Show and tell: shawls and wraps, Swans Island, capes, and caps.

Posted by Julia on November 19, 2013

We love it when knitters and crocheters come to the shop with finished garments to share. It happens even more frequently than I can pull out my camera to document these projects; still and all, I have a beautiful bunch of show-and-tell photos to share here today. I hope you find them as inspiring as we do!

Margie knit this incredible lace cape in about three weeks, a testament to her perseverance and to the pleasures of lace-knitting.

There are times in life that call for simple, soothing projects, and times when we’d rather work on challenging projects that keep us thinking as we stitch–this belongs to the second category. The pattern is “Lady’s Circular Cape in Shell Pattern,” from the fantastic Victorian Lace Today, and the yarn is Isager Tvinni.

Katherine is a teacher here at the shop, offering a variety of project-based classes for knitters and crocheters alike. Above is her Guernsey Wrap, knit in Berroco Ultra Alpaca. I love this pairing of yarn and pattern; the 50/50 blend of wool and alpaca is structured enough to show the texture patterns and soft enough to drape gently in this generous rectangular shawl.

Many of Katherine’s students are knitting their own Guernsey Wraps in Ultra Alpaca, too, though I know that one is working with Fibre Company Canopy Worsted–I can’t wait to see all these Guernsey-Wraps-to-be!

Katherine also brought in her Belle Epoque shawl, a crochet design by Kira Dulaney. Katherine’s shawl is crocheted in Baa Ram Ewe Titus Shades, a special yarn for a special project.

Last week, Chris came in wearing this cuddly cowl she knit in Swans Island Organic Merino Worsted. The pattern is “Anna Cowl,” a loop scarf long enough to wrap twice around one’s neck, and decorated with lace and garter stitch. From the provisional cast-on to a careful blocking, Chris did a great job, and finished her cowl just in time for cold weather. Look for the “Anna Cowl” and other patterns for Swans Island yarns in the Swans Island pattern binder.

Rosi has been working with the Swans Island Organic Merino Worsted, too. She used it to design and knit this stunning aran sweater with the guidance of Janet Szabo’s “Follow-the-Leader Aran Knit-along Workshop.” Swans Island is a great yarn for cable patterns; this sweater really shows the yarn’s sharp stitch definition, as well as the knitter’s precision and attention to detail.

Just as I anticipated, Anne’s third grandchild hat was on and off the needles in no time. A variation on “Wurm,” a free Ravelry download, this whimsical little hat is knit with String Theory Merino DK, with embellishments in Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK.

Thanks to everyone who starts, works on, and shares their projects at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We love to see what’s coming off your needles and hooks.

Back in stock: String Theory Merino DK.

Posted by Julia on November 10, 2013

Last week, we had the pleasure of unpacking a large box from String Theory which was stuffed full of their Merino DK.

Having knit two cowls, a sweater, and a pair of mitts with String Theory Merino DK, I’m clearly a fan of the stuff. It’s soft and smooth, with excellent stitch definition, springy and dependable in the hands, and expertly hand-dyed in rich, memorable colorways. Our Purl Ridge Cowl is shown in “Earthquake,” a variegated colorway with more hidden hues than one might notice at first.

Whenever we get more Merino DK in stock, I’m tempted to start another project.

This time, it was Anne who gave in and cast on with String Theory Merino DK. Looking for just the right yarn for this year’s trio of hats for her grandchildren, Anne settled on Merino DK for all the reasons listed above, along with one other: Merino DK is machine-washable, perfectly suited to children’s hats.

Enjoying the yarn, and knitting on a deadline, Anne has likely finished this second hat by now, and I expect to see the start of a third soon enough.

Come by the shop to see our new selection of colors in Merino DK, and check out String Theory’s other yarns, as well. See you there!

Show and tell: mittens, sweaters, and shibori.

Posted by Julia on October 2, 2013

The two most exciting parts of a project are often the beginning and the end. At the beginning, the thrill of casting on with new yarn or trying a new technique is quite motivating. At the end, when the project is complete and whatever challenges were faced along the way have been met, the feeling of finishing is equally exhilarating. Better still: the feeling is contagious. Many of the knitters and crocheters we’ve come to know at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop bring their finished pieces to share, and it’s as much a pleasure to see as it is to show. Here are a few show-and-tell projects I’ve captured with my camera over the past few weeks.

