New colors in Meadow.

Posted by Julia on February 14, 2014

Fibre Company’s newest yarn, Meadow, has been catching the attention of knitters and crocheters at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop since we unpacked our first box of the stuff. We admired finished garments made in Meadow at the Allium Collection trunk show, and sampled Meadow ourselves at the Fibre Company yarn tasting, planning projects for this unique lace weight yarn all the while. I’m happy to report that the Fibre Company has created three new colors of Meadow: a bright teal, a dark brown, and a pale, greyish lavender.

Meadow is an unusual yarn, somewhere in between a lace weight and a light fingering weight, a soft and tweedy blend of 40% merino wool, 25% baby llama, 20% silk, and 15% linen. It knits up comfortably on a wide range of needle sizes, as well-suited to lightweight sweaters as it is to lace shawls. These three new shades fit right into the existing Meadow color palette, its moody, muted shades punctuated by a few sunny brights.

Look for Meadow in a basket near the lace and fingering weight yarns, and consider it for your next project. Come by and see our other Fibre Company yarns, too: Savannah, Acadia, and Canopy Worsted. See you at the shop!

Weekenders.

Posted by Julia on February 12, 2014

The Fibre Company have just published a new collection of 5 accessory patterns, each of which calls for just one skein of the luxurious Canopy Worsted. Say hello to Weekenders.

Canopy Worsted is a soft and slightly shimmering blend of 50% alpaca, 30% merino wool, and 20% bamboo, with 200 yards to each 100 gram skein.

The bamboo gives it a gentle drape, and the alpaca gives it a soft halo, but it maintains a crisp stitch definition that does well in cables and texture patterns.

The hats and cowls of Weekenders make good use of Canopy Worsted’s many positive qualities.

Anne and I can both attest that Canopy Worsted is delightful in the hands and on the needles–I treated myself to a sweater’s worth last Fall, and Anne can’t seem to take off her “Cumberland” cowl. In fact, she recently started making one for her mother. It’s a special skein of yarn, Canopy Worsted, and each of these patterns makes the most of just one skein.

Come by the shop to pick up a copy of Weekenders and a skein or two of Canopy Worsted! See you there.

Show and tell.

Posted by Julia on January 23, 2014

The amazing finished objects just keep coming. What have knitters been making with yarns from the Hillsborough Yarn Shop lately?

Cecilia came in wearing her “Nehalem Hat” knit in Mirasol Hacho. The variegated dk weight merino softened nicely with a Eucalan soak, making a perfect fabric for a slouchy hat like this one. Note the beaded tassel!

Molly has been knitting marled cowls like these all winter, working with two strands of worsted or aran weight yarn on US #15 needles. The machine-washable aran weight Jarbo Garn Raggi has been one of the yarns in all four cowls; Molly loves the stuff.

Esther came in last weekend wearing this sunny aran pullover knit in Malabrigo Rios. Just like Rosi, she designed and knit this stunning cabled sweater with the guidance of Janet Szabo’s “Follow-the-Leader Aran Knit-along Workshop.” I am so impressed by this carefully constructed garment; Esther’s attention to detail shows in every stitch.

Here’s a work in progress: Amy’s “Sonetto Shawl” knit with Fibre Company Meadow. Amy is teaching an upcoming class on Beginning Lace, where students will work this shawl in one or two colors, learning the basics of lace knitting all the while. You can see some of those basics in action on this work-in-progress, namely, plentiful stitch markers and a lifeline. Read more about this class on our website, and sign up soon if you’d like to join–there are only a couple of spaces left!

Thanks to all you incredible knitters and crocheters who share your projects with us every day! We always love to see what you’re making.

Knitscene.

Posted by Julia on January 9, 2014

The Spring issue of Knitscene is here, to tempt us with warm-weather knitting just when winter is at its coldest.

Inside this issue, you’ll find patterns for garments and accessories, along with a helpful article on color theory.

A few familiar yarns are shown, too–here are Cascade Ultra Pima, Shibui Cima, and Fibre Company Meadow knit up into lightweight tanks.

Look for Knitscene on the teacart in the front room of the shop, among the latest books and magazines. See you there!

Show and tell: scarves, cowls, and colorwork.

Posted by Julia on January 5, 2014

Speaking of show-and-tell: knowing how much we love to see projects made in HYS yarns, so many of you have brought impressive finished pieces by the shop this past month or so. We’ve seen knit sweaters, scarves, and hats, crocheted cowls and shawls, fingerless mitts, stuffed bunnies, and more, many of which were thoughtfully crafted as gifts for friends and family. As usual, I wish I could photograph them all; here are some of the projects you’ve shared with us lately.

Victoria wove this scarf for her son using three different yarns: the fingering weight Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine and Colinette Jitterbug, and the dk weight Sandnes Garn Alpakka. I love the bold color combination and the herringbone pattern.

