Show and tell: Hitofude.

Posted by Julia on May 22, 2018

Amy has now taught her “Hitofude” cardigan class three times at our shop, and has just begun a fourth. With an unusual construction and a repetitive lace motif, Hiroko Fukatsu’s “Hitofude” is a gracefully draped garment that many knitters have been drawn to. So far, we’ve seen five finished garments come out of these classes, and I can’t wait to share them with you!

Above is Amy’s own “Hitofude,” knit with Shibui Staccato. The combination of silk and superwash merino means drape and shine, both of which bring elegance to this piece.

Many of Amy’s students chose Staccato for their “Hitofude” cardigans; here’s Jane in hers.

Jane lengthened the sleeves and the body of the sweater for exactly the fit she wanted, and it came out just right.

Margie made similar modifications, but used Fibre Company Cumbria Fingering, a wool/mohair blend with more structure and less drape than Staccato. It makes a more substantial garment appropriate for fall and winter, and Margie is happy with the results.

Pam used Madeline Tosh Merino Light for her sweater, which looks springy and playful in a tonally variegated chartreuse. It’s not a yarn we carry at the shop, but Malabrigo Mechita is similar – a hand-dyed, single ply, superwash merino.

This group photo shows Linda, second from the left, in her “Hitofude,” knit with Shibui Staccato. She kept the original sleeve and body length of the pattern for a slightly cropped silhouette. It’s amazing what an impact these slight differences can have from one garment to the next, even with the same pattern – we love seeing knitters in self-made sweaters that reflect their preferences and show off their skills!

Thanks to these knitters for sharing their work with us, and especially for participating in classes here at the shop. We feel so lucky to have such talented teachers on our team, and students who are excited to learn more about their craft. I’m so looking forward to seeing more “Hitofude” cardigans as they’re completed!

Brooklyn Tweed Trunk Show: Fall 17.

Posted by Julia on April 22, 2018

A Brooklyn Tweed Trunk Show has made a temporary home here at the shop. It’s such a treat to see these designs in person after admiring them online!

These garments and accessories make up Brooklyn Tweed’s Fall 17 pattern collection, a group of designs rich with texture.

As ever, I’m especially drawn to the colorwork patterns – Gudrun Johnston’s “Voe” pullover, Julie Hoover’s “Sommers” cap, and Jared Flood’s “Galloway” cardigan. This last showstopping piece is the subject of Amy’s upcoming class here at the shop – just a couple of spaces left, so sign up right away if you’d like to attend!

All of Brooklyn Tweed’s core yarns are represented: the lace weight Vale, fingering weight Loft, DK weight Arbor, worsted weight Shelter, and bulky weight Quarry.

All of these yarns are 10% off while the Trunk Show is on display – from now until Sunday, May 6th.

See you at the shop!

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

Show and tell: colorwork sweaters.

Posted by Julia on April 15, 2018

Two blog posts full of colorwork knitting just aren’t enough – here’s a third, with a focus on sweaters.

Here Margie models her “Townes” pullover, knit with a clever combination of speckled Malabrigo Mechita and a few solid and heathered shades of Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift.

Emily’s first adult-sized colorwork sweater is a perfect fit and features a beautiful, distinctive color combination – the pattern is tincanknits’ “Dog Star,” and the yarn is the unbeatable Brooklyn Tweed Arbor.

Kate has just finished a “Dog Star,” too, on a smaller scale for her daughter. For this one, she’s used Fibre Co. Arranmore Light, but she has another in the works in Arbor – can’t wait to see that one, too!

From left to right, here are Claire, Tom, Jayne, Barbara, Barbara, and Amy, all in their “St. Brendan” pullovers knit during Amy’s class on the subject. It’s so fun to see all these different color combinations together, not to mention all these happy knitters sporting their own handiwork!

Thanks so much to the knitters pictured above, and to everyone who’s ever taught or taken a class here, or started a project with a trip to our shop – we’re so grateful for all of you! It’s our community that makes our shop special. See you there!

Show and tell: Barrington Vests.

