Tag Archives: organic

Back in stock + new colors: Brooklyn Tweed Dapple!

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Dapple is Brooklyn Tweed’s DK weight blend of organic cotton and merino, a soft and fluffy yarn that’s been very popular around here. We’re delighted to report that five new colors just arrived, and we restocked others, too!

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple:

  • DK weight
  • woolen-spun, tonally dyed
  • 60% merino wool, 40% organic cotton
  • 165 yards/50 g
  • $14 each

Dapple is tonally dyed, meaning skeins in the same colorway differ from one another even in the same dye lot. Some are lighter, some are darker, some almost look marled! This isn’t immediately apparent when looking at one skein of Dapple at a time, so I’ve laid out big groups in a few colorways to give a better sense of the variety.

You can see each color laid out this way on our first Dapple blog post, and we’re happy to show you all the skeins we have in a given color when you’re here shopping in person.

The balance of cool, soft cotton and bouncy wool makes Dapple ideal for transitional spring garments and accessories. Here are some pattern ideas!

Click here for more pattern ideas, and look for Brooklyn Tweed Dapple in the DK weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

Back in stock with new colors: NFC Organic Studio Sock.

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Our most recent order from Neighborhood Fiber Co. was full of vibrant colors, speckles, and variegated shades, brightening our NFC Organic Studio Sock cubby considerably!

Anne and I had fun selecting colorways we’d never seen before, along with those that have become favorites.

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio Sock:

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

Organic Studio Sock is perfect for knitting socks, of course, but also great for sweaters and shawls – here’s one that Wendy made, Lesley Anne Robinson’s “Studio Sampler.”

Robinson’s design moves through garter stitch, stripes, and brioche, keeping things interesting with a variety of stitch patterns and color combinations. Pick three shades that excite you and have fun watching them interact as you knit – they can be high or low contrast, from the same color family or not. Here are a few combinations I came up with!

Look for Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio Sock in the fingering weight section here at our shop! We’re open from 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays; masks are required for entry. Online ordering is still available for local pickup or shipping – thanks for shopping with us!

Hello, NFC Organic Studio Worsted!

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We’re excited to introduce you to the newest yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop – meet Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio Worsted!

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio Worsted:

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

Like the Organic Studio Sock we’ve come to love, Organic Studio Worsted is a soft, sturdy, tightly plied organic merino wool that’s machine washable for easy care. We’ve selected a dozen variegated and speckled colorways to liven up our worsted weight section!

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…

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!

New colors in Brooklyn Tweed Dapple!

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Dapple is Brooklyn Tweed’s DK weight blend of organic cotton and merino, a soft and fluffy yarn that’s been very popular around here. We’re delighted to report that three new colors just arrived!

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple:

  • DK weight
  • woolen-spun, tonally dyed
  • 60% merino wool, 40% organic cotton
  • 165 yards/50 g
  • $14 each

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple in Verdigris

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple in Periwinkle

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple in Petal

Dapple is tonally dyed, meaning skeins in the same colorway differ from one another even in the same dye lot. Some are lighter, some are darker, some almost look marled! This isn’t immediately apparent when looking at one skein of Dapple at a time, so I’ve laid out big groups in a few colorways to give a better sense of the variety. You can see each color laid out this way on our first Dapple blog post, and we’re happy to show you all the skeins we have in a given color when you’re here shopping in person.

Lately, Dapple has been popular for Midori Hirose’s “Ranunculus” sweater, Viktoria Chevchuk’s “Burchett” cardigan, Aude Martin’s “Ashfork” vest, and Tamy Gore’s “Graphic Elements,” a colorwork pullover.

Click here for more pattern ideas, and look for Brooklyn Tweed Dapple in the DK weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

Studio Sock + Studio Sampler.

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Itching to cast on with our newest arrival, Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock? Consider Leslie Anne Robinson’s “Studio Sampler,” an asymmetric triangular shawl.

Robinson’s design moves through garter stitch, stripes, and brioche, keeping things interesting with a variety of stitch patterns and color combinations.

