CoopKnits Socks Yeah! Volume One.

Posted by Julia on December 11, 2016

Rachel Coopey’s newest book has been out a few weeks now, and selling quickly here at the shop. We’ve got a stack of copies on the teacart again, so I figured it’s time to give it a proper introduction here on the blog. Let’s take a peek inside CoopKnits Socks Yeah! Volume One.

Coopey is a prolific designer, seeming never to run out of fresh ideas for sock patterns in particular. This collection features patterns for Coopey’s own yarn, CoopKnits Socks Yeah!, and is sure to keep any sock-knitter interested, with techniques from lace and cables to colorwork and stripes.

Coopey combines colors playfully, bringing unexpected colors together to great effect, no doubt enjoying the newly expanded palette of colors in Socks Yeah! – also freshly stocked here at the shop.

Come by the shop to page through this fun new book, and pick up a few skeins of Socks Yeah! for your next pair. Also check out Marsha’s upcoming class on “Coraline,” one of the cutest patterns of the bunch! Head to our Classes page to sign up.

See you at the shop!

Show and tell: for grown-ups.

Posted by Julia on November 23, 2016

I’m back with another round of show-and-tell, this time for the grown-ups among us.

Kellie has been busy crocheting “Artfully Simple Infinity Scarves” with Noro Silk Garden Lite. She reports that the pattern is as easy as its title suggests, but that it’s endlessly entertaining, especially with colorful self-striping yarns like these.

They’re long enough to be worn doubled, as shown above, but short enough to hang around one’s neck simply, as shown below; either way makes an eye-catching accessory.

Margie’s needles are always busy, and she’s so prolific a knitter that these finished projects are already well behind her. Still, they bear sharing: above is her “Inverness Cape,” knit in Berroco Ultra Alpaca, and below is her “Escher Poncho,” knit in Malabrigo Rios, with a bit of Fibre Company Cumbria Worsted around the edge.

And there’s more: here’s Margie’s third “ZickZack Scarf,” knit with Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball and Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace held doubled throughout.

Catherine knit this beautiful “On the Spice Market” with Shibui Staccato, a merino/silk blend that has the perfect drape and luster for this shawl.

She carefully chose colors inspired by those shown in the pattern photo, with a few adjustments to make it her own.

Here’s another Melanie Berg pattern, “Sunwalker,” knit by Emma with the brand new Isager Merilin. This is a shawl that the photo doesn’t do justice, as it’s the texture and hand of the fabric that stood out most to me; shawl-knitters, consider Merilin when fingering weight yarn is called for!

Below is Amy’s “Copenhagen Hood,” a quick cozy accessory knit in Fibre Company Tundra, living temporarily at the shop as a sample for her upcoming class on the subject. There are still spaces in her class, if you’d like to join and knit a hood of your own…sign up on our website!

Joanne knit this “Rise” hat with Shibui Drift and Silk Cloud held together, and was so pleased with it that she came back for more yarn to knit one for her husband. I understand the appeal, seeing how well this came out! I can hardly imagine a softer yarn combination, truly.

Nancy knit this “Flowers of Life” pullover for her husband, using a beautiful palette of Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift in an intricate all-over fair isle pattern. She’s graciously left it at the shop for a few weeks for all to see and admire; come in soon to see this knitted work of art!

Joanne also has some Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift show and tell: a “Beginner’s Fair Isle Cap,” her first-ever colorwork project. With guidance from Nancy, she selected this color combination and arranged the colors within the motif for a unique accesory.

Thanks again to the knitters and crocheters who share their work with us. We feel lucky to play a part in your creative pursuits, and look forward to seeing the projects you plan!

Show and tell: for little ones.

Posted by Julia on November 20, 2016

Time to share some of the exquisite finished projects that crocheters and knitters have made with yarn from our shop! I have a big virtual pile of show-and-tell photos waiting to be seen, and sifting through them, I find that they divide themselves neatly into two categories: those intended for children, and those intended for adults. Let’s start small.

Emily knit the “i heart rainbows hat” above for her daughter, using saturated, playful shades of Cascade 220 Fingering. I love how this came out, it’s just so cheery and sweet!

Julie crocheted this impressive “Dragon Neckwarmer” with Ewe So Sporty, a springy machine-washable merino wool. This is a great example of the tremendous sculptural possibilities of crochet!

