Cumbria Collection Trunk Show!

Posted by Julia on February 10, 2016

Our first Trunk Show of 2016 has arrived, and we’ve decorated our walls with the Kelbourne Woolens Cumbria Collection, featuring garments knit in Fibre Company Cumbria Worsted.

These designs are inspired by the knitting tradition of the British Isles, from ganseys to stranded colorwork to cables.

The Cumbria Collection features a variety of sweaters and accessories that look fun and interesting to knit and comfortable to wear.

Knit in a hearty worsted weight blend of 60% merino wool, 30% masham wool, and 10% mohair, these garments should weather regular wear, maintaining their shape for years to come.

Come by the shop before February 21st, 2016, to admire, try on for size, and get a tangible sense of how this yarn behaves in a variety of knitted fabrics. We’re offering a 10% discount on Fibre Company Cumbria during the Trunk Show, so come by soon to plan your next project!

A reminder: discount applies to in-stock Cumbria Worsted as well as prepaid Cumbria Worsted special orders. All sales are final on discounted yarn; there can be no returns or exchanges. Thanks!

New colors from the Fibre Company.

Posted by Julia on January 11, 2016

Every so often, we get word that one yarn company or another has developed new colors, broadening their spectrum and filling in gaps. When the word came recently from the Fibre Company, we put in our order right away for new colors in Road to China Lace and Knightsbridge.

Road to China Lace is a relatively new Fibre Company yarn for us, a 2 ply lace weight blend of 65% baby alpaca, 15% silk, 10% camel, and 10% cashmere. Each 100 gram skein boasts 656 yards, enough for a good sized shawl. These four bright new shades bring a certain whimsy to the Road to China Lace color palette.

Knightsbridge is a soft and fuzzy blend of llama, merino, and silk, a light worsted weight yarn that knits up comfortably between 5 and 5.5 stitches per inch.

Knightsbridge also got four new colors, but they’re more muted and rustic, in keeping with the existing selection.

Look to our Pinterest page for Lace weight and Worsted weight pattern ideas, and come by the shop to plan your next project. Have any of you faithful readers worked with Road to China Lace or Knightsbridge before? Feel free to leave a comment and tell us what you made.

See you at the shop!

KnitScene.

Posted by Julia on January 4, 2016

Just when cold weather finally begins here in North Carolina, the Spring 2016 issue of KnitScene arrives.

This issue features lots of yarns that can be found at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop.

A hat in Swans Island Natural Colors Merino Fingering, a shawl in Fibre Company Road to China Lace, a cardigan in Berroco Artisan…

I also spotted a sweater in Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK, along with a tutorial showing how to create those vertical stripes with crochet slip stitch.

Designer Amy Christoffers penned another handy tutorial, showing how to pick up stitches.

Look for KnitScene on the teacart here at the shop! See you there.

More show and tell.

Posted by Julia on December 25, 2015

Time for a second batch of show and tell! Our first round was child-sized, full of sweaters and accessories for little ones; these finished projects are made by grown-ups, for grown-ups, though they’re no less playful. Let’s dig in.

Margaretta knit her second “Yipes Stripes Cowl” using five shades of Mirasol Qina, a soft and drapey blend of alpaca and bamboo. There’s something very satisfying about seeing this pattern in new color combinations; this cool palette is a particularly pretty one.

Amy recently taught a class here at the shop on stranded colorwork, focusing on Rachel Coopey’s “Northallerton” hat. For her own “Northallerton,” she used three shades of Baa Ram Ewe Titus, though this hat was quickly claimed by her daughter. Another hat was in order.

Amy knit this one with three shades of Cascade 220 Fingering, substituting different motifs for a colorwork hat all her own.

I recently knit Kate Gagnon Osborn’s “Seathwaite” hat, which is a free pattern written for Fringe Association’s Hatalong No. 5. I used one skein of Fibre Company’s newest yarn, Cumbria, a worsted weight blend of merino, masham, and mohair. The yarn is sturdy yet soft, fuzzy but smooth enough for well-defined cables. I made this for my sister as a Christmas gift, and enjoyed every stitch of it.

I also completed a shop sample not long ago, a “Starshower” cowl knit in Sincere Sheep Cormo Fingering. This unique hybrid of shawl and cowl falls so gracefully around the wearer’s neck. Come by the shop to try it on!

Theresa loves to knit and felt colorful slippers, and sent us a photo of her most recent polka-dotted batch.

She used Bev Galeskas’ classic “Felted Clogs” pattern and a variety of shades of Plymouth Galway, a worsted weight wool that is perfect for felting.

Here, Irene models her “Kashmir Cardigan,” from Helga Isager’s Amimono: the Map Collection. She used several strands of yarn held together to create a marled effect, augmenting some mohair from her stash with a few shades of Isager Highland and Spinni. Blended colors and fibers along with short rows and stripes make for a garter stitch coat that is so much more than just a garter stitch coat–nicely done, Irene!

A hearty thanks to all the fiber artists who start their projects here and share their progress with us! We love to see our yarns grow up into finished garments, and are so inspired by the work you do. See you at the shop!

Interweave Crochet.

