Cocoknits Sweater Workshop.

Posted by Julia on March 20, 2017

Designer Julie Weisenberger of Cocoknits is well known for her cleverly-designed notions as much as for her knitting patterns. Her first book was just published, and we are excited to have it here at the shop. Take a peek inside Cocoknits Sweater Workshop!

In this book, Weisenberger presents her system for custom, tailored sweaters knit seamlessly from the top down.

The Cocoknits Method is, at its core, a system for tracking your progress as you knit, for keeping tabs on the varied increases and decreases that make a top-down sweater fit well. It involves worksheets and color-coded stitch markers, codifying some of the guidance we often give to sweater knitters who want to know how to keep track of all the goings-on.

Cocoknits Sweater Workshop also offers patterns and modifications so you can jump in and knit perfectly-fitting top-down sweaters of your own, along with guidance on what styles and shapes can be flattering and why.

Weisenberger has wisely created a journal of Cocoknits Sweater Worksheets for those that fall in love with her method. The two books make a nice pair, especially for fans of seamless sweater-knitting.

Look for Cocoknits Sweater Workshop and the accompanying worksheet journal on the teacart here at the shop, where the latest publications live. See you there!

Brooklyn Tweed Trunk Show!

Posted by Julia on March 10, 2017

We are delighted to announce that our first-ever Brooklyn Tweed Trunk Show has arrived!

From now until March 19th, 2017, we’ll have eight garments from the Brooklyn Tweed archives on display, and we’re offering BT yarns at a 10% discount.

As soon as we became a Brooklyn Tweed stockist in January, we began planning a trunk show, eager to see their glorious designs in person. They kindly sent over a list of garments in the warehouse and let us put together a curated trunk show of our own.

This group reflects Anne’s taste and mine, though we tried to strike a balance of men’s and women’s sweaters using a variety of techniques. In muted neutrals and shades of blue and green, they run the gamut from colorwork and texture patterns to good old stockinette, which always flatters the wearer.

Some of these were knit in Shelter, and some in Loft, Brooklyn Tweed’s signature woolen-spun, US-sourced, 100% Targhee-Columbia wools in worsted and fingering weights, respectively.

Along with the Trunk Show, we also brought in hard copies of all of the featured patterns, which are beautifully printed on cardstock. Come by the shop to flip through a binder full of them and admire the garments themselves in living color. Even better, you can try them on for size, and plan your next project in Brooklyn Tweed yarns, all at a 10% discount. See you at the shop!

A reminder: all sales are final on discounted yarn. There can be no returns or exchanges, nor special orders–the discount applies only to what we currently have in stock. Thanks!

Capsule, by Michele Wang for Brooklyn Tweed.

Posted by Julia on January 23, 2017

The latest book from Brooklyn Tweed has landed here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! Take a peek inside Capsule, by Michele Wang.

Michele Wang designed this collection of garments and accessories with loungewear in mind, the kind of cozy, wearable knits one might fantasize about curling up in all winter. Like so many of Wang’s patterns for Brooklyn Tweed yarns, these are intricate and deeply-textured, designed with great attention to detail.

Now that we carry Brooklyn Tweed yarns, I’m happy to report that you can find most of the yarns featured in these patterns here at the shop. Four of these designs call for Shelter, Brooklyn Tweed’s worsted weight, woolen-spun Targhee-Columbia wool, which we currently have in every available color.

The same can be said of Loft, Shelter’s fingering weight counterpart, used in two of these patterns. The remainder are knit in Quarry, a bulky weight that we don’t currently stock; we’re happy to help you find a proper substitute if you fall for one of the Quarry designs.

Look for Michele Wang’s Capsule on the teacart here at the shop, surrounded by other Brooklyn Tweed books and the latest publications. We’re also expecting a Capsule trunk show later in the year, something to look forward to! In the meantime, see you at the shop.

Snow day show and tell.

Posted by Julia on January 7, 2017

The shop was closed today for inclement weather, and as the snow quietly fell this morning, Anne texted me some knitterly show-and-tell from her friend Sherri. A snow day is a good one for show-and-tell; let’s take a peek at some of the recently-completed projects that started their lives as yarns here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop.

