Show and tell: all kinds.

Posted by Julia on February 14, 2017

It’s time for more show and tell! Here are some finished pieces that began their lives as HYS yarns.

Not long ago, April came in wearing her “Guriddo Stole,” a lace and garter stitch wrap that she knit in the delightful Shibui Staccato, a fingering weight blend of superwash merino and silk. This wasn’t a planned visit, rather, April found herself near the shop wearing a wrap she’d recently completed and decided to drop in and share it with us. It makes me so happy to see knitters wearing their work! Thanks for stopping by, April!

On the right is a commercially-made hat Mary’s daughter wore and loved. Mary saw the seam in the back and rightly thought, “I can do better than that!” The blue hat on the left is her handknit interpretation, based on Emily Ingrid’s free “Copy.Cat C.C Beanie” pattern, using one skein of Ewe Ewe Baa Baa Bulky, a smooth and springy superwash merino.

Above is Judie’s “Dovetail Wrap,” a free pattern from Purl Soho. I could have sworn I took another photo that showed the whole piece, but all I can find is this close-up shot; I must have been drawn to the glorious, colorful Malabrigo Mecha yarn Judie used. This simple garter stitch shawl pattern is a great one for showing off variegated yarn.

Here’s my “Finn Valley,” knit with Fibre Company Arranmore. It knit up pretty quickly in this soft bulky weight tweed, an interesting but manageable project made even more satisfying with the help of clever Cocoknits tools.

You’ll find it hanging on the wall here at the shop; come by to try it on and get a tangible feel for a garment knit in Arranmore – lighter weight than you might expect!

Margaretta knit this exquisite pair of “Terpander” socks with String Theory Bluestocking. A semi-solid hand-dyed yarn like this is great for showing off cables and texture with just a touch of added interest. Bravo, Margaretta!

Karin first decided to tackle the double-knit “Mix No. 23” cowl because it seemed a good use of some yarns from her stash – Swans Island Natural Colors Merino Fingering and Araucania Ranco. She stuck with it because she loves a challenge, and finds satisfaction in mastering new knitting techniques, no matter how much swatching or ripping back it entails. I’d only seen this cowl knit in solid colors, but her hand-dyed version is absolutely stunning.

Intrigued by double-knitting, and interested in knitting a “Mix No. 23” of your own? Sign up for Amy’s upcoming class on the subject!

Many thanks to the knitters and other fiber artists who share their work with us. We are so inspired by your ideas and expertise, and we learn from you each day. See you at the shop!

Hello, Fibre Company Luma.

Posted by Julia on February 9, 2017

Meet Luma, the newest yarn from the Fibre Company!

Luma is a smooth DK weight blend of 50% merino wool, 25% organic cotton, 15% linen, and 10% silk. This balanced combination of elastic animal fiber and cool plant fiber is ideal for year-round wear, especially in our warm North Carolina climate.

The design team at Kelbourne Woolens have created a small collection of garments for Luma, exactly the kind of seasonless sweaters that suit this lightweight yarn. Print copies are coming to the shop soon, but you can take a peek at them online now. For more pattern ideas, look to our DK weight board on Pinterest, and also to patterns calling for the now-discontinued Fibre Company Savannah, which Luma replaced.

Look for Luma in the DK weight section here at the shop!

Interweave Knits.

Posted by Julia on February 4, 2017

The Spring 2017 issue of Interweave Knits is here!

This issue is crowded with cozy, classic-looking sweaters for men and women alike. This one was knit in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, a worsted weight, woolen-spun Targhee-Columbia wool.

Another favorite yarn appears in this issue, too: Fibre Company Arranmore, a bulky tweed with a rustic look and soft hand.

Look for the latest issue of Interweave Knits on the teacart here at the shop, among other recent publications. See you there!

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.

New year’s eve.

Posted by Julia on December 31, 2016

2016 was a big year for us here at the shop, full of exciting new yarns, projects, books, tools, classes, and ideas. We won the title of “Best Yarn Store” in the Triangle, celebrated our tenth year in business, and worked every day toward our goal of bringing the best quality yarns and information to the wonderful community of knitters, crocheters, and weavers that we feel lucky to serve.

