Tag Archives: superwash

Chiffon.

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Let this be my last Cascade addendum, the last of the contents of those 40 pound boxes to be introduced: say hello to a sumptuous new fingering weight yarn from Cascade, called Heritage Silk.

A few months ago, when we first ordered Heritage Silk, Anne got a single skein for us to knit up as a shop sample. That skein was passed to me, and as soon as I had wound it into a ball, I knew that I would love this yarn for socks. It’s a smooth yarn with the kind of high twist that makes for excellent stitch definition and well-wearing socks. Made from 85% no-nonsense superwash wool and 15% shiny, glamorous silk, Cascade Heritage Silk is a nice blend of basic and indulgent. I tried to knit a sock that reflected those qualities, and this is what I came up with: meet Chiffon.


Like my first sock pattern, Interrupted, Chiffon is knit from cuff to toe with a short-row heel, but is dressed up a bit with three bands of ruching. Come by the shop to see a sample of Chiffon, which you’ll find tucked into a cubby on the sock wall with the Heritage Silk yarn. Download the pattern for free on Ravelry, and please let me know what you think!

Hello, Paca-Peds H-T.

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This past Thursday, we received a box full of Paca-Peds H-T, an alpaca-blend sock yarn with an unusual feature.

Each soft and fuzzy hank of this yarn is actually two hanks, the larger of which is variegated, and the smaller of which is a complimentary semi-solid. Why? The answer is hidden in the title of the yarn: H-T stands for Heels and Toes, which is precisely what that semi-solid hank is set aside for. Look on Ravelry for examples of socks knit this way, as well as shawls that use the heels-and-toes yarn for an edging.

Come by the shop to give this soft, squishy sock yarn a squeeze!

Hello (and welcome back), Malabrigo Sock.

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It’s been a long wait, but at last, our shipment of the ever-popular and often asked-after Malabrigo Sock yarn has arrived. We’d gotten down to one lonesome skein of the stuff!

As of yesterday morning, that sad last skein was once again surrounded by friends.

The Malabrigo Sock yarn is a fingering weight superwash merino wool, coming in 27 variegated or semisolid colorways. Like other yarns by Malabrigo, the Sock is sought after not only for its beautiful colors, but also its incredible softness. At the shop, we have a Clapotis on display made in Malabrigo Sock (apparently a popular choice for this extremely popular pattern), an excellent way to show the yarn off.

Of course, I couldn’t leave without a skein for myself. Socks are the plan. I can’t wait to cast on.

If you’ve never tried this yarn before, come by the shop to try on the Clapotis, look at all the beautiful colors (while they’re still in stock!), and consider it. If you’re one of the many who has called or come in looking for it, I expect to see you at the shop shortly after you see this post, ready to grab a skein or two off the shelves!

Katia Fabula. Again.

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 Katia Fabula, a super bulky, superwash, super-soft merino wool, has been a popular choice for hat-making (not least because our Fabula sample is, ahem, a hat). It’s thickness, softness, and washability all conspire to make this a quick, cozy, easy-care yarn for accessories. A common question from knitters, though, has been, “Are these all the colors?” Since it was a new yarn for us, we’d selected only three colors to carry at the shop: a blend of neutral colors, a reddish purple, and a pinkish purple. Now that Fabula has been successful, when it was time to reorder, we picked a new color to add to our collection: blues.

I think it rounds out our small color selection nicely. Unfortunately, we just don’t have enough room to stock every color it comes in, but it’s nice to add a new color every once in a while. Next time you’re looking to make a quick cold-weather accessory, remember Fabula!

Marion Foale. Again.

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I wrote before about the Marion Foale 3-ply wool. Since then, several things have happened to increase our love for this yarn, as well as our supply of it. For one, the striped top I was dreaming up is now on the needles. The yarn is a dream to knit with, and creates a fabric so light, stretchy, and wearable that it is impossible to stop planning the next thing I’ll make with it. And the next. And the next… Then we got the colorcard in the mail. Our little basket of Marion Foale 3-ply paled in comparison to the full spectrum of available colors. So what did we do about it?

Just as you likely suspected: we got a bag of every color. Come by to see the full spectrum!

Hello, Jitterbug.

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While we’re speaking reverently of sock yarn, I’d like to introduce you to Colinette Jitterbug.

Jitterbug is a fingering-weight superwash merino yarn with a tight twist and a bright range of variegated colorways. It’s been a favorite at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop for socks and garments alike. Anne used Jitterbug to make a simple stockinette vest several years ago, and the yarn really shines. Another knitter we know is working on an elaborate intarsia cardigan using Jitterbug, another perfect use for the yarn. I’ve seen several Jitterbug hats, too. So many ways to use fingering-weight yarn besides socks!

Our only complaint about Jitterbug thusfar has been that its yardage is a little short for socks, weighing in at a mere 320 yards. However, that problem has been attended to. Our most recent shipment of Jitterbug came in new 400 yard skeins, with a price increase of only ten cents per skein. Something to celebrate, no?

Come by the shop to see these colors in person, as their depth and intensity are not quite captured by my camera. See you at the shop!

Hello, Malabrigo.

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Here is a yarn with a fanbase.

Malabrigo Silky Merino and Malabrigo Rios are back in stock! It’s been a long wait, and as we waited, our Malabrigo stash dwindled into a sad little stack of mismatching skeins. “Is the Malabrigo here yet?” became a common inquiry, always met with a sad shake of the head. Now that the full range of colors are back together, those sad skeins are looking much happier.

Above, you’ll see a slice of the Rios spectrum, a washable worsted weight wool. Below: Silky Merino, a dk weight single ply blend of, as the name suggests, silk and merino wool.

Come by the shop to take a look!

Marion Foale.

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Something new has just settled in on the teacart.

Marion Foale, a British fashion designer, has just released a book of knitting patterns and a line of 3-ply wool yarn to go with it. The patterns are exquisite, finely tailored, and classic-looking. The yarn is soft and fine, a light fingering weight which Foale sometimes uses doubled or tripled in her patterns for different gauges. Take a peek inside:

Even if the patterns don’t move you, the yarn has plenty of potential. It’s the right gauge to substitute for many Marianne Isager designs, so if you’ve been poring over Japanese Inspired Knits, this gives you yet another option to consider where colors and textures are concerned. Meanwhile, I’ve been daydreaming about a sleeveless top, with red and white stripes, and this may well be the yarn for the job. You could even make socks with this yarn, as it’s machine washable.

Come by the shop to check it out!

Cotton Supreme Batik.

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Another new cotton yarn has arrived at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, just in time for spring and summer knitting. Cotton Supreme Batik, from Universal Yarns, is a machine-washable, worsted-weight, self-striping, and extremely soft cotton. The striping is unusual: the colors don’t exactly fade into one another, it’s more of an abrupt change, but there are little spots of the last color in the next, which makes for a lovely effect.

This yarn would be a perfect choice for baby things, not only for its cute stripes but also for its easy washability. At 16-18 stitches over 4 inches, it would make for a quick knit, as well. Take a look at what people are using it for on Ravelry; that will also give you a good idea of how the stripes tend to come out.

Pagewood Farm.

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Hand-dyed sock yarn addicts, take note: our Pagewood Farm sock yarn collection is still growing. The other day a box arrived full of Glacier Bay, a 100% superwash merino wool. The yarn is soft but strong, and the colors are vibrant.

We’re down to only a few skeins of Pagewood Alyeska, a superwash merino sock yarn with a bit of cashmere mixed in, but never fear–we’ve already placed our replacement order. 
See you at the shop!