Hello, Germantown Bulky!

Posted by Julia on October 8, 2022

The weather is finally cooling down, and it has us reaching for cozier yarn. Meet the newest yarn in our shop, Kelbourne Woolens Germantown Bulky!

Kelbourne Woolens Germantown Bulky:

bulky weight
4ply, worsted spun
100% North American wool
123 yards/100g
$16 each

Like the worsted weight Germantown before it, Germantown Bulky is smooth and sturdy, a classic and versatile worsted spun wool yarn. Germantown Bulky feels softer to our hands, squishy and springy and absolutely ideal for cold weather accessories.

“Wister Hat,” by Courtney Kelley. Photos by Linette Kielinski © Kelbourne Woolens

One skein is enough for a hat, and the folks at Kelbourne Woolens are designing one for every month of this year. Even better, every one of these patterns is free to download from Ravelry – look there for the “Wister Hat” above, the “Upsala Hat,” “Sedgwick Hat”, and “Fernhill Hat” below, among others. Stay tuned for the rest of their Year of Bulky Hats!

“Upsala Hat,” by Kate Gagnon Osborn. Photos by Linette Kielinski © Kelbourne Woolens

“Sedgwick Hat,” by Courtney Kelley. Photos by Linette Kielinski © Kelbourne Woolens

“Fernhill Hat,” by Kate Gagnon Osborn. Photos by Linette Kielinski © Kelbourne Woolens

Look for Kelbourne Woolens Germantown Bulky in the bulky weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We’re open from 11-5:30, Tuesdays-Saturdays, and also taking orders online for local pickup or shipping. We do require masks for in-store shopping – thanks for your participation!

New colors in Cascade Nifty Cotton!

Posted by Julia on August 23, 2022

We’re excited to share a rainbow of new colors in Cascade Nifty Cotton!

Cascade Nifty Cotton:

aran weight
100% cotton
185 yards/100 grams
$8 each

It had been a while since we ordered this economical aran weight cotton, so we were due for new colors as well as restocking the old.

Nifty Cotton can be machine-washed and dried, a cotton yarn without a mercerized lustre. That matte quality makes the yarn “thirstier,” more absorbent, and thus, ideal for making dishcloths. Here are a few pattern ideas for knitters and crocheters alike!

“Grandmother’s Favorite Neat-Edged Dishcloth,” by Gina Lynette – knit, garter stitch
“Linoleum Dishcloth,” by Kay Gardiner – knit, mosaic
“Iron Gate Dishcloth,” by Amie Palmer – knit, cables
“Serene Spa Washcloth,” by Lion Brand Yarn – crochet, textured
“Bright Chevron Dishcloth,” by Tamara Kelly – crochet, 2-color chevron stripes
“Sylvan Star Washcloth,” by Lion Brand Yarn – crochet, star-shaped

Look for Cascade Nifty Cotton in the aran weight section here at our shop! We’re open from 11-5:30, Tuesdays-Saturdays, masks required for entry.

Back in stock: Malabrigo Washted.

Posted by Julia on January 11, 2022

We’re delighted to have a fresh supply of Malabrigo Washted!

Malabrigo Washted:

worsted weight
single ply
hand-dyed
100% superwash merino
210 yards/100g
$15.95 each

Washted is a worsted weight, superwash merino, with 210 yards on each 100 gram skein, and it’s hand-dyed in rich variegated colors. It’s a lot like Malabrigo’s popular Rios yarn, except that Washted is single ply where Rios is plied.

The downside of single ply yarn is often discussed here at the shop, namely, that single ply yarns are the first to pill. The upside, however, is that the super soft merino wool is even softer in a single ply. This makes Washted ideal for accessories that don’t see a lot of abrasion, like shawls, cowls, and hats. Here are a few pattern ideas:

“Nightshift,” by Andrea Mowry – slip stitch shawl
“Hipster Shawl,” by Joji Locatelli – textured drop-stitch shawl
“Versa Cowl,” by Aimee Pelletier – striped, textured cowl
“Oats,” by Tin Can Knits – garter stitch and stockinette cowl
“Barley,” by Tin Can Knits – garter stitch and stockinette hat for all ages
“Bankhead,” by Susie Gourlay – ribbed hat for all ages

Look for Malabrigo Washted in the worsted weight section here at our shop, or order online for local pickup or shipping!

Sale of the Week: Kelbourne Woolens Germantown!

Posted by Julia on May 8, 2020

Though we’re keeping our doors closed during May, we’re still virtually open for mail orders, and we want to offer something fun during this uncertain time. Throughout May, we’ll have a special sale each week – 15% off a featured yarn, our Sale of the Week!

Our next Sale of the Week is 15% off Kelbourne Woolens Germantown, from May 8 – 14!

Germantown is a yarn with a story to tell, a recreation of a classic wool that had been produced in Germantown, Pennsylvania, under a few different brand names since the mid-to-late 19th century. In this current form, Germantown is a worsted spun yarn with a smooth texture, soft hand, and nice elasticity, composed of 100% North American wool.