If you’ve come by the shop lately to see our newest yarns, we’ve likely ushered you into the lace weight corner to admire the Shibui yarns. Where once you’d find my Mix No. 23 cowl hanging near the Shibui patterns, now you’ll find Amy’s, made up in the delightful Shibui Cima. Amy is now teaching a class at the shop on this double-knit cowl, so I’m hoping to see even more Mix No. 23’s in the coming months. (Intrigued by Shibui? There are still a few open spaces in our upcoming Shibui Mix Party—sign up and join us!)

Mary made this “Drop Stitch Cowl” in no time, using 3 balls of the super soft, super bulky Katia Fabula. I always love to see how drop stitch patterns change the way colors fall in variegated yarns, and this cowl is no exception. Mary reports that Fabula became even softer and more pliable after a Eucalan soak. The pattern is available as a free download on Ravelry, and would also look great in Malabrigo Mecha or Mountain Fusion Teton, among others.

Anne recently knit a cowl, too, one which she has worn every day since completing it. And no wonder: it’s made with one skein of the luxurious Fibre Company Canopy Worsted, a blend of alpaca, merino, and bamboo. The pattern is “Cumberland,” available for purchase at the shop as a Ravelry In-Store Pattern Sale. Come by the shop to pick up a skein of Canopy Worsted for your own Cumberland Cowl, and you’ll likely find Anne wearing hers.

Anne has also been hard at work making colorwork vests in preparation for her upcoming Intro. to Fair Isle class. The class project is Onslow’s Vest, a free pattern for a tiny vest, fit for a doll or stuffed bear. Thinking of her grandchildren, Anne substituted the bulky Cascade Eco+, with larger needles to match, and came out with the following.

Of course, with one little girl vest behind her, Anne has begun the first of two little boy vests for her twin grandsons. For those, she’s chosen the soft and springy Swans Island Organic Washable DK–a lighter weight fabric will better serve her boys in these Southern climes.

Thanks again for sharing your projects with us! We so love seeing what you create with yarns from the Hillsborough Yarn Shop.

Interweave Knits.

Posted by Julia on November 14, 2013

The Winter 2014 issue of Interweave Knits is here, full of cozy garments and accessories for cold weather wear.

I’ve been on the lookout for textured pullovers lately, and there’s no shortage in this issue. From simple knit/purl texture patterns to loopy, intertwining cables, these promise to be as pleasing to knit as they are to wear.

For some knitters, cold weather means starting big projects, wooly sweaters and warm blankets; for others, it means that friends and family are suddenly asking for hats and scarves, and perhaps one’s own ears are chilly, as well. Small projects like those work up quickly, and it’s quite satisfying to bind off and immediately don whatever has just left your needles. Here are two hats that are knit with just one skein of incredibly tempting yarn, the first in Swans Island Organic Merino Worsted and the second in Fibre Company Canopy Worsted.

Come by the shop to pick up a copy of Interweave Knits and plan your next project, whether large or small!

Fibre Company Yarn Tasting.

Posted by Julia on October 21, 2013

On Sunday, we hosted a yarn tasting featuring four yarns from the Fibre Company.

It was the last day of the Fibre Company Trunk Show, and as the yarn tasting attendees filed in, the 8 shawls and scarves that make up the Allium Collection came down from their hangers to be petted, admired, and tried on. I also passed around my not-quite-complete Crow’s Nest Cardigan in Canopy Worsted to give a sense of the yarn’s drape and stitch definition.

In between sips of mimosas and bites of bagels, these knitters and crocheters worked up swatches in Meadow, Savannah, Acadia, and Canopy Worsted, sharing pattern ideas as they stitched. We have a binder at the shop full of patterns from the Fibre Company, and I collected a list of independently-designed patterns that use these yarns as well:

Meadow: Typha, cowl by Kirsten Kapur; Lite, pullover by Lori Versaci
Savannah: Sycamore, vest by Hannah Fettig; Spring Ribbed Cardigan, by Hannah Fettig; Norie, hat by Gudrun Johnston
Acadia: Lispenard, cowl by Kirsten Kapur; Boiseau Wrap, by Megan Goodacre
Canopy Worsted: Drambuie, sweater by Thea Colman; Seedling, hat by Alana Dakos

They’re all available as Ravelry In-Store Pattern Sales, which means you can buy them from us at the shop, where we’ll print a copy for you and make sure that a digital copy is also saved in your email or Ravelry pattern library.

We pulled out our Fibre Company color-cards so everyone could see any colors that we didn’t have in stock–for example, many of the available shades in Meadow, which has been popular enough to merit two reorders in the two weeks since it first arrived at the shop. When I left the shop on Sunday, we were down to just 9 skeins. (Don’t worry–there’s more coming!)

It was a delightful morning, spent chatting and laughing with a great group of people, enjoying each other’s company as much as the yarns. After such a positive yarn tasting event, it’s safe to say that we at HYS are big fans of the Fibre Company. Come by the shop to see all our Fibre Company yarns and consider them for your next project, and stay tuned for more yarn tastings in the future!

