Back in stock: Sandnes Garn Line.

Posted by Julia on March 22, 2024

Sandnes Garn Line has become a staple since we introduced it last March – we’re delighted to have a fresh supply and loads of new colors, just in time for spring!

Sandnes Garn Line:

light worsted weight
53% cotton, 33% viscose, 14% linen
120 yards/50g
$7.50 each

Line is a light worsted weight plant fiber blend that knits up at 5 stitches per inch on a US 6 needle.

It’s soft, cool, machine washable, and drapes beautifully, qualities that make it ideal for warm weather garments.

Above is my “Anker’s Summer Shirt,” a top-down, seamless PetiteKnit pattern, suitable for a knitter’s first sweater. Here are more pattern ideas for Line:

“Peacock Tee Solo,” by Lene Holme Samsøe – feather and fan lace yoke tee
“Sommer Ella Solo,” by Lene Holme Samsøe – leaf/lace yoke tee
“Sommerknus,” by Elsebeth Judith – textured tee
“Purl Strings,” by Heidi Kirrmaier – tee with textured stripes
“Anker’s Summer Shirt,” by PetiteKnit – ribbed yoke tee
“June Top,” by PetiteKnit – stockinette tank
“Cold Shoulder Crop,” by Park Williams – mock turtleneck tee with mesh cap sleeves
“Tolsta Tee,” by Rebecca Clowe – top down raglan tee with options for customization

Look for my “Anker’s Summer Shirt” on display at the shop, and find Sandnes Garn Line in our worsted weight section!

Back in stock: NFC Organic Studio Worsted!

Posted by Julia on March 12, 2024

Delighted to have a fresh supply of Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Worsted!

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio Worsted:

worsted weight
hand-dyed
machine washable
100% organic merino wool
200 yds/4 oz
$34 each

What to knit with Organic Studio Worsted? Easy care worsted weight wools are some of the most versatile yarns we know of, here are a few pattern ideas…

“Bankhead,” by Susie Gourlay – ribbed hat, 1 skein
“Barley,” by Tin Can Knits – stockinette and garter stitch hat, 1 skein
“Maize,” by Tin Can Knits – textured fingerless mitts/mittens, 1 skein
“Nightshift,” by Andrea Mowry – mosaic shawl, 6 skeins
“in threes: a baby cardigan,” by Kelly Herdich – short-sleeved baby cardigan, 2 skeins
“Honey Cowl,” by Antonia Shankland – textured cowl, 2 skeins
“Autopilot,” by Dominique Trad – mesh cowl, 2 skeins

Here’s Anne’s “Autopilot,” knit with Organic Studio Worsted in Amy Sherald, a lavender speckled with cobalt blue. Look for it here at the shop, and feel free to try it on!

Come by the shop to see NFC Organic Studio Worsted for yourself. We’re open from 11am-5:30pm, Tuesdays-Saturdays; masks required for entry. Hope to see you soon!

Back in stock: Fibre Co. Cumbria Worsted.

Posted by Julia on February 16, 2024

Pleased to report that our Fibre Co. Cumbria Worsted cubby is full again!

Fibre Co. Cumbria:

worsted weight
60% merino wool, 30% masham wool, 10% mohair
236 yards/100 g
$22 each

Cumbria is a soft and sturdy worsted weight yarn, composed of soft white merino blended with the dark gray masham and a bit of mohair. This fiber combination creates a natural heathered base color over which all the other colorways are dyed.

I used 2 skeins of Cumbria Worsted to make the scarf pictured below, “Rockcliffe,” by Kate Gagnon Osborn. It’s been hanging at our shop for years now, but still gets attention due to its classic look and engaging gansey pattern.

How else to use Cumbria Worsted? Here are some ideas!

Accessories:

“Seathwaite,” by Kate Gagnon Osborn – cabled hat
“February Hat,” by Kate Gagnon Osborn – textured hat (check out the full Kelbourne Woolens Year of Hats for more free pattern ideas, any of these would be lovely in Cumbria Worsted!)
“Dubwath,” by Inese Sang – cabled cowl
“Elfriede,” by Shannon Cook – lace and texture shawl
“Guernsey Wrap,” by Jared Flood – textured wrap
“Sophie Shawl,” by PetiteKnit – garter stitch shawl with I-cord edging

Garments:

“Willow Branch,” by Tif Neilan – lace yoke pullover
“Humulus,” by Isabell Kraemer – colorwork yoke pullover
“Dustland Sweater,” by Stephen West – textured pullover
“Billie pullover,” by Sari Nordlund – cabled pullover
“Zakkuri Cardigan,” by Noriko Ichikawa – raglan cardigan
“Smoked Orange Cardigan,” by Thea Colman – cabled cardigan
“Lulu Slipover,” by PetiteKnit – turtleneck vest buttoned at sides

Look for Fibre Co. Cumbria Worsted here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

“Baa-ble Hats” in Brooklyn Tweed.

