Oslo Hat, No-Mohair Edition.

Posted by Julia on March 7, 2023

I just finished up another new sample for the shop, PetiteKnit’s oh-so-popular “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition,” though mine doesn’t contain any mohair to speak of.

For this hat, I paired Kelbourne Woolens Perennial and Fyberspates Cumulus, a brushed alpaca that emulates mohair’s fuzzy halo. These two alpaca blends are each very soft in their own right, but together are impossibly cuddly – you must touch this hat for yourself!

My sample “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition” blends Perennial in Raspberry with Cumulus in Plum – here are a few more color ideas.

The simplicity of PetiteKnit’s “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition” lends itself to variegated yarns, too, which are softened when held together with a fuzzy lace weight yarn – here are a few color ideas pairing Koigu KPPPM with Cumulus!

Look for Cumulus in our lace weight section and Perennial and KPPPM in our fingering weight section – we’re open 11am-5:30pm, Tuesdays-Saturdays. We do require masks for entry – thanks for your cooperation, see you at the shop!

“Simple Yet Effective” cowl.

Posted by Julia on February 14, 2023

If you’ve been to the shop in the past few weeks, you might have seen me working on this cowl, “Simple Yet Effective,” by Tin Can Knits. The pattern is aptly named, alternating sections of stockinette and reverse stockinette – a nearly blank canvas for showing off some special yarn. The pattern calls for DK weight, but I’ve held a fingering weight and a lace weight yarn together, Kelbourne Woolens Cricket and Neighborhood Fiber Co. Loft, respectively.

It can be tricky to visualize how different colors and textures of yarn will look when knit together. Luckily, Tin Can Knits has a super helpful blog post about just that, “Layering With Mohair.” I was inspired after reading it, and learned that you can achieve a fascinating effect when you combine a darker mohair with a lighter yarn. As Tin Can Knits designer Emily Wessel puts it, “When you blend a darker or more saturated mohair with a lighter yarn, the paler colourway seems to glow underneath a deeper halo.” I tried out that strategy in this cowl and am so pleased with the result – each yarn seems to be enhanced by the other, and of course the fabric is fuzzy and soft!

Here are a few more color combinations pairing Cricket and Loft, which seem to me like they’d blend beautifully.

I couldn’t stop there, when there are so many shades of Isager Silk Mohair to play with – here are a few more!

Look for Kelbourne Woolens Cricket in the fingering weight section here at our shop, not far from the lace weight section, which holds Neighborhood Fiber Co. Loft and Isager Silk Mohair. We can’t wait to see what other color combinations you come up with for your own “Simple Yet Effective” cowls!

Cumulus and friends.

Posted by Julia on February 3, 2023

Fyberspates Cumulus is the newest yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, a soft and fluffy lace weight alpaca/silk blend. Though it’s lovely on its own, it plays well with others – here are some yarn and pattern ideas for holding Cumulus together with heavier yarns!

Cumulus + fingering weight:

“Oslo Hat – mohair edition,” by PetiteKnit – ribbed hat
“Anker’s Hat,” by PetiteKnit – segmented ribbed hat
“Pink Fizz,” by Andrea Mowry – cabled pullover
“Balloon Sweater,” by Petiteknit – pullover with balloon sleeves

Cumulus is shown here with Isager Alpaca 2 and Kelbourne Woolens Cricket (above) and Isager Merilin and Kelbourne Woolens Perennial (below).

Cumulus + DK weight:

“Kobuk,” by Caitlin Hunter – bobbled hat
“Honey Glow,” by Tamy Gore – lace and brioche shawl
“Novice Slipover,” by PetiteKnit – stockinette vest
“Ingrid Slipover,” by PetiteKnit – textured vest

Cumulus is shown here with Fibre Co. Acadia and Brooklyn Tweed Arbor (above), and Kelbourne Woolens Scout and Isager Jensen (below).

Cumulus + worsted weight:

“On the C Train,” by Espace Tricot – ribbed beanie
“November Balaclava,” by PetiteKnit – fisherman’s rib balaclava
“Ghostwood Mittens,” by Kiyomi Burgin – stockinette mittens with cable detail
“Cedro,” by Thea Colman – textured pullover

Cumulus is shown here with Malabrigo Rios and Berroco Ultra Alpaca (above), and Brooklyn Tweed Tones and Shelter (below).

We can’t wait to see what other color and yarn combinations you come up with – see you at the shop!

Hello, Fyberspates Cumulus!

Posted by Julia on January 27, 2023

Meet our newest addition, Fyberspates Cumulus!

Fyberspates Cumulus:

lace weight
74% baby Suri alpaca, 26% mulberry silk
164 yards/25g
$8.60 each

Cumulus is a soft and fuzzy lace weight yarn, a lovely alternative to mohair for those who find it itchy. Use a single strand of Cumulus for lightweight shawls and sweaters, or pair it with a heavier yarn for more substantial garments with that fluffy halo that’s become so popular of late. Check out our blog post about Isager Silk Mohair for pattern ideas to that end, and keep an eye out for an upcoming post showing color and yarn combinations in Cumulus!

