Norah and I just returned from a fun and busy weekend at Vogue Knitting Live in New York City. We had a wonderful time meeting enthusiastic knitters and sharing our Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 designs with them. In addition to a great Berroco fashion show on Saturday, Norah gave design retrospective lectures to a packed audience and did book signings at various booths on the marketplace floor. I spent most of the show at our fitting booth, fit.knit.sit. We had small and large-sized sweaters available to try on from both of our fall and spring pattern collections, and it was a great opportunity to help people plan their next projects. Here are a couple of quick photos I took in between fittings at the booth:

The woman on the left is trying on Pampero from Norah Gaughan vol. 10. It was one of the most popular sweaters at the show!

We had lots of visitors to the booth every day…

Fiber artist Suzanne Tidwell knitted giant striped covers for the columns on the show floor – Berroco donated some of the yarns she used. My photo doesn’t do it justice, but at least you can see how huge those columns were!

We also spotted a number of beautiful Berroco sweaters being worn by their creators. Here’s a lovely Nidden from Norah Gaughan vol. 8, worked in Linsey…

We had a wonderful time at VK Live. Thanks so much to everyone who visited our booth!

Amanda

Yarn and hand knits at Riga's Christmas market

Riga has a fantastic central market which is held in 3 adjoined Zeplin hangers. Among the piles of dried fish, meat, breads and fruits, I once again spotted some yarn and mittens. Actually my husband, John snapped these photos for me, so I could spend my time ogling.

More yarn and knit goods!Knit items for sales in the big market

…and it goes on.

Knit items for sales in the big market

Santa brought me a cool lens for my iPhone, so most of my Riga photos look like this!

If you ever get a chance to visit, go for it.  I would love to go back in the summer, when there is a longer day,  and see the country side.

– Norah

A brand new year is here! We’ve got lots of exciting things planned for this month. We’ll be attending Vogue Knitting Live in New York City next week, then we’re going to Phoenix the week after for The National NeedleArts Association’s winter trade show, where we’ll be showing our new spring yarns and patterns to retailers.

In a little more than a week, Berroco will unveil the new yarns and patterns for Spring/Summer 2012 on our website. I’ve included a few sneak peek images here:

Happy New Year!

Amanda

]]> http://blog.berroco.com/2012/01/03/happy-2012/feed/ 6 Spring! akk0726 NGV10 a 320 a NGV10 b 317 318 319 320b http://blog.berroco.com/2011/12/21/a-very-lacey-christmas/ http://blog.berroco.com/2011/12/21/a-very-lacey-christmas/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:58:03 +0000 amandakeep http://blog.berroco.com/?p=2096 ]]> December 21, 2011

Kathie, one of Berroco’s craftiest employees, was decorating her Christmas tree recently and discovered that our Francis scarf pattern (worked in Berroco Lacey, our elegant new ruffle yarn) can do double-duty as a garland!

The Francis scarf pattern is printed on the back of every Lacey ball band, and is also available on our website. Here’s the original scarf:

And here it is, artfully draped on Kathie’s tree:

She also created a matching ornament by hanging a short piece of the scarf on a decorative hook and accenting it with glass beads (she used a hot glue gun to attach them):

Here’s the ornament in its natural environment:

It’s already mid-December, and I must grudgingly admit that the coldest, shortest days of the year are coming. One bright spot, however, is that with winter comes the undeniable need for cozy sweaters! As a dedicated lover of knitwear, winter is the perfect time for me to wrap myself in the warmest sweaters I own… the ones that are too toasty for me to wear at any other time of the year.

When choosing my sweaters on the coldest days, I have a few rules I try to follow. Sweaters from our Fall 2011 collection make for perfect examples.

1. Sleeves must extend to the first knuckle of my thumb (at least). If my wrists start getting cold, the rest of me will inevitably follow. The wooly, textural sleeves on Callen from NG v.9 look just right:

2. The hemline of the sweater must hit at the hip or lower, to prevent any draftiness around the midsection. Gillings from Booklet #310 is exactly what I’m looking for:

3. Though not absolutely necessary, a little extra fabric around the neck is always appreciated. Whether it’s a turtleneck, a cowl, or a rolled edge like the one on Tiburon (from Booklet #315), keeping the neck area cozy is a smart idea:

While writing this blog post, I’ve realized the sweater I’m wearing today doesn’t meet any of the previously mentioned requirements, and my hands are starting to feel cold… Clearly it’s time for me to start knitting a new winter sweater!