Posted by Julia on December 5, 2023

Donna Smith’s “Baa-ble Hat” has been charming knitters since it was first published for Shetland Wool Week back in 2015. We’ve seen it knit up in many different yarns over the years, but lately, our favorite recommendation is Brooklyn Tweed.

Nancy knit this “Baa-ble Hat” with Brooklyn Tweed Imbue Worsted, a soft and smooth merino wool.

Above are the colors Nancy chose, and below are a few more ideas I came up with.

Brooklyn Tweed Tones is a great choice for a “Baa-ble Hat,” too, a columbia wool whose colorways are overdyed in vibrant, playful colors, starting with two baseline shades of undyed natural gray.

I love the subtle colors Nancy’s student, Haleh, chose for hers!

Brooklyn Tweed Shelter has more colors to choose from than either Tones or Imbue Worsted – here are a few more “Baa-ble Hat” color combinations in Shelter!

Inspired to make a “Baa-ble Hat” of your own? Come by the shop and see all the options in our worsted weight section, from Brooklyn Tweed and others!

Seasonless: Patterns for Life, by Karen Templer + Amirisu.

Posted by Julia on September 26, 2023

A new book has arrived to inspire your knitting this fall and beyond – let’s look inside Seasonless: Patterns for Life ($28), by Karen Templer + Amirisu!

You may recognize Karen Templer’s name from her years of slow-fashion blogging, or from Fringe Supply Co., where she used to sell wildly popular project bags. She’s a knitwear designer, too – perhaps you’ve knit her “Log Cabin Mitts,” “Improv” sweater, or “Anna Vest.”

For this new collection, a collaboration with Amirisu, Templer wanted to create “patterns that are endlessly adaptable and, therefore, priceless, while also presenting the opportunity for a newer knitter to build skills along the way.”

Seasonless: Patterns for Life features 5 fundamental patterns: fingerless mitts, a hat, a vest, a pullover, and a cardigan. For each of these accessories and garments, Templer + Amirisu offer 4 stitch pattern variations, multiple finishing and shaping options, and thoughts on yarn substitution.

Each pattern is knit at a worsted weight gauge, and Kelbourne Woolens Germantown is one of the featured yarns. There are so many others we carry and love – think Berroco Ultra Alpaca, Ewe Ewe Wooly Worsted, Malabrigo Rios, Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, Tones, and Imbue Worsted.

Look for Seasonless: Patterns for Life ($28) here at HYS, or order online for local pickup or shipping!

New colors in Malabrigo Rios + Arroyo!

Posted by Julia on September 22, 2023

We’re excited to share a dozen new colors in Malabrigo Rios, and another dozen new colors in Arroyo! These soft and smooth superwash merino yarns are favorites around here, and their cubbies were both looking empty before last week’s shipment arrived.

This new Rios palette is Zodiac themed, with a colorway for each sign.

Malabrigo Rios:

worsted weight
100% superwash merino wool
210 yards/100g
$17 each

Some of the new Arroyo colors are familiar from other Malabrigo yarns, and others are brand new, a mix of speckles, variegated and semisolid shades. Something for everyone!

Malabrigo Arroyo:

sport weight
hand-dyed
100% superwash merino wool
335 yards/100g
$21 each

Look for Malabrigo Rios in our worsted weight section and Arroyo in our sport weight section.

You’ll find plenty of Malabrigo all over our shop, in fact – Mohair in lace weight, Ultimate Sock in fingering, Caprino in DK, Mecha in bulky, and Noventa in super bulky, to name a few!

Brooklyn Tweed + Chroma.

Posted by Julia on September 8, 2023

Jacqueline Cieslak’s latest pattern, “Chroma,” immediately caught my eye, with its bold color blocking and cute pockets.

“Chroma,” by Jacqueline Cieslak, knit with Brooklyn Tweed Shelter. Photo © Jacqueline Cieslak.

I was pleased to see that “Chroma” is knit with none other than Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, one of my favorite sweater yarns. In Cieslak’s words, Shelter “has a soft and squishy but slightly rustic hand, and knits up into incredibly light garments with beautiful structure, stitch definition, and minimal drape.” Couldn’t agree more!

With two- and four-color options, “Chroma” is a blank canvas for color play. High contrast, low contrast, complementary colors, shades from the same color family – they all work!

Brooklyn Tweed Tones is another great option for “Chroma” – it’s lofty like Shelter, but has 3 plies for a slightly smoother texture. Brooklyn Tweed recently expanded the Tones (and Tones Light!) palette with 3 new color pairs: Acer, Icicle, and Deco, each of which comes in lighter Overtone and darker Undertone shades.

Here are a few more “Chroma” combinations in Tones!

Look for Brooklyn Tweed Shelter and Tones in the worsted weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, along with many other “Chroma” possibilities!

Hello, Brooklyn Tweed Imbue Worsted!

Posted by Julia on September 1, 2023

We’re thrilled to announce that we now carry Brooklyn Tweed Imbue Worsted!