The Kelbourne Woolens team see this yarn as a classic basic wool for beginners as well as more advanced stitchers – easy to work with, with good stitch definition, but at a reasonable price for a domestically-produced yarn of this quality. At full price, it’s $14 per skein, and at 15% off, it’s $11.90 per skein.

Each skein is 220 yards, enough for a hat, and the folks at Kelbourne Woolens have designed one for every month of the year. Even better, every one of these patterns is free to download from Ravelry – look there for “January,” “February,” “March,” “April,” “May,” “June,” “July,” “August,” “September,” “October,” “November,” and “December.” This collection shows Germantown’s versatility in a variety of techniques, from ribbing and texture to cables and lace to stripes and colorwork.

“February Hat,” by Kate Gagnon Osborn.

“April Hat,” by Courtney Kelley.

Get in touch with us by May 14 to get 15% off Kelbourne Woolens Germantown – thanks so much for continuing to support our small business!

“August Hat,” by Sarah Solomon.

“January Hat,” by Courtney Kelley.

Just a reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges or returns. Thanks!

Hello, Ultra Wool Chunky.

Posted by Julia on December 27, 2019

Brand new from Berroco, meet the newest member of the Ultra Wool family – hello, Ultra Wool Chunky!

Like Ultra Wool, Ultra Wool DK, and Ultra Wool Fine, Ultra Wool Chunky is a 100% superwash wool that’s soft, sturdy, and economical.

Ultra Wool Chunky is a bulky weight, perfect for cozy garments and accessories for adults and children alike. Each 100 gram skein has 145 yards – enough for a hat or a pair of mittens.

I’ve used two skeins to make a slightly shortened version of “Casa Sonia,” a free scarf pattern from Berroco. It’s mostly garter stitch, with a bit of ribbing at either end, and a simple knit/purl triangle motif.

Ultra Wool Chunky would be great for knitting Jacqueline Cieslak’s “Ursa” sweater, or Kate Davie’s “Carbeth” – you’ll find more pattern ideas for bulky weight yarn on our Pinterest board, too.

Look for Ultra Wool Chunky in the bulky weight section here at our shop!

New colors in Kelbourne Woolens Germantown.

Posted by Julia on May 29, 2019

Last week, a big box arrived from Kelbourne Woolens, packed full of their worsted weight wool, Germantown. Inside were six new colors, plus a handful of colors we’d sold out of.

Germantown is a recreation of a classic wool that had been produced in Germantown, Pennsylvania, under a few different brand names since the mid-to-late 19th century. Made of 100% North American wool, Germantown is a worsted spun, worsted weight yarn with a smooth texture, soft hand, and nice elasticity.

These new colors are a playful mix of brights and pastels, one that fits beautifully into the existing Germantown color palette.

One skein is enough for a hat, and the folks at Kelbourne Woolens are designing one for every month of this year. Even better, every one of these patterns is free to download from Ravelry – look there for “January,” “February,” “March,” “April,” and “May,” and stay tuned for the rest of their Year of Hats!

See you at the shop!

Show and tell: socks.

Posted by Julia on June 26, 2017

We love seeing projects made with yarns from our shop, and we truly feel honored that so many of you bring your finished pieces in for show and tell. When I’m able, I like to take pictures of these completed projects to share here on the blog. I’m always collecting them, and sometimes they seem to sort themselves into themed posts – all one kind of wool or technique, one yarn in particular, or even a shared color palette. Today’s theme is socks, a favorite project of ours, and the knitters featured here have made some amazing pairs.

Glen knit the vibrant pair above with MJ Opulent Fingering, a hand-dyed blend of merino, cashmere, and nylon. The pattern is “Dublin Bay Socks,” a free download from Ravelry, and it looks excellent in this semi-solid colorway, showing off the lace detail down the leg.

Lois’s socks have a lot in common with Glen’s: the pattern, “Socks on a Plane,” is available for free, they have a little pattern running down the leg and foot on a stockinette background – in this case, a cable, and they were made with hand-dyed yarn, the beloved Malabrigo Sock. I often warn knitters that cables and other patterns don’t show well in highly variegated yarn, but this is exactly the kind of exception that proves the rule. I love the way the wild colorway shines in simple stockinette, and the cable doesn’t disappear into it. Rather, it pops out a bit, brings welcome textural interest to an already interesting color. Well done, Lois!

Above are Karin’s “Sidney” socks, from Rachel Coopey’s CoopKnits Socks Vol. 2, made with Malabrigo Sock. These are the latest in a long series of increasingly intricate handknit socks that Karin has crafted for herself and her family. Like many of us, she likes to challenge herself a bit with each new project, trying a new stitch pattern or technique, and a sock is a good-sized project for that kind of experimentation. It’s a good way to learn a lot in a relatively short time, and Karin is living proof!

Margaretta is another generous, challenge-seeking sock knitter, and this “Harlequin” pair from New Directions in Sock Knitting pretty much blew my mind when I saw them in progress – organizing the bobbins alone looked like quite a task. She rose to the occasion, though, mastering intarsia-in-the-round along the way, and surprised me again when she came back for more yarn to knit a second pair.