Posted by Julia on January 21, 2018

Last year, Amy taught two classes here at the shop on Jared Flood’s “Barrington Vest,” a colorwork garment that appeared in our first-ever Brooklyn Tweed trunk show. With an all-over honeycomb pattern, tailored fit, and steeked neck and arm openings, “Barrington” is a complex knit that presents plenty of opportunities for learning. So far, we’ve seen four finished garments come out of these classes, and I can’t wait to share them with you!

No surprise, Amy finished her “Barrington Vest” first – instructors always get a head start on the projects they teach. She used Brooklyn Tweed Loft in Almanac and Snowbound, a rich blue and pale gray, a high contrast combination.

Ruth also opted for a high contrast combination of Loft in Old World and Woodsmoke, a deep purpley blue and a light oatmeal. I was delighted to see her wearing her “Barrington Vest” at the shop a couple of weeks ago; there is something so satisfying about wearing one’s own handiwork!

Iva chose a somewhat more subtle pair of colors, Loft in Sweatshirt and Fossil.

These two shades, a medium heathered gray and a warm ivory, have just as much contrast as Amy and Ruth’s color combinations, but the effect is somehow a little softer to my eye – one of those little knitting mysteries I haven’t the color theory background to solve.

Linda knit her “Barrington Vest” in Artifact and Woodsmoke, the same colors shown in the pattern photo. She brought it in to show us on a busy Saturday at the shop, and when I cleared a surface to photograph it, other knitters gathered around it in admiration. Yarn shoppers are perhaps the best audience for show and tell!

Show and tell: lace.

Posted by Julia on July 18, 2017

We always love to see what you’re making with HYS yarns, and I love to take photos of your finished pieces to share here on the blog. Sifting through the many delightful show-and-tell photos I’ve accumulated, I noticed a group of projects with a technique in common: lace.

Margaretta has a fondness for lace-knitting, and has completed two lace shawls recently. The one above is “Arlington,” by Emily Ross, knit with Shibui Staccato.

The pattern is easy to modify for the stockinette-to-lace ratio of your choosing, and Margaretta opted for a lace-heavy version, with stunning results.

Above is Margaretta’s most recent finished piece, “Your Ice Cream Shawl,” knit with the new and exciting Brooklyn Tweed Vale.

Two of our teachers have been working with lace, too. Below is Amy’s “Stone Point” poncho, knit with the Fibre Company’s new yarn, Luma. She’s in the midst of teaching a class on the subject, so we expect to see more “Stone Point” ponchos in the coming months, knit by her students! In the meantime, look for this one on display here at the shop.

Robin has a lace class coming up this fall, featuring Lisa Hannes’ “Laurelie,” a two-color shawl with lace and mosaic motifs.

Her “Laurelie” is made with Plymouth Happy Feet and Isager Merilin, a marriage of two yarns alike in gauge, but different in fiber content. They play well together in the finished piece; look for it on the wall here at the shop, and head to our Classes page to sign up for the class!

Itching to start a lace project of your own? Brooklyn Tweed is hosting a Summer of Lace Knit-Along, and their blog is full of helpful hints and project ideas. I know some of you are participating, and look forward to seeing your finished pieces!

Thanks to the knitters who shared their work on the blog today. We love seeing what you’re working on, and can’t wait to see what you come up with next. See you at the shop!

Show and tell: sweaters.

Posted by Julia on May 3, 2017

“What are you thinking about making?” If you’ve visited our shop, you’ve likely been asked this question by myself, Anne, Rosi, or whoever else may be helping out that day. We ask this not just to help connect you with the right yarn, pattern, or tools, but also because we’re genuinely interested. We love hearing your ideas and helping realize them, and even more, we love seeing them realized in a finished product. When I’m able, I photograph these finished projects and share them here on the blog. Here are some of the sweaters our community of knitters have recently completed!

Here Tom models his “Basic Men’s Pullover,” his first-ever sweater for himself. With guidance from Marsha’s Start Your First Sweater class here at the shop, Tom made this perfectly-fitting sweater using Swans Island All American Worsted. This kind of sweater success can only mean more sweaters – I can’t wait to see what Tom knits next!

