Tag Archives: show and tell

Show and tell: lace.

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Time for another round of show and tell! I love to take photos of finished projects when folks bring them into the shop to share with us, and to share them here on our blog. I always seem to have a backlog of photos, thanks to the many productive makers who frequent our shop. Here’s a batch of show and tell with one technique in common: lace.

Ruth came in the other day with this lace shawl to share, “Heartland Lace Shawl,” by Evelyn A. Clark. She knit it with Navia Uno, and reports that the yarn is as sturdy as it is soft, becoming especially so after blocking.

Stella is fond of purplish grays, and selected some Kelbourne Woolens’ Mojave in this color family to knit a shawl. She chose “Tales From the Isle of Purbeck,” by Annie Rowden, which looks especially lovely in a gradient.

Astrid is an avid lace knitter and designer, and often visits us with a recently-completed shawl in hand. This one is “Wild Swan,” by Anne-Lise Maigaard & Nim Teasdale, and Astrid knit it with Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere.

Joanne knit this “Lexington” scarf with Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, a yarn she’s come back to again and again. Lightweight and lofty on account of its woolen-spun structure, Shelter shines in lace patterns like this.

Margaretta knit this “Calla” shawl, a pattern that caught her eye in a recent issue of Laine Magazine. It features a striking combination of texture, lace, and cables – a hint at the theme our next show-and-tell post.

Taking stitch definition, softness, and color into account, she chose Kelbourne Woolens Scout for the project, and the result is ideal on all fronts.

Thanks to Ruth, Stella, Astrid, Joanne, and Margaretta for sharing their work with us! We can’t wait to see what comes off your needles next.

Interested in learning more about lace knitting? Check out a few upcoming classes on the subject – Marsha’s Lace Basics is a one-time technique class for folks new to lace knitting. For a bigger project, consider Amy’s Hitofude Cardigan class and Marsha’s Marigold Cardigan class. We’re excited to see the beautiful sweaters that will be coming out of our classroom this fall!

Back in stock: Berroco.

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Berroco yarns are some of our standbys, from the smooth Modern Cotton to the durable Ultra Wool line to the soft and fuzzy Ultra Alpaca line. We order and reorder these yarns throughout the year, but last week’s restock was particularly sizable.

Berroco Modern Cotton is an economical, machine-washable blend of cotton and rayon in that versatile gauge, worsted weight. It’s perfect for warm-weather knit and crochet projects, or year-round for those allergic to wool, and seems especially popular for blanket making.

Berroco Ultra Wool is a worsted weight superwash wool, one of the few that suggests “tumble dry low” rather than “lay flat to dry.” That makes it a truly easy-care yarn, perfect for baby and children’s garments, blankets, and everday accessories. It also comes in DK weight and fingering weight gauges.

We were especially low on Berroco Ultra Alpaca Chunky, a bulky weight blend of wool and alpaca, and are pleased to have a full cubby again. This yarn has been popular for Kate Davies’ “Carbeth” and cocoknits’ “Emma,” and one knitter we know, Michele, used it to make this incredible “#21 Star Sweater.”

Look for a variety of Berroco yarns here at our shop!

The Weekender KAL: round and round, back and forth.

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Our informal Weekender KAL continues! Anne and I are knitting “The Weekender,” by Andrea Mowry, and invite you all to join us, casting on and working at your own pace.

It’s been almost a month since I last shared our progress, and we spent most of that month going round and round on the bodies of our sweaters. Above is a photo of Anne’s sweater in that stage. We have both been smitten with the easy rhythm of stockinette in the round, punctuated by that slip stitch detail at the front and back of the piece.

Our friends Debbie and Nancy come by the shop now and then to work on their Weekenders, knitting, like Anne, with Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in shades of gray. Debbie’s is above, in the Snowbound color, and at the same round and round stage. Nancy’s is below, in the Pumice color, just a bit darker than Debbie’s Snowbound. After the bodies of our sweaters reach our desired length, we begin working the front and back flat up to the shoulders, and that’s just where I caught Nancy in this photo.

