Tag Archives: crochet

For crocheters, and crocheters-to-be.

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A big box of books arrived this week: five new titles, each of which offers something different for crocheters. With a nearly-full Beginning Crochet class coming up, these books arrived just in time to inspire all those future crocheters, as well.

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Kristin Omdahl’s The Finer Edge shows a great variety of crocheted edgings and also includes patterns that make use of them.

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We also got four crochet booklets in the Craft Tree series. Those looking for crocheted baby things, accessories, blankets, or amigurumi creatures will find plenty of tempting projects in these collections.

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You’ll find them all on the teacart. See you at the shop!

Knit Simple and Interweave Crochet.

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It was a busy week for magazines; two new issues arrived at the shop, taking their place among the other latest publications on the teacart.

This issue of Knit Simple has a little bit of everything–textured afghans, cold weather accessories for adults and children, a cable tutorial, and a handful of sweater patterns.

Meanwhile, Interweave Crochet offers patterns for crocheted garments and accessories for women and men, from the delicate and sophisticated to the simple and rustic.

Come by the shop to flip through these and other magazines for knitting and crochet inspiration. See you there!

Interweave Crochet Accessories.

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Here’s a new magazine full of crochet patterns for hats, scarves, cowls, mitts, and the like: Interweave Crochet Accessories.

I noticed a lot of interesting crocheted colorwork in this issue, along with a mix of texture patterns and motifs.

Find Interweave Crochet Accessories on the teacart, surrounded by the latest knitting and crochet books and magazines. We hope you find inspiration in these pages!

An abundance of show and tell: part two.

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As promised, here’s another batch of show and tell!

Gail crocheted this beautiful baby dress in Isager Bomuld, a smooth, fingering weight cotton.

Amber made a baby dress, too–this delicate one, knit in Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace.

Margie brought in two beaded scarves to show off, made generously as gifts for two friends. The one on the left is made in Colinette Jitterbug, and the one on the right is made in Malabrigo Sock.

Thanks to everyone for bringing their finished pieces into the shop for show and tell! I’m always amazed by the skillful creations of our knitters and crocheters, and touched to see Hillsborough Yarn Shop yarns in completed garments. Come by the shop anytime to share what you’re working on!

Interweave Crochet, and Lantern Moon hooks.

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The latest issue of Interweave Crochet is here, and pleasantly full of good-looking crocheted sweaters for Fall.

We also replenished our supply of Lantern Moon crochet hooks recently, so you can find most any size hook you may need, made of rosewood or ebony, no less.  Crocheters, come by the shop to begin planning your Fall projects!

Big, big boxes from Isager.

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This summer, we’ve marked the passing weeks in Isager orders. The more frequently we call them to reorder missing colors in Alpaca 2 for the stole, or in Highland for the Fan, the more teasing we get from the other end of the line. Recently our Isager distributor asked Anne, “What do you do with all that yarn? Are you eating it?” Our desire for Isager is a hunger, indeed. Happily, last week brought another shipment.

Hot off the presses: Hat Ladies, by Danish designer Annette Danielsen, uses many Isager yarns to create hats and other small accessories. An excellent way to get your hands on Isager yarns without investing in a sweater’s worth of yarn, or to make use of the Isager odds and ends you may have already collected.

Danielsen, like Marianne Isager herself, often uses two strands of yarn held together to create different gauges, textures, and color combinations. Many patterns in Danielsen’s Hat Ladies call for the lace weight Alpaca 1 to be held together with another fingering weight Isager yarn–either Highland, or Tvinni, both of which we have in more colors than ever before.

Also hot off the presses: No. 11, No. 12, No. 13…, an answer to last year’s No. 1, No. 2, No. 3… Both of these books collect knit and crochet patterns by a group of like-minded Danish designers, all of whom use Isager yarns.

 Find these two new booklets on the teacart, surrounded by the latest books, and ask us where to find whichever Isager yarn you’re seeking. With all these new patterns and new colors in stock, it’s a good time to be plotting an Isager project.

The newest books.

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We’ve had several shipments of books in the past few weeks, filling the teacart with a wide variety of knitting and crochet resources.

There’s something for almost everyone here. The whimsical new book by Norwegian designers Arne and Carlos shows how to design and clothe the Knitted Dolls it’s named for. Woolbur is equally whimsical, a children’s book about a non-conformist sheep. Cast On, Bind Off and Charts Made Simple are excellent resource books offering guidance on essential knitting techniques: casting on, binding off, and reading charts. Beyond the Square: Crochet Motifs and The Beaded Edge 2 give crocheters new ideas for crocheted shapes and edgings. Knitting for Him, Knitting New Mittens and Gloves, and The Sock Report: Vol. 1 are all full of project ideas, perfect for paging through as you consider your next knitting project.

We also got the new French Girl Knits: Accessories, by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes. Hats, wraps, gloves, socks, and more are within. If you like the style, be sure to check out Griffin-Grimes’ French Girl Knits, as well.

Two books by Martin Storey also found their way to the shop–Nordic Knits and Aran Knits, each taking their inspiration from traditional patterns, but designed with contemporary knitters in mind.

And then there’s Knit Red, a collection of patterns in all shades of red to raise awareness for women’s heart health. Each pattern is by a different designer, and the list is long and impressive: Nicky Epstein, Norah Gaughan, Debbie Bliss, Jared Flood, and Ysolda Teague, among many others. Anne has just cast on for this beautiful linen stitch blanket from Knit Red, designed by Michele Orne for Swans Island Organic Merino Fingering yarn.

Come by the shop to browse all our books for inspiration, ideas, and whatever project it is that you decide you must cast on for immediately. We know the feeling!

Crochet Traditions.

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We got another new magazine in at the shop this week.

Crochet Traditions is here, full of interesting articles, photos of intricate crocheted heirlooms, and patterns and techniques to keep your hooks busy.

I was particularly intrigued by an article on tobacco twine crochet, a regional crochet tradition local to North Carolina. According to the article, the Person County Museum of History in Roxboro is home to several incredible crochet pieces made from tobacco twine during the 1930’s. As a lover of fiber arts and a student of Southern history, I was so pleased by the intersection of the two in this article. Come by the shop to get a copy of Crochet Traditions if this is up your alley, too!

 

Interweave Crochet.

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The Summer 2012 issue of Interweave Crochet arrived this past week, followed a few days later by a new book of crocheted blankets, Robyn Chachula’s Unexpected Afghans.

Between these two new publications, there’s sure to be inspiration for most any crocheter. Unexpected Afghans is particularly intriguing, using many varied crochet techniques with lovely results.

Come by the shop to take a closer look at these and other crochet books and magazines!

Noro Knitting Magazine.

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The premiere issue of Noro Knitting Magazine has arrived at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop.

Inside, you’ll find many, many projects that make good use of Noro yarns, which self-stripe in vibrant and often surprising color combinations. These patterns take advantage of those qualities to create all kinds of garments, from dresses, sweaters, and skirts to shawls, hats, and other accessories.

Despite the its title, Noro Knitting Magazine offers crochet patterns as well as knitting patterns.

Come by the shop to take a closer look at Noro yarns and Noro Knitting Magazine!