Katherine has been knitting Kate Davies’ “Owlet” sweaters for each of her children. She brought the latest in some weeks ago for button selection, and I couldn’t resist snapping a picture, even though it’s not technically finished. This one was knit with Malabrigo Rios held doubled for a bulky gauge and the bonus feature of not having to alternate skeins.

Here’s another little sweater, a top-down cabled baby cardigan that you may have seen on display here at the shop. Robin knit it with Rowan Pure Wool Worsted in preparation for her upcoming class on the subject – a good opportunity to get an introduction to top-down sweater-knitting on a small scale. Read more about the class on our Classes page, where you can sign up, too!

Sue is passionate about sweater-making, as we’ve seen on previous show-and-tell posts, so you might not be surprised to learn that she’s visited us with no less than four finished sweaters in the past couple of months. She made the sweater above with Mirasol Hacho out of our sale trunk, then embellished it with bits and pieces from her stash. The pattern is from Anna Zillboorg’s inspiring Splendid Apparel, a book of embroidered knits.

Sue is also interested in variations, and how a single pattern may differ from garment to garment by changing the fiber or color. Above is Sue’s “Equinox,” knit with Shibui Linen. Below is “Equinox” again, this time with Shibui Twig.

This last one is a bit of a mystery, a textured short-sleeved cardigan Sue knit with a now-discontinued yarn called Rock Cotton from our shop’s early days. She wasn’t sure the source of the pattern, and though I’ve scoured Ravelry, I haven’t turned it up – still and all, it’s a great-looking knit that Sue loves to wear, and that is exactly what we hope for all sweater-knitters!

Thanks to all who begin their projects with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! Keep an eye out for more show and tell here on the blog in the coming weeks.

Crete.

Posted by Julia on April 24, 2017

Anne recently completed her “Crete,” a beautiful warm-weather accessory you’ll find hanging on our wall here at the shop.

“Crete” is worked with two yarns: Shibui Twig, a sport weight blend of linen, recycled silk, and wool, and the brand new Shibui Lunar, a lace weight blend of merino and silk.

This stockinette bias scarf begins and ends with Twig, and uses Lunar and Twig together during the body of the piece for a bit of transparency on either end. It’s this kind of simple-yet-clever detail that we’ve come to expect from Shibui, along with elegance.

Before blocking, however, the fabric is far from elegant; stockinette naturally wants to curl, and it needs a good blocking to become the smooth, gently draping fabric shown in the pattern photo.

Don’t be disappointed when your “Crete” comes off the needles looking like this, just give it a nice bath with some room-temperature water and Eucalan, then put your blocking wires to work. That’s what Anne did, with wondrous results.

Choose matching shades of Twig and Lunar for a subtle, sophisticated fabric.

Or, chose similar, low-contrast color combinations for a different effect – a subtly marled fabric with solid-yet-sheer ends.

This pattern is the subject of Shibui’s current knit-along, and is free when you purchase Shibui yarns for the project. We’re also offering a class on “Crete,” for new knitters who want help learning to increase, decrease, work with two strands of yarn together, and practice pattern reading. Head to our Classes page to read more about it and sign up, if you like!

Show and tell: accessories.

Posted by Julia on October 9, 2016

It’s been less than a month since my last “show and tell” blog post, but already there’s so much to share. Here are some of the finished projects that started life as yarn on our shelves!

Above is the “Rise” hat, knit by Robin, who is teaching an upcoming class on the subject here at the shop. She made it with two yarns held together throughout: Shibui’s newest yarn, Drift, and their classic Silk Cloud. This pattern is free with the purchase of Shibui yarns for the project, and features cozy cables and a tidy tubular cast-on.

Below is Robin’s “Rise” cowl, knit with Fibre Company Canopy Worsted and Shibui Silk Cloud held together throughout, an equally luxurious yarn combination for the project.

Here’s the subject of another upcoming class, Marsha’s “Super Fast Mittens,” a pattern she’s made available for sale here at the shop. Made with Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande, they’re quick and cozy, designed with ease of knitting in mind. Join the class for an introduction to double-pointed needles!

Peggy brought two finished accessories in for show and tell; above is her “Basket Whip” cowl, knit in the (sadly discontinued) Fibre Company Savannah, and below is her “Holden” shawl, knit in Geilsk Cotton/Wool. Both yarns are well-balanced blends of plant and animal fibers, lightweight from fibers like linen and cotton, but plush from merino wool.