Posted by Julia on December 5, 2015

The latest issue of Interweave Crochet is here!

Patterns in this issue are inspired by the four elements, earth, air, fire, and water.

The textured sweater above was crocheted in Malabrigo Arroyo, a sport weight superwash merino wool hand-dyed in rich variegated colorways. The playful armwarmers below are made with Fibre Company Acadia, a tweedy dk weight blend of merino, alpaca, and silk.

You’ll find Interweave Crochet on the teacart here at the shop, surrounded by the latest magazines and books for crocheters, knitters, and weavers. See you there!

Recent books.

Posted by Julia on November 30, 2015

Over the past few weeks, a couple of new books have arrived here at the shop, each with its own unique tone.

Courtney Spainhower’s Family Friendly Knits is full of practical garments and accessories for children and adults, and has a rustic, wholesome look. Look here for tweedy sweaters for fall and winter, practical pieces for layering in transitional seasons, and colorful cold-weather accessories.

These “Choose Your Own Adventure” hats are knit in Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift, a favorite yarn of mine that we now have in more colors than ever. I love that this pattern encourages the knitter to improvise a bit when it comes to the color choice and assignment, stitch pattern, and other elements, like Latvian braids and pom-poms. Choose your own adventure, indeed!

Marlaina “Marly” Bird’s Cold Weather Crochet is a beginner-friendly collection of brightly-colored crocheted garments designed to keep you warm. If holiday gift-making is your aim for this year or next, look here for a variety of casual crocheted hats, scarves, cowls, and mitts. The hat below is made with Berroco Ultra Alpaca, a yarn you’ll find in abundance here at the shop. If you’re looking to dig into a larger project, there are a couple of colorful afghans here, too.

Anne Podlesak’s Free Spirit Knits is a collection of designs inspired by the American Southwest, which means warm desert earth tones punctuated by bright turquoise and purple, hats and shawls inspired by cactus and agave plants, and colorwork informed by the Navajo rug-weaving tradition.

The shawl above is knit in Fibre Company Canopy Fingering, a perfect choice for a gently draping fabric. Look for it in the fingering weight section here at the shop, and look for the latest books on our teacart as you come in. See you there!

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!

Interweave Knits.

Posted by Julia on November 20, 2015

The Winter 2016 issue of Interweave Knits is here, and copies have been flying off our teacart.

This issue has been particularly popular, I think, because of its tempting collection of aran- and gansey-inspired sweaters. All those cables and texture patterns look cozy to wear and interesting to knit, and as the weather is finally cooling, we knitters tend to perk up and reach for patterns like these.

Some of our favorite yarns are featured in this issue, too. Quenna Lee’s “MacGowan Pullover,” above, is knit in the soft and luxurious Fibre Company Knightsbridge, and Linda Marveng’s “Inverness Pullover,” below, is knit in the smooth and sturdy Plymouth Galway. These two yarns, alike in gauge, are so different in texture, drape, and fiber content, but both make stunning cables.

It’s not all texture patterns, though; Nancy Shroyer’s article on color selection is certainly worth a read, and there are a couple of colorwork patterns among the cables, too.

Come by the shop to pick up a copy of Interweave Knits and browse all the latest magazines and books!

Jane Austen Knits.

Posted by Julia on November 2, 2015

Interweave has published another edition of Jane Austen Knits magazine, which features a wide variety of knitting projects inspired by the writings of Jane Austen.

Among those projects are lace handkerchiefs knit in Cascade Ultra Pima, textured gloves knit in Shibui Staccato, a lightweight capelet knit in Fibre Company Meadow, and plenty more.

Look for Jane Austen Knits on the teacart, surrounded by the latest magazines and books. See you at the shop!

Triangle Yarn Crawl.

Posted by Julia on October 23, 2015

The Triangle Yarn Crawl is a self-guided tour of local yarn shops, where knitters and crocheters get together and hop from one shop to the next, shopping, entering raffles, and seeing the full breadth of available fibers. They happen twice a year, and the time has come again: the Autumn 2015 crawl is coming up this weekend on October 24th and 25th!

Each local yarn shop has something special to offer, and we’re no exception: all in-stock kits are 10% off during the yarn crawl!

The yarn crawl also coincides with our Swans Island Trunk Show, another special something to see when you visit the Hillsborough Yarn Shop this weekend. We’re offering a 10% discount on all in-stock Swans Island yarns during the trunk show, so be sure to check out our full selection, from fingering weight to sport weight to dk weight to worsted weight!

There’s a bag of goodies at each of the participating shops, a raffle prize full of yarn, patterns, and more. Some of its contents are donated by TYC sponsors, and others come from our own collection here at the shop. Here’s some of what we tucked into the raffle prize.

We’ve included one skein of Schachenmayr Regia Pairfect self-patterning sock yarn, another of Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK, and a bundle of notions and yarn samples from Fibre Company. Think of it as your own private yarn tasting, allowing you to try all of the delightful yarns Fibre Company has to offer before investing in a project’s-worth of yarn.

We’re lucky to live in such a fiber-friendly part of the world, with so many choices available to us, and the Triangle Yarn Crawl is a great time to see all of those choices. Come see us as you’re crawling along!

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!