Heather came in with a finished pair of mittens, her first, from a pattern by Susan B. Anderson: “Waiting for Winter Mittens.” She used String Theory Merino DK, a superwash merino whose hand-dyed colorways surprise and delight as you stitch; this colorway, Earthquake, revealed all kinds of colors in the knitted fabric that seemed hidden in the skein. I happen to be a big fan of String Theory Merino DK, having used it in two original designs and, more recently, a sweater.

The pattern is Amy Herzog’s “Aislinn,” albeit a heavily-modified version. Using Herzog’s tremendously handy Knit to Flatter as a guide, I shortened the body of the sweater, lowered the neckline, recalculated the waist-shaping, and added bust darts. I’m happy with the fit, and feel much more confident in making changes to existing patterns as a result of this project.

Another way to significantly change the look of the sweater is simply to change the yarn. That’s what Margie did, to stunning effect, with her “Honey” cardigan. The pattern is by Helga Isager, and it calls for a fingering weight wool in a solid color and a lace weight mohair in a variegated color.

Margie substituted Kauni Effektgarn, a self-striping sport weight wool, and a special skein of semi-solid lace weight yarn that she picked up at a fiber festival. She was careful to swatch for gauge before beginning, and altered the pattern to achieve a slimmer sleeve. Let Margie’s sweater be an inspiration to depart from the called-for yarns and make the changes necessary to create garments you love!

Wanda brought in her completed “Gemini Pullover,” knit in Wendy Supreme Luxury Cotton DK. It’s been really neat to see so many finished Geminis coming in, the result of a shop knit-along that started in March. I know there are others out there on the needles now, and I’m looking forward to seeing them all grown up one day.

On Saturday afternoon, Mary came by with a completed “Simple Shibori Cowl” in Alchemy Silken Straw and Sanctuary. Delighted with the result, she’s already cast on for another, and picked up another skein of Silken Straw for yet a third cowl. This color combination is gorgeous: Silken Straw in Coco Rosie, and Sanctuary in Dark Star. I can’t wait to see Mary’s next two cowls!

Many thanks to everyone who shows-and-tells at the shop–we’re so happy to be part of this community of creative stitchers!

Show and tell: all kinds.

Posted by Julia on September 14, 2013

We’ve had so much new yarn coming in, so many new patterns and magazines, that I’ve let the show and tell pictures pile up. It’s time to share the projects our knitters and crocheters have brought in to show us, and today, there’s a gracious plenty.

First up is Rosi, who is modeling an incredible lace sweater she made using String Theory Selku, a sport weight blend of silk and wool. The shimmer and drape of Selku is perfectly suited to this “Sampler Tabard,” a Cheryl Oberle pattern from Meg Swansen’s A Gathering of Lace. As Rosi will tell you, this sweater isn’t nearly as complicated as it looks–each individual lace pattern is straightforward, and only repeated a few times before you switch to the next pattern, making it suitable for beginner lace knitters.

Molly has been knitting sweaters for her granddaughters. This one is made from a Knitting Pure & Simple pattern using Malabrigo Rios. Rios is a great choice for a child’s sweater: smooth, next-to-skin soft, machine-washable, and colorful.

Here’s Margie in her completed Chamomile shawl, a Helga Isager pattern from her Amimono Knit Collection 2010. The pattern calls for two Isager yarns, the fingering weight Tvinni and lace weight Alpaca 1. Margie substituted the fingering weight Malabrigo Finito for Isager Tvinni and came out with a stunning shawl.

Marion, who teaches our magic loop sock-knitting classes, is cranking out socks as always. Here is one of the many pairs that have graced her needles over the past couple of months, knit in Colinette Jitterbug. Magic loopers interested in learning to knit two socks at a time on one long needle should check out our class schedule, as Marion will teach this technique in October.

Ashley is a crocheter and an avid fan of Malabrigo yarns. She whipped up this pair of baby hats for some twins-to-be using Malabrigo Arroyo, a sport weight, machine-washable merino. The stars were crocheted with Jitterbug in just the right shade to complement this Arroyo colorway.

