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!

Show and tell: sweaters.

Posted by Julia on September 11, 2016

For me, there’s something very special about sweaters. I love making them because the process changes every few inches–different stitch patterns, needle sizes, new shaping, parts, and pieces keep it interesting throughout. Here are some of the finished sweaters we’ve seen at the shop recently, all of whom started life as skeins of yarn on our shelves.

Here Rosi models her “Sonora,” knit with two strands of Shibui Pebble and one strand of Shibui Linen held together throughout. Rosi knit this beautiful, wearable top last year, but I didn’t get a chance to capture it until just a few weeks ago. I love this mustard yellow color, and I love seeing multiple yarns put together to create a unique fabric. Bravo, Rosi!

Here’s Leslie’s “Sundottir,” knit in Queensland Kathmandu Aran Tweed and Swans Island Natural Colors Merino Worsted. Colorwork yokes like this are my passion and my weakness – this just looks like so much fun to knit!

I finished a summer top not long ago, “Dafne,” by Julie Hoover, knit in the discontinued-but-still-in-stock Berroco Linen Jeans. I was moved to knit this by the exquisite armhole shaping, an esoteric inspiration, perhaps, but one that proved satisfying in the knitting.

Baby sweaters are just as fun to knit as adult sweaters, and so much faster! Here’s Paula’s “Milly Tank Top,” knit in Ewe So Sporty.

Thanks to all the sweater knitters who begin their projects at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! To those whose first sweaters are still ahead of them, we offer encouragement and support–we’re happy to help along the way!

Shibui Sample of the Month: Stole 2.0

Posted by Julia on September 4, 2016

September is here, and with it, a new Shibui Sample of the Month! We offer a 10% discount on Shibui yarns purchased for our featured sample til the end of the month.

Our current Shibui Sample of the Month is “Stole 2.0,” by Theresa Gaffey.

This striking wrap was knit in three shades of Shibui Pebble, outlined in a thin stripe of Silk Cloud.

Each color block is knit in a different direction, so the grain of the knitted fabric is sometimes vertical, sometimes horizontal.

We’re offering a 10% discount on Pebble and Silk Cloud purchased for this project til the end of the month, so come by the shop to see it before September 30th!

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

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!

Slope.

Posted by Julia on August 5, 2016

We’re pleased to announce the arrival of a new knit sample here at the shop, and a new monthly feature, to boot: here’s “Slope,” knit in Shibui Dune, our inaugural Shibui Sample of the Month!

Last year, Anne knit her own “Slope,” a curved-hem tank in the lightweight Shibui Twig. Most of the time it lives on the wall here at the shop, though she’s taken it down for special occasions, the likes of a wedding, and TNNA.

The design has been a runaway hit for Shibui as well as our shop, requiring several reorders of Twig in “Brick,” the color Anne’s “Slope” is made in.

This new teal “Slope” belongs to Sandy Barnes, Shibui’s sales manager and someone we love to catch up with at TNNA each year. She knit her “Slope” in Dune, making it a fall and winter layering piece that looks sharp over a long-sleeved tee or button-down collared shirt. Though the fiber content is very different from Twig, Dune possesses just as much drape, which very much suits the shape of this garment, whatever the season.

We’ll have Sandy’s “Slope” in Dune on display throughout August, and are offering a 10% discount on Dune purchased for this project until August 31st. Come by the shop to see it for yourself and plan a “Slope” for your own fall wardrobe!

Show and tell: stripes.

Posted by Julia on July 29, 2016

“Show and tell” blog posts are some of my favorites to write, and I’ve been lucky to write lots of them lately. Whenever possible, I take photos of the finished projects that find their way back to the shop, after some talented soul turned them from mere yarn into expertly-handcrafted garment. As I look through the show-and-tell photos not yet published here on the blog, I search for themes. Do these glorious finished projects have a particular kind of yarn in common, or a type of garment, quality of color, motif, or technique? Today’s grouping: stripes.

Anne knit this “Barefoot Knits Twirly Skirt” for her eldest granddaughter using Schulana Sojabama, a silky soft blend of soy and bamboo. The pattern, once published in a magazine no longer in print, took a bit of Ravelry hunting to track down, but its designer offers it up here. Anne modified it just a bit, opting to knit in the round rather than in pieces, adding a fifth color, and using a picot bind off for extra flair.

