New Yarn

by: Sierra Roberts

New yarn! Baby Blatt by Anny Blatt

Thursday, October 5th, 2017 Posted in Book, General News, New Yarn | No Comments »

Hello Baby Blatt!

As the proverbial saying goes, all good things must come to an end. That’s why we are sad to say we will no longer be stocking Baby Ull Merino Wool Yarn. (So scoop up a great deal on what’s left!) It’s been a good run (many years, in fact), and although we’re bummed to see it go we are equally excited to welcome a new baby-geared yarn line in its place: Baby Blatt by Anny Blatt Yarn.

Baby Ull Merino Wool Yarn

Baby Blatt by Anny Blatt Yarn

Baby Blatt by Anny Blatt Yarn is similar to Baby Ull in many ways, and slightly different in others. While both of these yarns are 100% superwash wool, Baby Blatt is noticeably softer than its predecessor. Baby Ull has most recently been sold as 180 yard/ 50 g ball, whereas Baby Blatt by Anny Blatt Yarn clocks in at 195 yards/ 50 g ball. Both yarns boast a color palette intended for (but not limited to) little ones, with plenty of shades to choose from. I don’t want to sound unappreciative of the wonderful pastels and soft tones of Baby Ull, but Baby Blatt by Anny Blatt Yarn introduces some newer, modern brights into the mix as well as offering the more predictable, tried and true baby shades. Another plus about this beautiful yarn is that it is made in the same mill that’s been producing it for decades. Named for legendary French knitwear designer Anny Blatt, Baby Blatt is spun in Provence, France, and the quality and care are evident in it’s luxurious feel. The fun colors, easy care, and extra-soft hand make it possible to knit awesome wee sweaters like the one shown below:

The sweater above is just one of many adorable projects found in Bouton d'Or No. 31 that can be made using Baby Blatt by Anny Blatt Yarn. Some of you might be familiar with Bouton d’Or Baby Superwash from France – these two yarns can be used interchangeably. Here are a few other charmers from the same book:

Bouton d'Or No. 31

That textured yellow pullover above reminds me of a popular grown-up pattern we carry here at the shop, the Jo Sharp Ariel Double Moss Sweater - Pattern Download. That’s a neat coincidence of course, but the Bouton d’Or books are just full of other projects that I wish I could make in my size. These pieces below (especially the striped one on the bottom) are a perfect example, and they can be found in Bouton d'Or No. 28.

Bouton d'Or No. 28

The Bouton D’Or books I’ve mentioned come in a packet – originally printed in France, the glossy color copies are in their native language. A separate booklet is included that provides an English translation for each pattern.

Now since I’ve mentioned the other two books, I can’t leave the last one out! Bouton d'Or No. 25 contains the onesie pattern that started it all. When our lovely Anny Blatt representative came by to show us this yarn, she pulled out her own hand knit version of the onesie shown below. One touch convinced us that this soft yarn sure does make for comfortable, wearable baby clothes!

Bouton d'Or No. 25

Looking through the collections in these books, I’m amazed at how many different results you can achieve with this versatile yarn. Baby Blatt by Anny Blatt Yarn doesn’t just have to be used for babies, either! This yarn is a great choice for just about any fingering weight project, from socks to shawls and everything in between. As we head into the holidays, there are so many great little garments to make for your favorite munchkins. These wee pieces knit up fast so there’s plenty of time if you start your stitching now!

Baby Blatt by Anny Blatt Yarn

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by: Sierra Roberts

Making the Hand Dyed yarn line

Friday, July 7th, 2017 Posted in Dye, Fiber Arts Education, New Yarn | No Comments »

This summer, Halcyon Yarn is excited to present a new line of hand-dyed yarns!

Do you often find yourself gazing adoringly at dip-dyed, tie-dyed, kettle-dyed, and hand painted yarns? Me too. Even if you don’t want to stain your hands (and countertop… and floor) making your own, we’ve got you covered. I’m excited to introduce to you a very special, very limited run of hand-dyed Halcyon Signature Victorian 2-Ply, Victorian Mohair, Silk Noil, and Organic Cotton.

Halcyon Signature Hand-Dyed Mohair Yarn

Halcyon Signature Hand-Dyed Victorian 2-Ply Yarn

Halcyon Signature Hand-Dyed Organic Cotton Yarn

Halcyon Signature Hand-Dyed Silk Noil Yarn

Of course I can’t just show you a new product, especially one that I made myself, without telling you all about how it came to be. You see, for the past month or so I have been a mad scientist at the dyepot, trying different color combinations and techniques on different yarns. And then I’ve gone home in the evening and done that some more in my own kitchen. Needless to say, I have left a trail of colorful yarn in my wake everyplace I’ve gone.