Hello, Meadow.

Posted by Julia on October 12, 2013

We’re delighted to announce that Meadow has arrived! This newest yarn from the Fibre Company is featured in our upcoming Fibre Company Yarn Tasting, as well as our current trunk show: the Allium Collection, 8 shawls and scarves knit in this delicious yarn.

Meadow, like many Fibre Company yarns, has an unusual and carefully-crafted fiber composition: 40% merino wool, 25% baby llama, 20% silk, and 15% linen. Each of these fibers brings its own unique characteristics to the yarn in terms of drape, texture, and color, and the result is a lightweight fabric that is soft to the touch and holds its shape even at a looser gauge than is suggested on the ball band. It’s between a lace and a light fingering weight, with a generous 545 yards in each 100 gram skein.

We also have all 8 patterns from Grace Anna Farrow’s Allium Collection, which use Meadow in a variety of techniques, from simple garter or stockinette stitch to stripes, short rows, lace, and colorwork.

Usually, when we order a brand new yarn for the shop, we begin with a small selection of colors. When it came to Meadow, we couldn’t help ourselves–we had to have every single color the Fibre Company makes. One of them is missing from this photoshoot because we sold out of it as soon as it arrived, but don’t fret, it’s on order!

Come by the shop to see Meadow and all the other Fibre Company yarns we carry, and do so before October 20th to play dress-up with the trunk show!

Fibre Company Yarn Tasting.

Posted by Julia on September 21, 2013

We’re delighted to announce that we have an exciting event coming up: a yarn tasting featuring four yarns from the Fibre Company, a small yarn company out of Pennsylvania. The Fibre Company combines plant and animal fibers in interesting ways, seeking yarns that provide both softness and structure. Their patterns put their yarns to good use in accessories and garments alike.

A yarn tasting allows you to try out yarn before deciding to buy it, working up a little swatch to see how it feels in your hands and how it behaves as a fabric. Attendees will bring needles or hooks in a variety of sizes and we’ll serve up samples of four yarns from the Fibre Company, along with bagels, fruit, and mimosas.

Meadow: a lace weight blend of merino wool, baby llama, silk, and linen
Savannah: a sport weight blend of wool, cotton, linen, and soya
Acadia: a dk weight blend of merino wool, baby alpaca, and silk
Canopy Worsted: a light worsted weight blend of baby alpaca, merino wool, and viscose from bamboo

We’ll have a Meadow trunk show to inspire, and pattern ideas for all four yarns. Get a 15% discount on Fibre Company purchases and pre-paid orders made during the yarn tasting.

The Fibre Company Yarn Tasting is scheduled for Sunday, October 20th, from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. There is a small fee for attending, so that we might cover the cost of food and drink, and because of our small space, we’re limiting this event to 15 people. It’s filling up quickly–sign up now to save your space! If you can’t make it to the yarn tasting, no worries–I’ll report back here on the blog and tell you all about it.

New from the Fibre Company.

Posted by Julia on September 20, 2013

About a year ago, we introduced Acadia, a beautiful and unique dk weight yarn from the Fibre Company, a small yarn company out of Pennsylvania. We were dazzled by their array of natural fiber yarns when we saw them at TNNA, but limited ourselves to just one yarn in a small selection of colors, not knowing if our knitters and crocheters would fall for the yarn as hard as we did. In a quick succession of reorders that brought more and more new colors and project ideas to the shop, it became clear that the Fibre Company would be heartily embraced at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. We allowed ourselves to go a little further this year, bringing in three additional Fibre Company yarns. The first two are here, and the third is expected in early October. Say hello to Fibre Company Savannah and Canopy Worsted!

Savannah is a sport weight blend of 50% wool, 20% cotton, 15% linen, and 15% soya, which is spun and dyed in the US. The wool content gives elasticity to all those plant fibers, and each fiber takes the dye a little differently, giving the colorways a rustic heathered look. We think Savannah is a perfect blend of fibers for our Southern climate, suitable for all-seasons garments and accessories.

Canopy Worsted is a light worsted weight blend of 50% baby alpaca, 30% merino wool, and 20% viscose from bamboo.

This blend of fibers makes for a lustrous, drapey fabric that still has great stitch definition for texture patterns.

Anne and I both worked on a Canopy Worsted swatch, and neither of us wanted to put it down. Yours truly has already acquired a sweaters’ worth, and put everything aside to cast on for said sweater. That said, Canopy Worsted is also well-suited to smaller accessories like scarves, cowls, hats, and shawls. For a more structured garment, like fingerless mitts, consider going down a needle size or two for a sturdier fabric.

We’re still suckers for Acadia, too–the Fibre Company made four new colors for Fall, all in neutral shades, and we ordered two bags in each color. They fill out the ever-growing Acadia spectrum nicely.

Come by the shop to see all these new yarns from the Fibre Company, and to plan your next project. We’re planning some exciting events featuring the Fibre Company in the coming weeks–stay tuned!