The Arranmore Collection.

Posted by Julia on August 30, 2016

With the arrival of Fibre Company’s exciting new yarn, Arranmore, comes a predictably lovely pattern collection from the design team at Kelbourne Woolens.

Inspired by traditional Irish knitwear, the Arranmore Collection features six sweaters, two hats, and a scarf.

Tweed yarns like Arranmore liven up simple stockinette, to be sure, but they do equally well in texture and cable patterns, and bring nuance to stranded colorwork.

Anne’s knitting “Carrowkeel” as a sample for the shop, using Arranmore in “Meara,” a deep blue with flecks of cobalt and red.

This cozy turtleneck is designed to be worn with positive ease, and looks like perfect North Carolina winter outerwear to me.

Meanwhile, I’ve been working on a “Finn Valley” sample, using Arranmore’s “St. Claire,” a natural white with flecks of beige and pale blue that really lets the cables shine. I’m sorry to report that this color is currently on backorder; let us know if it tops your list so we can alert you when it arrives!

Look for the Arranmore Collection along with Arranmore yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop!

Slope.

Posted by Julia on August 5, 2016

We’re pleased to announce the arrival of a new knit sample here at the shop, and a new monthly feature, to boot: here’s “Slope,” knit in Shibui Dune, our inaugural Shibui Sample of the Month!

Last year, Anne knit her own “Slope,” a curved-hem tank in the lightweight Shibui Twig. Most of the time it lives on the wall here at the shop, though she’s taken it down for special occasions, the likes of a wedding, and TNNA.

The design has been a runaway hit for Shibui as well as our shop, requiring several reorders of Twig in “Brick,” the color Anne’s “Slope” is made in.

This new teal “Slope” belongs to Sandy Barnes, Shibui’s sales manager and someone we love to catch up with at TNNA each year. She knit her “Slope” in Dune, making it a fall and winter layering piece that looks sharp over a long-sleeved tee or button-down collared shirt. Though the fiber content is very different from Twig, Dune possesses just as much drape, which very much suits the shape of this garment, whatever the season.

We’ll have Sandy’s “Slope” in Dune on display throughout August, and are offering a 10% discount on Dune purchased for this project until August 31st. Come by the shop to see it for yourself and plan a “Slope” for your own fall wardrobe!

3 Color Cashmere Cowl.

Posted by Julia on June 25, 2016

I just finished knitting a new shop sample in the luxurious Fibre Company Canopy Fingering, Joji Locatelli’s “3 Color Cashmere Cowl.”

The “3 Color Cashmere Cowl” is narrow but very deep, designed to scrunch cozily around one’s neck, so it does well in a yarn with good drape. It’s a fun knit, simple enough to be near-mindless, but with enough changes here and there to stave off boredom. I had fun watching the colors come together; they seem to behave differently depending upon the thickness of the stripes.

Our friend Catherine spotted the “3 Color Cashmere Cowl” on my needles and became smitten with the pattern.

She quickly knit the cowl above in Canopy Fingering, brought it in for show and tell, and left that day with enough Shibui Staccato to make two more. I’d only just hung mine on the wall when she came in with two more completed cowls, another on the needles, and plans for several more in Staccato and one in Isager Alpaca 2.

Catherine has begun to adjust the pattern to suit her preferences, omitting a lace section here, shortening a striped section there, and sometimes rearranging the order of those sections.

Look for my “3 Color Cashmere Cowl” on the wall here at the shop, and feel free to try it on for size. We have Canopy Fingering in a nice selection of colors, and even more in Staccato and Alpaca 2. Come by the shop to play the color game, and make a “3 Color Cashmere Cowl” of your own!

On and off our needles.

Posted by Julia on May 12, 2016

Anne and I are always knitting. I’m sure this comes as no surprise. At home, we work on our own projects – Anne is currently knitting a sweater for her husband, I’m (almost always) knitting a sweater for myself – and here at the shop, we knit on samples that will one day hang on the wall to inspire knitters that come to visit. Within the past two weeks, we’ve both completed shop samples and cast on for new ones.

Anne’s “Nova” tunic is made with Shibui’s newest yarn, Rain, a mercerized cotton so smooth and shiny it could pass for silk.

“Nova” is simply constructed in two pieces, then stitches are picked up for the mandarin collar. Side seams give structure to the drapey fabric that comes with plant fibers like cotton.

The pattern photo shows “Nova” in a silvery gray, but I think it looks particularly elegant in Anne’s signature black. Come by the shop to try it on!

With “Nova” behind her, Anne is now stitching on another pattern from Shibui’s Spring/Summer 2016 collection, a colorblock pullover called “Horizon.”

She’s knitting it in the uncharacteristically bold color combination of “Lime” and “Suit,” holding Linen and Cima together for a lightweight fabric. Each ball of yarn is tucked in a separate plastic bag for the duration of the project: an effective, if not glamorous, method for managing slick, delicate yarns.

My most recently completed project is “Spearmint Tea,” a shawl knit with Cutthroat Yarn Gradient Cotton.