Once I decided on the yarns and colors, we needed to figure out how to do this on a larger scale. This is about the time I started wondering if it was too late to take a trip to Uruguay, where I could take a peek at how Malabrigo does it. Seriously though, there’s a big difference between hand painting one skein of yarn as compared to ten. In the end we decided to use those simple large metal warming pans you see at catered events – a yarn buffet! Fiber artists are nothing if not resourceful. But first I started dyeing the Inca Organic Cotton Yarn, which doesn’t require any heat or pots and pans:

Inca Organic Cotton Yarn

Here’s what those messy looking skeins turned into:

(Click here to read my post about dyeing cotton!)

When you’re dyeing one skein at a time, you can really control (not to mention just plain see) where and how the color is applied to each specific spot of yarn. It’s not quite so simple when you add more skeins – depending on what kind of vessel you’re using, some of those skeins are likely to have to sit on top of others and things are likely to get a little more crowded. The magic of kettle-dyeing is that the yarn creates a barrier for the dye, thus preventing all the colors from running together during the process. That magic is also a huge problem when you’ve got ten skeins squished together in a little pan. In order to make sure the dye covers the yarn evenly, a little extra manipulation of the skeins is necessary. Tongs and syringes, a plastic spoon, and (gloved) fingers were all put to work poking and prodding the yarn. Check out these photos of my work in progress:

The results? Each batch of yarn was a delightful surprise, planned as it might have been. Within a single batch, there are skeins that came out a little lighter and softer colored and skeins that have bright, saturated areas of color. Our offices were draped all over with drying skeins of yarn and it felt like such a wonderland, I snapped a few photos:

As you can see, this yarn was kettle-dyed in very small batches. Great for adding a bright accent to a piece, I especially love pairing a bright colorway with a neutral yarn in stripes or other colorwork. These hand-dyed yarns can also be used on their own if you’re looking for an all over colorful textured effect, but keep in mind that quantities are very limited – so snag a skein of your favorite colorway before they’re all gone!

Halcyon Signature Hand-Dyed Mohair Yarn

Halcyon Signature Hand-Dyed Victorian 2-Ply Yarn

Halcyon Signature Hand-Dyed Organic Cotton Yarn

Halcyon Signature Hand-Dyed Silk Noil Yarn

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by: Sierra Roberts

Malabrigo Sock – in stock and on sale

Monday, January 16th, 2017 Posted in General News, New Yarn | No Comments »

On the coat tails of my last post about Malabrigo Lace, here’s another new addition to our Malabrigo family: Malabrigo Sock Yarn! This is a plied, superwash merino wool sock weight yarn. Sock is kettle dyed, so it has all the tonal and multicolor variegation you’ve come to know and love from Malabrigo. A comparable weight to Lace, Sock differs in that the plied construction makes it just a tiny bit stronger. Don’t forget it’s machine washable, too!

Malabrigo Sock Yarn

Sock is a wonderfully soft yarn. While it’s obviously great for socks (what a delightful way for your feet to dress!), this yarn works for any project that requires a fine weight yarn. The venerable Ann Budd loves Sock for her Take Two Skirt pattern (check it out on Ravelry here). It knits up into a beautiful, interesting fabric with just the right amount of drape. I say the fabric is interesting because with Malabrigo, whatever color you choose is guaranteed to have depth and personality. Even the solids have a range of tonal variation, with darker to lighter areas that blend together to create a “living” color.

So what should you make out of sock? Malabrigo releases pattern books pretty regularly, and there were a few patterns in Malabrigo Book 3 that caught my eye. First, there’s the Scalloped Shawl, shown below:

Malabrigo Book 3

sockshawl

This shawl is a great way to play with two colorways of Sock. It’s always fun to see what happens with those multis! For those of you looking for a fun, interesting sock pattern, I also really like the Quick Draw Socks:

socksocks

These socks are a great introductory cable project for a newer knitter. I think the fancy stitch work on these would show up best in a more solid color, but I’d also be interested to see how the more variegated shades would look. Such intriguing possibilities!

If you’re feeling inspired, pick up some Malabrigo sock between now and next Monday (January 23rd) for 10% off!

