Tag Archives: retrosaria rosa pomar

Show and tell: stranded colorwork.

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Time for another round of show and tell! Let’s look at what folks are making with yarn from HYS.

Over the years, many knitters have told me that HYS has a reputation for colorwork, thanks to our fair isle samples, our love of this technique, and our selection of yarns well suited to it. The knitters in our community also contribute to this reputation with their amazing projects – check out Becky’s gorgeous “Forget-Me-Not-Jumper,” by Florence Miller!

Becky knit this sweater with WYS Morris DK, a smooth blend of British wool that comes in a color palette inspired by the art of William Morris.

Liz’s “Polina Pullover” also has bold colorwork at the yoke, along with thoughtful textural details at the neck. She knit it with Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Vovó, a versatile sport weight wool that absolutely sings in stranded knitting as well as stockinette – just look at these stitches!

The lovely stitches above were knit by Nancy, a longtime knitting teacher and friend of the shop. The yarn is Kelbourne Woolens Scout, one of our consistent best-sellers, and the pattern is “Epistropheid,” by Kate Davies.

Above is Victoria’s amazing “Jolly Spots,” a playful child’s cardigan designed by Martin Storey.

The yarn is Skipper, a bit of an unexpected choice for colorwork – 100% cotton, with none of the elasticity or wooliness we tend to think of for stranded knitting. The result is stunning, however, and a steek-free pattern like this is a good fit for cotton.

Thanks to Becky, Liz, Nancy, and Victoria for sharing their work with us, and thanks to everyone who starts their projects with a trip to HYS – we can’t wait to see what you make next!

Show and tell: slip stitch shawls.

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Here’s another batch of show and tell, projects that started their lives as yarns here at the Hillsborough Yarn Shop. All of today’s knits happen to be shawls, whether rectangular or triangular, high contrast or low, warm and wooly or light as a feather. They also have a colorwork technique in common: mosaic or slip stitch knitting, with just one yarn in use per row.

Here are Debbie, Michele, and Dee, friends who often knit the same patterns. When they come into the shop together, we all have fun picking out colors and yarn combinations! I had to stop them for a photo when they came in modeling their “Xyla” shawls, a striking design by Natasja Hornby. From left to right: Debbie knit hers in Brooklyn Tweed Tones Light, Michele used Loft, and Dee used Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mondim.

For more subtle but no less colorful slip stitching, we turn to Margaretta’s “Floating Squares Wrap,” by Amy Christoffers. She knit it with the best-selling Isager Silk Mohair in a stunning sunset palette.

Hazel was inspired to make this “Isla Shawl” in Biches & Bûches Le Petit Lambswool after seeing Bailey’s sample here at the shop.

She had so much fun making it that she came back for another, and then a few more – I’ve only captured photos of two, but let her prolific “Islas” be an endorsement of Astrid Troland’s charming pattern!

We’ve since put together Isla Shawl Kits in all kinds of colorways, including Hazel’s own!

Cindy knit this “Picnic Shawlette” in Lang Cashmere Premium, letting the stitch pattern pop in solid colors.

Here’s Katherine, a familiar face to many of you – she’s been teaching knitting and crochet classes here at HYS for years! Here, she wears Andrea Mowry’s “Nightshift,” knit with one of her favorite yarns, Malabrigo Rios.

Thanks to the many 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.

2025 in review.

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It was another big year here at HYS – though we were sad to say goodbye to Brooklyn Tweed, we refilled the space they left on our shelves with no less than 12 new kinds of yarn. They’re a diverse group: solids, heathers, and variegated colorways, cool plant fibers and fuzzy animal fibers, and a variety of weights from lace to bulky. This year, I wrote a blog post about each one of them, with my impressions, insights, and pattern ideas for how to use them. Click the links below to review our year in new yarn!

Which of these new yarns have you worked with, and which is next on your wish list? Tell us in the comments, we love hearing about the things you make!

Show and tell: sweater weather.