First up is Hannah Fettig’s Autumnal Cardigan, knitted in Ultra Alpaca Light. The long silhouette and generously sized ribbed collar make it a perfect option for staying cozy this winter.

Next, we have Jackie Moon’s Bird Nest Cowl, crocheted in Peruvia. It’s a versatile winter accessory, sized perfectly to be worn as either a cowl or a hood. In addition to being stylish, it’s an easy project and works up quickly, making this cowl a great pattern for beginning crocheters.

Shelly DeJong’s Heddal hat, worked in Ultra Alpaca Light, is a gorgeous example of stranded colorwork.  Knit in three colors, the hat was inspired by traditional Norwegian knitting techniques and includes instructions for two styles: a longer toque that can be worn slouched and a short cap. Check out her Glowing Embers hat and cowl set for more colorwork with Ultra Alpaca Light!

Alegria DaSilva’s elegant Rosazura cloche is knitted in Lustra. Garter stitch bands and a cable detail at the side give the hat a distinctive art deco look. The yarn’s subtle shine and smooth texture make it perfect for showing off the stitching.

Thanks to all the designers for using Berroco yarns in their patterns! I can’t wait to see what they’ll come up with next…

Norah is at the table signing pattern booklets while attendees happily chat about all things knitting-related.

Sweaters were modeled by the mill’s antique mannequins, while accessories were draped over looms.

The dramatic lighting really shows off the cables on these two sweaters from Norah’s latest collection.

Thanks to Slater Mill for hosting, and thanks to everyone who stopped by the reception!

Amanda

Happy Thanksgiving!

Amanda

With updated cables showing up on the runways and in stores, now is the perfect time for knitters to get in on the action. Berroco’s fall pattern collection features lots of beautiful cabled designs that blend classic elements like braided cables and diamonds with contemporary colors and silhouettes.

Kaide, a sweater coat with extraordinary texture, is from Norah Gaughan vol. 9, a fantastic collection dedicated to exploring the world of cables. The intriguing arrangement of small and large cabled patterns creates a modern feel, while the oversized shape and trendy orange color complete the look.

Siri, an incredibly versatile cardigan from Booklet #311 Berroco Flicker, combines a traditional diamond-shaped cable with a lacy background stitch. The integration of lace makes the finished fabric much more airy and light, and a long waist tie adds a final feminine touch.

Marocchino, an open cardigan from Booklet #314 Berroco Voyage & Berroco Nanuk, features a gorgeous allover cable pattern paired with an extra wide collar. The sweater’s oversized fit is balanced with bracelet-length sleeves, keeping the overall look fresh and current.

With a cold winter ahead and the latest trends pointing to innovative, cozy cables, there’s never been a more exciting time to cast on for your next sweater project!

Amanda

It started out as an easy children’s sweater (Sawtelle) in garter stitch, destined for our KnitBits newsletter. Donna mentioned to me that she would wear that sweater in an adult size, and after hearing the same thing from KnitBits readers, we created an adult version. Before the resized version even made it to the newsletter, Donna had cast on for a lovely green Sawtelle Adult of her very own. She used Remix in Verdant (#3938) for the body, and Buttercup (#3922) for the contrast color.

She was delighted to discover that such a simple pattern (there is no purling, anywhere) made for perfect TV knitting. She also found herself falling for Remix. I have to say that I’ve noticed it too while swatching: knitting Remix in garter stitch is extremely satisfying. The softness of the fibers and the tweedy colorways seem like a perfect match for garter’s rustic, bumpy texture.

Donna eagerly waited for cooler weather so she could start showing off her new sweater. Here she is, happily wearing it at work one day:

She had such a great time with the first sweater, that she decided her daughter-in-law could use one, too. Before we knew it, Donna had whipped up another Sawtelle Adult, this time in Patina (#3933) with Blush (#3952) for the contrast. Once again, it seemed like the sweater had practically knit itself. Donna’s modeling it here, before presenting it to her lucky relative:

Normally, after following the same pattern twice, it’s time for something different. This time, though, Donna went ahead and started a third Sawtelle Adult! Worked in Buttercup (#3922) with Bittersweet (#3967) for the contrast, this one is destined for Donna’s daughter. It’s flying along, with the back and one front already finished:

Donna told me today that she’s already thinking about colorways for her fourth Sawtelle Adult…

Amanda