Tag Archives: merino

Dream in Color Pop-Up Club: September 2022.

Posted by on

Dream in Color’s Pop Up Club is back! Every month, we’re getting a special new colorway from Dream in Color, a Tucson-based producer of small batch hand-dyed yarns. September’s new limited edition colorway is here while supplies last!

Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere:

  • fingering weight
  • 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon
  • 400 yards/100g
  • $34 each

September’s special colorway is a peachy pink with streaks of deep teal and charcoal – an unusual and striking combination.

We’ve had WestKnits MKAL colorways on our minds – here’s one using this month’s Pop Up Club colorway with another solid shade of Smooshy Cashmere, and a skein of Malabrigo Ultimate Sock.

Look for Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere in the fingering weight section here at our shop! We are open between 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays; you can still order online for local pickup or shipping, as well.

Back in stock: Kelbourne Woolens Perennial and Lucky Tweed.

Posted by on

Kelbourne Woolens is the source of some of our most popular yarns, beloved for the variety of high quality fibers they produce and the accessible price. Some of their yarns are super soft and luxurious, others are rustic and hard wearing, and each one has its own unique color palette. We’ve restocked Perennial and Lucky Tweed – let’s take a look!

Kelbourne Woolens Perennial:

  • light fingering weight
  • 60% superwash merino, 25% Suri alpaca, 15% nylon
  • 497 yards/100g
  • $26 each

The folks at Kelbourne Woolens have designed Perennial to be something of a staple: soft from the alpaca but sturdy from the nylon, easy care on account of the superwash merino, suitable for all kinds of projects.

We’ve seen beautiful sweaters, shawls, and baby things made in Perennial – here are some pattern ideas!

Kelbourne Woolens Lucky Tweed:

  • aran weight
  • tweed
  • 100% merino wool
  • 210 yards/100g
  • $20 each

Lucky Tweed is manufactured in Donegal, Ireland, for an authentic tweed look and soft hand. Folks who have tried it often come back for more, exclaiming how soft and lightweight it is for a yarn at this gauge. If you’re looking to knit a cozy new sweater this fall, consider Lucky Tweed!

Here are some cozy patterns ideal for Lucky Tweed:

Look for Perennial and Lucky Tweed here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, along with these other Kelbourne Woolens yarns – Camper, Andorra, Scout, and Germantown!

Hello, Malabrigo Ultimate Sock!

Posted by on

We’re thrilled to announce the arrival of a brand new yarn from Malabrigo – meet Ultimate Sock!

Malabrigo Ultimate Sock:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated and semi-solid colorways
  • 75% superwash merino wool, 25% nylon
  • 420 yards/100g
  • $21 each

Ultimate Sock looks and feels just like the classic Malabrigo Sock yarn, beloved for its vibrant colors and soft, smooth texture. The new addition of 25% nylon brings durability, so that socks and garments made with Ultimate Sock can last longer.

 

Malabrigo Ultimate Sock is a great choice for shawls and cowls, mitts and hats, sweaters for all ages, and more, but let’s focus on its namesake for today: here are some sock patterns!

Look for Malabrigo Ultimate Sock in the fingering weight section here at our shop!

Koigu Collector’s Club: Tapestry.

Posted by on

The Koigu Collector’s Club continues! Each month, we’ll receive 21 skeins of KPPPM in a limited edition color dyed especially for a select group of local yarn stores that carry Koigu. KPPPM is a fingering weight superwash merino, hand-dyed in vibrant colors by mother/daughter team Maie and Taiu Landra on their farm outside of Toronto, Canada.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 g
  • $15.50 each

This month’s limited edition shade is Tapestry, a variegated mix of pastels on an ivory backdrop.

We have so many fingering weight yarns that could pair well with KPPPM in Tapestry, whether you’re seeking high or low contrast, solid or variegated.

What to make? Here are some pattern ideas for mixing many colors!

Look for Koigu KPPPM in the fingering weight section here at our shop, along with many others! We’re here from 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays; masks required for entry.

New colors in Brooklyn Tweed Dapple!

Posted by on

Dapple is Brooklyn Tweed’s DK weight blend of organic cotton and merino, a soft and fluffy yarn that’s been very popular around here. We’re delighted to report that three new colors just arrived!

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple:

  • DK weight
  • woolen-spun, tonally dyed
  • 60% merino wool, 40% organic cotton
  • 165 yards/50 g
  • $15.25 each

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple in Verdigris

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple in Periwinkle

Brooklyn Tweed Dapple in Petal

Dapple is tonally dyed, meaning skeins in the same colorway differ from one another even in the same dye lot. Some are lighter, some are darker, some almost look marled! This isn’t immediately apparent when looking at one skein of Dapple at a time, so I’ve laid out big groups in a few colorways to give a better sense of the variety. You can see each color laid out this way on our first Dapple blog post, and we’re happy to show you all the skeins we have in a given color when you’re here shopping in person.

Lately, Dapple has been popular for Midori Hirose’s “Ranunculus” sweater, Viktoria Chevchuk’s “Burchett” cardigan, Aude Martin’s “Ashfork” vest, and Tamy Gore’s “Graphic Elements,” a colorwork pullover.

Click here for more pattern ideas, and look for Brooklyn Tweed Dapple in the DK weight section here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

Koigu Collector’s Club: The Pond.

Posted by on

The Koigu Collector’s Club continues! Each month, we’ll receive 21 skeins of KPPPM in a limited edition color dyed especially for a select group of local yarn stores that carry Koigu.

