Summer show and tell.

Posted by Julia on August 24, 2014

It’s time again for show-and-tell! Here are a few of the projects we’ve seen at the shop so far this summer. Summer knitting means something different to every knitter. Some folks put down their needles and hooks all summer long, but others stitch summer garments, sweaters for fall, smaller pieces that travel well, lightweight lace shawls, and more.

Here’s Ruth in her “Mix No. 19,” a color-blocked tunic knit with two strands of Shibui Silk Cloud held together throughout. In black and dark gray, this lustrous, fuzzy yarn makes an elegant garment.

Jorah came by the shop recently with show and tell: a pair of cabled socks he knit with some String Theory Bluestocking in “Java,” a rich brown colorway.

Betty recently completed this “Sonetto Shawl” with Isager Alpaca 2.

Our sample “Sonetto” is made in two colors, but one solid color makes an equally beautiful shawl, especially in such a soft and delightful yarn.

I recently finished my “Sonora,” a Courtney Kelley pattern featured in our recent Fibre Company Summer Sweaters Trunk Show. I used Berroco Maya, and knit a size that gave me about 3″ of negative ease instead of the 2″ of positive ease that the pattern suggests. As a result, it fits me snugly instead of loosely, exactly what I had in mind.

Last weekend, Amy brought in her “Baby Surprise Jacket” knit in Malabrigo Arroyo, a sample for her upcoming class on Elizabeth Zimmermann’s classic pattern. Come by the shop to see it for yourself, and act quickly if you’d like to take one of the last remaining spaces in the class!

Molly has been knitting sweaters for all her grandchildren this summer. Here’s a pair for her granddaughters, modified from a Debbie Bliss pattern so that they could be knit in the round instead of in pieces. She used a variety of DK weight superwash yarns from Sublime and Debbie Bliss, letting her girls choose the colors. I love the results!

Thanks to everyone who starts and completes their projects at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We feel so lucky to be part of your creative process.

Show and tell.

Posted by Julia on May 20, 2014

It’s time again for show-and-tell! We’re fortunate to see many knit and crochet projects come through the shop, and when I’m able, I like to photograph them and share them here on the blog.

René brought in her “Celeste,” a beautiful beaded lace shawl knit in Swans Island Organic Merino Fingering.

René designed, named, and knit this shawl for her sister, and the pattern can be found in Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders.

Jane fell in love with Grace Anna Farrow’s “Twinleaf” shawl at last year’s Fibre Company Trunk Show and recently completed one of her own.

Knit in Fibre Company Meadow, this two-color garter stitch shawl is elegant in its simplicity, decorated with thin stripes and shaped with short-rows. I love Jane’s color-combination: ”Fennel” and “Cornflower.”

Rosi finished her “One-Skein Zigzag Cowl” in Mirasol Nuna, as part of our informal “Zigzag Cowl” Knit-Along. Look for it at the shop in the sport-weight section, alongside my cowl in Ewe So Sporty.

I have a little show and tell, too. A few months ago, I designed and knit this little sweater for my niece, using three shades of Cascade 220 Superwash Sport.

I gathered some of my favorite books to guide me, using Elizabeth Zimmermann’s updated Knitting Workshop for seamless sweater construction, Ann Budd’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters for sizing, and Mary Jane Mucklestone’s 200 Fair Isle Motifs for some of the patterning. I had so much fun making this thing that it almost didn’t matter if it fit her or not–but I am so delighted that it does, and that she likes wearing it!

Thanks to everyone who starts and completes their projects at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We feel so lucky to be part of your creative process.

Knitting Workshop: Updated Edition.

Posted by Julia on January 18, 2014

I’m excited to announce that Schoolhouse Press has updated and rereleased Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop, a book that is very dear to me, as are all things Zimmermann.

This new edition of her classic novice-to-master workshop has been lovingly updated by her daughter, Meg Swansen, and her grandson, Cully Swansen. Zimmermann’s original text and illustrations are intact, but the old black and white photos have been replaced by crisp color photos, and there are more of them. Editors’ notes are sprinkled throughout, chiming in just when clarification is needed, or extra information could help. Perhaps most importantly, some of Zimmermann’s patterns, tacked on in an appendix in the original book, have been updated, with additional sizes and information about gauge and materials used.

So what does Zimmermann teach in her Knitting Workshop? Pick up this book and you’ll learn all kinds of things, including but not limited to: how to wind yarn into a ball, cast on, increase and decrease, measure gauge in the round, work with two colors at once in stranded patterns, design and knit seamless sweaters, and graft live stitches together, among many other tips and techniques. Yes, Knitting Workshop can keep you busy for a good long time.

