Interweave Knits.

Posted by Julia on August 7, 2016

The 20th Anniversary issue of Interweave Knits is here!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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

Vogue Knitting and Knitscene.

Posted by Julia on July 13, 2016

Two new magazines came last week, full of light summer reading, interesting patterns to knit, ideas, and tutorials.

The Early Fall 2016 issue of Vogue Knitting features profiles of designers Faina Goberstein, Felipe Cavalheiro, and Xandy Peters, known for “Fox Paws” and other patterns with stacked increases and decreases. I always find it interesting to read about knitwear designers, how they came to do what they do and how, indeed, they do it.

I also spotted a lovely colorwork hat knit in none other than Fibre Company Knightsbridge.

I noticed Fibre Company yarn in the Fall 2016 issue of Knitscene, too; the “Caelum Cowl” calls for Cumbria Worsted.

Other highlights of this issue include a cast-on tutorial and a collection of black and white garments, including this artfully simple shawl knit in Shibui Staccato.

Look for Vogue Knitting, Knitscene, and many other publications on the teacart here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. Come by to browse for inspiration or plan your next project!

Acadia Collection Trunk Show!

Posted by Julia on June 29, 2016

I’m happy to announce that a new Trunk Show has arrived at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! Come by soon to see the Fibre Company Acadia Collection.

This collection is named for the yarn it features: Acadia, a dk weight blend of merino, alpaca, and slubs of silk. The silk takes the dye differently than the other fibers, giving most colorways a rustic, tweedy appearance, which belies its luxuriously soft hand.

The Acadia Collection is designed to show off this special yarn, and so it features classic, simple garments that walk the line between casual and elegant.

So often we knit from instructions and sets of measurements and guesses about how a sweater will look or feel after we spend time creating it; a trunk show is a unique opportunity to experience a handknit garment before you put the work and money into making it, to be sure it’s what you want before you begin. Come by the shop before July 10th to see the Acadia Collection for yourself, to admire and try on these garments for size!

Show and tell: summer shawls, part one.

Posted by Julia on June 27, 2016

We always love to see what you’re making with HYS yarns, and I love to take photos of your beautiful finished pieces to share here on the blog. As I was sifting through my large (and growing!) stash of recent show-and-tell photos, I noticed one brand of yarn popping up over and over again: Fibre Company. Here are four exquisite shawls knit in Fibre Company yarns.

Loretta recently finished two Fibre Company shawls. Above is her “Twinleaf,” designed by Grace Anna Farrow, and knit in Meadow. This two-color garter stitch shawl is elegant in its simplicity, decorated with thin stripes and shaped with short-rows.

Above is Loretta’s “Quaking Aspen” shawl, a free pattern designed by Courtney Kelley, and knit in Acadia. It looks especially good, by my estimation, in a high-contrast color combination like this one, where the lace edging shines in a lighter shade.

Pam’s “Piper’s Journey” shawlette, pictured below, was also knit in Fibre Company Acadia. This yarn strikes me as a good choice for patterns like these with lots of garter stitch or stockinette, for the silk slubs and tweedy texture show nicely in simple stitches.

Here’s Sidney’s “Sundry,” knit in Fibre Company Cumbria Fingering, a yarn she loved working with.

It’s nice to see this pattern in a lower-contrast color combination than my own; the effect is much more subdued, the two colors blending softly in the slip-stitch section.

Thanks to these knitters for sharing their beautiful work, and to the Fibre Company for creating such special yarns! Look for more show-and-tell on the blog in the coming weeks, I have so many lovely things to share.

Fibre Company Trunk Show!

Posted by Julia on June 4, 2016

We’re so excited to announce that we’ve just received a Trunk Show featuring Fibre Company Road to China Lace.

The Effortless Collection and Pathways Collection will be on display here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop until June 11th, 2016, and we have all the yarns and patterns to make these garments your own!

The Effortless Collection focuses on garter stitch, sometimes working two strands of Road to China Lace at the same time for a thicker fabric, or marled color combination.

The knitting is simple, but the results are quite elegant.

Designer Laura Nelkin created the Pathways Collection, a group of two shawls, a cowl, and a shrug. These are delicate, elegant garments, showing how well-suited this yarn is to lace patterning.

This trunk show is here for one week only, so plan a trip to the shop this week to admire, try on for size, and plan your next project with Fibre Company Road to China Lace!

New colors in Cumbria Worsted.

Posted by Julia on May 27, 2016

Fibre Company just added four fresh new shades to Cumbria Worsted!

Cumbria Worsted is composed of 60% merino wool, 30% masham wool, and 10% mohair. The soft white merino is blended with the dark gray masham, creating a natural heathered base color over which all the other colorways are dyed.

How to use Cumbria Worsted? Look for worsted weight patterns where stitch definition and structure are important; think cables, texture patterns, hardy sweaters and heirloom blankets or shawls.

Consider Hannah Fettig’s “Coastal Pullover,” Courtney Kelley’s “Seascale” gansey, Kate Gagnon Osborn’s “Clawthorpe” pullover, “Rockcliffe” scarf and “Seathwaite” hat, and Alana Dakos’ “Four Seasons” shawl, to start with. Keep digging, and you’ll likely end up with a long wishlist of patterns perfectly suited to this yarn. Let us know what you find!

