Free Easy Pattern - Amy Shrug

Amy

Featured Yarn: Berroco Comfort in Dusk

Cool Things to Make Today

Projects that can be knit up in a day or two are always a favorite. These are different, eye catching, as well as so soft to the touch.

Outre hat that can be worn many ways. You have to buy the Berroco Booklet #300 and two hanks of Berroco Borealis yarn. Check out this great review of the Borealis yarn by Barbara Rottman.

Savannah Shingle by Rowan is a crocheted top (vest) with nostalgic flair. Buy the project at YarnMarket.

A Few of Berroco's Latest Products

I found this yarn to be fascinating because the ply looks like it is braided. That in itself will add visual interest to anything you knit. They call this style, "chainette".

This specific yarn is called Flicker, which at first made me think of the photo hosting website but then I looked at the spelling and realized it is called flicker because of the pretty tinsel like element that is added to the fiber. It consists of baby alpaca, acrylic, and other fibers (???). I would really like to know what those are!

Isn't this a beautiful lace stitch pattern? This pullover is knit with Flicker yarn. It is called Maila.

The "chainette" yarns are very attractive to me right now. Here are some that are coming soon to the Berroco website.

Souffle in the color Garmisch - acrylic, wool, baby alpaca

Voyage in Pool - alpaca and polyester

Link in Lioness - wool and acrylic

Don't forget, there are many free patterns to print out on the Berroco website! This link will direct you to the latest yarns, and there is a link that says "free patterns" for each of those that they offer. Happy Knitting :)

Need Yarn?

Custom Yarns by Linda

ALL BERROCO YARNS 50% OFF!
TWO DAYS ONLY - APRIL 29th & 30th.

Berroco Idol yarn
Image source: by pballantyne3930
Shop from an assortment of styles and colors with prices ranging from $1.75 to $4.75 each ball/skein. Some of the yarns featured on the Custom Yarns website are discontinued, so get them while you can!

A Few New Things at Lion Brand and Berroco

Great tip from my Lion Brand e-newsletter today:

• Works for knitting or crochet: I like to use bobby pins (the straight kind) to mark my rows, my stitches, and also to put articles together. To keep track of a lot of stitches, I count out 10 stitches and place a pin and continue. Then I only have to count by 10s. - Anonymous

New free pattern @ Berroco - Mayer

• "A cozy fall jacket with an exaggerated collar, Mayer features the same waffle textured stitch used in Faber, from Norah Gaughan vol 5."

Beautiful New Free Patterns at Berroco

"Drift" cardigan pattern, knit with Vintage yarn. Vintage yarn is an acrylic, wool, nylon blend. You can either view the pattern online, or download it as a .pdf file. I like the colors "Fennel" and "Sloe Berry".

"Tarte" tank knitted in Mica yarn, which is a cotton, silk, nylon, linen blend. This yarn is sturdy and has a nice sheen to it for added dimension. I like the colors Vivianite and Abalone, in this particular yarn.

Please note that these patterns are not intended for beginner knitters. They are both at the intermediate level.

Knitting How To Videos from Berroco and Lion Brand

Berroco and Lion Brand now feature detailed how to videos about various techniques to help you with your knitting and crochet projects. You do not have to be a registered user to view the video clips!

Lace Sweater Dress by Berroco

This is a really cute dress to knit. It is from a new Berroco pattern book, #288. The dress featured here is knitted with a yarn called Blackstone Tweed. Blackstone Tweed comes in 12 beautiful colors (one of my favorites is "Patriot Blue"). It is a yarn made up of wool, mohair, and angora.

Pitti Filati 2008

Image source: Foamy-GFX

Thanks to Berroco KnitBits newsletter, I was able to view fantastic images of this year's Pitti Filati in Florence, Italy. How I wish I could have visited this exhibition to view these amazing designs. The theme was nature inspired: here is a short video of some amazing knitted sea creatures. Have you ever been inspired by sea life? Did you ever wonder what a knitted jelly fish actually looks like? Now you can, and you can create it too, for free! Thank you Norah Gaughan! This is spectacular and strange in the best ways.

Sensual Naturals - Yarn Suggestions

This bag is super cute and can transition from late winter to early spring, easily. Check out this free pattern at the Berroco website. (I love the model's coat in this photo.) :)

I'm so attracted to neutrals right now, which is strange with all the saturated colors on the runway. Maybe it's just the Spring season coming upon me that I am dying to be a part of. I'm so ready for winter to be over.

Camel, beige and taupe are sparking my interest at the moment.

Berroco has a few new yarns that I am interested in, such as NaturLin, and Linen Jeans, both consisting of rayon and linen. These yarns will be perfect for Spring and Summer knitting or crochet projects. NaturLin is a thicker yarn, but Linen Jeans is just as nice, and is an unusual tape type yarn, which will add variety to your hand made garments.

Smart and Modern "Pasandra": Free Berroco Pattern

This Berroco pattern, called Pasandra, is very interesting. I love the shaping and geometric details. The yarn used for this sweater is a Berroco product called Pure Merino Heather, and is made of 100% extra fine Merino Wool. I would knit this in either the "Tyrolean Alps" or "Dusk" colors.