Tag Archives: gudrun johnston

On our needles.

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What’s in Anne’s Plystre Project Pouch, besides a Baby Baggu?

A grandson-sized “Atlas (For Kids),” knit with Brooklyn Tweed Loft!

I love the color combination she chose – Flannel for the main color, Snowbound and Old World for the contrast colors.

Many of you know that Anne never limits herself to one project at a time. So what else is on her needles right now? Let’s take a look!

Anne’s “Calla” tank is growing, stripe by stripe. You can see how Anne keeps unruly plant fiber yarns in check, by hand-winding them into tight balls and storing them in ziplock bags as she knits.

Designed by Shellie Anderson for Shibui Koan, this is shaping up to be a lovely, lightweight summer garment.

Anne is almost done with another Shellie Anderson design, “Cather,” an elegant pullover in Shibui Echo. As she set in the first sleeve the other afternoon, she remarked on cocoknits Claw Clips – “I don’t know how I ever seamed without them!”

Another work in progress from Anne’s collection is this “Rainy Day Hat,” designed by Melanie Berg for her Balayage yarn. It’s a super-soft fingering weight blend of merino and alpaca, a treat for the hands.

I confess, I’m not quite as prolific as Anne, and my projects are coming along more slowly! Above is my “Kirigami,” designed by Gudrun Johnston and knit with Brooklyn Tweed Arbor. I’ve been savoring this project for some months now, enjoying the simplicity of stockinette and the elasticity of Arbor, one of my very favorite yarns.

I’m about halfway through Churchmouse’s “Vineyard Cowl,” knit with one skein of Baa Ram Ewe Winterburn DK. It’s an easily-memorized stitch pattern, and a soothing knit in this wonderfully wooly yarn, shown here on another of my works-in-progress – a quilt I’ve been slowly stitching.

There’s a lot we miss about being “open” in the usual sense, but one of the main things is seeing what everyone is working on! What’s on your needles? Share in the comments, or post photos on Instagram, tagged #hillsboroughyarnshop – we can’t wait to hear from you!

Sale of the Week, Virtual Trunk Show: Brooklyn Tweed Fall 2019!

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Though we’re keeping our doors closed during May, we’re still virtually open for mail orders, and we want to offer something fun during this uncertain time. Throughout May, we’ll have a special sale each week – 15% off a featured yarn, our Sale of the Week!

Another trunk show has arrived from Brooklyn Tweed – the Fall 2019 collection is here! We are truly sorry that our doors can’t be open to walk-in traffic at this time, when it’s such fun to see and touch these garments for yourself. However, you don’t have to miss out on the 15% discount we’re offering on featured BT yarns until May 30 – if you see something here that you like, email us with questions or to place an order!

It’ll have to be a Virtual Trunk Show this time – let’s take a look at the Fall 2019 collection!

 

 

“Auna,” by Gudrun Johnston, geometric colorblock shawl knit with 4 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Vale ($15 each; 2 skeins Thaw, 1 skein each Morel and Vernal).

 

“Cilfor,” by Gudrun Johnston, circular yoke pullover with pockets, knit with 8 – 14 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Shelter ($16.50 each, shown in Yellowstone).

“Collomia,” by Gudrun Johnston, colorwork pullover knit with 9 – 17 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Shelter ($16.50 each, Woodsmoke (MC), Nest (C1) and Bale (C2)).

 

 

 

“Dominy,” by Gudrun Johnston, A-line pullover knit with 5 – 9 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Peerie ($15.25 each, shown in Burnished).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Dovera,” by Veronik Avery, colorwork tam knit with 4 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Loft ($18.75 each, shown in Meteorite, Tent, Birdbook, and Sweatshirt).

“Graff,” by Jared Flood, cabled hat knit with 2 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Peerie ($15.25 each, shown in Marigolds and Nori).

 

 

 

“Lowra,” by Veronik Avery, belted cardigan knit with 10 – 16 skeins Brooklyn Tweed Arbor ($18.75 each, shown in Carob).

“Maremma,” by Norah Gaughan, cabled scarf knit with 7 skeins Brooklyn Tweed Quarry ($25 each, shown in Citrine) or 8 skeins Brooklyn Tweed Arbor ($18.75 each, shown in Mesa).