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As you may have read in our most recent newsletter, the shop will be closed for our usual Thanksgiving break from November 23 – December 1. Feel free to shop online during that time, but know that we won’t be shipping or monitoring our inbox until we’re back in the shop on December 2! We wish you all a peaceful holiday.

In the meantime, let’s enjoy some show and tell!

Joanne knit this gorgeous “Field Slipover” with Isager Merilin and Silk Mohair, a luxurious and unique blend of fibers. Pattern by Camilla Vad.

 

Katherine seems to have a new sweater on her needles each time we see her, and a new sweater just off her needles, too – here are two of her latest.

Above is her “Emberstone Cardigan Aran,” by Dear Knits, made with Sandnes Garn Double Sunday and Isager Silk Mohair held together. Below is her “Astrid Sweater,” by Pernille Larsen, made with Isager Baby and Silk Mohair held together. It would be hard to say which sweater is softer – these are both such decadent yarn combinations!

Michele knit this “Rosie Sweater” using Biches & Bûches Le Petit Lambswool and Isager Silk Mohair. The main color had been lingering in her stash for a while, awaiting the perfect project, and this pale lavender sets it off beautifully. Pattern by Lene Holme Samsøe.

Here’s another design by Lene Holme Samsøe: Nancy’s “Musling Tee,” knit with Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mungo. She left it with us to display at the shop – look for it near the checkout desk when you’re here next!

Thanks to Joanne, Katherine, Michele and Nancy for sharing their work with us! We love to see what you make with our yarns, and can’t wait to see what comes off your needles next.

Show and tell: soothing stockinette.

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Sometimes there’s nothing more pleasing than plain old stockinette stitch, its soothing rhythm and smooth surface. Here are some soothing stockinette projects from knitters in our community!

Kristin came in wearing her lovely “Novice Slipover,” knit with Brooklyn Tweed Dapple (sadly discontinued) and Fyberspates Cumulus – such a cuddly combination. Pattern by PetiteKnit.

Here’s Pam in her “Stevie,” knit with the aptly-named Isager Soft. She extended the sleeves of Elizabeth Smith’s pattern to the perfect three quarter length.

Alberto finished his PetiteKnit “Oslo Hat” in just a week, using the Lead + Onyx colorway of our Oslo Hat Kit. I love how these shades of gray blend together in Kelbourne Woolens Perennial and Fyberspates Cumulus!

 

Here’s one of Katherine’s several “Plain Yoke Tee 20” sweaters, modified to lengthen the sleeves and add a nice ribbed neckband.

She knit this one in a vibrant semisolid shade of Malabrigo Seis Cabos – sign up for one of her classes here at HYS and you might just see her wearing it! Pattern by Lene Holme Samsøe.

Here I am wearing my “Minimal Raglan Sweater,” a simple but thoughtful pattern by Noriko Ichikawa. I used Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Vovó, and look forward to knitting with it again – I loved the springiness, the sharp stitch definition, and the lovely heathered colors.

Josie knit this cherry red “Aura Top” with Isager Silk Mohair, and the result is ethereal. Pattern by Rows Knitwear – next time you’re here, check out the one Bailey made as a shop sample!

Michele made this wonderful “Cloud Sweater” with a mix of yarn from her stash and yarn from our sale trunk – a light gray fingering weight wool, and a variegated shade of Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Infusion Kid Mohair, to be precise. Love the result!

Many thanks to Kristin, Pam, Alberto, Katherine, Josie, and Michele for sharing their handiwork with us! We really appreciate everyone whose projects begin with a trip to HYS, and we can’t wait to see what you come up with next.

Show and tell: compelling combinations.

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“Can I use these yarns together?” is a question I sometimes hear at the shop, and the answer is almost always yes. Maybe the perfect background color comes from one brand but the perfect contrast color is in another brand – if the fiber content and gauge are similar, go ahead and mix yarn to your heart’s content! For show-and-tell today, we’re focusing on projects that combine different yarns in different ways, for different reasons.