Pick three shades that excite you and have fun watching them interact as you knit – they can be high or low contrast, from the same color family or not. Here are a few combinations I came up with!

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in Truxton Circle, Joyce Scott, and Gwynn Oak.

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in Petworth, Oliver, and Hollins Market.

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in Washington Circle, Amy Sherald, and Cedonia.

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in Bolton Hill, Lauraville, and Ernest Shaw.

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in Reservoir Hill, Ernest Shawl, and Hollins Market.

Look for Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in the fingering weight section here at our shop – we’re open from 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays! You can still use our online order form to place orders for local pickup or shipping, as well.

New colors in Brooklyn Tweed Dapple!

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Dapple is Brooklyn Tweed’s first departure from wool, a DK weight blend of organic cotton and merino that’s been a hit here at our shop. We’re delighted to report that two new colors just arrived!

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple:

  • DK weight
  • woolen-spun, tonally dyed
  • 60% merino wool, 40% organic cotton
  • 165 yards/50 g
  • $14 each

Dapple is tonally dyed, meaning skeins in the same colorway differ from one another even in the same dye lot. Some are lighter, some are darker, some almost look marled! This isn’t immediately apparent when looking at one skein of Dapple at a time, so I’ve laid out big groups in a few colorways to give a better sense of the variety. You can see each color laid out this way on our first Dapple blog post, and lots of pattern ideas on our second.

 

Here’s a new pattern idea for Dapple – Susanna Kaartinen’s “Saurel,” a brioche shawl in 3 colors.

To knit “Saurel” with Dapple, you’ll need 3 skeins of Main Color (MC), 1 skein of Color 1 (C1), and 2 skeins of Color 2 (C2).

I had fun putting together the combinations pictured below, but there are so many more possibilities!

 

 

These bundles of 6 are $76.50; the pattern is sold separately for $8.

Order Dapple online for local pickup or USPS Priority Mail Shipping – thanks again for your support and understanding as we remain closed to walk-ins!

Back in stock: Brooklyn Tweed Dapple.

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Dapple was one of the brand new yarns we brought in last year, Brooklyn Tweed’s first departure from wool – a DK weight blend of organic cotton and merino. It’s been popular here at our shop, so we jumped as soon as BT had more in stock. Delighted to report that we now have a fresh supply on hand!

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple:

  • DK weight
  • woolen-spun, tonally dyed
  • 60% merino wool, 40% organic cotton
  • 165 yards/50 g
  • $14 each

Dapple is tonally dyed, meaning skeins in the same colorway differ from one another even in the same dye lot. Some are lighter, some are darker, some almost look marled! This isn’t immediately apparent when looking at one skein of Dapple at a time, so I’ve laid out big groups in a few colorways to give a better sense of the variety. You can see each color laid out this way on our first Dapple blog post, and lots of pattern ideas on our second.

Tamy Gore recently published a gorgeous colorwork pullover designed for Dapple, “Graphic Elements.” When our big box of Dapple arrived, this sweater was exactly where my mind went – here are some color combinations to get you started planning your own!

Tamy Gore’s lovely original colorway is shown above, and below are those I put together – I’ve named them for some of the basic elements of graphic design, all concepts we see again and again in the knitting world.

Order Dapple online for local pickup or USPS Priority Mail Shipping – thanks again for your support and understanding as we remain closed to walk-ins!

Hello, Brooklyn Tweed Dapple!

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We’re excited to announce the arrival of Brooklyn Tweed’s newest yarn, Dapple!

Dapple is a 2ply woolen-spun blend of 60% merino wool and 40% organic cotton, a DK weight yarn with softness and bounce. Each 50 gram skein has 165 yards, and costs $14.

Dapple is tonally dyed, meaning skeins in the same colorway differ from one another even in the same dye lot. Some are lighter, some are darker, some almost look marled! This isn’t immediately apparent when looking at one skein of Dapple at a time, so I’ve laid out big groups of each colorway to give a better sense of the variety.