Today, we’ll let Cumulus take center stage and feature patterns for a single strand of this irresistibly soft yarn.

What to knit with Cumulus? Here are some pattern ideas!

“Mohair Bias Loop,” by Kit Hutchin – sheer stockinette cowl knit on the bias
“Myrtle,” by Kate Davies – 4-color striped lace pullover
“Altnafeadh,” by Kate Davies – 4-color striped lace mitts
“Electric Village,” by Kate Davies – 3-color striped lace shawl
“Brambling shawl,” by Bristol Ivy – 5-color intarsia shawl

Look for Fyberspates Cumulus in the lace weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

Back in stock: Isager Alpaca 3.

Posted by Julia on January 24, 2023

Once again, PetiteKnit has made Isager yarn popular enough to clear our shelves. Having nearly sold out of Alpaca 3 in the past month or so, we are relieved to announce that we now have a fresh supply!

Isager Alpaca 3:

bulky weight
chainette
50% alpaca, 50% wool
137 yards/50 grams
$10 each

Due to it’s chainette construction, Alpaca 3 is soft, lofty, and highly elastic – a pleasure to work with, all told.

“Novice Cardigan – Chunky Edition,” by PetiteKnit, photo © PetiteKnit.

Though it’s lovely on its own, it’s irresistibly soft when paired with Isager Silk Mohair, as PetiteKnit knows well.

“Sunday Sweater,” by PetiteKnit, photo © PetiteKnit.

Here are a few color combinations to consider when planning a “Sunday Sweater,” “Novice Sweater – Chunky Edition,” “Novice Cardigan – Chunky Edition,” or “Holiday Slipover.”

If mohair isn’t your thing, you can substitute Isager Alpaca 1, a lace weight 100% alpaca yarn. It will add a little weight to the Alpaca 3, and can alter the color if you like, but won’t be as fuzzy as Silk Mohair.

Come by the shop to see and touch these yarns for yourself, and plan your next project! Look for Silk Mohair and Alpaca 1 in the lace weight section, and Alpaca 3 in the bulky weight section.

NFC Loft + fingering weight.

Posted by Julia on November 22, 2022

There are so many popular patterns that call for a lace weight mohair paired with fingering weight wool – sometimes in a matching color, sometimes a contrasting one, always creating an enticing fuzzy fabric. Neighborhood Fibre Co. Loft is just the yarn for this, and we’ve got loads of options in the fingering weight section here at our shop – you’ll find a few ideas below, and keep scrolling for patterns!

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Loft: lace weight, hand dyed, 70% kid mohair, 30% silk, 459 yards/1.75 oz; $28 each
Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock: fingering weight, hand-dyed, 100% machine-washable merino, 400 yards/100g; $32 each

Kelbourne Woolens Perennial: light fingering weight, 60% superwash merino, 25% suri alpaca, 15% nylon, 497 yards/100 g; $26 each

Brooklyn Tweed Peerie: fingering weight, 100% merino wool, 210 yards/50 grams, $17.25 each

Sweaters:

“Love Note,” by Tin Can Knits – lace yoke pullover
“No Frills Sweater,” by PetiteKnit – stockinette raglan pullover
“Stockholm Slipover,” by PetiteKnit – stockinette vest
“Jenny Sweater,” by PetiteKnit – smocked raglan pullover
“Balloon Sweater,” by PetiteKnit – pullover with balloon sleeves
“Diaphanous Raglan,” by Jessie Maed – v-neck pullover with sheer sleeves
“Elton,” by Joji Locatelli – striped cardigan
“Girlfriends Cardigan Anke,” by Ankestrick – garter stitch cardigan
“Pink Fizz,” by Andrea Mowry – cabled pullover

Accessories:

“Oslo Hat – mohair edition,” by PetiteKnit – ribbed hat
“Anker’s Hat,” by PetiteKnit – segmented ribbed hat
“Cloves Entwined Toque,” by Tif Neilan – slouchy hat with lateral braids
“Leni,” by Isabell Kraemer – textured hat
“Water Born,” by Jacqueline Cieslak – brioche headband
“Indira Cowl,” by Vanessa Smith – cabled cowl

It can be tricky to visualize how different colors and textures of yarn will look when knit together – Tin Can Knits has a super helpful blog post about just that, “Layering With Mohair.” Read it and you are sure to be inspired – we can’t wait to see what yarn and color combinations you come up with!

Hello, Neighborhood Fiber Co. Loft!

Posted by Julia on November 1, 2022

We’d like to introduce an exciting new arrival from Baltimore’s Neighborhood Fiber Co – meet Loft!

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Loft:

lace weight
hand dyed in semisolid and variegated colorways
70% kid mohair, 30% silk
459 yards/1.75 oz
$28 each

Not to be confused with Brooklyn Tweed Loft, NFC Loft is a fuzzy and luminous blend of mohair and silk, hand dyed in Neighborhood’s unique colorways.

