New Shibui samples.

Posted by Julia on April 25, 2015

If you’ve been to the shop this week, you might have seen a few new sample garments hanging on our walls. These three were kindly lent to us by one of the wonderful people at Shibui, Carol.

Here’s the “Ship to Shore Shawl,” knit with Shibui Linen. Loosely knit in a fingering weight plant fiber, this one-skein shawl makes a perfect warm-weather project: lightweight and portable. I bet this would be equally lovely in Shibui’s newest yarn, Twig, though I’d get two skeins to be sure you have enough yardage to complete the project.

“Haruni” is a free pattern by Emily Ross, a favorite with many thousands of projects on Ravelry. This feather-light version was knit in Shibui Silk Cloud, a lace weight blend of mohair and silk.

Amy is planning a class on “Haruni” this Summer; keep your eye on our “Classes” page, or let us know if you’d like a heads-up when it’s posted!

Here’s Carol’s “Mix No. 9,” a cowl knit with Shibui Staccato and Silk Cloud held together throughout.

These two yarns combine to make a lush, lustrous fabric, perfect for a next-to-skin garment like a cowl.

Shibui yarns are dyed in matching colorways, to encourage the combining of different fibers. Here are some Staccato/Silk Cloud pairs, ready to become “Mix No. 9.”

Come by the shop to admire these new samples, and plan a special Shibui project all your own. See you there!

Knitting Traditions.

Posted by Julia on April 22, 2015

The Spring 2015 issue of Knitting Traditions is here!

Knitting Traditions looks at the craft from a historical perspective, focusing on techniques and styles from all over the world and across time. This issue’s focus is adventure, telling historical tales of explorers and their knitted garments.

The striped sweater on the cover is knit in Swans Island Organic Merino Worsted, and is one of a handful of men’s garments in this issue.

I spotted another familiar yarn in Hunter Hammersen’s “Serpula Contortuplicata Socks” : Shibui Staccato.

Look for Knitting Traditions among the latest publications on the teacart. See you at the shop!

Knitscene.

Posted by Julia on April 16, 2015

The Summer 2015 issue of Knitscene is here!

The “Serape Shawl” on the cover is knit in Shibui Staccato, a luscious fingering weight blend of merino and silk. Staccato is a new yarn at the shop this Spring, but has quickly become a favorite. Many of these patterns call for yarns you can find at HYS, in fact.

A cropped pullover in Rowan Wool Cotton, a cross-front tank in Fibre Company Meadow, a fringed cowl in Plymouth Mushishi… seeing familiar yarns in new contexts is always refreshing.

Come by the shop to pick up a copy of Knitscene and prepare for summertime knitting!

Show and tell: shawls.

Posted by Julia on April 5, 2015

We always love to see what you’re making with HYS yarns, and I love to take photos of your beautiful finished pieces to share here on the blog. I’ve collected a nice bunch of them over the past couple of months, enough for two blog posts. Let’s begin with shawls.

Amy knit this exquisite garment for her daughter’s wedding, a delicate lace shawl in the Estonian tradition. The pattern is “Lilac Leaf Shawl,” by Nancy Bush, and the yarn is Shibui Cima, a lace weight blend of merino and alpaca.

Here Pat models her “Dhania Shawl,” a pattern from the Spring 2014 issue of Interweave Knits, which she knit using Louisa Harding Mulberry. The allover texture pattern is studded with eyelets, making a lightweight fabric that’s especially drapey in 100% silk.

Here’s Kathy in her cozy “Range Wrap,” knit in Ella Rae Classic Wool, and fastened with Jul closures.

Thanks for the show and tell, everyone! Keep your eye on the blog for even more finished projects soon.

Hello, Shibui Staccato.

Posted by Julia on March 8, 2015

Another new yarn from Shibui! Meet Staccato.

Staccato is a lustrous blend of 70% superwash merino and 30% silk in a fingering weight. Like Cima, it has a nice high twist, giving it the look of a string of pearls. Each 50 gram skein has 191 yards, enough for a hat or a pair of mitts; two skeins would make a lovely cowl, or a special pair of socks. Staccato looks to be a stellar sweater yarn, as well; check out the “Fingering weight” board on our Pinterest page for pattern ideas!

Both silk and superwash wool have a tendency to grow after washing and blocking; plan for this by washing your swatch and adjusting needle size accordingly. I know this can feel like an extra step sometimes, but it’s worth it to end up with a garment in the size you intended!

Look for Shibui Staccato in the fingering weight section, and be sure to check out our other Shibui yarns and patterns while you’re here. Come by the shop when you’re seeking inspiration; we look forward to helping you plan your next project!

Hello, Shibui Twig.

Posted by Julia on March 6, 2015

We’re thrilled to announce the arrival of Shibui’s newest yarn: meet Twig.

Twig is a slightly textured blend of 46% linen, 42% recycled silk, and 12% wool.

Each 50 gram skein has 190 yards, and it knits up at a sport or dk weight gauge into an open, draping fabric.

Shibui yarns are dyed in matching colorways across the line, designed to be knit on their own or held together to make bespoke yarn blends. Twig is no exception; I expect this yarn will play quite well with the others.

Like Shibui Linen, Twig has a crisp feel and a plant fiber’s tendency to stretch rather than cling, qualities that make it ideal for warm weather garments and accessories. If you like a little more elasticity, consider holding Twig together with Cima or Pebble.

The design team at Shibui has included Twig in its Spring/Summer 2015 collection, featuring the kind of loose-fitting, modern garments that Twig is best suited to.

Some patterns are for Twig alone, others pair it with different Shibui yarns, or offer several combinations to choose from.

