lightweight for such a thick cotton–a success.

Thanks to all the knitters and crocheters who share their work with us! Over and over again, Anne and I are wowed by what you create. Keep the show and tell coming!

Argosy scarf.

Posted by Julia on May 29, 2013

A new knit scarf has arrived at the shop, knit by Amy as a sample for one of her upcoming classes. Here’s Argosy!

Argosy is a free pattern from Knitty, which Amy knit in Noro Silk Garden Lite, a self-striping DK weight blend of silk, mohair, and wool. Argosy is a great way to show off the kind of self-striping yarns that Noro is known for.

It’s knit on the bias, which results in diagonal stripes when using a self-striping yarn. It makes a gently draping, light fabric, in part because of the light-weight yarn and in part because of the lacy patterning.

Amy’s Argosy Scarf class focuses on a particular pattern, but our classes always teach any special techniques that are required for whatever pattern students will be knitting. These techniques will serve you well not only in making the pattern at hand, but also in future knitting endeavors. Sign up for the Argosy Scarf class and you can expect to learn how to do the cable cast-on, how to cast on stitches in-line, how to do yarnovers and decreases, and how to read a lace knitting chart.

Learn more about the Argosy Scarf class on our website’s “Classes, etc” page, where you can sign up and prepay to ensure your place in class. Come by the shop during our Going to Market Sale to pick up Noro Silk Garden Lite at a 25% discount, and to admire this scarf in person!

Going to Market Sale!

Posted by Julia on May 24, 2013

Every year, we attend the National Needle Arts trade show and market, a gathering place for yarn companies and retailers, and a time for placing Fall and Winter orders. As we prepare to go to market, we offer a sale for the three weeks before our trip: a Going to Market Sale.

This year, all yarns and booklets by Debbie Bliss and Noro are discounted by 25% between Friday, May 24th, and Wednesday, June 19th.

Between Debbie Bliss and Noro, we’ll have over 50 yarns on sale in all kinds of weights, colors, and textures.

These yarns lend themselves to a great variety of projects, from shawls and scarves to socks and sweaters, from baby things and blankets to dishcloths and market bags.

There’s truly something for every knitter and crocheter here, so do stop by between May 24th and June 19th to see all the fabulous yarn we’ve discounted!

Some reminders:

All sales are final on discounted yarns; no returns nor exchanges
Discount applies only to in-stock yarns; no special orders

Thanks for understanding!

Noro Knitting Magazine.

Posted by Julia on May 14, 2013

The latest issue of Noro Knitting Magazine has arrived!

The premiere issue came out last fall, and all our copies were quickly snapped up. Lovers of Noro will find plenty to knit in this current issue, too; all of these patterns take full advantage of those self-striping yarns. From shawls and scarves to sweaters and dresses, these patterns make good use of self-striping yarns in many gauges, often combining them with solid colors for an interesting effect.

There are patterns here for crocheters, too.

Come by the shop to grab a copy of Noro Knitting Magazine, and plan your next project with Noro yarns!

Noro Slip-Stitch Cowl.

Posted by Julia on July 25, 2012

On Tuesday morning when I first opened the shop for the week, a new knit sample caught my eye. A cozy, woolen cowl in a riot of colors made me reach for my camera. Take a look at this Slip-Stitch Cowl from Knit Noro Accessories.

This cowl was knit by Katherine, an amazing knitter and crocheter that we are proud to have as a teacher at the shop. Her latest class is on this very cowl, which uses a simple slip-stitch pattern and two colors of the self-striping Noro Kureyon yarn to give the illusion of stranded colorwork. As I write this, there are only two spaces left in the class, which begins in September. Sign up now if you’d like to join Katherine and a great group of knitters in the making of your own Slip-Stitch Cowl!

If you’re unable to secure a space in the class, or would like to tackle this project on your own, come by the shop to page through the beautiful book Knit Noro Accessories. We have many colors of Kureyon in stock, as well; come and lose yourself in the endless color combinations!