NFC Loft is soft and shiny, lightweight with a fluffy texture, and often used in tandem with heavier yarns. We’ve seen so many patterns calling for a lace weight mohair like this one, sometimes paired with a fingering weight yarn, sometimes a DK – think Tin Can Knits’ “Love Note,” or PetiteKnit’s “Oslo Hat – Mohair Edition,” “Novice Slipover,” and “September Sweater Junior.” We’ll share some yarn and color pairings here on the blog soon – stay tuned!

Look for Neighborhood Fiber Co. Loft along with Studio Sock, Capital Luxury Sport, and Ombre Mini Bundles here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We’re open 11-5:30, Tuesdays-Saturdays; masks required for entry. See you there!

Capital Luxury Sport + Zauberwolle.

Posted by Julia on October 14, 2022

The newest arrivals to our sport weight section are Neighborhood Capital Luxury Sport and a restock of Schoppel-Wolle Zauberwolle, and they look like friends to me. Combining semisolid shades with self-striping yarn makes for exciting colorwork, whether stranded, striped, mosaic, or brioche.

What to make with these color pairs? Here are some ideas!

Sweaters:

“koivua light,” by Caitlin Hunter – top down colorwork pullover
“Guthrie,” by Caitlin Hunter – top down colorwork pullover with cable detail
“Metamorphic,” by Andrea Mowry – striped pullover with faux seams
“Junction,” by Andrea Mowry – brioche and colorwork pullover
“Lovebirds Sweater,” by Kate Oates – short sleeved colorwork pullover
“Hinterland,” by Jennifer Steingass – colorwork pullover
“Newleaf,” by Jennifer Steingass – colorwork pullover

Accessories:

“Squaropolis,” by Maxim Cyr – mosaic triangular shawl
“Destination Unknown,” by Cheryl Faust – mosaic triangular shawl
“Montana Mountain Cowl,” by Andrea Mowry – mosaic moebius cowl
“Auri,” by Alicia Plummer – colorwork tubular cowl
“Pressed Flowers Hat,” by Amy Christoffers – mosaic hat
“Flicker & Flame,” by Andrea Mowry – colorwork hat

Look for Capital Luxury Sport and Zauberwolle in the sport weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop – we’re open from 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays! We’re still taking online orders for local pickup or shipping, as well.

Back in stock: Fibre Co. Acadia!

Posted by Julia on September 20, 2022

We’re delighted to announce that Fibre Co. Acadia is back in stock!

Fibre Co. Acadia:

DK weight
60% merino, 20% alpaca, 20% silk
145 yards/50 g
$16 each

Acadia has long been a favorite yarn in our DK weight section, especially for projects where softness is key and some drape is welcome. The silk slubs takes the dye differently than the other fibers, giving most colorways a rustic, tweedy appearance, which belies its luxuriously soft hand.

Garments knit with Acadia have a mix of structure and drape. We have a couple of samples knit in Acadia at the shop so you can see and feel this in person; look for the Churchmouse “Easy Folded Poncho” and “Quaking Aspen” shawl next time you’re here.

Here are a few other pattern ideas for Fibre Co. Acadia!

“Acadia Loop,” by Elizabeth Smith – unisex hemmed neckwarmer
“Copenhagen calling,” by Isabell Kraemer – 2 color mosaic and lace cowl
“Mended Plaid Cowl,” by Jamie Lomax – stranded and textured cowl
“Anker’s Hat,” by PetiteKnit – ribbed beanie
“Norie,” by Gudrun Johnston – slouchy textured lace beanie
“Simple Gifts,” by Dee O’Keefe – triangular shawl with leaf lace panel
“One Sweater DK,” by Becky Baker – basic stockinette raglan pullover in 15 sizes from Age 1-2 – 64″ chest circumference
“Beekeeper Cardigan,” by Marie Greene – textured saddle shoulder cardigan

Come by to give Acadia a squeeze and plan your next project! We’re open from 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays; masks required for entry.

New colors in Fibre Co. Meadow!

Posted by Julia on April 15, 2022

This week brought us fresh new colors in Fibre Co. Meadow!

Fibre Co. Meadow:

lace weight
hand-dyed
40% merino, 25% llama, 20% silk, 15% linen
545 yards/100g
$28 each

Though you’ll find Meadow in our lace weight section, it also works well in light fingering weight patterns, knitting up comfortably on a wide range of needle sizes.

Meadow’s unique and tweedy blend of plant and animal fibers give it loft and drape, perfect attributes for summery shawls. Here are some pattern ideas!

“Twinleaf,” by Grace Anna Farrow – garter stitch, stripes, short rows
“Allium,” by Grace Anna Farrow – triangular, mesh lace, mosaic
“Summer Meadow,” by Janina Kallio – triangular, garter stitch, eyelets
“Hydrangea Shawl,” by Courtney Kelley – triangular, faroese, lace
“Rewilding Shawl,” by Helen Stewart – triangular, asymmetric, eyelets, tassels
“Planting Seeds,” by Helen Stewart – crescent shaped, three-color, mosaic

Look for Meadow in our lace weight section, or order online for local pickup or shipping!