Tag Archives: tif neilan

Koigu Collector’s Club: Cold Brew and Breakfast in Bed.

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The Koigu Collector’s Club continues! Each month, we’ll receive 21 skeins of KPPPM in a limited edition color dyed especially for a select group of local yarn stores that carry Koigu. This month, we got not one, but TWO new colorways!

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 g
  • $15.50 each

Cold Brew is dyed on KPPPM, Koigu’s classic fingering weight merino that we’ve come to know so well throughout the Collector’s Club.

Koigu Sparkle:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 94% merino wool, 6% lurex – silver metallic
  • 164 yards/50 g
  • $15.50 each

Breakfast in Bed is a neutral colorway with streaks of darker gray, brown, and a silver shimmer. It’s dyed on Sparkle, Koigu’s metallic cousin to KPPPM.

© Tif Neilan – tif handknits –

What to make with all these Koigu Collector’s Club colorways? Tif Neilan’s latest pattern gave us a great idea – pair Koigu with Isager Alpaca 1 for a “Clove & Twine Toque!” 

This cozy and clever hat is knit with three strands of yarn held together – two of the same fingering weight and one mohair or alpaca lace weight, which gives the hat a soft halo.

This yarn combining does interesting things with color, too – variegated yarn held double tends to look more blended than streaky, and the fine, fuzzy lace weight yarn tints the fabric just so, if the colors aren’t too high contrast.

I had so much fun putting these color combinations together, and riffing on Neilan’s pattern name a bit, I named them for spices and seasonings.

 

Our “Clove & Twine” yarn bundles are $43; Tif Neilan’s pattern is sold separately for $6.50. Pick your favorite flavor and order online for local pickup or shipping!

Hello, Lady Dye SW Merino DK.

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Members of the HYS Hat Club got a special treat this month – a brand new yarn!

Back when we received our first order from Lady Dye Yarns, we squirreled away the limited amount of DK weight superwash merino. Though most of it went out with our HYS Hat Club, we still have a few skeins left!

Lady Dye SW Merino DK:

  • DK weight
  • hand-dyed in tonal and variegated colorways
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 231 yards/100g
  • $30 each

What to make with SW Merino DK? Our club members are busy knitting Dawn Henderson’s “Serendipitous Hat,” a cable ribbed beanie in three sizes. Here are a few more ideas that take just one skein:

Again, we have limited quantities of this yarn at the moment – just a handful of skeins in each of these colors, so act fast if you’d like to snag some. Order online for local pickup or shipping!

Laine Magazine, No. 10.

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Laine Magazine is back from a hiatus with their 10th issue!

Laine Magazine is a publication out of Finland, a knitting and lifestyle magazine with a love of natural fibers as its focus, and a reputation for beautiful designs and tantalizing photography.

Issue 10 features patterns from an amazing group of designers, the likes of Denise Bayron, Julie Hoover, Tif Neilan, Veera Välimäki, Sylvia Watts-Cherry, and more.

Beyond the patterns, there are seasonal recipes and plenty of good reading – I’m particularly excited to read the interview with Denise Bayron, and an article about BIPOC in Fiber by Jeanette Sloan.

Laine No. 10 is $30 each – order online for local pickup or shipping! We also have Laine No. 8 in stock, and Laine’s most recent book, Fair Isle Weekend, by Mary Jane Mucklestone.

New colors in Berroco Ultra Wool Chunky.

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We recently got a big bundle of new colors from Berroco in yarns across their line of machine-washable wools – Ultra Wool DK, Ultra Wool (worsted weight), and Ultra Wool Chunky. Today, let’s take a look at Ultra Wool Chunky!

Berroco Ultra Wool Chunky:

  • bulky weight
  • 100% superwash wool
  • 145 yards/100g
  • $12 each

Ultra Wool Chunky is a 100% superwash wool that’s soft, sturdy, and economical, perfect for cozy garments and accessories for adults and children alike. Here are some pattern ideas:

Order online for local pickup or shipping!

Back in stock: Malabrigo Sock.

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We recently got a fresh supply of Malabrigo Sock to fill out our selection!

Malabrigo Sock:

  • light fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated and semi-solid colorways
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 440 yards/100g
  • $19.50 each

This soft, machine-washable merino wool is dyed in the vivid multicolor and semisolid colorways we’ve come to expect from Malabrigo. Sock is perfect not only for socks, but also shawls, scarves, lightweight sweaters, and baby things.

Colors this vibrant beg to be combined, whether it’s a semi-solid shade like Water Green that seems designed to complement the variegated Kris, or two classic Malabrigo blues that happen to go beautifully with our own anniversary colorway, Rite.

Here are some knit patterns for two shades of fingering weight yarn, put together in a variety of ways – held together for a marled effect, stranded, striped, and more!

  • “Zorzal,” by Lisa Hannes – crescent-shaped, color-block shawl, with short rows and stripes
  • “Pianta Bandana Cowl,” by Lavanya Patricella – brioche and garter stitch
  • “Rhubarb Cowl,” by String Revolution – marled, yarn held doubled throughout, with slip stitch columns
  • “Tidebreak tee,” by Tif Neilan – top-down, short-sleeved pullover, with slipped stitches and a bit of stranded colorwork at the yoke; worked with yarn held doubled throughout
  • “Confetti,” by Veera Välimäki – top-down, long-sleeved pullover, striped

Crocheters, I didn’t forget you! Check out these patterns for Malabrigo Sock:

Order online for local pickup or USPS Priority Mail shipping. Though we’re closed to walk-in visits, we’re happy to send more photos and answer any questions you may have as you plan your project!

Soulful Slouchy Hat + Peerie.

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A recent Brooklyn Tweed restock brought some of the best-loved shades of Peerie back to our shelves. This got me thinking about Tif Neilan’s “Soulful Slouchy Hat,” just the kind of small colorwork project I love. It comes in a wide range of sizes, from toddler to adult large.

© Tif Neilan – tif handknits –

Brooklyn Tweed Peerie:

  • fingering weight
  • 100% American merino wool
  • 210 yards/50 grams
  • $17.25 each

One skein in each color gives you enough for at least two hats, if you rearrange the color placement. Below are the four shades Neilan used in her own “Soulful Slouchy Hat,” pictured at the top of this post, an intriguing mix of classic navy and white and a couple of unusual earth tones.

Here are a few more color combinations I came up with for Tif Neilan’s “Soulful Slouchy Hat.”

Order online if one of these colorways sparks your curiosity, or if you’d like to see a special combination just for you! We’re happy to help you plan your next project, and can ship your order or hold it here at the shop for local pickup. Thanks for all your support through our temporary closure!