On this last day of 2016, I spent the morning at the shop with Anne, helping shoppers find what they need, winding yarn at our lovely new winding station by the window, and sewing sweater pieces together in quiet moments. This is my nearly-completed “Finn Valley,” knit with Fibre Company Arranmore, and you’ll find it hanging on the wall here at the shop just as soon as these seams are sewn and the collar is knit.

At Anne’s suggestion, I enlisted the help of a new tool, Cocoknits Claw Clips, to hold my pieces together as I sewed. Normally I use locking stitch markers for this task, and though I’ve grown used to that and always thought it worked fine, the Claw Clips are much, much better! A pack of these will make all my future seams easier, I’m so glad I gave them a try.

We closed early for the holiday, so I went home to my other workspace to write this new year’s eve blog post.

Much of my writing happens here at my kitchen table, with my trusty laptop, a cup of something, and, often, a Harmony Farm Candle burning. I can’t tell you what a pleasure it is to write the blog for the shop, and especially to hear such kind feedback from you readers – thank you so much for spending your time here with me! When this post is written and published, I’ll retire to my current at-home project, “Vanora,” by Michele Wang, knit with Fibre Company Cumbria Fingering.

Cocoknits’ notions are making my knitting life better on this project, too; I’ve arranged Small Colored Stitch Markers throughout my stitch pattern, color-coding the cables, texture, and shaping so I know what I’m supposed to be doing without being glued to the chart.

Thank you all for another great year at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop, we so appreciate your support and enthusiasm! We’ve got something really big planned for the new year, and we just can’t wait to share it with you. In the meantime, I hope you’re finding time for a few stitches this new year’s eve – Happy New Year to you and yours!

Knitscene.

Posted by Julia on December 26, 2016

The Spring 2017 issue of Knitscene arrived over the weekend, an unseasonable but not unwelcome new magazine full of tempting patterns and useful tutorials.

Knitscene features a couple of articles on technique in each issue, but this one I think will prove especially essential reading: a pattern-reading tutorial on how to manage the sometimes befuddling instructions, “at the same time…”

This lacy, open-front cardigan is knit in one of our favorites, Fibre Company Acadia, a soft and tweedy blend of merino, alpaca, and silk.

Look for Knitscene and other new publications here at the shop. See you there!

Show and tell: colorwork.

Posted by Julia on December 23, 2016

We love to see finished projects that started life as yarn on our shelves, and when I’m able, I love to photograph them and share them here on the blog. I noticed a theme running through my current stash of show-and-tell photos: colorwork. I’m defining that term broadly to include stripes, colorblocks, stranded knitting and intarsia – all the myriad methods for changing colors as you knit.

We’ll begin with Margie, who brought two special pieces in for us to see, both designed by Kieran Foley. Above is “Lotus Crescent,” a unique shawl bursting with techniques from lace to stranded knitting to intarsia – sometimes all three in the space of one row! Margie used Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift for this one, eager to play with the large color palette.

Kieran Foley’s patterns are not for the faint of heart, but Margie persevered. Below is her “Zanzibar” scarf, knit with Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball and a variety of fingering weight scraps.

Loretta knit Melanie Berg’s “Drachenfels” shawl with three shades of Fibre Company Cumbria Fingering, a yarn she’s since used for mittens and has come to love.

This adorable “Pandamonium” hat was Wanda’s first attempt at stranded knitting, and she did a great job! The yarn is Rowan Pure Wool Superwash DK, and she came back for more to make another colorwork hat, encouraged by the success of this one.

Margaretta knit this “3 Color Cashmere Cowl” with Fibre Company Canopy Fingering in a most appealing trio of colors: two greens and a dark charcoal. It was a beautiful combination when I first saw it as three skeins of yarn, only to grow more beautiful as Margaretta stitched them into a cozy cowl.

Ruth knit the “Dreambird” shawl below using Schoppel-Wolle Starke 6 and Swans Island Natural Colors Merino Fingering, with help from a class on the subject here at the shop. The pairing of a self-striping yarn with a semi-solid hand-dyed yarn is a striking one for this pattern, perfect for showing off the short-row shaping.

