Tag Archives: swans island

Show and tell: sweaters.

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“What are you thinking about making?” If you’ve visited our shop, you’ve likely been asked this question by myself, Anne, Rosi, or whoever else may be helping out that day. We ask this not just to help connect you with the right yarn, pattern, or tools, but also because we’re genuinely interested. We love hearing your ideas and helping realize them, and even more, we love seeing them realized in a finished product. When I’m able, I photograph these finished projects and share them here on the blog. Here are some of the sweaters our community of knitters have recently completed!

Here Tom models his “Basic Men’s Pullover,” his first-ever sweater for himself. With guidance from Marsha’s Start Your First Sweater class here at the shop, Tom made this perfectly-fitting sweater using Swans Island All American Worsted. This kind of sweater success can only mean more sweaters – I can’t wait to see what Tom knits next!

Katherine has been knitting Kate Davies’ “Owlet” sweaters for each of her children. She brought the latest in some weeks ago for button selection, and I couldn’t resist snapping a picture, even though it’s not technically finished. This one was knit with Malabrigo Rios held doubled for a bulky gauge and the bonus feature of not having to alternate skeins.

Here’s another little sweater, a top-down cabled baby cardigan that you may have seen on display here at the shop. Robin knit it with Rowan Pure Wool Worsted in preparation for her upcoming class on the subject – a good opportunity to get an introduction to top-down sweater-knitting on a small scale. Read more about the class on our Classes page, where you can sign up, too!

Sue is passionate about sweater-making, as we’ve seen on previous show-and-tell posts, so you might not be surprised to learn that she’s visited us with no less than four finished sweaters in the past couple of months. She made the sweater above with Mirasol Hacho out of our sale trunk, then embellished it with bits and pieces from her stash. The pattern is from Anna Zillboorg’s inspiring Splendid Apparel, a book of embroidered knits.

Sue is also interested in variations, and how a single pattern may differ from garment to garment by changing the fiber or color. Above is Sue’s “Equinox,” knit with Shibui Linen. Below is “Equinox” again, this time with Shibui Twig.

This last one is a bit of a mystery, a textured short-sleeved cardigan Sue knit with a now-discontinued yarn called Rock Cotton from our shop’s early days. She wasn’t sure the source of the pattern, and though I’ve scoured Ravelry, I haven’t turned it up – still and all, it’s a great-looking knit that Sue loves to wear, and that is exactly what we hope for all sweater-knitters!

Thanks to all who begin their projects with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! Keep an eye out for more show and tell here on the blog in the coming weeks.

By Hand.

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A new publication has found a home here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop – we’re proud to stock By Hand.

By Hand is a series of lookbooks, a magazine of sorts, where each issue focuses on a place or region. The subject matter is the makers of that community, the designers, hand-dyers, yarn and fabric companies, and fiber artists that both shape and draw inspiration from the place they call home.

The first two volumes are now on our shelves, featuring Portland, OR and Portland, ME, respectively. They are filled with lush photos, interviews and articles, projects and patterns, and a recipe or two.

Portland, Oregon, is home to Shibui and Brooklyn Tweed, two yarn companies whose work we admire so much, and whose yarns we are proud to keep on our shelves here at the shop.

Portland, Maine, and the rest of the mid-coast region is home to Swans Island, Clara Parkes, designers Bristol Ivy and Hannah Fettig, and the Saco River Dyehouse, where Brooklyn Tweed Arbor is dyed.

We were so inspired by these maker profiles, and hope you are, too – the people behind the products and projects we love are special, indeed.

Look for By Hand on the teacart here at the shop, where the latest books and magazines live!

Show and tell: all kinds.

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It’s time for more show and tell! Here are some finished pieces that began their lives as HYS yarns.

Not long ago, April came in wearing her “Guriddo Stole,” a lace and garter stitch wrap that she knit in the delightful Shibui Staccato, a fingering weight blend of superwash merino and silk. This wasn’t a planned visit, rather, April found herself near the shop wearing a wrap she’d recently completed and decided to drop in and share it with us. It makes me so happy to see knitters wearing their work! Thanks for stopping by, April!

 

On the right is a commercially-made hat Mary’s daughter wore and loved. Mary saw the seam in the back and rightly thought, “I can do better than that!” The blue hat on the left is her handknit interpretation, based on Emily Ingrid’s free “Copy.Cat C.C Beanie” pattern, using one skein of Ewe Ewe Baa Baa Bulky, a smooth and springy superwash merino.