Above, Sherri’s daughter in law models the Churchmouse “Easy Folded Poncho” Sherri knit for her with Shibui Dune, a soft and lustrous blend of alpaca, camel, and silk.

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a bundle of colorwork projects here on the blog, only to have Judie walk through our door the next day wearing this beautiful sweater. Consider this an addendum! The pattern is Courtney Kelley’s “St. Brendan,” and the yarn is the rustic yet luxurious Fibre Company Arranmore. Judie changed the color palette just slightly from the pattern photo, switching the ribbing color from dark gray to a warm camel – a small adjustment that makes a big difference and looks great.

Above is the first of Margaretta’s “January Mitts,” knit with Fibre Company Cumbria Fingering. I have a special fondness for this yarn, as I’ve shared before, and it’s especially nice to see its sharp stitch definition in this lace and bobble pattern.

Speaking of Fibre Company yarns and of sharp stitch definition, here’s Leah’s exquisitely textured “Arctic Circle” cowl, knit with Fibre Company Tundra. This was her first project after completing a Beginning Knitting class here at the shop, and it’s clear it wont be her last – well done, Leah!

Loretta knit this “Arrowhead Shawl” with Swans Island All American Worsted, a soft yet sturdy blend of US-sourced Rambouillet wool and alpaca. The traditional guernsey stitch patterns are placed on a stockinette background for a subtle effect, one that’s harder to capture on camera than it is to perceive in person.

Thanks to all who begin their projects with a trip to the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, and thanks especially for bringing them back to share your work with us! Hope everyone stayed safe and warm this snowy weekend, and spent some time stitching. We’ll be open again at our regular hours on Tuesday, January 10th.

Shibui Sample of the Month: Trace.

Posted by Julia on December 7, 2016

December is here, and with it, a new Shibui Sample of the Month! We offer a 10% discount on Shibui yarns purchased for our featured sample til the end of the month.

Our current Shibui Sample of the Month is “Trace,” by Shellie Anderson, a simple stockinette pullover framed by ribbing along the sides and bottom edge.

The main body of the sweater is knit with Shibui Maai, a soft blend of merino and alpaca plied into a springy chainette.

The ribbed details are knit with Shibui Pebble and Cima held together throughout, with tweedy Pebble providing a slight contrast even in a matching colorway; here are sets of all three yarns in “Trail” and “Pollen” to illustrate.

You can also up the contrast by selecting Pebble in a different colorway entirely; here’s Maai and Cima in “Brownstone” with a pop of Pebble in “Poppy.”

We’re offering a 10% discount on Maai, Cima, and Pebble purchased for this project til the end of the month, so come by the shop to see it before December 31st!

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

Arranmore Collection Trunk Show!

Posted by Julia on November 11, 2016

Yesterday we were pleasantly surprised to receive a highly-anticipated trunk show a full week earlier than expected. Come by the shop to see the Kelbourne Woolens Arranmore Collection in person!

This group of cozy garments and accessories is named for the yarn it features: Fibre Company Arranmore, a bulky weight tweed composed of merino, cashmere and silk.

One of the most notable qualities of Arranmore is its loftiness in spite of its bulky gauge. Sweaters knit in bulky yarn can droop and sag with time, but Arranmore holds its shape, warm but not heavy.

Anne’s completed “Carrowkeel” hangs with this show, though if you’ve been to the shop in the last month or so you’ve likely seen it already. It’s such a classic, this simple stockinette turtleneck, and it looks even better on than it does on the wall. Though the wall is where it’s lived since she sewed its last seam, I did convince her to pose for a photo.

Look for the Arranmore Collection Trunk Show here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, on display until November 27th! Perhaps you’ll find your next project among the collection. See you at the shop!

New colors in Baa Ram Ewe Titus.

Posted by Julia on November 2, 2016

Yes, those four new shades in Dovestone DK also came in Titus, Baa Ram Ewe’s signature yarn.

Titus is a fingering weight blend of alpaca, wensleydale, and bluefaced leicester wools, sourced and spun entirely in the UK. We’re proud to have been the first US stockist of the stuff, back in 2012 when it came in just one color. Since then, Titus has been warmly embraced by knitters, crocheters, and weavers all over the world, and the palette has expanded considerably. Here’s just a sliver.