Monika is a knitter and HYS customer all the way from the Netherlands, where we shipped her the last two skeins of Baa Ram Ewe’s Titus Dark that she needed to complete this hoodie. At the time, Titus was so popular in Europe that it became hard to find, so it was a relief to connect Monika with those desperately needed skeins. She designed this sweater herself, and was kind enough to send photos upon completing it.

Thanks to all who share their work with us! It’s truly inspiring to see what your creative hands make with our yarns. Keep it coming!

Back in stock: String Theory sock yarns.

Posted by Julia on August 6, 2013

We’re pleased to announce the arrival of an armful (or two) of String Theory sock yarns. Our supply of Caper Sock and Bluestocking sadly diminished, we placed an order with the lovely Karen and Tanis, who dye these vibrant yarns in Blue Hill, Maine. We picked some new colors and some old favorites, and the result is a very tempting cubby full of colorful yarns.

Bluestocking is a lustrous sock yarn, composed of 80% superwash Bluefaced Leicester wool and 20% nylon, for durability. Because of it, Bluestocking makes a great pair of socks, but it is equally at home in a scarf or shawl, at a slightly larger gauge.

Caper Sock is a plump and springy sock yarn, composed of 80% superwash merino wool, 10% cashmere, and 10% nylon. The tight twist and the nylon content ensures that Caper Sock is sturdy enough to withstand the kind of wear that socks put up with, but, like Bluestocking, it’s great for other garments, as well. I’ve used Caper Sock to make a scarf, my North Arrow, because it’s so soft, I wanted it wrapped around my neck all winter.

Come by the shop to check out both of String Theory’s excellent sock yarns, as well as their Selku and Merino DK, which we also stock. See you there!

Hello, String Theory Merino DK.

Posted by Julia on March 27, 2013

The recent publication of my Welting Fantastic Cowl + Mitts led to an increased interest in String Theory Merino DK, specifically, in the Garnet colorway. When it vanished from the yarn tree in the DK weight corner, Anne and I did a quick inventory and talked ourselves into a Merino DK order. “We’ll have to get more Garnet,” we told one another, “and wouldn’t it be nice to have Merino DK in Charcoal? And Pewter?” It doesn’t take much for us to call String Theory; we love everything about their yarn, from ordering to unpacking to photographing to knitting to wearing it.

The box arrived yesterday, and it was a pleasure to unpack. This squishy, soft, superwash merino wool is perfect for so many projects–hats, mitts, scarves, shawls and other accessories, and sweaters for adults and children alike. I enjoyed every stitch of my Welting Fantastic Cowl and Mitts, and I’m sure I’ll use the Merino DK again when my next project wants between 5 + 6 stitches per inch from a yarn that holds its shape and has great stitch definition.

We couldn’t resist ordering just a few more colors of String Theory Caper Sock. Here are a few lighter colors, to brighten up the String Theory sock yarn cubby. From left to right: Pewter, Atlantis, Light Teal, and Mead. If you haven’t yet tried this soft-and-sturdy blend of superwash merino, cashmere, and nylon, consider Caper Sock for your next fingering weight project.

Come by the shop to see all the String Theory yarns. See you there!

Welting Fantastic.

Posted by Julia on March 8, 2013

I’m happy to announce that I’ve recently published two new patterns of my own design: the Welting Fantastic Cowl and Welting Fantastic Mitts.

Though the patterns were only published this past weekend, I’ve had the knitting done for months, which I spent wearing this set on a near-daily basis. Both are made in String Theory’s Merino DK yarn, a semisolid superwash merino yarn, though different needle sizes make this one yarn into two quite different fabrics.

The cowl is knit on US size 6 needles, which makes a cohesive but gently draping fabric: exactly what you’d want hanging around your neck. The mitts, on the other hand, are knit using US size 3 needles, making a more dense fabric with greater elasticity: exactly what you’d want for fingerless mitts, which are meant to hold their shape rather than stretch out and drape.

I loved working with Merino DK, but there are so many other yarns that would be equally lovely for this project. Here are a few that I think would make beautiful Welting Fantastic Cowls or Mitts:

(From left to right: Mountain Meadow Wool Cody, Fibre Company Acadia, Green Mountain Spinnery Sylvan Spirit, and Sincere Sheep Luminous.)

