Dear KnitBits® Subscribers,

Our web statistics indicate that your numbers are growing and I am guessing that your interest in what's new from Berroco for Spring '06 is at its peak. Most of you have already discovered Suede™, our animal friendly leather-like ribbon yarn that has the touch and drape of the finest doeskin. This season we have added loads of new shades to Suede, Suede™Deluxe and Suede™Tri-Color.


BOOKLET #243/Suede
Have a look at the cover of Booklet #243. Our roomy crocheted Shopping Bag is worked in 3 shades of Suede and adorned with some beads and an easy embroidery stitch. This book is filled with designs in our family of Suede yarns. Shawna, our classic t-top, is an easy knit with garter ridges and drop stitch rows in Suede Tri-Color. You will notice that as the color changes, a touch of the former shade continues, blending shades to lend an artisanal, tie-dyed effect while you knit. Salma is a smashing tank top that is fastened at the neck with a chiffon scarf. It's knit in Suede Deluxe to put a little bling into your day and bring you fashionably into a summer evening. For those of you who knit and crochet and want to show off your curves as well as your talents, Simone in Suede Deluxe is a beautiful summer top with a beaded open yoke. Susanna is a knitted mesh cardigan with elbow length sleeves and an optional drawstring tie at the waist. It's knit in Suede. Sunny Set is a bustier and skirt with Native American flair. By combining knit and crochet with fringe and beadwork, we salute the 60's leather look. Solange is an ultra feminine retro-inspired blouse with flirty lace sleeves. Knit in Suede and Suede Deluxe, it is trimmed with our new ribbon, Yoga™.


BOOKLET #246/CROCHET
Our vast numbers of crochet enthusiasts have certainly made themselves heard and so it is with great pleasure that I introduce our Booklet #246, which we dedicated entirely to crocheted fashion. On the cover, Veronique and Penelope are a tank and skirt crocheted in Zen™. We show them as over-garments layered over leggings and a tank. It is a perfect look with platform sandals for a walk on the boardwalk. Sasa is an heirloom apron style that is crocheted in only Boho™, giving a look of multiple yarns due to the changes in fiber, thickness and tone within a single ball. The Hippy Hat gives a nod to the 70's with a sort of funky Annie Hall look. Using easy single crochet and a single shade of Boho™ Colors, again there is no need to change yarns to achieve the change of color or pattern. Cruz is a roomy mesh bag that's crocheted in Zodiac™ and lined with fabric. Take this bag along to the farmer's market to gather your fresh produce for your summer feast. Prudence is an elegant handkerchief top that looks great over a swim suit or tank top. It's crocheted in Ultra Silk™ for a soft and lustrous cover-up. Our Tasha bag is a zipper tote of crocheted granny squares in Boho Colors, trimmed in a matching shade of Touché™. Patience is a Cotton Twist™ sleeveless lace cardi with a drawstring empire waist. Auntie is an adorable Touché cardigan for your free range little girl. This booklet devoted to crocheted items is sure to inspire our knitters to pick up their hooks and experiment with the magic of that single chain.





Fiona from cyberspace wrote in to say: "I am knitting Flora from your white collection in Ultra™ Alpaca. I think that you may have an error. Your instructions say to knit the bag with Ultra Alpaca on a #13 needle. Don't you mean to double strand the yarn for the bag and strap portion?"

Fiona, thanks for calling our attention to this. Yes, this was an error. If you go to our Flora pattern, you will find a revised version.

As you know, we make every effort to publish patterns that are completely correct. If an error should occur, we will update our file on our website. If you have any trouble while knitting a Berroco pattern, you will want to double check for corrections. Even if you purchase our printed pattern book from a store, we will publish the errata on our website, here.

All the best,


Margery Winter
Creative Director