TNNA, day 3.

Posted by Julia on May 4, 2014

Another day of yarn-ordering is behind us, and we have so many good things coming for the fall! Early in the day, we checked in with Malabrigo.

We also paid a visit to Dream in Color, mulling over their full range of colorways, mixing and matching.

We always love to see what the Fibre Company is cooking up, and this year was no exception.

We also ran into Sandy Blue, who designed the “Autumn Tam” I just finished knitting in Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift. I was so glad to meet her, as it gave me a chance to thank her in person for her amazing pattern and impressive color-sense.

Tomorrow we have a few loose ends to tie up before we hop on a plane and head home. Looking forward to opening the shop again on Tuesday–come in and see us at our regular business hours!

Two new classes.

Posted by Julia on April 25, 2014

Marsha recently brought in two new knit samples, demonstrating techniques and projects she’ll teach in upcoming classes.

The “Waterhouse Mitts” class will teach stranded two-color knitting, following this free pattern from Ravelry. This one was knit with Marion Foale 3-ply Wool and Sandnes Garn Sisu, two fingering weight yarns in high-contrast colors.

Above is the “Loose Lattice Keyhole Scarf,” a Marsha original. Consider the Loose Lattice Lace class a “beginning lace” workshop, where you’ll swatch the Loose Lattice stitch pattern in the yarn of your choice and then knit a scarf with or without a keyhole to the dimensions you desire. This bright summery sample was knit in the aran-weight Debbie Bliss Stella, a blend of silk, rayon, and cotton.

Knitter’s Graph Paper Journal.

Posted by Julia on April 18, 2014

I’m happy to announce that we now stock Knitter’s Graph Paper Journals at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, the perfect notebook to slip into your knitting bag.

These slim, unassuming notebooks are full of knitter’s graph paper, with squares that, like knitted stitches, are wider than they are tall. This makes them ideal for penciling in all manner of knitting charts, from cables and colorwork to lace, intarsia, and texture patterns.

The Knitter’s Graph Paper Journal is made in Oakland, CA, and designed by a knitter, Narangkar Glover. The pages may be blank, but the inside covers are packed with information: a ruler on one edge, a needle inventory, a key for common knitting symbols, a guide to yarn weights and fabric care symbols.

It’s simple and practical, but also beautiful, I think. I bought one the moment we got them in stock, and just having one in my hands makes me eager to sketch some new stitch pattern, or plan a colorwork project. I look forward to filling it with notes, charts, and ideas.

Come by the shop to pick up a Knitter’s Graph Paper Journal for yourself or a friend!

Hello, Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift.

Posted by Julia on April 16, 2014

We’ve long been stockists of Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift, a classic fingering weight 2-ply shetland wool. One of my favorite (and hardest-wearing) sweaters is knit in Shetland Spindrift, in fact. Anne and I were delighted to replenish our supply of the stuff recently, and picked up a couple of new patterns as well.

Shetland wools are somewhat rustic and some people find them a bit prickly, with little fibers sticking out of the yarn. Because of each stitch’s willingness to stick to its neighbor, Shetland Spindrift is ideal for steeking, where knit fabric is cut to make cardigans, armholes, or v-necks. Shetland Spindrift may not be merino-soft, but it’s perfectly suited to fair-isle knitting, and maintains its shape over time through repeated wearings and washings.

Last week, when our Jamieson’s order arrived, I cast on for Sandy Blue’s “Autumn Tam,” a 10-color fair-isle hat that’s not nearly as intimidating as it might first appear. I have been having so much fun knitting this thing, I can hardly tell you. The colorwork charts are just complicated enough that they’re delightfully engaging without being frustrating, and either the foreground or background color changes every couple of rounds. As a result, the fabric in my hands is ever-evolving, and I am quite entertained by every moment spent with this project.

I took this photo a few days after I cast on for the “Autumn Tam,” and my, it has grown since then–come by the shop and you’re likely to find me with my hands full of Shetland Spindrift, eagerly stitching on this hat. See you there!