Beyond this group of colors, there are a range of blues, neutrals, pastels, and others. This growing collection of shades makes me think colorwork, my favorite knitting technique. To that end, I’m happy to report that we recently got two new colorwork sweater patterns designed for Titus by Marie Wallin.

Look for even more Titus inspiration on our “Fingering weight” Pinterest board. Come by the shop to see the full selection of Titus, and three shop samples knit with this special stuff to give you a tangible sense of the possibilities!

The Joy of Color.

Posted by Julia on September 29, 2016

An exciting new book is now available at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop: The Joy of Color, by Janine Bajus.

Janine Bajus is a teacher and knitwear designer whose focus is color, especially in stranded colorwork. The Joy of Color is a workshop in a book, demystifying the process of designing a unique fair isle sweater from beginning to end.

Read through The Joy of Color and you’ll learn a bit of history, a bit of technique, terms for describing colors and strategies for combining them. There are amazing book recommendations at the end of each chapter, pointing out lots of great resources for those interested in color theory, fair isle knitting, and design. Bajus also teaches about finding, creating, and arranging colorwork motifs, as well as arranging colors within them.

It’s not a book of patterns, though you’ll see many glorious photos of the garments Bajus’s students have created under her tutelage. More importantly, they each share a bit about the process of creating those garments, from inspiration through swatching to finished sweater.

Look for The Joy of Color on the teacart in the front room, where the newest books and magazines gather to catch your eye and inspire your next project. See you at the shop!

Show and tell: Isager.

Posted by Julia on September 18, 2016

Time for more show and tell! Many of the knitters and crocheters who start their projects here at the shop bring them back when they’re done to show us their work, one of the most interesting and gratifying parts of our job as yarn-shopkeepers. When I’m able, I like to photograph those projects to share here on the blog, and I’ve amassed quite a collection of photos over the past month or so. Last week, I shared finished sweaters, but I confess, I was saving one for today’s post, because it overlaps with today’s theme: Isager.

Here’s Shelley’s incredible “Spring,” knit in Isager Spinni, a lace weight wool. Knit modularly, with each square building on the last, “Spring” features lace and intarsia, making this lightweight pullover a real labor of love. I admired Shelley’s color choice back when she first made her selection, but it’s even more impressive in the finished piece, those playful, colorful squares popping out against the larger neutral blocks.

Shelley was kind enough to lend us her sweater for a little while, so if you hurry in, you might catch it hanging on the wall.

Here’s another amazing piece knit in Isager Spinni: Annmarie’s “Rock Island.” She made this during a recent lace class here at the shop, and we were all blown away by how carefully she knit and blocked it. Well done, Annmarie!

Speaking of classes, this shawl is the subject of an upcoming crochet class. Katherine crocheted her “Transposition” with Isager Alpaca 2, a soft and fuzzy blend of merino and alpaca.

Join her class to learn the basics of triangular shawl construction, crochet pattern- and chart-reading, shell stitches, and blocking. Head to our Classes page to read all about it and sign up!

Sandra came in the other day to pick up some yarn she ordered at our recent Isager Yarn Tasting, and tucked in her bag was her “Stole,” knit in Isager Alpaca 2. She made an abbreviated version, in just 5 colors, but it’s the perfect size for carrying about in case of chilly air-conditioning.

Thanks to these knitters and crocheters for sharing their work with us, and for starting their projects here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop! We look forward to seeing your newest creations, and watching your ideas come to life on your needles.

Hello, Shibui Drift.

Posted by Julia on September 14, 2016

Meet Shibui’s newest yarn, Drift!

Drift is a worsted weight blend of 85% extra fine merino wool and 15% cashmere, and it’s just as soft as its fiber content suggests.

Drift knits up between 4.5 and 5 stitches per inch on a US 8, a heavier gauge than we’re used to seeing from Shibui.

Like all of their yarns, Drift is designed to be mixed with other Shibui yarns for interesting effects: add a strand of Silk Cloud for a fuzzy halo, for example.

The Fall/Winter 2016 pattern collection, by Shellie Anderson, makes good use of Drift, as well as familiar Shibui yarns like Staccato, Cima, Dune, Maai, and Pebble. These garments continue in the Shibui tradition of modern, wearable pieces, designed with elegant simplicity but great attention to detail.

Come by the shop to meet Drift and see patterns from the new collection!