This pair, like the first, is made with Malabrigo Sock, which you can tell is a popular sock yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. Margaretta insists that her technique improved measurably from the first pair to the second, and while I believe her, I honestly think both pairs look equally flawless. Still and all, she gave the second pair as a gift to a friend, knit yet a third pair and gave them to another friend, and kept the “learner” pair for herself.

Thanks to the knitters who shared their work on this post, and to the many more who begin their projects with trips to our shop! We appreciate your support, and love seeing what you make. If you’re not a sock-knitter but would like to become one, check out Amy’s upcoming class on the subject, an introduction to basic socks that may send you on a sock-making spree. Look out for more show-and-tell on the blog in the near future!

Hello, Malabrigo Caracol.

Posted by Julia on December 9, 2016

Back at TNNA in June, we stopped by the Malabrigo booth, eager to see their newest yarn for the first time. Caracol is not only new, but also an unusual yarn, for Malabrigo and the Hillsborough Yarn Shop alike. We were genuinely surprised when we saw it, and I’m happy to report that it’s now on our shelves! Meet Caracol.

Caracol is a super bulky weight yarn with a thick and thin texture, a style we haven’t brought into the shop for a few years now, as preferences for smoother yarns grew. What really sets this yarn apart, though, is that it’s criss-crossed by a thinner yarn before being kettle-dyed in Malabrigo’s signature super-saturated colorways, creating a unique look and texture we’ve just never seen before.

Some skeins are criss-crossed with a black binder thread, giving a stained glass effect, and others with white, for more subtle variation.

We went home from TNNA with a sample skein of Caracol that was handed over to me for sample-knitting. A yarn with this much personality doesn’t need a complicated pattern to show it off, so I knit up a very quick hat and topped it with a very big pom-pom. The pattern is “The Big Hat,” a free download from Ravelry, also suitable for Malabrigo Rasta if smoother yarns are more your speed.

Those who know me know this is not usually my kind of yarn, but I have to say, this was a really fun change of pace! Caracol is squishy, soft as can be, and provides near-instant gratification. Look for it in the super bulky section here at the shop, and remember it when the need for a handmade gift sneaks up at the last minute!

Sherri’s Cowl.

Posted by Julia on January 6, 2016

Our friend Sherri loves to make scarves and cowls as gifts, always looking out for patterns that are quick and easy to knit. She came home from a recent ski trip telling us about a chunky openwork cowl she saw around the neck of every young woman on the slopes. She snapped a picture of a similar cowl at a store and showed it to Anne. “We could make these,” she said, “and you should make one for the shop!” When Anne relayed the idea to me, we began designing Sherri’s cowl together. I looked through the perennial 365 Stitches a Year, pausing now and again to show one stitch pattern or another to Anne. “Did it look like this?” I asked. “Or this?” When I landed on the right stitch, I got out some yarn and US size #17 needles to swatch.

First I tried Shibui Silk Cloud held with two strands of Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran, then just one strand of each, and finally two strands of each, which made a fluffy, lightweight fabric at a gauge so large, it seemed to knit itself.

I knit it flat, like a scarf, then sewed the ends together to make a loop. The finished cowl now hangs at the shop, and I’ve written up a little pattern for it, which is free with the purchase of yarn for the project.

I named it “Sherri’s Cowl,” which seems fitting; Sherri herself had already completed almost two of these before I finished mine with fringe.

I chose three different shades of green, for a marled effect: a light and dark in the Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran, and a medium in the Shibui Silk Cloud.

I had fun brainstorming alternate colorways in these soft and fuzzy yarns, finding common ground between two yarn companies’ color palettes.

There’s something so satisfying about combining colors and seeing how they come together in the knitted fabric. I can’t wait to see what other combinations you knitters come up with!

Come by the shop to try on “Sherri’s Cowl” and plan one of your own. Sherri tells me they are somewhat addictive, and I can confirm that at the very least, they are gratifying in their speedy creation and playful yarn-blending. See you at the shop!

Hello, Lang Merino+ Color.

Posted by Julia on November 11, 2015

Another new yarn has found a home here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! Meet Lang Merino+ Color.

Merino+ Color is an aran weight superwash merino wool, smooth, springy, soft, and self-striping. It comes in nine different colorways, a nice variety. Some. are subdued and painterly, while others are playful and bright.

Each 100 gram ball boasts 197 yards, plenty for an adult-sized hat, pair of mitts, or small cowl.

I knit this modified version of Wendy Johnson’s free “Easy Broken Rib Cowl” with just one ball of Lang Merino+ Color, shortening the circumference by casting on fewer stitches than called for.

Come by the shop to try on the sample for size; if you’d like to make one like it, make a note to cast on 192 stitches. If you’d prefer the cozier, larger size shown in the pattern, pick up a second skein and follow the pattern as written.

Look for Merino+ Color in the aran weight section here at the shop. See you there!