There are a few short rows near the top, to shape the shoulders, then a bit of ribbing, a tubular bind-off at the neck, and a three needle bind off at the shoulder – a flurry of techniques after many peaceful inches of stockinette. As of now, we’re all at different points in this flurry, and hurrying quickly through them. Here’s my Weekender, made with Kelbourne Woolens Scout, just after I joined the shoulders, and before I blocked it to something close to the dimensions on the schematic.

Are you knitting along with us? Where are you in the process, going round and round, or back and forth, or well beyond what’s pictured here? Let us know in the comments, or on Instagram with the hashtag #hysweekenderkal !

The Weekender KAL: casting on.

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Our informal Weekender KAL is underway! Anne and I are knitting “The Weekender,” by Andrea Mowry, and invite you all to join us, casting on and working at your own pace. It’s been just over a week, and we’ve both cast on, worked the bottom hems, and begun knitting the body of the sweater. I’m working with Kelbourne Woolens Scout in “Sunflower Heather,” a sunny stretch for this blue- and gray-loving knitter.

Mowry calls for a tubular cast-on, which makes a tidy, rounded edge on the 1×1 ribbed hem. As in all of knitting, there are many different ways to make a tubular cast-on, and I substituted my favorite method for the one in the pattern. It’s one I encountered in my “Stasis” and “Docklight” sweaters, and the instructions come from Brooklyn Tweed.

Anne used the same tubular cast-on, but modified the split hem so the front and back are the same length, as opposed to the longer back hem shown in the pattern.

She’s working with Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in “Soot,” a heathered gray that is right in line with Anne’s favorite and most-worn colors.

We are both loving the ease of this pattern, just cruising through the body, mindlessly knitting stockinette in the round, pausing only for the slip stitch at the center back and center front of the sweater. Sometimes simple is just right, and it seems the simplicity of “The Weekender” has landed at just the right time for each of us!

Are you knitting along with us? What yarn are you using, in what color, and how are you liking the experience? Let us know in the comments, or on Instagram with the hashtag #hysweekenderkal !

Back in stock, show and tell: Shetland Spindrift.

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The appetite for Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift and colorwork knitting in general seems to be growing, if our frequent Jamieson’s orders are any indication. This weekend brought another big box of Shetland Spindrift our way, a classic fingering weight 2-ply shetland wool.

We usually keep around 110 colors in stock, an awe-inspiring selection that we display in big trays, so you can see them all clearly. Because the yarn is so well-suited to stranded colorwork knitting, Jamieson’s makes a staggering 220 colors, and we are happy to special order any of them for you if you don’t see what you’re looking for on our shelves.

We have several patterns in stock for Shetland Spindrift, like Sandy Blue’s “Autumn Tam” and “Midnight Sun Tam,” Churchmouse’s “Wee Wooly Sheep,” and Janine Bajus’s “Redbud” vest.

This yarn is also popular for Gudrun Johnston’s “Bousta Beanie,” a featured pattern for Shetland Wool Week in 2017. This year’s SWW pattern also calls for Shetland Spindrift, and we’re busy putting kits together to make it – more on that soon!

Now for a bit of show and tell – here’s Nancy’s “Efflorescent” shawl, knit with Shetland Spindrift as a sample for a class she offered here at the shop last year. The pattern is from Felicity Ford’s KNITSONIK Stranded Colourwork Playbook, which is bursting with colorful inspiration, along with techniques and patterns. Nancy has graciously lent us the shawl for display, so you can see this work of art in person at our shop.

Kathryn wove this incredible guitar strap on an inkle loom, using Isager Bomuld and Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift.

Kate came in recently wearing her newest sweater, Leila Raabe’s “Stasis” pullover, knit with Shetland Spindrift in the colors Eggshell and Teviot, a charming combination. She made a few modifications for a perfect fit and is rightfully pleased with the outcome – well done, Kate!