That, after all, is what drives the Shibui mix concept: by combining more than one yarn and/or color, you can create exactly the fiber, texture, or color blend you’d like. As long as you’re getting the gauge the pattern calls for, you can mix and substitute yarns to your heart’s content.

Come by the shop to see Twig for yourself, peruse the Shibui Spring/Summer 2015 pattern collection, and plan a Shibui project!

Interweave Knits.

Posted by Julia on February 18, 2015

Spring knit and crochet magazines always seem to arrive just as winter is hitting its stride, an irony that strikes me every year. With a layer of wintry mix on the ground outside, I sit down to write about the newest in warm-weather knitting. Interweave Knits Spring 2015 is here!

Spring is a season of layering, when a chilly morning may turn into a warm, sunny day. Lightweight cardigans, tees, and shawls are common garments in this issue, reflecting our seasonal needs.

This shawl is made in the soft and lofty Shibui Maai, a chain-plied blend of merino and alpaca.

I also spotted a tutorial on knitted-on edgings, a handy guide for many shawls in this issue and beyond.

Look for Spring knitting inspiration at the shop, but if the weather’s iffy, check our website or Facebook page first; we post there if we have to close the shop due to inclement weather.

Shibui Trunk Show.

Posted by Julia on January 3, 2015

Today we were surprised and delighted to receive our Shibui Trunk Show a few days early. This show features five garments from their Fall/Winter 2014 collection, which we’ll have on display until January 21st.

Shibui yarns are designed to be knit on their own or held together, using two or three strands at a time to make bespoke yarn blends. We currently stock five Shibui yarns: Cima, Pebble, Silk Cloud, Linen, and Maai. Some of these trunk show garments are knit with one or two of those yarns, and some of these garments combine them with Shibui yarns that we don’t keep in stock at the shop, like Shibui Staccato and Baby Alpaca. We’re happy to order any of those yarns for you if you’re willing to prepay for a special order.

It’s also possible to substitute yarns, of course; above is one such example, serendipitously brought in for show and tell only a few hours before the trunk show arrived.

Paula knit this “Mix No. 34” cowl with Shibui Maai, rather than the Silk Cloud/Staccato mix suggested in the pattern. She was able to get gauge, and though the texture is a little different than the original, it’s just as lovely.

There are many fun and useful things about trunk shows, like being able to play a bit of dress-up and try garments on for size, but one of the best aspects of a Shibui trunk show is seeing these yarn combinations in person.

It can be hard enough to imagine how a single yarn will behave as knitted fabric; throw two different colors or fibers into the mix and it can be a real leap of faith. That’s where our shop samples and swatches are most helpful–ah, this is how Cima and Pebble work up together–and whole garments are even more illuminating.

Come by before the 21st to see the Shibui Trunk Show for yourself!

Show and tell: a lace shawl and a handful of hats.

Posted by Julia on December 7, 2014

I’m always collecting photos of the beautiful finished pieces knitters and crocheters bring in to share with us, garments that started their lives as HYS yarns. Time for another round of show-and-tell!

Pat knit this delicate beaded lace shawl in Shibui Cima, a soft alpaca/merino blend with excellent stitch definition.

The pattern is “Diospyros,” from Andrea Jurgrau’s New Vintage Lace, and Pat’s rendition is far lovelier in person than my photos could capture.

Anne recently finished her “Bayard” hat, knit with Isager Alpaca 2 and the new Isager Tweed. I love how the flecks of color in the Tweed pop out between slim stripes of Alpaca 2.

Valerie has been working on “Bayard,” as well–not one, but two!

It’s neat to see how the colors play together in such small stripes, blending in or setting one another off, depending upon the level of contrast.

Margaretta knit this cozy hat in no time flat, thanks to the super-soft and super-bulky Malabrigo Rasta. She made one modification, which was to braid the ties rather than make a crocheted chain; a nice touch.

Last-minute gift-knitters, take note–this “Tasseled Earflap Hat” is a free pattern that uses just one skein, and could take as few as four hours to complete!

Thanks to everyone who starts and shares their projects at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We feel lucky to be surrounded by such creative people.

Show and tell: anniversary edition, part 2.

Posted by Julia on October 17, 2014

As you may remember from years past, or may have seen in our most recent email newsletter, October 18th marks the eight-year anniversary of the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. We are so grateful to all of you for your support over the years, for shopping and learning and sharing with us. We’ll celebrate another year in business in our usual way: an anniversary sale! From Friday October 17th – Sunday October 19th, everything in the shop will be discounted by 15%, with the exception of classes and that which is already discounted.

Here on the blog, I’m celebrating all of you with another batch of show and tell.

Joanne came in the other day with a colorful project to share. Above, she models her “Technicolor Cowl” knit in the decadent Alchemy Sanctuary, a velvety blend of merino wool and silk.

Paula’s needles have been busy lately; she recently brought in two finished projects to share with us! Above is her “Thicket” beret, from Alana Dakos’ Botanical Knits 2, knit in Fibre Company Acadia.

Paula also knit this “Mix No. 26” with Shibui Pebble, a different yarn, but a nice match for her “Thicket” beret. I love it in these low-contrast colors, a soft beige against wintry white.

Emily came in wearing this “Côte-Nord Cap,” a pattern by Amy Christoffers from last winter’s Interweave Knits, Winter 2014. She used a skein of the new Swans Island All American Worsted in a rich blue hue.

Thanks to everyone who starts and shares their projects at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We find your stitches so inspiring, and your support of the shop is so appreciated. Keep your eyes on the blog for another “show and tell” post soon, and visit us this weekend to take advantage of our Anniversary Sale!

(A reminder: all sales are final on sale items; there can be no exchanges, no returns, nor will we special order. Discount applies only to in-store purchases. Thanks!)