Ruth knit this “Rhys” scarf in Fibre Company Knightsbridge, a fuzzy heathered blend of llama, merino, and silk. It’s a handsome piece, decorated with cables and texture patterns, and the yarn is so well-suited to a next-to-skin accessory.

Petra has been on a Steve Rousseau kick, knitting and crocheting several of his intricate shawls in a row. Her latest is this “Dimitri Rectangular Shawl,” knit in the lightweight, tweedy Shibui Pebble.

Thanks to everyone who shares their creations with us, those who gamely submit to my photography as well as those who’d rather not. We love seeing what you’re working on, and the pleasure and satisfaction that you derive from your finished projects.

See you at the shop!

Show and tell: critters.

Posted by Julia on July 23, 2016

Time for another round of show and tell! Here are some finished projects that started life as yarns on our shelves. These knitted things have something else in common, as well: they all feature animals!

Amy designed and knit this “Baby Turtle Frenzy Blanket” for her granddaughter-to-be using Ewe Ewe Wooly Worsted. It shows sea turtle hatchlings on their journey from the sandy beach through the breakers to the deep blue sea. She wrote a separate pattern for the tiny turtles themselves; get them together at a discounted price on Ravelry or here at the shop.

Amy’s also offering a Tiny Turtle class here at the shop, for those interested in knitted toys–head to our Classes page to sign up!

Ali came by the shop not long ago with two knitted critters. Above are her “Moose and the World’s Tree” mittens, from Annemor Sundbø’s Norwegian Mittens and Gloves, knit in Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift. Below is her “Hedgehog,” whose belly and face is also made of Shetland Spindrift, with garter stitch spines in Plymouth Galway held double.

I, too, knit a hedgehog from this pattern a couple of years ago, and loved the process as much as the end product. Seeing this one made me want to knit another!

We can’t talk about knitted critters without mentioning the “Baa-ble Hat,” a free pattern with well over 5,000 projects on Ravelry in the year and a half since it was first published. The “Baa-ble Hat” above is my second, and may not be my last. I used bright shades of Plymouth Tweed and Queensland Kathmandu Aran for this one, and love the way the colorwork looks in these speckled yarns.

Amy just finished teaching an introductory class on stranded colorwork featuring the “Baa-ble Hat,” and the hat above was knit by one of her students, Clarine. She used Jamieson’s Shetland Heather Aran for three out of the four shades, knitting the soft green grass with Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed.

Sarah was one of Amy’s students, too; she knit her hat in Malabrigo Rios, and left the shop after class with yarn for another “Baa-ble Hat.” It’s a pleasing little pattern, and a great way to try stranded colorwork for the first time. Amy’s offering another class on the subject in October–sign up now if you’d like to join!

Thanks to all those who share their work with us here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. We are inspired by your great ideas, and love to see them take shape!

Show and tell: summer shawls, part two.

Posted by Julia on July 9, 2016

Time for a second round of summer shawl show and tell! Here are some colorful shawls that started life as yarns on our shelves.

This one is a work in progress, a shawl-to-be on Amy’s needles as she prepares to teach a class on the subject. The pattern is “Dreambird KAL,” and Amy is knitting it with Shibui Staccato in the background, the solid black setting off the self-striping Kauni Effektgarn to great effect.

Catherine came in recently with this beautiful “Chevron 15” shawl, knit in two shades of Isager Alpaca 2.

The fabric is soft and light, and the surprising combination of bold chartreuse and soft teal works so well. Catherine has knit many shawls with this alpaca/merino blend, coming back to it again and again, a high form of praise in a world full of lovely yarns.

Loretta started this “Quill” in a class here at the shop, working with the sport weight Berroco Ultra Alpaca Lite.

This 5 color shawl is large enough to be considered a blanket, and looks cozy and classic in neutral shades, punctuated by a nice deep red.

Thanks to the many knitters, crocheters, weavers, and other fiber artists who use yarns from our shop in their creations; we love seeing what you make. More show and tell to come!