Back in stock: Berroco Ultra Alpaca.

Posted by Julia on December 9, 2022

Good old Ultra Alpaca – this balanced blend of wool and alpaca is a classic, and we’re delighted to have a fresh supply!

Berroco Ultra Alpaca:

worsted weight
solid and heathered shades
50% super fine alpaca, 50% Peruvian Highland wool
219 yards/100g
$14 each

Berroco Ultra Alpaca has the structure and elasticity of wool and the drape, halo, and softness of alpaca. It comes in reasonably priced 100 gram hanks with 219 yards each; enough yarn to make a small scarf, a hat, or a pair of mittens.

Ultra Alpaca comes in a wide range of colors, from fun brights to classic neutrals; I’ve always particularly admired the heathered shades.

Scrolling through projects on Ravelry, I saw that many knitters had made Donna Smith’s now classic “Baa-ble Hat” with Ultra Alpaca.

“Baa-ble Hat,” by Donna Smith, photo © Donna Smith.

Here are a couple of color combinations inspired by the pattern photo!

What else to make with Ultra Alpaca? Here are a few ideas!

Accessories:

“Sophie Shawl,” by PetiteKnit – garter stitch shawl with I-cord edging
“Guernsey Wrap,” by Jared Flood – textured wrap
“Turn a Square,” by Jared Flood – striped beanie
“Antler Toque,” by Tin Can Knits – cabled hat
“Ferryboat Mitts,” by Churchmouse Yarns & Teas – ribbed fingerless mitts
“Twice Reversible Ribbed Poncho,” by Churchmouse Yarns & Teas – ribbed poncho

Garments:

“White Pine,” by Amy Christoffers – cabled cardigan
“Rye,” by Thea Colman – textured raglan cardigan
“Humulus,” by Isabell Kraemer – colorwork yoke pullover
“Tea with Jam and Bread,” by Heidi Kirrmaier – color block pullover with pockets
“Better-Than-Basic Pullover,” by Churchmouse Yarns & Teas – stockinette funnel neck pullover

Look for Berroco Ultra Alpaca in the worsted weight section here at the shop!

Hello, & Make Aran!

Posted by Julia on November 11, 2022

The Fibre Company has just launched a new line of yarn, & Make! These are yarns for stitchers at every stage of their crafting journey, made of natural, sustainable fibers from renewable sources. We’re starting with & Make Aran, a soft and squishy blend of Highland wool and alpaca.

The Fibre Co. & Make Aran:

aran weight
2-ply
solid and heathered colors
50% Highland wool, 50% alpaca
164 yards/100g
$17.50 each

What to knit with & Make Aran? Here are some ideas!

Garments:

“Felix Pullover” or “Felix Cardigan,” by Amy Christoffers – stockinette sweaters with eyelet details at raglan yoke
“Downstream,” by Kate Davies – striped, raglan cardigan knit from the top down
“Boreal,” by Kate Davies – large motif colorwork pullover
“Purls of Wisdom Sweater (Aran),” by The Fibre Co. – stockinette circular yoke pullover with purl ridges

Accessories:

“Warm & Easy Hat (Aran),” by Kate Atherley – stockinette hat with ribbed brim
“Bandana Cowl,” by Purl Soho – bandana shaped cowl
“Gridland Scarf,” by The Fibre Co. – textured scarf in 3 gauges (DK, aran, and super bulky)
“Catch my Fall,” by Melanie Berg – lace and textured triangular shawl
“Open Sky,” by Andrea Mowry – lace and textured semicircular shawl
“Almina,” by Lisa Hannes – cabled triangular shawl

Come by the shop to see & Make Aran for yourself! We’re here from 11-5:30, Tuesdays-Saturdays; masks required.

New colors in Kelbourne Woolens Andorra!

Posted by Julia on February 18, 2021

We’re delighted to have five new colors of Kelbourne Woolens Andorra!

Kelbourne Woolens Andorra:

sport weight
60% merino wool, 20% highland wool, 20% mohair
185 yards/50 g
$12 each

Andorra is a bouncy sport weight blend of merino and highland wool with a dash of mohair. It’s a wooly, lustrous 2-ply with a medium twist, not too tight or loose, and especially after knitting, it looks pleasantly fuzzy – perfect for colorwork knitting!

Members of our HYS Hat Club got two skeins of Andorra in their most recent bundles, contrasting colors to make Tressa Weidenaar’s “Pyramid Hike Hat.” The pattern is named for Pyramid Peak in Weidenaar’s home state of New Mexico, and the colorwork motif suggests high mountains and wide, clear skies.

I had fun putting these combinations together with the “Pyramic Hike Hat” in mind – there are so many possibilities with all these colors!