Mountain Colors boot-topper kits.

Posted by Julia on January 28, 2014

Another collection of knitting kits has arrived from Mountain Colors!

Based in Montana, Mountain Colors is a small yarn company that has been hand-dyeing yarn for almost twenty years. In the past couple of months, we’ve gotten Mountain Colors kits for headbands and colorwork mittens. This latest kit is for fair isle boot toppers.

Come by the shop to see all our kits from Mountain Colors and others!

Back in stock: Ewe Ewe.

Posted by Julia on January 7, 2014

Ewe Ewe Wooly Worsted has become a staple here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, admired for its softness, easy-care, and steadily growing selection of solid colors. Ewe Ewe’s pattern support covers a range of projects, from baby blankets to small accessories to adult sweaters, a variety of garments that show the versatility of this plush yarn. Last week, we received a large box from Ewe Ewe, nearly doubling our inventory of the stuff, and bringing every missing color back to this basket.

Anne and I have used Ewe Ewe Wooly Worsted for two shop samples. Anne made two “Boston Whaler” hats with just two skeins of Wooly Worsted, inverting the colorway for the second hat. The pink-on-indigo version stayed here at the shop, while the indigo-on-pink hat went to her granddaughter, of course.

Now that Ewe Ewe comes in 20 colors, there are plenty more color combinations to play with, which of course is what I found myself doing as Rosi and I unpacked the yarn.

Ewe Ewe has lots of other patterns that call for two colors or more, including the “Easy as ABC Top-Down Raglan Baby Sweater,” the “Layer Cake Cowl,” and the newly released “Fireside Wristlets,” a free pattern for simple ribbed mitts. If you’re not in the market for a baby hat, but you still want to play the Ewe Ewe color-combining game, consider these!

Our second Ewe Ewe Wooly Worsted sample is the “Wearever Wrap,” a colorful triangular shawl that I crocheted in just a few afternoons at the shop. When I saw the sample “Wearever Wrap” at market in June, I knew I’d like to make one for the shop, and selecting six colors was half the fun.

I used an H hook (5 mm), which was smaller than recommended in the pattern, and still it blocked out to a nice, generous size.

Come by the shop to flip through the Ewe Ewe pattern binder, admire Wooly Worsted in all 20 shades, and plan your next project!

Show and tell: scarves, cowls, and colorwork.

Posted by Julia on January 5, 2014

Speaking of show-and-tell: knowing how much we love to see projects made in HYS yarns, so many of you have brought impressive finished pieces by the shop this past month or so. We’ve seen knit sweaters, scarves, and hats, crocheted cowls and shawls, fingerless mitts, stuffed bunnies, and more, many of which were thoughtfully crafted as gifts for friends and family. As usual, I wish I could photograph them all; here are some of the projects you’ve shared with us lately.

Victoria wove this scarf for her son using three different yarns: the fingering weight Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine and Colinette Jitterbug, and the dk weight Sandnes Garn Alpakka. I love the bold color combination and the herringbone pattern.

If you’ve come by the shop lately to see our newest yarns, we’ve likely ushered you into the lace weight corner to admire the Shibui yarns. Where once you’d find my Mix No. 23 cowl hanging near the Shibui patterns, now you’ll find Amy’s, made up in the delightful Shibui Cima. Amy is now teaching a class at the shop on this double-knit cowl, so I’m hoping to see even more Mix No. 23’s in the coming months. (Intrigued by Shibui? There are still a few open spaces in our upcoming Shibui Mix Party—sign up and join us!)

Mary made this “Drop Stitch Cowl” in no time, using 3 balls of the super soft, super bulky Katia Fabula. I always love to see how drop stitch patterns change the way colors fall in variegated yarns, and this cowl is no exception. Mary reports that Fabula became even softer and more pliable after a Eucalan soak. The pattern is available as a free download on Ravelry, and would also look great in Malabrigo Mecha or Mountain Fusion Teton, among others.