Thanks to the knitters, crocheters, and weavers who bring in their work to show us what they’ve made! You inspire and amaze us, and we can’t wait to see what you get into next. Hope to see you at the shop soon, but do note our holiday hours, which are always posted on the main page of our website:

Saturday, Dec. 24: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Sunday, Dec. 25: closed

Saturday, Dec. 31st: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Sunday, Jan. 1st, 2017: closed

New magazines and books for crocheters.

Posted by Julia on December 14, 2016

It’s been a busy month or so for new publications here at the shop. In fact, some of our newest books and magazines come and go quickly after an Instagram introduction, not even lasting long enough on our shelves to warrant a blog post. For today, I’ll shine a light on the two latest crochet magazines, in case you’ve missed them in all the hubbub.

The Winter 2017 issue of Interweave Crochet features an article on practicing mindfulness with crochet, something many makers understand well. There’s also a tutorial on crochet chart-reading, a must for those looking to move into more complicated patterning.

This issue of Crochet Scene is packed full of patterns for garments, accessories, jewelry, and home goods, made in yarns ranging from lace weight to super bulky.

Courtney Kelley, of Kelbourne Woolens, has designed a cowl for this issue, made with Fibre Company Tundra.

Other recent acquisitions in the crochet department include Tamara Kelly’s Quick Crochet for the Home, Kate Bruning’s Let’s Go Camping: Crochet Your Own Adventure, and Modern Crochet Mandalas.

Come by the shop to see the latest crochet publications, and to plan your next project!

Show and tell: for grown-ups.

Posted by Julia on November 23, 2016

I’m back with another round of show-and-tell, this time for the grown-ups among us.

Kellie has been busy crocheting “Artfully Simple Infinity Scarves” with Noro Silk Garden Lite. She reports that the pattern is as easy as its title suggests, but that it’s endlessly entertaining, especially with colorful self-striping yarns like these.

They’re long enough to be worn doubled, as shown above, but short enough to hang around one’s neck simply, as shown below; either way makes an eye-catching accessory.

Margie’s needles are always busy, and she’s so prolific a knitter that these finished projects are already well behind her. Still, they bear sharing: above is her “Inverness Cape,” knit in Berroco Ultra Alpaca, and below is her “Escher Poncho,” knit in Malabrigo Rios, with a bit of Fibre Company Cumbria Worsted around the edge.

And there’s more: here’s Margie’s third “ZickZack Scarf,” knit with Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball and Debbie Bliss Rialto Lace held doubled throughout.

Catherine knit this beautiful “On the Spice Market” with Shibui Staccato, a merino/silk blend that has the perfect drape and luster for this shawl.

She carefully chose colors inspired by those shown in the pattern photo, with a few adjustments to make it her own.

Here’s another Melanie Berg pattern, “Sunwalker,” knit by Emma with the brand new Isager Merilin. This is a shawl that the photo doesn’t do justice, as it’s the texture and hand of the fabric that stood out most to me; shawl-knitters, consider Merilin when fingering weight yarn is called for!

Below is Amy’s “Copenhagen Hood,” a quick cozy accessory knit in Fibre Company Tundra, living temporarily at the shop as a sample for her upcoming class on the subject. There are still spaces in her class, if you’d like to join and knit a hood of your own…sign up on our website!

Joanne knit this “Rise” hat with Shibui Drift and Silk Cloud held together, and was so pleased with it that she came back for more yarn to knit one for her husband. I understand the appeal, seeing how well this came out! I can hardly imagine a softer yarn combination, truly.

Nancy knit this “Flowers of Life” pullover for her husband, using a beautiful palette of Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift in an intricate all-over fair isle pattern. She’s graciously left it at the shop for a few weeks for all to see and admire; come in soon to see this knitted work of art!

Joanne also has some Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift show and tell: a “Beginner’s Fair Isle Cap,” her first-ever colorwork project. With guidance from Nancy, she selected this color combination and arranged the colors within the motif for a unique accesory.

Thanks again to the knitters and crocheters who share their work with us. We feel lucky to play a part in your creative pursuits, and look forward to seeing the projects you plan!

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!