Here are a few other intriguing patterns for Andorra:

“Adventura,” by Laura Nelkin – choose-your-own adventure color-block shawl
“Snow Drop Hat,” by Kate Gagnon Osborn – geometric colorwork hat
“OneOne Winter Hat,” by Karen Vølund Fechter – vertical striped colorwork hat with corrugated ribbing
“Jenny,” by Courtney Kelley – Bohus-inspired colorwork yoke pullover
“Fine Lines,” by Lori Versaci – striped ribbed tee

Order online for local pickup or shipping! We’re still closed to walk-in browsing, but are otherwise here for orders and pickups between 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays. Thanks for your support!

Nest + Silk Cloud + Standing Tall!

Posted by Julia on January 28, 2021

Here’s another soft and squishy Shibui yarn pairing, a bit like the “Helix” hat I wrote about earlier this month, but with a twist.

In her “Standing Tall, Hat & Cowl Collection,” designer Lucinda Iglesias matches Shibui Nest with Shibui Silk Cloud, a delightful combination that’s just right for a cozy hat or cowl.

The pattern includes instructions for two hats and cowls – a simpler set as well as a cabled variation. The simpler version is shown here in gray, mostly stockinette with a swath of ribbing; the cabled one is below, in red.

Shibui Nest: DK weight, 75% fine Highland wool, 25% alpaca, 175 yards/50 g; $20 each ($22 for Julie Hoover colorways)

Shibui Silk Cloud: lace weight, 60% mohair, 40% silk, 330 yards/25 g; $26.50 each ($28.50 for Julie Hoover colorways)

For either of the hats: 1 skein each of Nest and Silk Cloud
For either of the cowls: 2 skeins of Nest and 1 skein of Silk Cloud
For a matching set: 3 skeins of Nest and 2 skeins of Silk Cloud

Shibui’s colorways are the same from yarn to yarn, though each shade looks a little different depending on the fibers in play. Most of these pairs are made from matching colorways, but a few are near matches, which will bring a little more depth to the resulting fabric.

The pattern is free when you buy 1 skein each of Nest and Silk Cloud – we’ll print a copy and include it in your order.

Pick your favorite color combination and order online for local pickup or shipping!

Andorra + Tweed Silk Cloud.

Posted by Julia on December 27, 2020

We recently replenished our supply of Kelbourne Woolens Andorra, a bouncy sport weight blend of merino and highland wool with a dash of mohair.

Kelbourne Woolens Andorra:

sport weight
60% merino wool, 20% highland wool, 20% mohair
185 yards/50 g
$12 each

Not long ago, I put together some color combinations for a knitter interested in combining Andorra with a lace weight mohair for Jacqueline Cieslak’s “Water Born” headwrap. I noticed that the Andorra color palette lined up beautifully with Shibui Tweed Silk Cloud, matching in places or providing a bit of contrast and interest in others.

Shibui Tweed Silk Cloud:

lace weight
65% silk, 35% mohair
191 yards/25 g
$23 each, or $25 for special Julie Hoover colors.

What else to make with these delightful pairs? Check out PetiteKnit’s “Anker’s Hat,” Isabell Kraemer’s “Leni” hat, or Emily Luis’s “Frida” headband.

Anxious to get some mohair on your needles? Order online for local pickup or shipping! We’ll be closed on January 1, but are otherwise here for orders and pickups between 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays.

Hello again, Isager Highland Wool.

Posted by Julia on August 25, 2020

A recent special order brought in a couple of new shades of Isager Highland Wool, reminding us of just how much we love this yarn.

Isager Highland:

light fingering weight
solid and heathered colors
100% Highland wool
301 yards/50 g
$10 each

Some years ago, I made Carol Feller’s “Carpino” holding Highland Wool together with Shibui Silk Cloud, which brought a lustrous, fuzzy luxury to the fabric. It left me wanting to work with Highland Wool again, in a context where its rustic simplicity could shine.

With that in mind, here are a few two-color patterns that make beautiful use of Highland Wool, and some color combinations to get you started!

“Pinwheel Mitts,” by Ella Austin – fingerless mitts in stranded colorwork
“Sento,” by Olga Buraya-Kefelian – triangular shawl in two-color brioche
“Alula,” by Clare Lakewood – triangular shawl in stripes/slip stitch pattern

If any of these patterns or colorways capture your imagination, order online for local pickup or shipping! We’re also happy to answer questions, to be your eyes and hands as you create other color combinations – we know it’s tricky to select colors without being able to come into the shop yourself, and they can look so different in photos than they do in person. Thanks for working with us during our temporary closure!

Sale of the Week: Kate Davies Àrd-Thìr!

Posted by Julia on May 15, 2020

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!