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by: Sierra Roberts

Nube all day!!! (but only on sale this week)

Friday, December 16th, 2016 Posted in General News, New arrivals at Halcyon Yarn, New Yarn | No Comments »

Attention all spinners, felters, weavers, and fans of thrummed knitting: you’ve gotta check out Nube by Malabrigo Fiber! Actually, you’re lucky I’m even telling you about it because I’d love to keep it all to myself. Soft as its namesake (“nube” is Spanish for “cloud”), this 100% Merino wool top is a dream to work with. The beautiful hand dyed colors make it hard to choose which one to bring home, and watching the colors change as you work with this roving will keep you entertained for hours.

Nube by Malabrigo Fiber

I can say that from experience, because as soon as this stuff came in I snatched up a braid of Mostaza and Archangel. I then scurried home with my bounty and proceeded to gaze lovingly at it, taking glamour shots and admiring how this lovely fiber looked against all sorts of backgrounds. It’s a little embarrassing, actually – it took me a week or two to stop gawking at Nube and actually break it out of its perfect roly-poly braid to get it on my wheel.

Nube by Malabrigo color 0031 (NUB031Mostaza)

» Info / buy

Nube by Malabrigo color 0850 (NUB850Archangel)

» Info / buy

Now I’m a spinner, so that’s what I chose to use Nube for. But this roving is also great for wet felting, needle felting, thrummed knitting, and weaving. I can only imagine how these colors would look if you incorporated Nube into a woven tapestry wall hanging – you know the ones, like in Rachel Denbow’s DIY Woven Art. Seriously though, picture it in this Group Hug Wall Hanging from that book:

DIY Woven Art

Or in the Milkmaid Braid Wall Hanging, also from that book:

And if I’m being completely honest here, I should probably admit that after I scanned the photos for this post, I also bought this book. What a wonderful, fresh way to get creative with fiber. While woven wall hangings are by no means a new art form, they certainly speak to the aesthetics of today.

Anyway, Amos and I made a video so I could not only tell you about the awesomeness of Nube, but also show you. I took my beat up old Louet on a field trip to work with me, all buckled up safely in the backseat of my messy car

You might have noticed that my husband’s drums don’t even get such special treatment. Let’s hope he doesn’t read this…

So back to that video – in it, I show off what I’ve spun so far; you can also watch me work with it a little bit more while I gab about my experience spinning with Nube. Check it out here and if you feel the spark of inspiration you should snag some Nube of your own before I squirrel it all away. Oh yeah, and it’s gonna be on sale for 10% off through next Friday – so perhaps a last minute gift… or something to look forward to yourself, after the holiday hustle and bustle!

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by: Sierra Roberts

Malabrigo Arroyo – special price this week only

Friday, December 16th, 2016 Posted in General News, New arrivals at Halcyon Yarn, New Yarn | 2 Comments »

Looking for a machine washable sport-weight yarn that doesn’t feel gross? Check out Arroyo Yarn by Malabrigo! This is a durable, plied superwash that is already a trusted go-to for knitters everywhere. For those of you familiar with Malabrigo Rios Superwash Wool Yarn, you might think of Arroyo as the sport-weight kid sister, a lighter weight version of that yarn.

Arroyo Yarn by Malabrigo

Great for babies, accessories, and lightweight garments, Arroyo is super versatile. And in case you’re wondering, it’s definitely soft enough to wear against your skin. Available in an array of beautiful tonal and multi-colors, this yarn fits right in with the rest of the beautiful Malabrigo family.

So what should you make with it? Well, Malabrigo has a few super cute patterns for Arroyo, like this Trenzado cardigan from Malabrigo Book 4:

Malabrigo Book 4

arroyoblog2

This cardigan has a wonderfully flattering shape, and it’s a nice way to show off the color variations this yarn is known for. If you’re looking for something a little smaller, take a gander at this Sullivan cowl from Malabrigo Book 5 - In Soho:

Malabrigo Book 5 - In Soho

arroyoblog1

Adorable. Just adorable. And perfect for the chilly months ahead! Carrying the yarn along the back for all the colorwork adds a little extra insulation, making this a warm little project. A few other patterns that I think would be awesome in Arroyo are the Casco Bay Baby Roll Brim Hats and the Fitzgerald Cardigan - Flywheel Pattern Harrisville Designs.

Casco Bay Baby Roll Brim Hats

Fitzgerald Cardigan - Flywheel Pattern Harrisville Designs

The possibilities are nearly endless with this yarn, really. It’s strong enough for every day use, soft enough even for babies, and machine washable. It’s also on sale for 10% off from now until next Friday, December 23… I guess the only question remaining is, what will you make?