Brooklyn Tweed Imbue Worsted:

worsted weight
worsted spun
heathered colors
100% merino wool
104 yards/50g
$18.50 each

When Imbue Worsted first came on the scene last year, there was a limited supply due to a dyehouse closure, so it was only available directly from Brooklyn Tweed. Now that BT has secured a new dyehouse partner, production of Imbue Worsted has increased and we’re beyond excited to have it here at our shop!

Imbue Worsted’s heathered shades are made by blending brilliantly dyed hues of unspun wool, like an artist mixing paints. When spun, these bright solid colors mingle into richly heathered shades that are harmonious across the entire palette – ideal for stripes and colorwork!

What to knit with Imbue Worsted? Here are some ideas!

“Woven Roots Hat,” by Jared Flood – cabled beanie
“Chroma,” by Jacqueline Cieslak – color block pullover with pockets
“Color Story,” by Tif Neilan – short-sleeved colorwork yoke pullover
“Elah,” by Isabell Kraemer – lace cardigan
“Gib I” and “Gib II,” by Andrea Mowry – textured raglan
“Plantae,” by Annie Lupton – bobbled pullover
“Bowhall,” by Monica Christine – cable and rib drop-shoulder pullover
“First Cardigan Sweater,” by Jared Flood – top-down raglan cardigan with customizable options
“Arden,” by Rastus Hsu – cabled dickie

Because Imbue substitutes easily for Brooklyn Tweed Tones or Shelter, there’s a world of patterns to choose from – click here for a roundup of some favorite BT worsted weight patterns!

Look for Imbue Worsted here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, along with other Brooklyn Tweed yarns! We’re open from 11-5:30, Tuesdays-Saturdays; masks required for entry.

Hello, NFC Organic Studio Worsted!

Posted by Julia on February 28, 2023

We’re excited to introduce you to the newest yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop – meet Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio Worsted!

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio Worsted:

fingering weight
hand-dyed
machine washable
100% organic merino wool
200 yds/4 oz
$34 each

Like the Organic Studio Sock we’ve come to love, Organic Studio Worsted is a soft, sturdy, tightly plied organic merino wool that’s machine washable for easy care. We’ve selected a dozen variegated and speckled colorways to liven up our worsted weight section!

What to knit with Organic Studio Worsted? Easy care worsted weight wools are some of the most versatile yarns we know of, here are a few pattern ideas…

“Autopilot,” by Dominique Trad – mesh cowl, 2 skeins
“Honey Cowl,” by Antonia Shankland – textured cowl, 2 skeins
“Bankhead,” by Susie Gourlay – ribbed hat, 1 skein
“Barley,” by Tin Can Knits – stockinette and garter stitch hat, 1 skein
“Maize,” by Tin Can Knits – textured fingerless mitts/mittens, 1 skein
“Nightshift,” by Andrea Mowry – mosaic shawl, 6 skeins
“in threes: a baby cardigan,” by Kelly Herdich – short-sleeved baby cardigan, 2 skeins

Come by the shop to see NFC Organic Studio Worsted for yourself! We’re open from 11am-5:30pm, Tuesdays-Saturdays; masks required for entry. Hope to see you soon!

Cumulus and friends.

Posted by Julia on February 3, 2023

Fyberspates Cumulus is the newest yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, a soft and fluffy lace weight alpaca/silk blend. Though it’s lovely on its own, it plays well with others – here are some yarn and pattern ideas for holding Cumulus together with heavier yarns!

Cumulus + fingering weight:

“Oslo Hat – mohair edition,” by PetiteKnit – stockinette hat
“Anker’s Hat,” by PetiteKnit – segmented ribbed hat
“Pink Fizz,” by Andrea Mowry – cabled pullover
“Balloon Sweater,” by Petiteknit – pullover with balloon sleeves

Cumulus is shown here with Isager Alpaca 2 and Kelbourne Woolens Cricket (above) and Isager Merilin and Kelbourne Woolens Perennial (below).

Cumulus + DK weight:

“Kobuk,” by Caitlin Hunter – bobbled hat
“Honey Glow,” by Tamy Gore – lace and brioche shawl
“Novice Slipover,” by PetiteKnit – stockinette vest
“Ingrid Slipover,” by PetiteKnit – textured vest

Cumulus is shown here with Fibre Co. Acadia and Brooklyn Tweed Arbor (above), and Kelbourne Woolens Scout and Isager Jensen (below).

Cumulus + worsted weight:

“On the C Train,” by Espace Tricot – ribbed beanie
“November Balaclava,” by PetiteKnit – fisherman’s rib balaclava
“Ghostwood Mittens,” by Kiyomi Burgin – stockinette mittens with cable detail
“Cedro,” by Thea Colman – textured pullover

Cumulus is shown here with Malabrigo Rios and Berroco Ultra Alpaca (above), and Brooklyn Tweed Tones and Shelter (below).

We can’t wait to see what other color and yarn combinations you come up with – see you at the shop!