Each of these yarns would give the Welting Fantastic Cowl and Mitts a different look, of course; the Merino DK is plump and round, and thus, has a particular kind of sharp stitch definition that really makes the Welting Fantastic pattern stand out and look crisp. The tweedy quality of the Acadia and the pebbly 2-ply texture of the Cody may detract a bit from the stitch pattern, but you wont come close to losing it entirely, and you’ll get to experience the singular joy that working with each of those yarns brings.

If you’re feeling inspired to create Welting Fantastic Cowls or Mitts of your own, please do visit my pattern store on Ravelry, and also know that we’re happy to offer them at the shop as in-store Ravelry pattern sales. That means you can get your pattern and yarn all in the same place, have us print the pattern for you, and still have a copy of the PDF saved in your Ravelry library. A win-win, I’d say.

See you at the shop!

New colors in Caper Sock and Bluestocking.

Posted by Julia on March 6, 2013

String Theory yarns are a favorite here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. Hand-dyed in Blue Hill, Maine, vivid in color, soft as can be–we’re always delighted to open a box from String Theory. Yesterday I got to do just that.

We got two kinds of String Theory sock yarns: four colors in Caper Sock, a cashmere-spiked merino wool, and six in Bluestocking, a sturdy, lustrous yarn made of Bluefaced Leicester wool. A modest order; just enough to plump up a sad, empty cubby in the Fingering Weight section. Both Caper Sock and Bluestocking are excellent for socks, but they are equally well-suited to scarves, shawls, hats, or fingerless mitts. Come by the shop to see these new colors, and grab a coveted skein or two while they last!

Show and tell: stoles, shawls, and scarves.

Posted by Julia on February 27, 2013

Here’s another group of beautiful finished knits from our friends and clients, brought gleefully into the shop for show and tell.

Kathie came in recently wearing a completed Stole made in the delightful Isager Alpaca 2. She had so enjoyed the project that she came back to get enough yarn for a second Stole in a different color combination. She’s not the first to cast on immediately for a second Stole… the meditative simplicity of the pattern and the exquisite softness of the yarn can make this project addictive. What nine colors of Alpaca 2 would you put together?

Margie has finished another large shawl, Dusk, from Grace Anna Farrow’s The Fine Line, a collection of shawl patterns using Isager yarns.

Dusk is a square shawl, made by knitting a large garter stitch square, then picking up stitches around its edges and working a wavy lace pattern as a deep border. Margie’s Dusk shawl is made in Cascade 220 Fingering and finished with a bright, contrasting i-cord edging.

Albina has been busy knitting these two scarves for some dear friends. One is all in seed stitch, made with Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in a heathered purple shade. The other, I’m flattered to say, is North Arrow, a pattern I wrote and self-published on Ravelry last March. Albina used String Theory Bluestocking and Cascade Heritage Silk to knit her North Arrow.

Thanks to all for the show and tell! It’s such a pleasure to see Hillsborough Yarn Shop yarns grown up into stunning garments like these.

Another knit from Wearwithall.

Posted by Julia on November 14, 2012

Almost a year has passed since we received our first shipment of the glorious String Theory Selku, a sport weight blend of merino and silk, hand-dyed in vivid, memorable colorways. Almost a year, and yet I cast on for a shop sample in Selku only a fewweeks ago. Why the delay? There’s no real excuse, except that Anne and I wanted it to be a Worthy shop sample. We searched Ravelry for shawlettes, scarves, hats, and mitts in sport weight yarns. It’s not like there aren’t any, but somehow we didn’t find what we were looking for. I started a garter stitch something, but it just wasn’t doing justice to this very special yarn. Finally, we found something of interest in Wearwithall, otherwise known as “the book with The Stole.”

Like The Stole, this pattern is simply named: Woman’s Hat. The gauge is right for the yarn, the lace patterning is simple to execute and lovely to look at, and the slouch shape showcases Selku’s elegant drape.

I finished the hat on Saturday, and while I’m not a hat-wearer myself, I’m very pleased with the results. The only change I made to the pattern was to work the lace chart four times instead of the called-for five; the hat was looking deep enough to my eye at four. Come by the shop to try it on for yourself, pet the Selku, and look through Wearwithall if you haven’t yet. See you there!