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by: Sierra Roberts

Malabrigo Caracol yarn is awesome! (So is the special introductory price)

Friday, December 9th, 2016 Posted in General News, New Yarn | No Comments »

Make room in your stash for another awesome new yarn from Malabrigo! Caracol Yarn by Malabrigo is a fun, unique super bulky merino yarn that is just as much fun in hank form as it is knitted up. Not to mention, it’s machine washable so it’s pretty darn usable. Ok, so maybe you won’t need to make room in your stash since you’re going to want to play with Caracol right away.

Plus, this week Caracol is 10% off!

Why does this yarn look so cool!? That’s what we all said when we first saw it, so I bet you’re asking the same question. Here’s the deal: First, they take a thick and thin single ply of superwash merino wool yarn. Then, they crisscross it with either a black or white binding thread. This makes the yarn almost look like it’s wearing fishnet stockings. Well, at least that’s the case with my favorite color, Lettuce. That’s because this one is a beautiful range of greens to yellow, and the binding thread is black.

Malabrigo kettle dyes this yarn after it’s been constructed, so when they put a white thread on it, it’s really cool to see the results. The binding thread takes the dye differently, creating a more subtle netted effect. For example, check out Cereza red. This one had white binding thread, and you can see how it is just a hint lighter than the wool. Either way, it’s a beautiful contrast – every color of this yarn is intriguing.

Aside from the lovely colors, you might also be interested to hear about how soft this yarn is. Even fluffier than it looks, Caracol is as soft as you’d expect it to be – and more. This would be an absolute luxury on your feet as a pair of bulky slippers. Since it’s machine washable, Caracol would make stunning home accessories. I certainly wouldn’t mind having a set of couch pillows made out of it! This yarn would also feel amazing around your face and neck… I smell a new design forming, you’d better keep an eye out!

In the meantime, if you’re hank-ering to knit something with Caracol right away I recommend the Chic Knits Maximus - Pattern download. We have a sample of this at the shop made out of Malabrigo Rasta Yarn, and the weights of these two yarns are comparable. I like Rasta too, but I’d love to see (and feel) how this cowl would look out of Caracol.

Chic Knits Maximus - Pattern download

Malabrigo Rasta Yarn

Due to the large amount of texture this yarn has on its own, you’ll want to avoid spending too much time on fancy stitch patterns; most of that stitch work will likely be lost in the loveliness of the yarn. For something very simple to make out of Caracol, try The Big Easy Cowl. Sometimes simple is the way to go when you’re working with a yarn that has as much personality as this one.

The Big Easy Cowl

So there you have it – this yarn has sparked so many ideas here at the shop, we can’t decide what to make first! If you’re feeling inspired yourself, catch Caracol while it’s on sale – it’s 10% off from now through Saturday, December 17th!

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by: Sierra Roberts

New Yarn – Malabrigo Lace, special intro price!

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2016 Posted in General News, New arrivals at Halcyon Yarn, New Yarn | No Comments »

malabrigo-lace-yarn-187-blog

I have a wonderful announcement to make: As part of expanding our Malabrigo selection, we now stock Malabrigo Lace Yarn! This is a beautiful, delicate, singles lace weight merino wool that is worthy of being fawned over. I’ll be honest, I am always partial to single ply yarns. I love how buttery they are, how they knit up, and really just how they look in general. Not to mention, they show off fancy dye jobs in the loveliest way. So it only makes sense that this biased knitter would gravitate toward Malabrigo Lace. Weavers are in on this too – you’ll find that with 470 yards to a skein and a very even twist, especially for a singles, this yarn open up new possibilities for weaving with merino in a gorgeous palette. Want a closer look? Check out my video review:

Malabrigo Lace Yarn

This yarn really shows off the beautifully variegated colors that Malabrigo is known for, despite its diminutive weight. We have a mixed selection of multicolors and tonal solids here at the shop; I again have to be honest and tell you I especially love this yarn in tonal solids. I never really care for purple, but every time I walk by the display I get sucked in by our color 0340, Orchid. There’s just something about the subtlety of the color that I really enjoy.

» Info / buy

Lace is a much lighter version of Malabrigo Worsted, which has been a shop favorite for years. Since most of you are probably already familiar with how great Malabrigo is, let me hush up already and show you some things you can make with this particular yarn….