I knit this “Flying Duchess” shawl as a shop sample using the decadent Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK in three shades. I’m used to starting shawls with just a few stitches, then increasing throughout, ending on the very longest rows. “Flying Duchess,” on the other hand, had me casting on over 350 stitches, then decreasing throughout, which gave me the pleasing sensation that I was picking up speed as the project progressed.It was a mighty long cast-on, though, and one that I ended up doing twice. The first time, I tried the cable cast-on, knit a few rows, then ripped, disliking the sloppy look. The second, much more successful time, I used two balls of yarn to do the long tail cast-on, a technique I highly recommend for casting on large numbers of stitches.

Catherine is still busy knitting “3 Color Cashmere Cowls” in Shibui Staccato, and came in the other day with three more to show us. It’s been fun to see how the character of this pattern changes in different colorways: some muted, others bold, some elegant, others playful.

Thanks to everyone who comes by the shop to start a project, solve a problem, share their progress, and show off their finished pieces. There’s plenty more show-and-tell where this came from; looking forward to sharing more soon!

A reminder.

Posted by Julia on July 26, 2016

We’re quickly coming up on the end of the month, and with it, the end of our Annual Inventory Sale. With that in mind, let today’s blog post be a quick reminder to come into the shop before the sale ends!

Everything in the shop is 15% off for just a few more days–every skein of yarn, every pair of needles, every hook, every book, every magazine, pattern, notions case, project bag; all of it is discounted. If you’ve been meaning to come by to take advantage of the sale but let the month get away from you, hurry in before the end of the day on Sunday, July 31st.

Sunday also happens to be the last day of the Shibui Spring/Summer 2016 Collection Trunk Show, another good reason to hurry in before July is done. Hope to see you soon!

Another reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges, no returns, nor will we special order. Thanks!

Shibui Trunk Show!

Posted by Julia on July 20, 2016

Our walls are newly decorated with an exciting Shibui Trunk Show! We’ll have 8 garments from their Spring/Summer 2016 pattern collection on display here at the shop until July 31st, 2016.

Many of these garments feature their newest yarn, Rain, a dk weight mercerized cotton that’s chain-plied for a unique texture. You’ll notice two “Nova” tunics made in Rain; the white one came from Shibui, while Anne knit the black one as a shop sample that just happens to be in her size.

Shibui’s Mix concept means combining different yarns to create bespoke fiber and color blends. Create drape by adding Linen to Cima or Staccato, add a fuzzy halo by adding Silk Cloud to Rain, and so on.

There are many fun and useful things about trunk shows, like being able to play a bit of dress-up and try garments on for size, but one of the best aspects of a Shibui trunk show is seeing these yarn combinations in person.

Come by before the 31st to see the Shibui Trunk Show for yourself!

Vogue Knitting and Knitscene.

Posted by Julia on July 13, 2016

Two new magazines came last week, full of light summer reading, interesting patterns to knit, ideas, and tutorials.

The Early Fall 2016 issue of Vogue Knitting features profiles of designers Faina Goberstein, Felipe Cavalheiro, and Xandy Peters, known for “Fox Paws” and other patterns with stacked increases and decreases. I always find it interesting to read about knitwear designers, how they came to do what they do and how, indeed, they do it.

I also spotted a lovely colorwork hat knit in none other than Fibre Company Knightsbridge.

I noticed Fibre Company yarn in the Fall 2016 issue of Knitscene, too; the “Caelum Cowl” calls for Cumbria Worsted.

Other highlights of this issue include a cast-on tutorial and a collection of black and white garments, including this artfully simple shawl knit in Shibui Staccato.

Look for Vogue Knitting, Knitscene, and many other publications on the teacart here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. Come by to browse for inspiration or plan your next project!

Show and tell: summer shawls, part two.

Posted by Julia on July 9, 2016

Time for a second round of summer shawl show and tell! Here are some colorful shawls that started life as yarns on our shelves.

This one is a work in progress, a shawl-to-be on Amy’s needles as she prepares to teach a class on the subject. The pattern is “Dreambird KAL,” and Amy is knitting it with Shibui Staccato in the background, the solid black setting off the self-striping Kauni Effektgarn to great effect.

Catherine came in recently with this beautiful “Chevron 15” shawl, knit in two shades of Isager Alpaca 2.

The fabric is soft and light, and the surprising combination of bold chartreuse and soft teal works so well. Catherine has knit many shawls with this alpaca/merino blend, coming back to it again and again, a high form of praise in a world full of lovely yarns.

Loretta started this “Quill” in a class here at the shop, working with the sport weight Berroco Ultra Alpaca Lite.

This 5 color shawl is large enough to be considered a blanket, and looks cozy and classic in neutral shades, punctuated by a nice deep red.

Thanks to the many knitters, crocheters, weavers, and other fiber artists who use yarns from our shop in their creations; we love seeing what you make. More show and tell to come!