Above is Judie’s “Dovetail Wrap,” a free pattern from Purl Soho. I could have sworn I took another photo that showed the whole piece, but all I can find is this close-up shot; I must have been drawn to the glorious, colorful Malabrigo Mecha yarn Judie used. This simple garter stitch shawl pattern is a great one for showing off variegated yarn.

Here’s my “Finn Valley,” knit with Fibre Company Arranmore. It knit up pretty quickly in this soft bulky weight tweed, an interesting but manageable project made even more satisfying with the help of clever Cocoknits tools.

You’ll find it hanging on the wall here at the shop; come by to try it on and get a tangible feel for a garment knit in Arranmore – lighter weight than you might expect!

Margaretta knit this exquisite pair of “Terpander” socks with String Theory Bluestocking. A semi-solid hand-dyed yarn like this is great for showing off cables and texture with just a touch of added interest. Bravo, Margaretta!

Karin first decided to tackle the double-knit “Mix No. 23” cowl because it seemed a good use of some yarns from her stash – Swans Island Natural Colors Merino Fingering and Araucania Ranco. She stuck with it because she loves a challenge, and finds satisfaction in mastering new knitting techniques, no matter how much swatching or ripping back it entails. I’d only seen this cowl knit in solid colors, but her hand-dyed version is absolutely stunning.

Intrigued by double-knitting, and interested in knitting a “Mix No. 23” of your own? Sign up for Amy’s upcoming class on the subject!

Many thanks to the knitters and other fiber artists who share their work with us. We are so inspired by your ideas and expertise, and we learn from you each day. See you at the shop!

Snow day show and tell.

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The shop was closed today for inclement weather, and as the snow quietly fell this morning, Anne texted me some knitterly show-and-tell from her friend Sherri. A snow day is a good one for show-and-tell; let’s take a peek at some of the recently-completed projects that started their lives as yarns here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop.

Above, Sherri’s daughter in law models the Churchmouse “Easy Folded Poncho” Sherri knit for her with Shibui Dune, a soft and lustrous blend of alpaca, camel, and silk.

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a bundle of colorwork projects here on the blog, only to have Judie walk through our door the next day wearing this beautiful sweater. Consider this an addendum! The pattern is Courtney Kelley’s “St. Brendan,” and the yarn is the rustic yet luxurious Fibre Company Arranmore. Judie changed the color palette just slightly from the pattern photo, switching the ribbing color from dark gray to a warm camel – a small adjustment that makes a big difference and looks great.

Above is the first of Margaretta’s “January Mitts,” knit with Fibre Company Cumbria Fingering. I have a special fondness for this yarn, as I’ve shared before, and it’s especially nice to see its sharp stitch definition in this lace and bobble pattern.

Speaking of Fibre Company yarns and of sharp stitch definition, here’s Leah’s exquisitely textured “Arctic Circle” cowl, knit with Fibre Company Tundra. This was her first project after completing a Beginning Knitting class here at the shop, and it’s clear it wont be her last – well done, Leah!

Loretta knit this “Arrowhead Shawl” with Swans Island All American Worsted, a soft yet sturdy blend of US-sourced Rambouillet wool and alpaca. The traditional guernsey stitch patterns are placed on a stockinette background for a subtle effect, one that’s harder to capture on camera than it is to perceive in person.

Thanks to all who begin their projects with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, and thanks especially for bringing them back to share your work with us! Hope everyone stayed safe and warm this snowy weekend, and spent some time stitching. We’ll be open again at our regular hours on Tuesday, January 10th.

Hello, Swans Island Firefly.

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A special new yarn arrived at the shop a few weeks ago: meet Firefly, from the Swans Island Ikat Collection.

These unique skeins are hand-dyed using an Indonesian dyeing technique called Ikat. Hanks of undyed merino wool are tied tightly in a few places with cord, and the portions of the skeins that are wrapped resist the dye, creating little white flecks on a semi-solid background.

The yarn looks quite different in knitted fabric than it does in the skein; a wound ball of Firefly offers a little preview of how the color plays out.

Each 100 gram skein of this yarn boasts 525 yards, plenty for a pair of mitts, a hat, cowl, or shawl. Stacy McCrea Warner designed “Aurora,” a set of mitts, hat, and cowl for Firefly using a trio of colors.

Patterns with simple stitch patterns will allow this speckled yarn to shine; think “Hitchhiker,” “Stonington Hat,” or “Still Waters Cowl.” Look for Firefly in the fingering weight section here at the shop – see you there!

Show and tell: sweaters.

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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!

Anne’s gifts-in-progress.

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“What are you working on?” is knitters’ small talk, a question Anne and I encounter and ask many times a day here at the shop. Today, we’ll pose the question to Anne herself, taking a rare peek in her personal knitting bag.

