Join us at Vogue Knitting Live in Seattle!

Hey, Seattle peeps: I’m headed your way! Come join me as I host the Beginner’s Lounge (brought to you by Bernat) at Vogue Knitting Live. If you or someone you know has always wanted to knit or crochet, then we’ve got you covered! We’ll provide Sheep(ish) and Softee Chunky yarn as well as the tools you’ll need. We’ll even give you instructions for your very first project, if you’d like: these cute tissue cozies!

Not a beginner? Well, we still wanna see you! Here are a few more reasons to stop by the BL:

  • Free Patterns: We’ll be handing out oodles of knit and crochet project sheets! (while supplies last)
  • Yarn Previews: Be in the know by sneaking a peak of all of Bernat’s new yarns for Fall ’13. We’ll have them on display so you can see them live before anyone else!

The show runs from April 5-7. Get the details about Vogue Knitting Live on their website.

Hope to see you in Seattle!

xx,

Vickie

 

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Bernat Yarn Madness Round 2.3!

It’s time for Round 2 of Bernat Yarn Madness! Your votes have helped us narrow the field down to 8 contenders that will duke it out for the title of Ultimate Bernat Yarn! Check out the Round 2 intro post to download an updated bracket and play along!

Match-ups will take place here on the blog, and the winner of each match-up will be determined by your votes, so stop by regularly and vote to keep your favorite yarn in the competition! Keep an eye on the Bernat Blog and on Facebook and Twitter to find out when the battles are on!

In today’s matchup, Bernat Mosaic and Bernat Soft Boucle will go head to head in a battle of the Fashion yarns! Which yarn will get your vote?

Pick your favorite!

  • Bernat Mosaic (74%, 81 Votes)
  • Bernat Soft Boucle (26%, 29 Votes)

Total Voters: 110

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Remember, every vote counts, don’t forget to tell us about your Yarn Madness picks on our Facebook page, and on Twitter using the hashtag #yarnmadness! The winner of this matchup will be one step closer to being crowned Ultimate Bernat Yarn!

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Bernat Yarn Madness Round 2.2!

 

It’s time for Round 2 of Bernat Yarn Madness! Your votes have helped us narrow the field down to 8 contenders that will duke it out for the title of Ultimate Bernat Yarn! Check out the Round 2 intro post to download an updated bracket and play along!

Match-ups will take place here on the blog, and the winner of each match-up will be determined by your votes, so stop by regularly and vote to keep your favorite yarn in the competition! Keep an eye on the Bernat Blog and on Facebook and Twitter to find out when the battles are on!

In today’s matchup, 2 fan favorite yarns will face off to see which  one will advance to the Final 4! Will Bernat Satin or Bernat Super Value get your vote?

Pick your favorite!

  • Bernat Satin (74%, 426 Votes)
  • Bernat Super Value (26%, 149 Votes)

Total Voters: 575

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Remember, every vote counts, don’t forget to tell us about your Yarn Madness picks on our Facebook page, and on Twitter using the hashtag #yarnmadness! The winner of this matchup will be one step closer to being crowned Ultimate Bernat Yarn!

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Bernat Yarn Madness Round 2.1!

It’s time for Round 2 of Bernat Yarn Madness! Your votes have helped us narrow the field down to 8 contenders that will duke it out for the title of Ultimate Bernat Yarn!

Match-ups will take place here on the blog, and the winner of each match-up will be determined by your votes, so stop by regularly and vote to keep your favorite yarn in the competition! Keep an eye on the Bernat Blog and on Facebook and Twitter to find out when the battles are on!

Here’s your Elite 8! Which one is your pick for Ultimate Bernat Yarn?

Click the bracket image to view a larger version, or download your own bracket and play along at home!

Round 2 kicks off with Bernat Softee Baby and Bernat Baby Jacquards going head to head in a battle of the baby yarns! Make sure to vote for your favorite below!

Pick your favorite!

  • Bernat Softee Baby (58%, 79 Votes)
  • Bernat Baby Jacquards (42%, 58 Votes)

Total Voters: 137

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Every vote counts, so remember to use the hashtag #yarnmadness on Twitter and join us on Facebook to chat with your fellow Bernat fans, drum up support for your favorite yarn, and to tell us which yarn you think should be named Ultimate Bernat Yarn!


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Bernat Yarn Madness Round 1.5, 1.6 & 1.7 Winners!

Bernat Yarn Madness is in full swing, and today we’re excited to bring you the results for Round 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7! For more information on Yarn Madness, check out the intro post and download a bracket to play along!

In the first battle of the Fashion yarns, Bernat Mosaic won with a whopping 80% of the vote!

 

In the Classic category, you chose Bernat Handicrafter Cotton over Bernat Roving, with Handicrafter Cotton coming out ahead with 70% of your votes!