I’ve written about this on the blog before, but it bears repeating: Elizabeth Zimmerman’s books are some of my favorites because they liberate knitters from patterns, encourage experimentation, and urge you to be the boss of your own knitting. Elizabeth’s percentage system (“EPS”) for designing seamless sweaters in any gauge, along with the chapter in Knitting Workshop on seven seamless shoulder shapings, is largely responsible for my love of sweater knitting, and especially for my willingness to forge ahead rather than let some needles and wool intimidate me.

Nancy is teaching a class on the subject starting in February, working from this updated Knitting Workshop to knit a seamless sweater with the yoke shaping of your choice–read all about it and sign up on our website.

It has been so lovely to revisit Knitting Workshop and to read Elizabeth Zimmermann’s words again, for her voice and sensibility (and sense of humor!) are always a pleasure. I can’t recommend this book highly enough! Come by the shop to page through it, and if it seems like your kind of book, do browse the Elizabeth Zimmermann/Schoolhouse Press shelf, as well–all of Zimmermann’s books are wonderful, and Meg Swansen and Amy Detjen’s Knitting with Two Colors is also a favorite.

See you at the shop!

Bestsellers.

Posted by Julia on April 27, 2013

We don’t actually keep track of which books are “bestsellers” at the shop, but after a while, when we start to ask each other, “How many times have we reordered this one?” it’s clear that a favorite book has surfaced. Our most recent shipment of books was full of these favorites, these bestsellers, if you will. They’re a motley crew, running the gamut from pattern collections to technical resources, stitch dictionaries to children’s stories. These are books that Anne and I frequently recommend because they’re books we love, and use ourselves.

From the top of this stack to the bottom: we’ve offered a handful of classes on Marianne Isager’s Japanese Inspired Knits over the years, and Anne’s bright red Fan sweater made in Colinette Jitterbug has knitters reaching for this book again and again.

The ever-inspiring Stole in Isager Alpaca 2 comes from Wearwithall, a clever little collection of patterns. When people ask me what my favorite sock book is, I always recommend Clara Parkes’ incredible Knitter’s Book of Socks, for the wealth of sock-making information as well as the patterns therein. Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knit One Knit All is a favorite of mine, too–I’ve made a few things out of the book, and spent many hours just admiring her drawings, paintings, and fabulous prose.

I gave my niece a copy of Woolbur for her third birthday, the sweet and funny story of a nonconformist sheep. And that brings us to the very bottom of the pile of books I photographed as I unpacked them–Hannah Fettig’s Knitbot Essentials is there, packed with wearable, simply-styled garments, one of which Anne is currently knitting.

We also got copies of Knitter’s Companion, Cast On Bind Off, and 365 Knitting Stitches a Year back in stock. None of these books beckon knitters with pretty pictures, or garments to make; instead, they are reference books, resources we turn to when we’re unsure about a particular technique, curious about a cast-on, or seeking a stitch pattern. They all happen to be spiral-bound, which also gives an indication of their no-frills user-friendliness.

Come by the shop to browse our bestsellers, and all our other knitting and crochet books, as well. There are so many that we love to use and recommend; what are your favorites?

Back in stock: Malabrigo Rios.

Posted by Julia on April 14, 2013

We’ve been lucky this week: not one, but two boxes came to us from Malabrigo! On Friday I shared the contents of the first box, and today, I’ll share the second, which contained bag after bag of Rios.

Rios is Malabrigo’s worsted weight, superwash merino wool. It seems to be always in demand, whether for hats, sweaters, shawls, or blankets. It’s soft, beautifully hand-dyed, easy to care for, and well-priced for its 210 yard skeins. All of those qualities make it somewhat irresistible; come by to see it in person and see if you’re not tempted.

We’re especially happy to have the Azul Profundo colorway back in stock–the one I used to make Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Chambered Nautilus Tam, a sample that hangs out in the Rios cubby.

This cleverly-constructed hat is always attracting attention, for the gorgeous semisolid color as much as for the design.

Look for Malabrigo Rios in the worsted weight section next time you’re in the shop, and remember it when you’re seeking soft, washable wool. See you at the shop!

Show and tell: blanket, shawl, and sweater.

Posted by Julia on November 24, 2012

The last three show and tell photos I’ve collected at the shop have been large-scale projects, long haul knits whose completion is cause for excitement. That excitement made its way to the shop to be shared with us, and now I’ll pass it along to you.

Betsy has been working on a lace patterned blanket in Jitterbug for some time now; it’s warmed her knees as she knit it. Now it is complete–a feat in this colorful fingering weight yarn.

Ever since our Hanne Falkenberg trunk show, Frances has been knitting away on her Promenade, a shawl kit designed by Falkenberg. At times, she had hundreds of stitches on her needle, more than one circular alone could hold. You can see why she’s thrilled to be done with this incredible piece; it’s a real accomplishment.

Margaretta brought a completed sweater in for show and tell, a New Zealand Pullover made in Swans Island Organic Merino Fingering. The pattern is from Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knit One, Knit All, a collection of designs that make clever use of garter stitch. The New Zealand Pullover is no exception, a simple sweater full of smart details: short row shaping, underarm gussets, phony seams, etc.

