Tag Archives: gift ideas

Back in stock: Wool Trees.

Posted by on

We’re so happy to see a little forest of Wool Trees back on our shelves! These elegant yarn-ball controllers are handcrafted in California from maple, walnut, and sapele.

DSCN3586DSCN3585

Wool Tree Mill makes a few variations on its original Wool Tree, as well. Here’s the tray model, with storage for your stitch markers, cable needle, point protectors, measuring tape–whatever bits and pieces sit beside you as you stitch. (Shown with a delicious skein of String Theory Caper Sock, sold separately.)

DSCN3583

We also stock other products from Wool Tree Mill, including drop spindles and lucets. We’re happy to special-order Wool Tree Mill products that we don’t regularly stock, like the Wool Tree Double, with two spindles: perfect for two-color knitting. Come by the shop to see our selection of Wool Trees and other notions!

Needle cases from Della Q and Namaste.

Posted by on

We just got shipments from Della Q and Namaste full of colorful cases to help you make sense of your knitting needles. As knitters, our needle collections are ever-expanding and in need of some order, a need that these cases answer in style. A bonus: get your needles organized, and you’re far less likely to accidentally buy duplicates!

DSCN3563

We have tri-fold circular needle cases and double-pointed circular cases in Della Q’s new natural color, among others.

DSCN3564

For those with really huge circular needle collections, there’s The Que Grand Circular Needle Case, hand-crafted from lustrous silk.

DSCN3565Each pocket is labeled by US size and millimeter, making it easy to find exactly the needle you’re looking for.

DSCN3568

For another take on circular needle cases, we turn to Namaste, whose needle storage takes an accordion-style shape.

DSCN3576

While the Della Q cases come labeled, the Namaste circular needle cases have tabs you can label yourself. This can be handy if your needle collection leans more heavily on larger sizes than small, or vice versa. After all, if you don’t own US 17’s and don’t plan on ever acquiring them, you don’t need a space for them in your needle case.

DSCN3578

Like Della Q, Namaste has also engineered a bigger case for bigger needle collections; meet the Namaste Double Wide, shown here with a matching Monroe bag. We’re down to just one of these already, though we’re happy to order one for you should it disappear from our shelves before you get to it.

DSCN3573

These make great gifts for yourself or fellow knitters, so remember them when gift-giving occasions arise. Come by the shop to see all the new needle cases and other organizational tools from Della Q and Namaste!

Interweave Knits Gifts.

Posted by on

The latest Gifts issue from Interweave Knits is here, which means it’s time to start planning holiday gift-knitting if you haven’t already.

DSCN3481

This issue of Gifts is packed full of projects, and a wide variety at that. Knitted ornaments, cold-weather accessories and garments for children and adults, cozies for smartphones, tablets, and wine bottles… look to this issue for all kinds of gift-knitting inspiration.

DSCN3475

DSCN3480

DSCN3476

I spotted some of our favorite yarns in this issue, too: here’s a cowl in Fibre Company Acadia, and a cozy scarf in Shibui Pebble.

DSCN3479 DSCN3478

Come by the shop to snag a copy of Interweave Knits Gifts and plan your holiday gift-knitting, whatever form it takes!

DSCN3473

Mountain Colors headband kits.

Posted by on

A knit or crocheted headband is a practical accessory, but not one that we see tons of patterns for; hats are far more common. For those with cold ears and ponytails, however, headbands are far superior to hats, and much more likely to be worn. From Mountain Colors: a headband kit that knits up quickly, using super bulky yarn.

DSCN2426

There are four headband patterns included in each kit, and enough yarn to make one headband.

DSCN2427

The yarn is Mountain Colors Bozeman, a thick-and-thin variegated wool that knits at about 2 stitches per inch on US #15 needles. We ordered 10 colors, from mossy greens and rich blues to warm reds and browns.

DSCN2429

DSCN2430

Treat yourself to a Mountain Colors headband kit, and remember them when you’re seeking a knitterly gift, as well. See you at the shop!

Holiday gifts.

Posted by on

The holiday shopping season is upon us! Those of you shopping for special gifts for knitters and crocheters may find yourself at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, seeking goodies for the fiber-lovers you love. Yarn is always welcome, of course, but it can be hard to choose yarn for someone else, especially if you’re not sure what they’ll make with it, or what needles they might have, or what colors and textures will most appeal to them. What else might make a good gift?