First and foremost, the Knitbot Featherweight Cardigan. This is on my to-do list. Hannah Fettig’s patterns are a joy to follow- well written, well designed, and fun to knit. I know people who have made this particular cardigan multiple times, just so they can have one in every color. It’s also available for the kiddo’s – Knitbot Fledgling Featherweight Cardigan.

Knitbot Featherweight Cardigan - Pattern download

» Info / buy

Knitbot Fledgling Featherweight Cardigan - PDF Pattern Download

» Info / buy

If you’re more of a shawl person, there’s also this book: Sock - Yarn Shawls. This book has a bunch of different shawl patterns, and you can use Malabrigo Lace for all of ’em.

Sock - Yarn Shawls

Whether you’re inspired by a certain color or have a hankering for a certain finished project, this yarn has a lot to offer. Catch Malabrigo Lace on sale for 10% off – now through next Wednesday!

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by: Sierra Roberts

New Yarn – Heirloom Romney by Fancy Tiger Crafts, special intro price!

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2016 Posted in General News, New arrivals at Halcyon Yarn, New Yarn | No Comments »

heirloom-romney-yarn-all-colors-2

Heirloom Romney yarn by Fancy Tiger Crafts is 100% home grown springy woolly goodness. A collaboration between Fancy Tiger and Elemental Affects, Heirloom Romney is made in the US from sheep to dyehouse. This sturdy yarn is aptly named – Romney wool is known for its strength and durability, and one touch will tell you this yarn will stand the test of time. That one touch will also surprise you, as this isn’t as itchy and dense as a lot of other Romney yarns. Still a solid, warm feeling yarn, it has a bloom to it that gives it an almost fuzzy springiness.

Heirloom Romney yarn by Fancy Tiger Crafts

I have had a love affair with Heirloom since earlier this spring, when I first caught a glimpse of it. The first thing I noticed was the wonderfully fun, modern color palette. I love the muted, heathered brights, especially this yellow-green color, named Quinoa. I first saw this in a print ad, by the way, so I must admit to falling for Heirloom before I even felt it. And then I felt it.

» Info / buy

Now, this is a yarn for sheep lovers. It smells like freshly washed homespun wool, so much so that you’ll even sometimes catch a whiff when passing by the display in the shop. It feels like real wool straight from the farm, too: while I wouldn’t describe Heirloom as soft, I certainly wouldn’t describe it as itchy either. If you’re familiar with Romney wool, you probably can guess at this yarn’s hand. But I have to repeat, this yarn is springy.

We knit a test swatch on three needle sizes (US 8, 9, and 10) and found that any of the three gauges work. The smallest needles produced a denser (but by no means stiff) fabric, good for boot socks, mittens, and other items that benefit from extra strength. When knit on larger needles, the yarn’s halo of squish (since we’re being technical here) fills in the larger spaces so you still have all the warmth and fullness you could want, but with enough added drape to make this yarn really great for cozy winter sweaters or blankets. Weight-wise, I’d have to sum Heirloom up as a versatile worsted because it really is capable of playing multiple roles.

heirloom-romney-yarn-all-colors

This is a newer yarn, so there aren’t a ton of patterns out there that have been written specifically for it. (Stay tuned!) That said, I’ve got a couple recommendations: There’s the Candide Ragg Socks and Cap Number 38 pattern, which would be perfect knit up in this yarn. That’s also a basic enough pattern that can easily be tweaked to incorporate a second color – imagine those socks in dark gray with a stripe of Quinoa in the cuff! And (at the risk of being berated by Lopi fans worldwide) Heirloom would also be great for some of your favorite Icelandic sweater patterns . Weavers will enjoy it too, as it has good yardage, and surprising strength for such a lofty yarn. An Heirloom Romney blanket next to a cozy fire would be pretty ideal as the days get colder!

» Info / buy

» Info / buy

All of us here at Halcyon are in love with Heirloom Romney – the smell, feel, and look of it are all incredibly appealing to our New England knitter sensibilities. With generous yardage, beautiful colors, durability and a made in the USA stamp, I think this yarn feels right at home in our shop. And maybe I’m being cheesy, but I like to think that no matter where your roots are, working with yarn like this will make you feel right at home, too.

Stock up on cozy – Heirloom Romney is on sale for 10% off – now through next Wednesday!

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New Yarn

Hello Baby Blatt!

This summer, Halcyon Yarn is excited to present a new line of hand-dyed yarns!

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