KnitScene.

Posted by Julia on January 19, 2013

It’s been a new magazine kind of week here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. The latest: Knitscene, Spring 2013. With 70 degree weather last week and snow yesterday morning, the current season is a bit unclear. Spring? Winter? We’re always up for new knitting magazines, though, whatever season it claims to be.

Inside this issue of KnitScene, you’ll find the usual mix of garments and accessories, along with a tutorial on all things i-cord.

I also spotted garments made in Malabrigo Silky Merino and Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, two silk/wool blend yarns that can be found at the shop.

You’ll find KnitScene on the teacart, surrounded by the latest in knitting and crochet magazines and books. See you at the shop!

Hello, Linen Concerto.

Posted by Julia on January 15, 2013

Consider this Part 2 of our most recent shipment from Plymouth: a new yarn called Linen Concerto.

Linen Concerto is a slightly textured dk weight blend of rayon, linen, and cotton. It’s perfect for making lightweight garments–shawls, scarves, tees, and tanks–and for those who are sensitive to animal fibers like wool and alpaca. Linen Concerto is soft to the touch and promises to drape beautifully, as rayon and linen often do. We got it in three neutral colors and two bright multicolors.

Come by the shop to check it out!

Caring for finished garments.

Posted by Julia on January 13, 2013

We are often asked how to care for finished garments. Once you spend your money on good quality yarn and then spend your time crafting something special out of it, it follows that you want to keep it looking and feeling good for as long as possible. Eucalan and Sweater Stones are two products that can help you to do so, and we’ve just replenished our supply of both.

Eucalan is a no-rinse delicate cleanser that is perfect for hand-washing finished knits. It’s enriched with lanolin, which conditions natural fibers, and doesn’t need to be rinsed out, saving time and water. Eucalan comes in five scents: eucalyptus, lavender, grapefruit, unscented, and Wrapture, which is scented with essential oil of jasmine.

All are pleasant-smelling, and eucalyptus and lavender have the added bonus of discouraging moths, especially important for washing woolens. You’ll need only a teaspoon at a time, so a small bottle goes a long way. Myself, I have a large bottle of Lavender Eucalan at the ready for washing hand-knit socks and sweaters.

We also carry these pocket-sized Eucalan wipes, for spot-cleaning when you’re out and about.

The Sweater Stone is a tool for removing pills from finished knits. It’s a rough, brick-shaped, pumice-like stone that removes pills from knitted fabric by rubbing it across the finished piece.

Come by the shop not only to select the fibers you work with, but also to get the tools and information you need to care for your finished pieces. A handmade garment, if carefully washed and stored, should last a long, long time. Washing with Eucalan and de-pilling with a Sweater Stone can help keep your finished pieces clean and neat.

New year, new skills.

Posted by Julia on January 11, 2013

The new year seems to bring renewed interest in learning about knitting and crocheting. We quickly sold out of our most basic “learn to knit” books in December as knitters and knitters-to-be prepared to teach or learn the craft this season. This week, both I Can’t Believe I’m Knitting and I Can’t Believe I’m Crocheting are back in stock, ready with clear instructions and photographs to get you started. If one or the other craft is unfamiliar to you, why not give it a try this year?

Speaking of learning something new, we’ve been busy scheduling new classes for the new year. For the uninitiated, who’ve never held needles or yarn, we have Beginning Knitting, which teaches the basics: knit, purl, cast on, bind off. Want to try a new stitch pattern or knitting technique? Amy’s Beginning Lace will show how to knit from charts, and her Lava Flow Cowl class will teach a provisional cast-on, kitchener stitch, and cables. If you’ve boldly decided to knit your first sweater this year, consider Marsha’s First Sweater class for guidance along the way. There are still a few spaces in Katherine’s Quill class, if you’d like to try your hand at a garter stitch shawl with a lace border. These are only a sampling; there are plenty more classes listed on our website. Check there to read more about our classes and register for them, as well.

What new skills or techniques are you looking forward to learning in the new year?

Vogue Knitting.

Posted by Julia on January 9, 2013

The Winter issue of Vogue Knitting has arrived at the shop.

Within its covers, you’ll find garments featuring plenty of cables, color, and intarsia.

There’s also an article on intarsia technique, to help you knit through the intarsia patterns.

Come by the shop to see the latest Vogue, and to plan your next project!

Volt.

Posted by Julia on January 7, 2013

Next time you come by the shop, keep an eye out for a new knit sample: a completed Volt shawl, lent to us by Nancy, who just finished teaching a class on the subject.