Our next Sale of the Week is 15% off Kate Davies Àrd-Thìr, from May 15 – 21!

Kate Davies Àrd-Thìr is an aran weight blend of Peruvian fibers, 60% highland wool and 40% alpaca. Each 50 gram skein has 71 yards, and it knits up at about 15-19 stitches over 4″ on needles from US 7-10.5. The texture is smooth and round, for sharp stitch definition and a springy elasticity in the hand.

Àrd-Thìr comes in 10 heathered shades inspired by the winter landscape of the Scottish highlands, a beautiful muted palette.

What to knit with Àrd-Thìr? Last year, I made Kate Davies’ “Weel Riggit Hat” with this yarn, which was great fun.

Since then, Davies has written a few more patterns for Àrd-Thìr – “Footfall,” “Corryvreckan,” “Skep,” and “Upstream,” for a start – and Melanie Berg published a lace shawl, “Catch my Fall.” Check out Warm Hands for a few more ideas – we still have copies of the book in stock, too!

Usually, Àrd-Thìr is $12 per skein; at 15% off, it’s $10.20 each. Head to our online order form if you’d like to place an order – it’ll be on sale through May 21. Thanks for all your support!

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

Hello, Shibui Nest.

Posted by Julia on September 5, 2019

Shibui’s newest yarn has arrived! Meet Nest.

Nest is a DK weight blend of 75% fine highland wool and 25% alpaca, with 175 yards on each 50 gram skein.

At first glance, Nest looks like a marled yarn, but a closer inspection reveals an unusual structure, where one fluffy ply is criss-crossed by two thinner plies in a contrasting color.

We’d secured a couple skeins of Nest in advance for sample knitting, and I’m the lucky one who got that assignment. I’m knitting the “Sindi” cowl, holding one strand of Nest together with two strands of Silk Cloud for a super soft accessory.

Every few inches, I’m changing which shades of Silk Cloud are in the mix, creating a subtle gradient from light to dark.

You’ll find more uses of Nest in Shibui’s Fall 19 collection – we have sample copies of patterns here, and they’re available to buy on Ravelry.

Come by the shop to see and touch Nest, and check out our “Sindi” sample – see you there!

Hello, Kate Davies Àrd-Thìr.

Posted by Julia on February 11, 2019

We’re thrilled to announce that Kate Davies’ new yarn is here!

We’ve long been admirers of Davies’ writing and knitwear design, and keep a variety of her books in stock here at the shop. Since she started her own line of yarn a few years ago, we’ve longed to carry it, but she sells directly to consumers on her website, rather than through retailers like us. For her newest yarn, Davies has collaborated with Fyberspates to distribute Àrd-Thìr more widely, and we could not be happier to have it on our shelves and in our hands!

Àrd-Thìr comes in 10 heathered shades inspired by the winter landscape of the Scottish highlands, a beautiful muted palette. Head to Davies’ blog to read more about the inspiration, production, and sourcing that makes Àrd-Thìr so special.

I’m the lucky knitter charged with making a shop sample in Àrd-Thìr, and I’ve cast on for Davies’ first available pattern for this yarn, the “Weel Riggit Hat.” It’s been delightfully quick to knit, a pleasure in my hands and on the needles.

Come by the shop to see and touch Àrd-Thìr for yourself, and plan your next project! You’ll find it in our Aran weight section.

Hello, Kelbourne Woolens Andorra.

Posted by Julia on January 3, 2018

Meet our first new yarn of the year, Kelbourne Woolens Andorra.

You may recognize the name Kelbourne Woolens – they’re the North American distributors for Fibre Company, and they also design some of the most popular pattern collections for those yarns. Kate Gagnon Osborn and Courtney Kelley are the minds behind Kelbourne Woolens, and while they will continue their good work for Fibre Company, they’ve also cooked up something new to mark the 10th anniversary of their business: their very own line of yarn.

Andorra is the first yarn under their own Kelbourne Woolens imprint, a bouncy sport weight blend of merino and highland wool with a dash of mohair. It’s a wooly, lustrous 2-ply with a medium twist, not too tight or loose, and especially after knitting, it looks pleasantly fuzzy.

Andorra is obedient on the needles, which for me means it doesn’t split, and it has enough elasticity to move smoothly from needle to needle, stitch by stitch. In short, it’s lovely to work with, and while it’s well suited to a variety of projects, it has me thinking, “Sweater!”

Anne got a sweater’s worth of Andorra in advance, for sample knitting, and has started a top-down, Bohus-style pullover from the new Kelbourne Woolens collection. More on that soon – til then, here’s a preview, Anne’s first few rows.

Look for Andorra in the sport weight section here at the shop!