Anne recently knit a cowl, too, one which she has worn every day since completing it. And no wonder: it’s made with one skein of the luxurious Fibre Company Canopy Worsted, a blend of alpaca, merino, and bamboo. The pattern is “Cumberland,” available for purchase at the shop as a Ravelry In-Store Pattern Sale. Come by the shop to pick up a skein of Canopy Worsted for your own Cumberland Cowl, and you’ll likely find Anne wearing hers.

Anne has also been hard at work making colorwork vests in preparation for her upcoming Intro. to Fair Isle class. The class project is Onslow’s Vest, a free pattern for a tiny vest, fit for a doll or stuffed bear. Thinking of her grandchildren, Anne substituted the bulky Cascade Eco+, with larger needles to match, and came out with the following.

Of course, with one little girl vest behind her, Anne has begun the first of two little boy vests for her twin grandsons. For those, she’s chosen the soft and springy Swans Island Organic Washable DK–a lighter weight fabric will better serve her boys in these Southern climes.

Thanks again for sharing your projects with us! We so love seeing what you create with yarns from the Hillsborough Yarn Shop.

Cliff Hat.

Posted by Julia on December 4, 2013

Speaking of Shibui, I recently finished a new shop sample with Shibui Pebble: the Cliff Hat.

The Cliff Hat is a slouchy colorwork beanie, a free pattern from Shibui. I used the colors called for in the pattern, colors I might never have thought to put together myself, but which make a beautiful gradient in this easy-to-memorize colorwork motif.

The hat is knit with two strands of Pebble held together throughout, which makes a nice cohesive fabric, soft enough to slouch a bit, but sturdy enough to feel substantial and warm on the head. The two-stranded Pebble swatch I’d knit for the shop is lofty and open by comparison, proof that yarns can be happy at many different gauges; it all depends on what kind of fabric you’re hoping to create.

Come by the shop to see this new Shibui sample, and select colors for a Cliff Hat of your own!

Mountain Colors mitten kits.

Posted by Julia on October 29, 2013

We just got in some new kits from Mountain Colors, the Montana hand-dyers that make Bearfoot. Here are the “X-Country Mitten” kits, with the pattern and yarn needed to make a cozy pair of colorwork mittens.

The yarn inside these kits is the worsted weight Mountain Goat, a lustrous blend of wool and mohair. Each kit has four little skeins of the stuff, three in hand-dyed colorways and one in cream.

The “X-Country Mitten” kits would make a great gift for any knitter, particularly a knitter who’s interested in giving stranded colorwork a try. Come by the shop to pick one up for yourself or a friend!

The newest books.

Posted by Julia on October 6, 2013

Right as you walk into the shop, the first surface that’s likely to catch your eye is covered in books and magazines.

It’s an antique teacart, which also holds our swift and ball-winder. When we refer to “the teacart,” that’s what we’re talking about–the place for the newest knitting and crochet publications. Every week, if not every day, some new book arrives and we make room on the teacart, rearranging things, shelving what’s been out for a few weeks. Lately, we’ve been inundated with new publications, faster than this blog can keep up! Here are some of the latest publications:

Extreme Double Knitting, by Alasdair Post-Quinn
Fair Isle Style: 20 Fresh Designs for a Classic Technique, by Mary Jane Mucklestone
50 Yards of Fun: Knitting Toys from Scrap Yarn, by Rebecca Danger
Knitting in Circles, by Nicky Epstein

Mollie Makes Crochet: 20+ Cute Projects for the Home, Plus Tips and Tricks
Beastly Crochet: 23 Critters to Wear and Love, by Brenda K.B. Anderson

Scarf Style 2: Innovative to Traditional, Fresh Designs to Knit, by Ann Budd
Knitting Architecture: 20 Patterns Exploring Form, Function, and Detail, by Tanis Gray

Come by the shop to peruse these newest books, and our not-so-new books, too! There’s a lot to choose from, and we hope you find inspiration there. See you at the shop!