It’s a refreshing new look from Brooklyn Tweed, and one that invites new ways of playing with color. Bold stripes and colorwork come immediately to mind, but don’t shy away from using Dapple in a single-color garment; you can arrange the skeins in a gradient from light to dark, or arrange them randomly by value and alternate skeins for a more blended effect.

Like all Brooklyn Tweed yarns, Dapple is sourced, spun, and dyed in the US, an effort to produce beautiful yarn sustainably and ethically.

Part of that ethical production is acknowledging that cotton is a fiber with a fraught history in America, one whose impact is still felt. Cotton production is rooted in the displacement of indigenous communities, the exploitation of the labor of enslaved Black people, and the devastation of land through overproduction.

In contrast, Dapple’s cotton comes from members of the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative, who maintain safe labor practices for their employees while farming in a sustainable manner. It is as important to invest in this work as it is to learn about this history, and Brooklyn Tweed is doing both and inviting us to join them. Going forward, they are donating a portion of Dapple’s proceeds to the National Black Farmers Association, and are sharing a series of videos and essays on textiles and race as they introduce Dapple.

What to make with Dapple? This new yarn has launched with patterns from Jared Flood: “Ginn,” a raglan pullover, and “Urtia,” a half brioche hat. Stay tuned for more pattern ideas, and to see what’s on our needles – we’ve found so many exciting projects for Dapple!

Order Dapple online for local pickup or USPS Priority Mail Shipping – thanks again for your support and understanding during our temporary closure!

Though we’re in the midst of our Annual Inventory Sale, Dapple will not be discounted during this time. Thanks for understanding!

Sale Spotlight: Shibui Fern.

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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 Shibui Fern!

Shibui Fern:

  • sport weight
  • plied, matte
  • 100% organic cotton
  • 232 yards/50 grams
  • $19.50 each

Like all Shibui yarns, Fern is designed to be used on its own or mixed with other yarns for intriguing fiber and color blends. By itself on a US 4, the suggested gauge is 24 stitches over 4 inches.

What to make with Shibui Fern? Here are a few ideas:

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!

Hello, BC Garn Bio Balance.

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We’re delighted to announce that our first new yarn for the fall season has arrived! Meet Bio Balance, from BC Garn.

BC Garn is a family-owned, ecologically-minded yarn company out of Denmark. Many of their yarns are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), so we feel confident that they are produced safely and responsibly, from the fiber to the dye.

Bio Balance is one of those certified organic yarns, a sport weight blend of 55% wool and 45% cotton. This combination brings the best of both fibers to the yarn. The wool lends elasticity and loftiness to the cool, soft cotton, and the result is a nice balance of animal and plant fibers, and smooth, well-behaved fabric.

This makes it an excellent sweater yarn, especially in our warm climate. A browse through Bio Balance projects on Ravelry shows that many knitters use it for sweater-making – here are few patterns to consider:

  • “Tegna,” by Caitlin Hunter – a stockinette tee with lace at the bottom edge
  • “June,” by Julie Weisenberger, of cocoknits – a top-down puff-sleeve pullover
  • “Sanctuary,” by Stephanie Earp – a top-down cabled tee, from Pom Pom Quarterly, Summer 2019 – we still have copies, if you missed this beautiful issue when it first came out!
  • “Kalaloch Pullover,” by Kate Gagnon Osborn of Kelbourne Woolens – an oversized lace yoke sweater
  • “Yume,” by Isabell Kraemer – a top-down lace yoke pullover, with options for short or long sleeves

Because this yarn can be gently machine-washed, it’s great for baby and children’s garments, too:

  • “Wee Envelope,” by Ysolda Teague – a stockinette pullover with a yoke knit side-to-side
  • “Nemo,” by Rebekka Mauser – a textured, color block henley
  • “Hosenmatz,” by Mayumi Kaliciak and Antje Litzmann – baggy baby pants

Look for Bio Balance in the sport weight section here at our shop!