Thanks to Nancy, Kathryn, and Kate for sharing their handiwork, and to everyone who starts their projects with a trip to our shop! Look for Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift in the fingering weight section  – we can’t wait to see what you make with it!

Show and tell: Brooklyn Tweed Peerie.

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I’m back with more show and tell, focused this time on accessories and garments knit with Brooklyn Tweed Peerie. Peerie is one of the four yarns featured in our current BT Wool People 12 Trunk Show, so it seems fitting to share some of the projects folks are making with this special yarn.

Kathryn knit this “Lucerne” hat with Peerie, enlisting her young daughter’s help in selecting colors. I love what they came up with, as well as Kathryn’s description of Peerie – “supernaturally springy.”

Elsbeth knit this “Architexture” scarf with Peerie and came back for more to make another one, an excellent endorsement of yarn and pattern alike. Peerie’s smooth, round texture is perfect for showing off knit and purl texture patterns like those featured here.

Margaretta has also been charmed by Peerie, having used it to knit both the “Afton” scarf above and the “Hazelfern” socks below.

Both of these texture-rich patterns were thoughtfully designed by Jared Flood, and Margaretta appreciated the quality and clarity of the patterns as much as the yarn.

Jane knit this impressive “Butterfly / Papillon” shawl with six shades of Peerie during Nancy’s recent class here at the shop.

I’m particularly struck by Jane’s unique color combination, a balance of warm and cool colors, light and dark. Well done, Jane!

Here’s Ruth in her “Boardwalk,” knit with Peerie in a cheery pink shade. This pattern has been a popular one, whether knit in Peerie or in Loft, in part because of how wearable it is. The design is clever and flattering, a layer that manages to look both smart and casual.

Thanks to Kathryn, Elsbeth, Margaretta, Jane, and Ruth for sharing these knits with us, and to everyone whose projects begin with trips to our shop.

Come by before March 3rd to see the Wool People 12 Trunk Show and get 10% off Brooklyn Tweed Peerie, Loft, Vale, and Arbor. See you there!

 

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

 

Show and tell: for the home.

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Time for another round of show and tell! I love to take photos of finished projects when folks bring them into the shop to share with us, and to share them here on our blog. I always seem to have a backlog of photos, thanks to the many productive knitters, crocheters, and weavers who frequent our shop. Here’s a batch of show and tell featuring projects made for the home – mostly blankets!

Glen knit this “Ombre Waves Knit Blanket” as a gift for his daughter and son-in-law, using Malabrigo Rios, everyone’s favorite hand-dyed, superwash, worsted weight merino.

Petra wove the overshot table runner below using a cotton yarn in the warp and Brigg’s & Little Sport in the weft. The pattern is intricate and visually mesmerizing, even more so in the bold colors Petra chose – well done, Petra!

Peggy knit Jared Flood’s “Talon Throw” as a gift for her niece, a generous gift indeed.

Peggy used Berroco Ultra Alpaca, a soft and sturdy blend of wool and alpaca, and a staple of our worsted weight section here at the shop.

Berroco Ultra Wool is a staple of our worsted weight section, too, and another great yarn for blanket-making. Elsbeth used Ultra Wool for this striking Purl Soho “Mosaic Blanket.”

Amy knit this colorful blanket for her newest grandchild using Ewe Ewe Wooly Worsted, a squishy superwash merino. The pattern is Svetlana Gordon’s “Hexagon Kaleidoscope Patchwork Knitting,” adapted to include butterfly patches among the flowers.

Thanks to Glen, Petra, Peggy, Elsbeth, and Amy for sharing their work, and to everyone who starts their projects with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We can’t wait to see what you make next.

Back in stock, show and tell: Isager Alpaca 2.

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Among all the lovely Isager yarns, Alpaca 2 has been a favorite here at our shop, so we make sure to keep every available color in stock.