Tom knit this cute henley pullover, a pattern from Cheryl Brunette’s Sweater 101. Jarbo Garn Raggi is the machine-washable yarn used here; the blonde wood buttons are a perfect match.

A knitter visiting from Portland (whose name I’m so sorry I didn’t catch!) knit an adorable pumpkin hat in Malabrigo Rios for her granddaughter, who models it in the photo above. She came back to the shop for another color of Rios, something to match her pumpkin hat leftovers. Her granddaughter models the second hat below, looking too-cool in her slouchy striped beanie.

Margie’s been knitting with Rios, too. Below, her granddaughter models the “Seathwaite” hat Margie knit for her in the playful shade of “Glazed Carrot.”

Katherine has been knitting Kate Davies’ “Owlet” sweaters for all of her children, and here’s the smallest one modeling the latest, knit in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran.

Speaking of owls, I have a bit of show-and-tell myself: a parliament of “Owl Puffs,” knit for my niece’s birthday. I used bits and pieces of fingering weight leftovers held double for marled owls, then embroidered their beaks and sewed on felt eyes with safety-eye pupils. They were fast and fun to make; I hope she likes them!

Thanks to the yarn-lovers who begin their projects here at our shop, seeking just the right colors and textures for the garments they envision and then expertly create! We are so inspired by what you make. Keep your eye on the blog for more show and tell soon!

New colors in Baa Ram Ewe Titus.

Posted by Julia on November 2, 2016

Yes, those four new shades in Dovestone DK also came in Titus, Baa Ram Ewe’s signature yarn.

Titus is a fingering weight blend of alpaca, wensleydale, and bluefaced leicester wools, sourced and spun entirely in the UK. We’re proud to have been the first US stockist of the stuff, back in 2012 when it came in just one color. Since then, Titus has been warmly embraced by knitters, crocheters, and weavers all over the world, and the palette has expanded considerably. Here’s just a sliver.

Beyond this group of colors, there are a range of blues, neutrals, pastels, and others. This growing collection of shades makes me think colorwork, my favorite knitting technique. To that end, I’m happy to report that we recently got two new colorwork sweater patterns designed for Titus by Marie Wallin.

Look for even more Titus inspiration on our “Fingering weight” Pinterest board. Come by the shop to see the full selection of Titus, and three shop samples knit with this special stuff to give you a tangible sense of the possibilities!

The Joy of Color.

Posted by Julia on September 29, 2016

An exciting new book is now available at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop: The Joy of Color, by Janine Bajus.

Janine Bajus is a teacher and knitwear designer whose focus is color, especially in stranded colorwork. The Joy of Color is a workshop in a book, demystifying the process of designing a unique fair isle sweater from beginning to end.

Read through The Joy of Color and you’ll learn a bit of history, a bit of technique, terms for describing colors and strategies for combining them. There are amazing book recommendations at the end of each chapter, pointing out lots of great resources for those interested in color theory, fair isle knitting, and design. Bajus also teaches about finding, creating, and arranging colorwork motifs, as well as arranging colors within them.

It’s not a book of patterns, though you’ll see many glorious photos of the garments Bajus’s students have created under her tutelage. More importantly, they each share a bit about the process of creating those garments, from inspiration through swatching to finished sweater.

Look for The Joy of Color on the teacart in the front room, where the newest books and magazines gather to catch your eye and inspire your next project. See you at the shop!

New colors in CoopKnits Socks Yeah!

Posted by Julia on September 27, 2016

Anne and I recently started a Hillsborough Yarn Shop account on Instagram, which means you have another way to keep up with us online if you like. For us, it means we have a new place to browse pretty pictures and find more yarn to order for the shop. It was on Instagram where we first learned that there were new colors to be had in CoopKnits Socks Yeah! We placed an order right away, and I’m happy to report that those pretty new shades have arrived here at the shop!

Developed by avid sock-designer Rachel Coopey, CoopKnits Socks Yeah! is a hard-wearing, machine-washable blend of superwash merino wool and nylon, and it’s put up in 50 gram, 231 yard hanks.

These vibrant new shades are so welcome in the Socks Yeah! palette, which was hungry for higher-contrast combinations. These six shades bring so much to the table: a couple of new dark shades, some bright jewel tones and an unusual pastel.

This newly updated color palette gives us many more options for Coopey’s “Alfrick” socks, a colorwork pattern with a bit of texture on the foot, designed to make a fraternal pair, rather than identical socks. Here are a few ideas!