Thanks to all for the impressive show and tell!

Schoolhouse Press.

Posted by Julia on October 22, 2011

I have a lot of favorite things in the shop. From time to time, some unsuspecting customer will ask me what my favorite yarn is, and the answer they get is lengthy, a handful of yarns at least, and only represents my favorites of that particular moment. We have so many yarns that I love to knit with, and so many more that I’m aching to work with but have not yet gotten to. The same can be said for books, though I am slightly more focused in that department. I keep my knitting library relatively small, favoring reference types over project-based books, usually. When I look at my own collection, it closely mimics one shelf at the shop in particular: the Schoolhouse Press and Elizabeth Zimmermann shelf.

We devote a shelf to Schoolhouse Press publications partially for organizational reasons, but primarily to honor the output of a particularly outstanding book publisher. Schoolhouse Press was founded by knitting heroine Elizabeth Zimmermann in the mid 1950’s and is now run by Zimmermann’s daughter, Meg Swansen. The Schoolhouse Press shelf is my favorite for a reason: the books that are found there are stuffed with information that liberates knitters from patterns, encourages experimentation, and urges you to be the boss of your own knitting.

And now, we’ve collected all our single patterns from Schoolhouse Press into one binder. Zimmermann’s classic Baby Surprise Jacket can be found there, along with the updated version: the Adult, Baby, and Child Surprise Jacket, and others–the Tomten, the Green Sweater, and now, the Square-Rigged Vest. There have been several developments, you see, since last we spoke of my Square-Rigged Vest. Anne insisted that it become a class, and I agreed to teach it. (It’s half-filled, so if you’re interested, register now!) A phone call to Schoolhouse Press solved the problem of the pattern being out of print–they kindly reprinted it for us, which is why you’ll now find it in the Schoolhouse Press pattern binder. With every new publication, and kindnesses such as these, Schoolhouse Press gives us another reason to appreciate and admire them. Come by the shop to join us in our admiration, and I’ll gladly point you towards my favorite shelf in the shop.

Finished.

Posted by Julia on May 28, 2011

You can now find my finished Chambered Nautilus Tam on the teacart, draped over the book that inspired and instructed me to make it. I’m so pleased with it! The spiral construction was fascinating, the yarn was soft and pleasant, and the result is quite fetching. Anne’s mother wears it well:

We’re thinking that the Chambered Nautilus Tam would make a good class. What do you think? If you’re interested in such a thing, get in touch with us and let us know.

Nautilus tam.

Posted by Julia on May 25, 2011

Last week, we got our biggest shipment of Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knit One, Knit All, the shipment that is sure to keep the book safely in stock. We also got two giant boxes of Malabrigo. Anne noticed that we didn’t have a swatch of the Malabrigo Rios, and as I got to work winding a skein, she put the two together. Why not knit a hat from the new EZ book as our Rios sample?

It’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it.

I cast on for the cover project, the Chambered Nautilus Tam, in a dark blue-green colorway of Rios called Azul Profundo. If you’ve seen me at the shop lately, this is what I’ve been working on, stopping every so often to lay it flat on my lap, petting the squishy garter-stitch-and-icord fabric, admiring the spiral construction, the way the shifting shades of teal are evenly distributed due to the short rows. This is such a fun knit. In the first seven stitches, I had already learned something new: a built-in icord edging. It is such a pleasure to cast on for a new Elizabeth Zimmermann project, and to daydream about what I will knit next from the book.

So tell me, dear readers, if you’re out there: what are you knitting lately? And if Knit One, Knit All has caught your eye, which patterns have you itching to cast on?

Knit One, Knit All.

Posted by Julia on May 14, 2011

It’s here.

We’ve been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this new Elizabeth Zimmermann collection at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, and today was the day. First there was excitement, then there was quiet. Anne and I each sat down with a copy and slowly paged through, admiring the inventiveness of the patterns. Vests, jackets, hats, gloves, socks, baby things, even a contribution from our good friend Nancy, who knit one of the sweaters photographed for the book. We couldn’t believe just how many patterns there were in the book, how many new sweater-construction ideas to ponder, and projects to pursue.

Elizabeth Zimmermann is my hero, completely. To explain my admiration for her and her work would take more than one blog post. For now I’ll say this: if you are a Zimmermann completist, you’ll be needing a copy of this book and it will take no convincing on my part. To those of you are not (yet) so devoted, give Knit One, Knit All a thorough paging-through and you’ll be amazed at what Elizabeth Zimmermann can do with good old garter stitch.

*** Edited 5/18/11 to add: All right, everybody, we’ve got Knit One, Knit All in stock again! Plenty of copies this time, so there’s no chance of running out. See you soon, Zimmermann enthusiasts! ***