“Rockcress,” by Norah Gaughan, cabled pullover knit with 9 – 14 skeins Brooklyn Tweed Shelter ($16.50 each, shown in Wool Socks).

“Sagemoor,” by Veronik Avery, v-neck colorwork pullover knit with 9 – 13 skeins Brooklyn Tweed Loft ($18.75 each, shown in Cast Iron (C1), Embers (C2), Tent (C3), Pumpernickel (C4), Sweatshirt (C5), Cinnabar (C6), Button Jar (C7), and Meteorite (C8)).

 

 

 

“Sethera,” by Norah Gaughan, colorwork cardigan knit with 11 – 30 skeins Brooklyn Tweed Shelter ($16.50 each, shown in Caribou (C1), Fauna (C2), Embers (C3) and Meteorite (C4)).

“Tillage,” by Jared Flood, cabled turtleneck knit with 11 – 18 skeins Brooklyn Tweed Arbor ($18.75 each, shown in Treehouse).

Most every Brooklyn Tweed yarn is featured in these designs: the lace weight Vale, fingering weight Peerie and Loft, DK weight Arbor, worsted weight Shelter, and bulky weight Quarry – all of which are 15% off during the Virtual Trunk Show. Email us with your order by May 30, and take care!

Just a reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges or returns. Thanks!

Sale of the Week, Virtual Trunk Show: Brooklyn Tweed Holiday 2019!

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Though we have to keep our doors closed during April, we’re still virtually open for mail orders, and we want to offer something fun during this uncertain time. Throughout April, we’ll have a special sale each week – 15% off a featured yarn, our Sale of the Week!

Another trunk show has arrived from Brooklyn Tweed – the Holiday 2019 collection is here! We are truly sorry that our doors can’t be open to walk-in traffic at this time, when it’s such fun to see and touch these garments for yourself. However, you don’t have to miss out on the 15% discount we’re offering on featured BT yarns until April 21 – if you see something here that you like, email us with questions or to place an order!

It’ll have to be a Virtual Trunk Show this time – let’s take a look at these select pieces from the Holiday 2019 collection!

“Marquam,” by Veronik Avery, knit with 5 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Arbor ($18.75 each; 2 skein main color Fleet, 1 skein each contrast colors Hammock, Tincture, Driftwood).

“Bybee,” by Gudrun Johnston, knit with 8 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Peerie ($15.25 each; 4 skeins main color Thaw, 2 skeins each in contrast colors Gale and Norway).

“Gammans,” by Norah Gaughan. Short cowl knit with 5 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Arbor (3 in main color Degas, 1 skein each contrast colors Arabesque and Carob). Beanie knit with 3 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Arbor (1 skein each in Vintner, Butte, and Ranier).

“Ardenwald,” by Jared Flood, knit with 2 skeins Brooklyn Tweed Arbor (shown at left in Tincture) or 2 skeins Brooklyn Tweed Shelter ($16.50 each, shown at right in Iceberg).

“Svenson (For Her),” by Jared Flood, knit with 10-17 skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Arbor (shown in Hammock).

Some of our favorite Brooklyn Tweed yarns are featured in these designs: the fingering weight Peerie, DK weight Arbor, and worsted weight Shelter – all of which are 15% off during the Virtual Trunk Show. Email us with your order, and take care!

 

Just a reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges or returns. Thanks!

Show and tell: Brooklyn Tweed Loft.

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Time for another round of show and tell! We love to see what you all are making with yarn from our shop, and when I’m able, I take pictures so that I can share those projects here on the blog. Looking over my current collection of show and tell photos, I spotted a handful in Brooklyn Tweed Loft, which has been featured in our BT Sample of the Month throughout March. With its heathered colors and rustic texture, Loft is worth celebrating – here are a few great ways to use it!

Kathryn designed and knit this “Bradshaw” cardigan for her son using Brooklyn Tweed Loft. This lightweight, woolen spun yarn beautifully shows the cables and gives this sweater a classic look. The pattern comes in a wide range of sizes, covering 0-6 months up to 10 years.

Above is Sidney’s “Perch,” designed by Gudrun Johnston, a triangular half hap featuring “old shale,” a classic lace pattern. I’m always pleased by the flecks of color that pop out of Loft when its knit up – in this case, they’re bright and festive against the overall dark brown color of the yarn.