Because this yarn changed color at a different rate than the yarn called for in the pattern, I made a few changes along the way, all noted in my project page on Ravelry, for those curious. Look for the finished piece here at the shop!

My next shop project is a second “Baa-ble Hat,” knit in Plymouth Tweed and Queensland Kathmandu Aran. I like how the colorwork looks in the mottled tweed yarns, and I’ve had fun watching the sheep emerge row by row.

Knit in aran weight yarn, this is a quick project. Come by the shop in the next week, and you’ll likely find it finished! We look forward to seeing what’s on your needles, too – come in for inspiration and to plan your next project.

Hello again, Shenandoe Farm.

Posted by Julia on January 8, 2016

Last week, we had a visit from Elaine of Shenandoe Farm. She came with stories of a successful year and with a bag of beautiful yarn, made of fiber grown right here in Orange County, North Carolina.

We’ve stocked Shenandoe Farm yarns before, though it’s been a while since we sold the last remaining skein, so a new delivery was welcome. This new batch is composed of 80% mohair, 10% wool, and 10% llama, spun into a dk weight at Zeilinger Wool Co. in Michigan, a family business for over a century. The heathered color is a natural one, just the shade of the animals that grew the fleece to make it.

Eager to get her hands on this special yarn, Anne knit a swatch on a few different needle sizes, so we could get a sense of what gauge it’s most comfortable at.

From there, it was put in my lucky hands. After a bit more swatching, we decided this sturdy stuff would be well-suited to a pair of Churchmouse “Welted Fingerless Gloves,” a go-to pattern here at the shop. I’m busy stitching up a pair as a sample for the shop.

Look for Shenandoe Farm yarn here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. Hope to see you soon!

Sherri’s Cowl.

Posted by Julia on January 6, 2016

Our friend Sherri loves to make scarves and cowls as gifts, always looking out for patterns that are quick and easy to knit. She came home from a recent ski trip telling us about a chunky openwork cowl she saw around the neck of every young woman on the slopes. She snapped a picture of a similar cowl at a store and showed it to Anne. “We could make these,” she said, “and you should make one for the shop!” When Anne relayed the idea to me, we began designing Sherri’s cowl together. I looked through the perennial 365 Stitches a Year, pausing now and again to show one stitch pattern or another to Anne. “Did it look like this?” I asked. “Or this?” When I landed on the right stitch, I got out some yarn and US size #17 needles to swatch.

First I tried Shibui Silk Cloud held with two strands of Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran, then just one strand of each, and finally two strands of each, which made a fluffy, lightweight fabric at a gauge so large, it seemed to knit itself.

I knit it flat, like a scarf, then sewed the ends together to make a loop. The finished cowl now hangs at the shop, and I’ve written up a little pattern for it, which is free with the purchase of yarn for the project.

I named it “Sherri’s Cowl,” which seems fitting; Sherri herself had already completed almost two of these before I finished mine with fringe.

I chose three different shades of green, for a marled effect: a light and dark in the Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed Aran, and a medium in the Shibui Silk Cloud.

I had fun brainstorming alternate colorways in these soft and fuzzy yarns, finding common ground between two yarn companies’ color palettes.

There’s something so satisfying about combining colors and seeing how they come together in the knitted fabric. I can’t wait to see what other combinations you knitters come up with!

Come by the shop to try on “Sherri’s Cowl” and plan one of your own. Sherri tells me they are somewhat addictive, and I can confirm that at the very least, they are gratifying in their speedy creation and playful yarn-blending. See you at the shop!

Back in stock: needle-felting kits.

Posted by Julia on December 9, 2015

For a couple of years now, we’ve carried needle felting kits from Romney Ridge Farm in Maine. Each kit has the instructions and materials needed to create tiny woolen creatures, and we try to have a nice selection of animals to choose from. Not long ago, we found ourselves without a single sheep kit, a problem that now is remedied.

Along with these sweet sheep, you’ll find kits for needle-felted bears, chickens, snowy owls, harbor seals, and others.

Last weekend, Anne plucked one of the fox kits off the shelf, and quietly needle-felted in between phone calls and customers checking out.

It wasn’t more than an hour and a half before this handsome fellow emerged.

If this kind of creature-creating appeals to you, come by the shop to pick up a Romney Ridge Farms needle-felting kit of your own. As Anne can attest, it’s quick, easy, and intuitive, even if you’ve never needle-felted before. These qualities also make the kits ideal for holiday gift-giving, so remember them as you’re shopping for the fiber-loving crafty types in your life!

See you at the shop!

Thanksgiving show and tell.

Posted by Julia on November 25, 2015

We have a lot to be thankful for, and the inspiring knitters, crocheters, and weavers who frequent our shop are at the top of our list. With you all in mind, here’s another bunch of show and tell! All of these projects started their lives as yarns here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop.

Ruth recently came into the shop wearing a newly-finished sweater, “Aperture,” knit in Shibui Linen and Cima held together throughout. It looks just as nice hanging open as it does fastened at the neck!

Margaretta is keen on Shibui yarns, too; here’s her “Rikke Hat,” knit with Shibui Silk Cloud and Baby Alpaca held together.