Koigu KPPPM:

  • fingering weight
  • hand dyed, variegated
  • 100% superwash merino wool
  • 175 yards/50 g
  • $15.50 each

This month’s special colorway is The Pond, a vibrant mix of blues and greens.

As I unpacked this new bundle of Koigu, I thought of the “Oslo Hat – mohair edition,” by PetiteKnit, a super cozy cuffed beanie knit with lace weight mohair and fingering weight wool held together throughout. Here are a few ideas with Isager Silk Mohair!

Koigu KPPPM is also a great yarn for Wool & Pine’s “Sea Glass Tee,” a kaleidoscopic colorwork tee designed to be knit with leftover bits and pieces of fingering weight yarn. I found loads of color inspiration in our fingering weight section, and put together this palette based on the many shades that flow through The Pond.

Bring your leftover yarns in to build a color palette for your own “Sea Glass Tee,” and look for Koigu KPPPM and Isager Silk Mohair here at the shop!

New colors from Neighborhood Fiber Co.!

Posted by on

Our most recent order from Neighborhood Fiber Co. was full of vibrant colors, speckles, and variegated shades, brightening our NFC Studio Sock cubby considerably!

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock:

  • fingering weight
  • hand-dyed
  • machine washable
  • 100% organic merino wool
  • 400 yds/4 oz
  • $32 each

Studio Sock is perfect for knitting socks, of course, but also great for knitting shawls and lightweight sweaters – here are some pattern ideas:

  • “Studio Sampler,” by Leslie Anne Robinson – 3 color shawl with brioche and garter stitch stripes
  • “Shades of Peony,” by Tamy Gore – 3 color shawl with eyelets and stripes
  • “Navelli,” by Caitlin Hunter – 3 color boat neck short-sleeved pullover with colorwork at bottom edge

Look for Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in the fingering weight section here at our shop! We’re open from 11am – 5:30pm, Tuesdays – Saturdays. Online ordering is still available for local pickup or shipping – thanks for shopping with us!

PetiteKnit pairings.

Posted by on

We recently restocked Isager Silk Mohair, a soft and shiny lace weight blend of mohair and silk, often used in tandem with heavier yarns. Fingering weight yarn seems to be a particularly popular playmate for Silk Mohair – here are some color combinations pairing it up with Isager Sock Yarn and Alpaca 2, and PetiteKnit pattern ideas below!

  • Isager Silk Mohair: lace weight, 70% kid mohair, 30% silk, 233 yards/25 g; $16 each
  • Isager Sock Yarn: fingering weight, 40% Easy Wash alpaca, 40% Easy Wash merino wool, 20% recycled nylon, 423 yards/100g; $20 each

  • Isager Alpaca 2: light fingering weight, 50% alpaca, 50% wool, 275 yards/50 g; $12 each

What to knit with these yarn pairings? You’ll find more ideas on a blog post of mine from November, but for today, let’s focus on PetiteKnit, who seems to especially favor this combination of lace + fingering weight yarns:

Accessories:

Sweaters:

Here’s a bit of show and tell, a close up on Margaretta’s own “Jenny Sweater,” knit with Isager Silk Mohair and Alpaca 2 held together throughout. The combination is deliciously soft, with elegant drape, and I love the ever-so-slightly-different shades of light green Margaretta chose, they blended together beautifully!

Look for these and other Isager yarns in our lace and fingering weight sections here at the shop!

Back in stock: Isager Alpaca 2.

Posted by on

Isager Alpaca 2 has long been a favorite here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. There always seems to be a steady demand for this fuzzy blend of merino and alpaca, beloved for its soft hand and harmonious color palette. A very large box of the stuff arrived with the brand new Isager Sock Yarn, bringing some bestselling colors back into stock and adding a few new shades, too!

Isager Alpaca 2:

  • light fingering weight
  • 50% alpaca, 50% merino
  • 275 yards/50 g
  • $12 each

Our seasoned “Stole” sample has hung on the wall for years now, yet it regularly catches the eye of knitters seeking a soothing, repetitive project, one that’s easy to execute, but with graceful results.

Here are some other pattern ideas for Alpaca 2!

Look for Alpaca 2 in the fingering weight section here at our shop! We love Isager yarns and carry a lot of them – Silk Mohair, Spinni, Alpaca 1, Alpaca 3, Tvinni, Highland Wool, Jensen, Sock Yarn, and more.

Hello, Isager Sock Yarn.

Posted by on

Isager’s newest yarn is here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop – meet Sock Yarn!

Isager Sock Yarn:

  • fingering weight
  • 40% Easy Wash alpaca, 40% Easy Wash merino wool, 20% recycled nylon
  • 423 yards/100g
  • $20 each

Isager Sock Yarn is a soft and sturdy fingering weight yarn made primarily of Easy Wash alpaca and merino wool. An environmentally friendly alternative to superwash, Easy Wash is a treatment that makes animal fibers machine-washable without discharging hazardous chemicals in the process. Like Fibre Co. Amble, Isager Sock Yarn is fortified with recycled nylon for strength, making good use of an industrial byproduct that would otherwise be wasted.

Isager Sock Yarn is smooth and tightly plied, which is key for hard-wearing accessories like socks. I’m knitting a child-sized “Rye Light” sock as an Isager Sock Yarn sample for the shop, appreciating the stitch definition as I work.

Here are some sock patterns to consider, from basic beginner-level socks to intricate texture and color patterns.

Look for Isager Sock Yarn in the fingering weight section here at our shop!