Nancy knit Bristol Ivy’s “Bayard” hat with two shades of Loft, a high contrast color combination that blurs and blends a bit in one-row stripes and slipped stitches.

Thanks to Kathryn, Sidney, and Nancy for sharing their work with us, and thanks to everyone who starts their projects with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We can’t wait to see what comes off your needles next.

Brooklyn Tweed Sample of the Month: Voe colorways.

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Gudrun Johnston’s “Voe” is our current featured sample from Brooklyn Tweed, and we’re offering BT Loft at 10% off throughout the month!

This colorwork pullover is knit with three shades of Loft, a light, medium, and dark – Snowbound, Faded Quilt, and Old World, respectively. With 45 colors to choose from, it’s great fun to pick a trio for “Voe,” if also a bit dizzying – here are a few I came up with to get you started.

Left to right: BT Loft in Fossil, Camper, and Homemade Jam.

Left to right: BT Loft in Postcard, Soot, and Plume.

Left to right: BT Loft in Iceberg, Almanac, and Cast Iron.

Left to right: BT Loft in Fossil, Foothills, and Artifact.

Left to right: BT Loft in Fossil, Hayloft, and Fauna.

Come by the shop to create your own “Voe” color combination, and get BT Loft at 10% off during March!

Just a reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges or returns. Thanks!

Brooklyn Tweed Sample of the Month: Voe.

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Our Brooklyn Tweed Sample of the Month for March is here! Come by this month to see “Voe.”

Designed by Gudrun Johnston for Brooklyn Tweed Loft, “Voe” is a colorwork yoke pullover worked from the bottom up – a style, technique, and construction that I count among my personal favorites.

Loft is a fingering weight, woolen-spun Targhee-Columbia wool. Loft is named for one of its best qualities, which makes it somewhat delicate, but especially warm for its weight. The rustic texture and heathered shades make it an ideal yarn for colorwork, which is apparent in this garment.

We have all 45 colors in stock, and are offering a 10% discount on Loft throughout March – come by the shop to see “Voe” for yourself and plan your next project!

 

Just a reminder–all sales are final on discounted items; there can be no exchanges, returns, or special orders. Thanks!

Hello, Brooklyn Tweed Sample of the Month!

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We’re delighted to announce that starting in September, we’ll have a new Brooklyn Tweed sample on display each month!

We’ve been working with Kel at Brooklyn Tweed to put together a schedule of garment and accessory samples that showcase a wide variety of techniques and styles in the full range of BT yarns, from lace weight Vale all the way up to bulky weight Quarry.

Going through the back catalog of Brooklyn Tweed designs was so much fun! Anne and I picked a few that caught our eye, as did our teachers, and we can’t wait to share them with you.

Just as we do for Shibui, we’ll offer 10% off the featured Brooklyn Tweed yarn while each sample is here. This month, it’s Arbor, BT’s worsted spun DK weight wool, a yarn with superb stitch definition and lots of bounce.

Our Brooklyn Tweed Sample of the Month for September is “Kirigami,” by Gudrun Johnston, a textured yoke pullover that shows exactly what I mean when I say “superb stitch definition.”

I’ve just cast on for a “Kirigami” of my own, in fact – it’s a pattern that’s been in the back of my mind since its appearance in a trunk show last year, and this time I couldn’t resist it. I’m using the sleeve as a swatch, blocking it after 6″ or so to get a good sense of my gauge in the round, and to have a head-start on the project if my gauge happens to match the pattern gauge on this first try!

Come by during September to see “Kirigami” in person, try it on for size, and get 10% off Brooklyn Tweed Arbor to make one of your own!

A reminder: there will be no returns or exchanges on yarn that’s purchased at a discount. Thanks!

Show and tell: cables.

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As I hinted in my last show-and-tell post, this group of projects all have one technique in common: cables. Let’s see some of the cabled projects folks are making with yarn from our shop!

Tom knit Irina Anikeeva’s “Cayley Pullover” with Fibre Co. Cumbria Worsted, a smooth blend of merino, masham, and mohair. He carefully measured his gauge and adjusted the sleeve length for a perfect fit – well done, Tom!