Isager Alpaca 2 is a light fingering weight blend of merino wool and alpaca, with 275 yards on each 50 gram skein. Our seasoned “Stole” sample has hung on the wall for years now, yet it regularly catches the eye of knitters seeking a soothing, repetitive project, one that’s easy to execute, but with graceful results.

We’ve seen all manner of “Stole” variations, and whether they’re knit in the pattern’s recommended nine shades or a kaleidoscope of unique combinations, slimmed down into scarves or expanded into blankets, everything seems to work. Unpacking this shipment, I lapsed into a familiar game, picking colors for the “Stole.”

There are many other things to knit with Alpaca 2, of course; here are a couple of ideas from knitters we know, a bit of show and tell.

Here is Carribeth’s “Spectrum,” another soothing knit in stockinette. She paired Alpaca 2 with a matching shade of Alpaca 1 to create the slightly transparent stripes, an elegant effect that photos don’t do justice.

Winnie knit this “Feathers” shawl with Alpaca 2, and has already come back for more of the same to knit another.

This is a lovely example of Alpaca 2 in a lace pattern, a very good match of yarn and pattern, indeed.

Thanks to Carribeth, Winnie, and countless others who start their projects here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop – we love to see what you’re working on!

Back in stock, show and tell: Malabrigo.

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Over 60 pounds of Malabrigo yarn arrived this week!

This sizable order filled and brightened our cubbies of Rasta, Rios, Mecha, Caracol, and Mechita.

Malabrigo is a beloved Uruguayan yarn company known for vibrant hand-dyed color and soft, squishy merino wool.

These pleasing qualities make their yarns some of the most popular in our shop, so we’re always seeing incredible projects made out of Malabrigo yarn. Here are a few of the latest.

Amy knit this “Rondelay” shawl with Mechita, a single-ply superwash merino wool in fingering weight.

She used one of the coveted speckled colorways, which we can hardly keep in stock – happy to have a nice selection of speckled shades in this recent order!

Margie used one of those speckled skeins of Mechita to make the “Mesh Leaf Cowl” she’s modeling here.

Malabrigo yarns also play well with others, as Linda’s “Mindfulness” shawl demonstrates. She crocheted this beauty using a semi-solid shade in Malabrigo Sock and a highly-variegated skein from Dream in Color’s Pop-Up Skein Club.

Thanks to Amy, Margie, Linda, and countless others who start their projects here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop – we love to see what you’re working on!

Come by the shop to see our full selection of Malabrigo yarn and get your fill of these soft and colorful skeins!

Show and tell: Anne’s “Dog Stars.”

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A few months ago, Anne set a lofty goal: she would knit a sweater for each of her four grandchildren for Hanukkah. When she mentioned this in conversation at the shop, eyes would widen in disbelief – even four child-sized sweaters represent an awful lot of knitting, after all. She picked Tin Can Knits’ “Dog Star” pattern, a simple, seamless, colorwork yoke, and spent every possible moment knitting these sweet sweaters, determined to complete them in time. Anne is a woman of her word, and a determined one – when Hanukkah began on December 2nd, she was ready with four finished sweaters. Quite a feat!

For her granddaughters, Anne knit “Dog Star” with Brooklyn Tweed Arbor, using a sophisticated palette of purplish gray, eggplant, and cream. Knowing the girls might like to match as much as they like to distinguish themselves, Anne flipped the arrangement of contrast colors in the yoke: sisterly matching, yet distinct.

For her twin grandsons, Anne used Malabrigo Rios, again differentiating the sweaters by changing colors in the yoke.

Her boys love bright colors, so she used wildly variegated colorways in the stranded yoke, which, in her words, look like sprinkles against the dark blue background.

Hope you’ve met your own holiday knitting goals this season!

A reminder, the shop will be closed on Tuesday, Dec. 25 and again on Tuesday, Jan. 1. Otherwise the shop will be open at our regular hours, and we look forward to seeing you there!