Remember CoopKnits Socks Yeah! when your fingering weight project requires sharp stitch definition and durability. You’ll find it in the Fingering Weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, in a little treasure box bursting with color. See you there!

Vogue Knitting.

Posted by Julia on September 6, 2016

The Fall 2016 issue of Vogue Knitting is here, in a fresh new size and style!

This issue focuses on colorwork and the fair isle knitting tradition, profiling Shetland designers Hazel Tindall, Mary Jane Mucklestone, and Gudrun Johnson.

The patterns in this issue are inspired by that tradition, along with Vogue’s usual flair for bold fashion.

I spotted a profile of Fibre Company’s newest yarn, Arranmore, a popular new yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop.

Look for Vogue Knitting on the teacart, where the latest books and magazines first land here at the shop. We hope you find inspiration in these pages!

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!

On and off our needles.

Posted by Julia on May 12, 2016

Anne and I are always knitting. I’m sure this comes as no surprise. At home, we work on our own projects – Anne is currently knitting a sweater for her husband, I’m (almost always) knitting a sweater for myself – and here at the shop, we knit on samples that will one day hang on the wall to inspire knitters that come to visit. Within the past two weeks, we’ve both completed shop samples and cast on for new ones.

Anne’s “Nova” tunic is made with Shibui’s newest yarn, Rain, a mercerized cotton so smooth and shiny it could pass for silk.

“Nova” is simply constructed in two pieces, then stitches are picked up for the mandarin collar. Side seams give structure to the drapey fabric that comes with plant fibers like cotton.

The pattern photo shows “Nova” in a silvery gray, but I think it looks particularly elegant in Anne’s signature black. Come by the shop to try it on!

With “Nova” behind her, Anne is now stitching on another pattern from Shibui’s Spring/Summer 2016 collection, a colorblock pullover called “Horizon.”

She’s knitting it in the uncharacteristically bold color combination of “Lime” and “Suit,” holding Linen and Cima together for a lightweight fabric. Each ball of yarn is tucked in a separate plastic bag for the duration of the project: an effective, if not glamorous, method for managing slick, delicate yarns.

My most recently completed project is “Spearmint Tea,” a shawl knit with Cutthroat Yarn Gradient Cotton.

Because this yarn changed color at a different rate than the yarn called for in the pattern, I made a few changes along the way, all noted in my project page on Ravelry, for those curious. Look for the finished piece here at the shop!

My next shop project is a second “Baa-ble Hat,” knit in Plymouth Tweed and Queensland Kathmandu Aran. I like how the colorwork looks in the mottled tweed yarns, and I’ve had fun watching the sheep emerge row by row.

Knit in aran weight yarn, this is a quick project. Come by the shop in the next week, and you’ll likely find it finished! We look forward to seeing what’s on your needles, too – come in for inspiration and to plan your next project.

Show and tell: stripes and colorwork.

Posted by Julia on April 30, 2016

We’re back with another round of show and tell! Here are some of the finished projects we’ve had the good fortune to admire lately, all of whom began as yarn on our shelves. Today, let’s look at projects featuring stripes and colorwork.

Paula knit this “Chevron Baby Blanket” with Berroco Modern Cotton, modifying the pattern a bit to knit at a slightly smaller gauge. She swatched to figure out how wide each pattern repeat would be with her yarn, then added stitches to her cast-on so that her blanket would come out the desired size.

Paula also finished this “wwwww #1” recently, a lined headband by Kate Davies. Paula used Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift for the colorwork exterior, and soft-as-can-be Shibui Maai for the lining. Nicely done, Paula!

Margaretta recently knit Elizabeth Zimmermann’s classic “Baby Surprise Jacket” with Fibre Company Canopy Worsted, and used her leftovers to make a “Boston Whaler” hat. I love her unexpected combination of sage green, steely gray, and bright fuschia, especially with those perfect pink buttons!

Margaretta has also been working on General Hogbuffer’s “Slippery Slope Socks,” using the solid CoopKnits Socks Yeah! and the self-striping Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball. Since I snapped this picture of the first finished sock, she’s completed the pair, and plans to make another with different colors.

Judie’s “Wildheart” shawl was also knit with self-striping yarn, Cutthroat Yarn Gradient BFL. She added a picot bind-off to an otherwise unadorned edge; a little something that I think makes the whole shawl shine.

Thanks to the talented knitters who shared their work with us today, and to all the fiber artists who begin their projects here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. We love seeing what you’re working on!