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Just how much does a large Binkwaffle dumpling bag hold? If you pack as skillfully as Anne, no less than seven works in progress in various stages of completion!

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Anne is a tremendously generous knitter who loves clothing her family in handknits, and she’s also a project manager. That means she’s already planned her holiday gift-knitting for the year, completed the first piece (a twirly skirt for her eldest granddaughter), and started on the next few. The sweater above is for her husband, a “Honeycomb Pullover” in Rowan Pure Wool Worsted.

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These two skeins of Swans Island All American Sport are destined to become colorwork gloves for her husband. The socks below are for her grandsons, in Colinette Jitterbug and Noro Silk Garden Sock. She’ll work on both pairs at once, switching back and forth between the blue and striped socks until they’re completed. Also note how she stores them safely in DP Wip Tubes, so none of those tiny stitches slide off the needles!

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These two skeins of Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone DK will grow up to be a cuddly “Fancy Hen” for Anne’s youngest granddaughter, who gets lots of handknit hand-me-downs, but still deserves something all her own.

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Quick to knit and easy to wear, hats and cowls are go-to gifts for many knitters, and Anne has one of each in progress. The hat above was knit in the discontinued Shibui Merino Alpaca, and sits nearly finished with just one lingering question: does it need a pom-pom? The cowl below is a bit of a teaser, since all I can say is that the yarn it’s made of is coming to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop later this Fall. More soon!

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(Outside of this particular knitting bag, she also has three sample sweaters going for the shop… more on those another time.)

Are you dreaming of handmade holiday gifts for your friends and family? Follow in Anne’s footsteps and start now, so you’re not limited to late nights, super-bulky yarns and tiny accessories towards the end of the year!

Interweave Knits.

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The 20th Anniversary issue of Interweave Knits is here!

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This Fall 2016 issue is packed with cozy sweaters, and many of them are knit in yarns we carry here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. The colorwork sweater below was knit in one of my personal favorites, Swans Island All American Sport.

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Not only is the “Comanche Hill Cardigan” knit in a familiar yarn, it was also designed by a familiar knitter, Kathryn Folkerth. Though she now lives in Tanzania, Kathryn is a HYS regular when she’s in town, and we’re so excited to see her work in Interweave!

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Flipping through this issue, I saw more of my personal favorites: Fibre Company Cumbria Worsted in the “Rawah Pullover” above, Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone DK in the “Calder Pullover” below, Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift in the fair isle “Fall River Vest” … yes, this issue is dedicated to wooly, toothy sweater yarns!

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Mary Jane Mucklestone’s article on steeking is a good introduction to the subject of cutting your knitted fabric, a technique often used in colorwork cardigans and vests.

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Look for Interweave Knits on the teacart here at the shop, tucked in with the latest books and magazines. See you there!

TNNA snapshot: more.

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Yesterday’s snapshot posts only offer a tiny glimpse into the whirlwind that is TNNA. We saw lots of other familiar faces, not to mention plenty of new ones.  Heather at Ewe Ewe was showing her new Baa Baa Bulky, the thickest yet in her line of squishy superwash merino yarns.  We also made our annual stop at the Swans Island booth to admire their singular naturally dyed yarns, and to refill our emptying bins of the stuff back home.  Baa Ram Ewe is always a favorite booth of mine. Verity was there showing new designs and colors in Dovestone DK, along with a lovely new yarn.  

Now it’s time to head home, exhausted but excited, our minds abuzz with new ideas. The shop will be open at our regular business hours tomorrow; see you there!

Swans Island Limited Edition Ikat.

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There’s a brand new, limited edition color in Swans Island Natural Colors Merino Fingering, and we’re delighted to have it here at the shop! These unique blue and white skeins are hand-dyed with natural indigo using an Indonesian dyeing technique called Ikat. Hanks of undyed merino wool are tied tightly with cord, and the portions of the skeins that are wrapped resist the dye, creating a variegated colorway.

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Indigo is a pigment rather than a dye, so you can expect to find blue streaks on your hands after knitting with indigo-dyed yarns for a while. Rest assured, it comes off easily with soap and water, and wont continue to crock once you’ve washed your finished project, rinsing til the water runs clear. I’ve written about indigo-dyed yarns here on the blog before; click here to read more.

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Each 100 gram skein of this yarn boasts 525 yards, plenty for a pair of mitts, a hat, scarf, or shawl. Patterns with simple stitch patterns will allow this colorful yarn to shine; think “Sumatra Mitts,” “Hitchhiker,” or “Ahull.”

Look for a special Ikat-dyed skein tucked into our basket of Swans Island Natural Colors Merino Fingering. See you at the shop!