Leanne knit Joji Locatelli’s “Sammal” cardigan during a class here at our shop.

Though the pattern called for a lofty fingering weight wool knit somewhat loosely, she was able to substitute Cascade Ultra Pima, a DK weight cotton, and the resulting garment is exactly what she had in mind. Bravo to Leanne for this excellent yarn substitution, and for finding the perfect buttons!

Here is Joanne’s “Swilly,” a cabled scarf designed by Meghan Kelly. She knit it with Fibre Company Arranmore, and reports that it was a quick and fun knit in this soft bulky weight yarn.

Inspired by a recent trunk show, Margaretta recently knit Gudrun Johnston’s “Cetus” hat with Brooklyn Tweed Arbor, a DK weight wool known for its stellar stitch definition. These intriguing stitch patterns show up especially well in a light to medium shade, not too dark to see all the action.

Many thanks to Tom, Leanne, Joanne, and Margaretta for sharing their work with us, and thanks to everyone who starts their projects with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We look forward to seeing all that you create!

More Bousta Beanies.

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Back in September, I wrote about Gudrun Johnston’s “Bousta Beanie,” a three-color fair-isle hat that I find absolutely irresistible. Since then, Anne has knit one, I’ve knit two, and so many of you have started on “Bousta Beanies” of your own!

Anne knit this “Bousta Beanie” for her daughter, adding a little extra length and a folded brim to keep her ears warm during New York winters. The main yarn is Tukuwool Fingering, and the inside hem is made with the extra-soft Isager Alpaca 2.

If you want to add a folded brim to your own hat, check out this Kelbourne Woolens tutorial on the subject – it helps to see it at several steps throughout the process.

Joanne knit the “Bousta Beanie” above with Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift, which offers an unparalleled selection of colors – we have 126 in stock at my last count!

Here’s my first “Bousta Beanie,” knit with Tukuwool Fingering. I selected two light shades and one dark, putting one of the lights in the background for a low-contrast effect. I had enough yarn left to knit a second and probably even a third, rearranging the color placement to make good use of the yardage. For my second, I placed the darkest color in the background, which caused the two lighter shades to pop out in the foreground.

I love how both hats turned out, though they’re very different; it was fun just to see what happened as the colors came together, row by row.

Anyone else out there knitting “Bousta Beanies”? We’d love to see them and hear about what yarns and color combinations worked best for you!

Bousta Beanies.

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Lately I am enamored of Gudrun Johnston’s “Bousta Beanie,” the official hat pattern of Shetland Wool Week 2017. I downloaded it from Ravelry as soon as it was published back in March, but it zoomed to the top of my queue when a knitter brought one in for show and tell.

This is Kerry’s first “Bousta Beanie,” knit with Brooklyn Tweed Loft. Her bold color choice perfectly complements the graphic motif of the pattern, an eye-catching combination. While I snapped pictures, muttering about how badly I wanted to knit one of my own, Kerry selected a second colorway in Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift. Now that I’ve cast on for a “Bousta Beanie,” I can understand how this might happen. It’s downright exhilarating to watch the colors come together, to see how one affects another depending upon the placement, and it gives you ideas for the next hat.

I’m knitting mine in the brand new Tukuwool Fingering, a Finnish wool that is as well-suited to stranded colorwork as Shetland wool. I have little to no interest in wearing hats, but I still like to make them now and again, usually to audition a yarn that intrigues me. I chose colors I’m somewhat inexplicably drawn to, though they’re nowhere to be seen in my wardrobe. Simply put: knitting this “Bousta Beanie” has been somewhat impulsive, and deliciously fun.

Anne is starting a “Bousta Beanie” in Tukuwool Fingering, too, a playful combination of mustard yellow, red, and natural gray. Here are a few more “Bousta Beanie” color ideas, since I can hardly keep my hands out of the Tukuwool basket.

Consider these a jumping-off point as you dream up your own colorway, which I can’t wait to see!

Don’t stop at Tukuwool, however – we have many lovely fingering weight yarns that are well-suited to this pattern. Consider Baa Ram Ewe Titus, Fibre Co. Cumbria Fingering, and Isager Alpaca 2 along with Loft and Shetland Spindrift. See you at the shop!