Dear KnitBits® Subscribers,

For several seasons now many of my loyal readers have heard me extol the virtues of my favorite yarn, Suede™. Over the past several seasons, the family of Suede has grown. We have added a strip of gold and silver running down the center of Suede to invent Suede™ Deluxe. We have also designed a unique tri-color dye effect to give a tie-dyed effect to our basic Suede, creating Suede™ Tri-Color. We have been experimenting with knit and crochet stitches in these yarns and practically everything seems to cry out for fringe. With Suede, fringe is a natural.

This week we have posted two free shawl patterns in Suede. The triangular shawl is a very easy project and a natural next step for the scarf knitter. We designed a variation on the triangular shawl, called Costa Mesa, for all our Berroco crochet enthusiasts. We used a brown Suede Tri-Color that is certain to look great with your western gear. The color patterning in the shawl translates wonderfully in this openwork stitch as you increase at the beginning and end of each row. I think that the tricolor fringe makes a bold finishing touch.

We knit Crystal Cove with a denim blue Suede Deluxe and adorned it with loads of fringe. Some of you have just bought new cowboy boots. There are some fabulous ones in the stores this season. You can surely find a Suede Deluxe color that will complement your new boots.

HOT OFF-THE-PRESS: Norah Gaughan, our Design Director, created a fabulous buckskin jacket and matching legwarmer/chaps. She adorned the jacket with beaded buttons and fringe in true western style. I love Norah's take on western wear. Instructions to knit this ensemble are in the winter issue of Knitter's Magazine, on sale now.

Free Pattern Library: If you have visited our website lately, you will notice that we now have an improved and simple navigation system for viewing our patterns. We know how much you love our free patterns. Now you can search our library by project type, by yarn, by pattern book, by crochet patterns and by skill level. You may search using the drop-down menus or we also have a new text link version for an at-a-glance view.





Jean from Witchita Falls wrote: "I have been knitting for many years and I am used to following written directions for pattern stitches. I found a book of cable and lace patterns that are charted. I am fascinated, but I don't know where to begin. Can you give me a few tips on how to read charts?"

Jean, Thanks for asking this question. I too am from a generation who learned to knit pattern stitches from verbal directions. Once you unlock the key to reading charts, with your knowledge of stitch patterns and knitting experience you will see that it is far simpler to read a chart than the written word.

Here are a few pointers:

1) The symbol that means knit on the right side row means purl on the wrong side row. That is to say, the chart is drawn to look as if the right side of the fabric is always facing you. Of course, if you are working back and forth, every other row will be a wrong side row. If you are knitting in the round, every row will be a right side row.

2) The right side row you read from the right to the left and the wrong side row you read from the left to the right.

3) Keep a "ruler" of sticky notes above the row of the chart that you are knitting, moving it up one row after that row is completed to keep your place.

4) Be sure that the key to your chart is right next to your chart. You might have to cut and paste, but this will save the tedium of having to turn back to the key to identify the stitch movement on cables and twisted stitches. Once you have learned how to read charts you will never want to go back to the written stitch pattern. You will continue to learn more and more about stitch movement and perhaps you will experiment and invent your own stitch patterns.