Here’s Jaime in her “Fall Sweater,” knit during Anne’s class on the subject. Jaime found three colors she loved in Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Vovó, and found the fourth in the now-discontinued Brooklyn Tweed Imbue Sport. As you can see, these two non-superwash sport weight wools knit up seamlessly together – such a lovely sweater! Pattern by Courtney Kelley.

Nancy knit this “Pine Point” hat for a child, modifying the size by using fingering weight yarn. For the solid purple, she picked Ewe Ewe Fluffy Fingering, a 100% superwash merino wool, and, wanting a variegated contrast color, she chose hand-dyed Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere. The resulting hat is soft, colorful, and machine washable – just right! Pattern by Mary Lou Egan.

Margaretta mixed yarns for the same reason in her “Ocean Waves Cowl,” by Amy Christoffers. The mosaic pattern pairs a self striping yarn with a solid color – Margaretta used Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball Crazy and Sandnes Garn Sunday, respectively.

Another time knitters often mix and match different brands of yarn is when we’re trying to use up leftovers from previous projects. Such was the case for Wendy, who makes socks often enough to have some bits and bobs on hand.

Here are her charming “Forester Caterpillar Socks,” by Alexandria Wenninger, knit with three different but comparable sock yarns: CoopKnits Socks Yeah!, Malabrigo Ultimate Sock, and Isager Sock.

Kristin knit this PetiteKnit “Melange Sweater” for her daughter, holding two different non-superwash fingering weight wools together throughout. Color was part of the reason – Kelbourne Woolens Camper had the right heathered black, Cascade 220 Fingering had the right bright white – but in the end, it came down to availability. This was the black and white combination we had enough of at that moment, and she was eager to cast on! I don’t blame her – I love the staticky look of a marled sweater, and this one is a beauty.

Thanks to Jaime, Nancy, Margaretta, Wendy, and Kristin for sharing their projects with us! And thanks to everyone who starts their projects with a trip to HYS – we can’t wait to see what you come up with next.

Hello, Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Brusca!

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We’re excited to have another yarn from Retrosaria Rosa Pomar here at HYS – meet Brusca!

Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Brusca:

  • worsted weight
  • 2 ply
  • woolen spun
  • 100% fine Portuguese wool (50% Saloia, 50% Merino Branco and Merino Preto)
  • 136 yards / 50 grams
  • gauge: 19-21 sts x 27-30 rows = 4 x 4 inches
  • needle size: US 6-8 (4-5mm)
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry

Retrosaria Rosa Pomar is a yarn company and haberdashery based in Lisbon, Portugal, known for its heritage Portuguese wool. Working in collaboration with small manufacturers, breeders associations, and shepherds, all Rosa Pomar yarns are non-superwash, not bleached, and have no silicone-based softeners. We love that their wool comes from free-range sheep, and that mulesing is not practiced in Portugal.

Brusca is a breed and flock specific yarn, composed of 50% Saloia and 50% Merino Branco and Merino Preto wool. Saloia is the native sheep breed to the region of Lisbon and Setúbal. It is well documented since the 19th century, famous for having some of the finest wool in Portugal. This wool shines in Brusca, which has a rustic 2ply texture and a soft, springy hand. Expect to find occasional (and easily removed) bits of vegetation spun into the yarn, a reminder that Brusca is gently processed!

What to knit with Brusca?

Look for Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Brusca in the worsted weight section here at HYS!

Hello, Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mungo!

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We are so excited to carry yarn from Retrosaria Rosa Pomar, a yarn company and haberdashery known for its heritage Portuguese wool. We’ve had Mondim and Vovó on our shelves for a few months, and already they’ve become favorites – we couldn’t wait to bring in another Retrosaria Rosa Pomar yarn. Meet Mungo!

Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mungo:

  • worsted weight
  • 4ply
  • 50% recycled wool and 50% recycled cotton
  • 240 yards/100 grams
  • gauge: 19 stitches = 4 inches
  • needle size: US 6-8 (4-5 mm)
  • hand wash cold, lay flat to dry

Mungo is a recycled wool and cotton yarn, spun entirely from pre-consumer waste generated by Portuguese spinning mills. We appreciate this sustainable sourcing, and love the idea of making good use of fiber that would otherwise be thrown away.