Volt is a chevron-striped shawl framed by attached i-cord. The pattern is from Grace Anna Farrow’s collection, The Fine Line, which is sadly out of print (but still available as an ebook!). The pattern calls for Isager Spinni, a lace weight single ply wool which creates a lightweight but sturdy fabric. Having already worked with Spinni, Nancy wanted to make her Volt in another Isager yarn, the ever popular Alpaca 2. A fingering weight blend of alpaca and merino, Alpaca 2 makes for a slightly heavier shawl with fabulous drape and indulgent softness.

Look for it hanging by the sofa, and consider Volt when you’re seeking an unusual knit shawl pattern. The Fine Line is full of them, all making great use of the Isager color palette. See you at the shop!

From Plymouth.

Posted by Julia on January 6, 2013

A very large box arrived this week from Plymouth, the company that brings us a wide range of yarns from the classic 100% wool Galway to the fluffy Baby Alpaca Grande to self-striping yarns in a variety of fibers. This particular box contained a little bit of everything: a new sample sweater made up in Galway, a couple of bags of Mushishi, some patterns, and a new yarn: Adriafil Knitcol.

Knitcol is a self-patterning superwash merino in worsted weight, perfect for socks, accessories, and baby things. Anne is soon to start a pair of thick socks for her husband in Knitcol; they’re sure to be cozy and handsome in the brown and gray colorway. We were also lent a sample headband made in Knitcol–Calorimetry, a free pattern from Knitty.

We’re always happy to see new uses for Galway, a soft and sturdy standby of a yarn. We’ve seen it used in sweaters, neckwarmers, hats, and countless felting projects. This cropped, short-sleeved cardigan is another great use for Galway; what have you used it for?

Above, you’ll see Mushishi, looking happier with three new colors in its cubby. This self-striping blend of wool and silk comes in huge skeins of almost 500 yards, which can go a long way in worsted weight. One skein of the stuff could grow up to be two scarves or cowls, a small shawl, or at least two hats. Come by the shop to see Mushishi, Knitcol, our newest Galway sample, and the rest of the Plymouth gang. See you there!

New colors in Acadia.

Posted by Julia on January 3, 2013

The Fibre Company’s gorgeous Acadia has become quite popular at the shop. After a month and a half of life here, the Acadia basket was missing two colors, and looking quite sad indeed. When Anne and I reordered those colors, and others we were low on, we figured, why not get a few new colors, as well?

This dk weight blend of merino wool, alpaca, and silk is tweedy-looking and soft to the touch, perfect for scarves, shawls, hats, mitts, and other accessories. I’ve been daydreaming about making a sweater in Acadia–that would be a treat.

Come by the shop to see the new Acadia palette!

2013.

Posted by Julia on January 1, 2013

Another year has passed at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, and it feels like a particularly momentous one. Most of our days were spent in the usual way: we guided knitters and crocheters to the fiber, tools, and texts they sought, talked them through unfamiliar techniques, were wowed again and again by the incredible things they made, the clever ideas they had, and the kindness they showed to us. Along with all of those lovely everyday endeavors, we made some important changes to the shop, striving to always improve. Our website got a fresh new look, with new features like an integrated blog, birthday club, and online payment for classes. At market, we carefully selected a few new yarns to carry from companies whose products and practices we admire. We tried to pick yarns that were unlike anything we already carried, in unfamiliar fibers and unusual textures. Over the course of the fall and winter, as each of our new selections arrived, our hunches were validated–the newest yarns have inspired us tremendously, and have been so warmly received by those who’ve given them a try. We also came back from market with a new idea for the organization of the shop: why not arrange the yarn by gauge, so that yarns of a similar thickness are all in one place? At the beginning of August, we closed the shop for a few days to make that reorganization happen, and we’re so satisfied with the results, and heartened to hear all your positive feedback about our new set-up. Even now, months into it, I smile when I walk into the shop and see the change.

Thank you so much for continuing to support the shop, and for reading this blog, as well. I’m having so much fun taking pictures and writing about all that goes on here, and can’t wait to see what the next year brings. Happy new year, everyone!

Jul shawl pins, closures, and patterns.

Posted by Julia on December 30, 2012

Last week, we received some new shawl pins from Jul, along with some other interesting closures and a few patterns that feature them.

These lightweight resin shawl pins come in a rainbow of colors, brightening up our Jul selection, which otherwise tends toward the wooden and the metallic.

We also got some really unusual leather closures from Jul called French Curves, which screw into the knitted fabric at two points, and can then be fastened or unfastened by twisting the leather. Here, we’ve displayed a French Curve on the Sediment Collar, a neckwarmer made in Plymouth Galway, but it would be equally at home on all manner of shawls, wraps, ponchos, or cardigans.

Come by the shop to see all our Jul offerings, and bring in a completed shawl or wrap so you can select the perfect closure.