DSCN2272

These yarn-ball controllers are great gifts for most any stitcher. The Wool Tree holds your yarn on a spindle while you work with it, keeping it from rolling out of your lap and onto the floor. These silk yarn-out boxes from Lantern Moon do the same thing, keeping your yarn safe and sound in a soft fabric cube as you work.

DSCN2273

Knitters and crocheters may also appreciate a new bag, especially one from Namaste with plenty of pockets for housing projects and notions.

DSCN1774

We have two styles of Namaste bags in stock at the moment: Monroe and Harlow. We also have some Buddy Cases, Skinny Mini notions pouches, and Circular Needle Cases–all good gifts.

DSCN2305

If you truly want to spoil a knitter, consider a set of interchangeable circular needles. We have several kinds from Addi and several from Knitter’s Pride. Addi also makes a set of interchangeable crochet hooks, designed to be used with Addi Click cords to make long hooks for Tunisian crochet. Come by the shop to see all the choices!

DSCN1815

There are plenty of other potential gifts lurking here, as well: inspiring books, patterns and yarn packed up into kits, and of course, gift certificates in any denomination. Come see us on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, or any day we’re open; you’ll find our holiday hours on the main page of our website. We so appreciate you considering our shop as a gift source!

New from Baa Ram Ewe.

Posted by on

Our newest yarn, Baa Ram Ewe’s Titus, has received the warmest of welcomes from Hillsborough Yarn Shoppers over the past few weeks. A warm welcome is well deserved, in our opinion; Titus is a special yarn indeed, a fingering weight blend of wool from Wensleydale and Bluefaced Leicester sheep, along with a bit of alpaca, undyed and sourced entirely from the UK. We’re pleased to announce a few new offerings from Baa Ram Ewe, perfectly timed for last minute holiday gift shopping.

DSCN0895

 

First up: Born and Bred, a collection of patterns by designer Ann Kingstone for Baa Ram Ewe. All of the patterns feature yarn from Yorkshire sheep breeds, and a bit of information about each breed is included in the book, making this a mighty tempting collection for sheep and wool enthusiasts. This fetching hat and fingerless mitt set is made with Titus.

DSCN0897

 

Also, by happenstance, we came into a small selection of kits from Baa Ram Ewe, which includes patterns and yarn to create the Ilkley Moor hat or Baht’at mitts.

DSCN0898

We also have one kit to make a cabled felted bag with a heavier weight Yorkshire wool from Baa Ram Ewe.

DSCN0899

Come by the shop to see these latest goodies from Baa Ram Ewe, and check out Titus if you haven’t yet!

HYS circular needle cases.

Posted by on

We’re glad to have these Hillsborough Yarn Shop circular needle cases back in stock for the first time in at least a year.

This sturdy canvas case opens up to reveal a series of ziploc-style sleeves which will happily house your circular needles and other notions.

Come by the shop to check them out; they’d make a fabulous gift for a knitter this holiday season.

Knitter’s Pride interchangeable circular needles.

Posted by on

Interchangeable circular needle sets are no doubt topping many a knitter’s wish list this season. Their appeal can be traced not only to their convenience and compactness, but also to a kind of cuteness: pairs of needle points are lined up in a little case, with a pocket for cords of different lengths. The Knitter’s Pride Dreamz interchangeable needle set is even more appealing due to the fact that each needle size is a different color, which makes it easy to find a matching pair of points.

They’re pretty things, these needles. Put them on your own wish list, and remember that we also have interchangeable circular needle sets from Addi and Lantern Moon, along with all kinds of other desirable knitterly gifts. See you at the shop!

Goknit project bags.

Posted by on

We replenished our supply of Goknit project bags this week at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. These colorful, lightweight drawstring bags have been favorites for both practical and aesthetic purposes. They look so appealing all together, in fact, that we put them right up on the wall.

We have two sizes available, the better to accommodate the range of projects that we knitters and crocheters tote around. The smaller Goknit pouch is just right for a hat or a pair of socks, and the larger will comfortably hold sweaters-to-be.

Either of these bags would make a nice gift for a knitter, as the need for places to store works in progress is unending. Paired, perhaps, with a gift certificate to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, I can think of no more welcome present this holiday season.

Come by the shop to pick up a Goknit project bag for a friend or for yourself.