This balanced blend of sturdy wool and cool cotton is ideal for spring sweaters and shawls – we can hardly wait to cast on with Mungo!

“Abbas,” by Rosa Pomar, photo © Rosa Pomar

What to make with Mungo? Here are some pattern ideas in a single color…

“Aveiro,” by Orlane Sucche, photo © Orlane Sucche

And some pattern ideas for combining colors!

“Super Simple Summer Sweater,” by Joji Locatelli, photo © Joji Locatelli

Look for Mungo in the worsted weight section here at HYS, and don’t miss Mondim and Vovó in the fingering and sport weight sections, respectively!

Vovó + Silk Mohair.

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If you’ve visited the shop in the past month or so, you’ve probably heard us talking about Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Vovó, a new sport weight yarn from Portugal that Anne, Bailey, and I are all coveting. While I was rounding up pattern ideas for Vovó, I came across a few that called for adding a strand of lace weight mohair and couldn’t resist sharing them here with color combinations!

“Grinalda,” by Rosa Pomar – photo © Rosa Pomar

Rosa Pomar’s “Grinalda” caught my eye with its pretty floral embroidery, and when I looked closer, the color combination intrigued me – a silvery gray held together with a blush pink. I went for a similar low contrast combination in the Vovó + Isager Silk Mohair swatch shown here.

I love how these shades blend together in the knitted fabric, and of course it feels great with that fuzzy mohair halo. Here are a few other low contrast combinations to consider…

“Verso Beanie,” by Jenny Ansah – photo © Jenny Ansah

There’s something so satisfying about a close color match between yarns, as well – that’s what Jenny Ansah used in her cozy “Verso Beanie.” Here are a few Vovó + Silk Mohair pairs for that perfect match…

“Rauha,” by Sari Nordlund – photo © Sari Nordlund

Two more gorgeous garments pairing Vovó + Silk Mohair – Sari Nordlund’s “Rauha” above and Rosa Pomar’s “Burgos” below.

“Burgos,” by Rosa Pomar – photo © Rosa Pomar

Look for Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Vovó in our sport weight section and Isager Silk Mohair in our lace weight section. We can’t wait to see what color combinations and patterns you come up with!

Hello, Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mondim!

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We are so excited to announce that we now carry yarn from Retrosaria Rosa Pomar, a yarn company and haberdashery known for its heritage Portuguese wool. We have Mondim and Vovó on our shelves now – let’s take a look at Mondim!

Retrosaria Rosa Pomar Mondim:

  • fingering weight
  • 3 ply
  • 100% fine Portuguese non-superwash wool – most batches of Mondim are made exclusively from the wool of native Campaniça sheep
  • 421 yards/100 grams
  • gauge: 24-32 sts x 30-48 rows = 4 x 4 inches
  • needle size: 2-4mm | US 1-6
  • hand wash, lay flat to dry

Mondim is a non-superwash fingering weight yarn made from fine Portuguese wool, and named after a Portuguese village once famous for its sock knitting cottage industry. Tightly plied and sturdy, Mondim is a great choice for making socks, hats, and sweaters alike.

Mondim comes in a huge range of colors, the most of any Retrosaria Rosa Pomar yarn. We have a mix of variegated, speckled and solid shades in stock, carefully selected to play well together. Think Andrea Mowry’s “Curio Socks,” Amy Christoffers’ “Pressed Flowers Socks,” and Hanna Leväniemi’s “Broken Seed Stitch Socks.”

If single color socks are more your speed, try Andrea Mowry’s “DRK Everyday Socks,” Stephen West’s “Dustland Socks,” or Tin Can Knits “Rye Light.” Anne will be teaching “Rye Light” in her upcoming Learn to Knit Socks class – she added it to the schedule just to have an excuse to work with Mondim!

Look for Mondim in the fingering weight section here at HYS!