Cumbria Worsted has only been around since August of 2015, but already feels like a staple in our worsted weight section. It’s even spawned a finer weight, the dreamy Cumbria Fingering. I’ve had the pleasure of knitting with both Cumbria yarns, and I’m eager to return to this smooth and sturdy yarn for future projects.

Come by the shop to see the new Cumbria Worsted colors and plan your next project!

Going-to-Market Sale spotlight: Fibre Company Savannah.

Posted by Julia on May 15, 2016

From May 10th – June 5th, we have Fibre Company Savannah, Colinette and Schulana yarns discounted during our Going-to-Market Sale: single skeins are 30% off, or 40% off when you buy 10 or more! Throughout the sale, I’ll be highlighting some of these yarns and giving ideas for what to make with them. Today: spotlight on Fibre Company Savannah.

Savannah is a sport weight mix of wool, cotton, linen, and soy, a nice combination of elastic animal fiber and cool plant fiber. Each of those fibers takes the dye differently, giving this yarn a rustic heathered look.

There are loads of lovely patterns out there calling for Savannah, from baby things to hats, shawls, and cowls. “Sweet Bunting” is a yoked baby sweater; “Norie” is a textured lace hat, and “Schieffelin Point,” “Currituck Shawl” and “Wicker Cowl” are all free accessory patterns from Kelbourne Woolens, distributors of Fibre Company yarns. Look for more on our “Sport weight” board on Pinterest!

Fibre Company Savannah is a favorite of ours, and we were sad to learn that it’s no longer manufactured. The Fibre Company folks are busy finding a new mill to spin Savannah, and hope to reconfigure and reintroduce this yarn one day. Til then, come and get what’s left of our Savannah stash at 30% off, or 40% off when you buy 10 skeins or more!

A reminder: all sales are final on discounted yarn. There can be no returns or exchanges, nor special orders–the discount applies only to what we currently have in stock. Thanks!

Going-to-Market Sale!

Posted by Julia on May 8, 2016

Our annual trip to market is coming up in early June, which means it’s time to make some room for new Fall and Winter yarns with a big sale. Come by the shop for our annual Going-to-Market Sale!

From May 10th – June 5th, all in stock Colinette and Schulana yarns will be deeply discounted, along with Fibre Company Savannah. Look for 30% discounts on single skeins and 40% discounts on 10 or more.

Between Colinette and Schulana, we have a wide range of gauges, fibers, and textures represented, from lace to bulky weight, from superwash wool to bamboo and soy, from solids to variegates. Going-to-Market Sale yarns include: Fibre Company Savannah, Colinette Banyan, Cadenza, and Jitterbug, Schulana Cashmerino, Cotton Silk, Insieme, Kid Seta, Lambswool, and Sojabama. We’re also tucking a few other yarns into our Sale Trunk, so be sure to check there while you’re shopping the Going-to-Market Sale!

These are beautiful yarns in all kinds of colors, suitable for many types of knitting, crochet, and weaving projects. Come by between May 10th and June 5th to take advantage of our Going-to-Market Sale, and do stop in early for best selections!

A reminder: all sales are final on discounted yarn. There can be no returns or exchanges, nor special orders–the discount applies only to what we currently have in stock. Thanks!

Interweave Knits.

Posted by Julia on May 2, 2016

The newest issue of Interweave Knits is here!

The Summer 2016 issue is full of lightweight garments, lace shawls, articles and tutorials.

The lacy tank below calls for Shibui Twig, a sport weight blend of linen, silk, and wool. Look for Anne’s “Slope” knit in Twig here at the shop; we’re happy to take it off the wall so you can get a tangible sense of how it softens with washing and blocking.

This lace shawl is knit in Fibre Company Meadow, another perfect yarn for spring and summer stitching.

Look for Interweave Knits on the teacart, among the newest books and magazines for knitters, crocheters, and weavers. See you at the shop!

Show and tell: stripes and colorwork.

Posted by Julia on April 30, 2016

We’re back with another round of show and tell! Here are some of the finished projects we’ve had the good fortune to admire lately, all of whom began as yarn on our shelves. Today, let’s look at projects featuring stripes and colorwork.

Paula knit this “Chevron Baby Blanket” with Berroco Modern Cotton, modifying the pattern a bit to knit at a slightly smaller gauge. She swatched to figure out how wide each pattern repeat would be with her yarn, then added stitches to her cast-on so that her blanket would come out the desired size.

Paula also finished this “wwwww #1” recently, a lined headband by Kate Davies. Paula used Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift for the colorwork exterior, and soft-as-can-be Shibui Maai for the lining. Nicely done, Paula!

Margaretta recently knit Elizabeth Zimmermann’s classic “Baby Surprise Jacket” with Fibre Company Canopy Worsted, and used her leftovers to make a “Boston Whaler” hat. I love her unexpected combination of sage green, steely gray, and bright fuschia, especially with those perfect pink buttons!

Margaretta has also been working on General Hogbuffer’s “Slippery Slope Socks,” using the solid CoopKnits Socks Yeah! and the self-striping Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball. Since I snapped this picture of the first finished sock, she’s completed the pair, and plans to make another with different colors.

Judie’s “Wildheart” shawl was also knit with self-striping yarn, Cutthroat Yarn Gradient BFL. She added a picot bind-off to an otherwise unadorned edge; a little something that I think makes the whole shawl shine.

Thanks to the talented knitters who shared their work with us today, and to all the fiber artists who begin their projects here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. We love seeing what you’re working on!