Janet knit this hat with one skein of Fibre Company’s newest yarn, Cumbria. The pattern is “Greenrow,” by Kate Gagnon Osborn, and it’s decorated with twisted stitch cables. Janet reported that it was a challenge, but a rewarding one.

Emily designed these socks herself, and knit them with String Theory Bluestocking, plucking the stitch pattern from one of Barbara Walker’s treasuries and modifying it to work in the round. I love this approach to sock-knitting, where the basic structure stays the same and the stitch pattern is varied from pair to pair. A good stitch dictionary can keep you busy for years this way!

I’ve got a couple of finished projects to share, and they couldn’t be more different. Above is a wrap called “Motif,” a luxurious shop sample knit in Shibui’s newest yarn, Dune. Below is a stuffed chicken I knit for my niece’s sixth birthday, a colorful, huggable thing, knit in Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK.

This pairing, while absurd, is a nice illustration of the many ways knitting can please the knitter. Sometimes a knitting project is an elegant indulgence, sometimes it’s a humorous amusement. Either way, there’s satisfaction in making, whether it’s a garment or a chicken.

Anne completed her “Truss”sweater recently, and you’ll now find it hanging on the wall here at the shop.

She used Shibui Maai and Pebble held together throughout, a soft and slightly tweedy combination, as appealing to the hand as to the eye. If you’d like guidance in making a “Truss” tunic of your own, consider Amy’s upcoming class on the subject!

A hearty thanks to all the fiber artists who start their projects here and share their work with us! We love to see our yarns grow up into finished garments, and are so inspired by the work you do. We’re closed on Thursday, November 26th, for the Thanksgiving holiday, but open again at our regular hours starting Friday, November 27th. See you at the shop!

Hello, Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK.

Posted by Julia on October 17, 2015

Rowan’s newest yarn has arrived at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! Meet Pure Wool Superwash DK.

We’ve long been searching for a good quality superwash wool in DK weight, one that comes in loads of colors and at a reasonable price, and this yarn is it. Last fall, Rowan met a similar need with their Pure Wool Superwash Worsted, and this yarn is very much a thinner version of the same good stuff.

Superwash DK weight wools like this one are good for all kinds of projects, from accessories to home goods to garments. One 145 yard ball would make a nice pair of mitts, like the Churchmouse “Welted Fingerless Gloves,” or for that matter, my own “Welting Fantastic Mitts.” Baby and children’s things are also a good fit for Pure Wool Superwash DK; I’ve made “Milo” a couple of times using Rowan Wool Cotton, and this yarn would make a nice wintry version of the same little vest.

For adult sweaters, Martin Storey’s Easy DK Knits is a collection worth checking out. Rowan sent along a sample of the cover sweater, “Barbican,” a garter stitch pullover with drop stitch patterning at the bottom edge. Come by the shop to see it in person, and get a tangible sense of how this yarn works up. Easy DK Knits uses a variety of knitting techniques to make relatively simple sweaters, including texture patterns, cables, and beginner-level colorwork.

In addition to these patterns, consider Rowan’s recently-announced Fall Knit-Along, featuring this very yarn, and hosted by designer Amy Herzog. Herzog is a prolific sweater-designer, and one who cares deeply about how those sweaters fit the knitters who make them. Her Options Knit-Along will guide you through the creation of a highly-customizable sweater knit in Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK, from choosing a size to making modifications to finishing. There’s a textured pullover option and a striped cardigan option, and it looks like there’ll be other options within each of those. Read more about it on her website, where you can download the shopping list and get ready to start the Rowan Options Knit Along this Monday, October 19th!

Look for Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK in the DK weight section of the shop, where we’re happy to help you plan your next project. See you there!

Berroco Portfolio, Vol. 1.

Posted by Julia on October 5, 2015

This fall marks the 10th anniversary of Berroco’s now-classic Ultra Alpaca yarn, a soft and sturdy blend of wool and alpaca. To celebrate, they’ve published a beautiful pattern collection showcasing the full range of Ultra Alpaca, from the fingering weight Ultra Alpaca Fine to the bulky weight Ultra Alpaca Chunky. Take a peek inside Berroco Portfolio, Vol. 1.

Berroco Portfolio, Vol. 1 features patterns from independent knitwear designers, the likes of Bristol Ivy, Mary Jane Mucklestone, Martina Behm, and Thea Colman.

Berroco sent along a sample of Thea Colman’s contribution, a seamless cardigan with texture panels called “Rye.” The pattern photo shows it in a heathered green shade of Ultra Alpaca, and our sample is in a no less fetching red. Come by the shop to take a closer look, or try it on for size.

Ultra Alpaca is a rare blend of luxury and practicality, a quality yarn for a reasonable price. We’re celebrating its 10 year anniversary by putting bags and bags of it on our shelves, refilling favorite colors and adding some new ones, too.

Our stash of Ultra Alpaca Chunky has also grown, just in time for cold weather stitching.

Berroco Portfolio, Vol. 1 has a few great patterns for Ultra Alpaca Chunky, too.

Come by the shop to plan some cozy fall and winter projects, and consider Ultra Alpaca when you do. See you there!