 

Finally, with 76% of the vote in our 2nd Fashion matchup, Bernat Soft Boucle emerged victorious!

Remember, every vote counts, don’t forget to tell us about your Yarn Madness picks on our Facebook page, and on Twitter using the hashtag #yarnmadness! The winner of each matchup will be one step closer to being crowned Ultimate Bernat Yarn!

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Bernat Yarn Madness Round 1.8

The final match of Yarn Madness round one is upon us! If you missed the full lineup, check out the intro post and download a bracket to play along!

We’re rounding off the Wildcard category with two extremely popular lone wolves. In a battle between Bernat Pipsqueak or Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell, which will you choose?

Wildcard: Pipsqueak vs. Sheep(ish)

Pick your favorite!

  • Bernat Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell (79%, 166 Votes)
  • Bernat Pipsqueak (21%, 44 Votes)

Total Voters: 210

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Remember, every vote counts, don’t forget to tell us about your Yarn Madness picks on our Facebook page, and on Twitter using the hashtag #yarnmadness! The winner of this matchup will be one step closer to being crowned Ultimate Bernat Yarn!

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Bernat Yarn Madness Round 1.7

It’s that time of day: Yarn Madness! If you missed the full lineup, check out the intro post and download a bracket to play along!

Today’s two of our classic fashion yarns go head-to-head. Which do you prefer – Bernat Soft Boucle or Bernat Boa? What are your favorite uses for fashion yarns?

 

Pick your favorite!

  • Bernat Soft Boucle (76%, 92 Votes)
  • Bernat Boa (24%, 29 Votes)

Total Voters: 121

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Remember, every vote counts, don’t forget to tell us about your Yarn Madness picks on our Facebook page, and on Twitter using the hashtag #yarnmadness! The winner of this matchup will be one step closer to being crowned Ultimate Bernat Yarn!

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Community Update #28

Woo Hoo!  Bernat Softee Baby won its first matchup in Bernat Yarn Madness!

GO SOFTEE BABY!!  :D  

But, part of me is kinda sad to see Bernat Baby Blanket lose the contest.  I always feel sorry for the underdog.  Poor Baby Blanket! :(

The Yarn Madness contest is fun, but it won’t keep me from using the yarns that don’t win.  I love ALL Bernat yarns!  I think that every yarn has its purpose, and all we have to do is try them out with different patterns, hooks, and needles, until we find exactly the right way to make them shine!  There are only a few Bernat yarns I haven’t tried yet, and my fingers are itching to have a go at them.

Can you believe it’s Spring already?  It took me by surprise this week, because I have been so busy lately, I kinda forgot about it.  Now that I am aware it’s Spring, I’m ready to have fun with a new Bernat project for the warmer weather.  I haven’t decided which one I want to make yet.  But, stay tuned in the Bernat Forum KALs and CALs, because you KNOW that I will start a knit or crochet-along for the project! :)

Which Bernat pattern would you like to make?  Which one would you recommend for a quick knit or crochet along in the forum?  Look through Bernat’s Free Patterns, and tell us your favorites.

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Bernat Yarn Madness Round 1.6

It’s that time of day: Yarn Madness! If you missed the full lineup, check out the intro post and download a bracket to play along!

Today we enter the Wild Card portion of the competition. Wildly different yarns, both Bernat Handicrafter Cotton and Bernat Roving are loved for their own reasons. Place your vote and let us know in the comments why chose one over the other!

 

Pick your favorite!

  • Bernat Handicrafter Cotton (70%, 92 Votes)
  • Bernat Roving (30%, 39 Votes)

Total Voters: 131

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Remember, every vote counts, don’t forget to tell us about your Yarn Madness picks on our Facebook page, and on Twitter using the hashtag #yarnmadness! The winner of this matchup will be one step closer to being crowned Ultimate Bernat Yarn!

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Free Pattern: Peeps-a-Boo Bunny Bag!

I believe a gal should have a purse for every occasion, even if she isn’t quite old enough to need to carry one. With spring in the air and Easter on the horizon, every little lass needs a cute carry-all! Inspired by those marshmallow bunnies, the Peeps-a-Boo Bag uses simple granny squares to form a rabbit motif. It’s sweet and easy, and makes for the perfect egg-hunt companion. Switch out the pink for a brown or blue bunny, and make it for the lad in your life (or see my friend Noelle’s mustache version she made for her son). Either way, your kiddo will hop for joy when she or he gets this tiny tote!

I made this version for my daughter last year (she so much bigger now!), and am excited that it’s time again to bust our bunny bag out of wintertime hiding!

Materials
Sheep(ish) by Vickie Howell (70% acrylic/30% wool; 167 yds/153 m):
(A) White(ish) — 2 balls
(B) Pink(ish) — 1 ball
(C) Brown(ish) — scraps

Size US H-8 (5mm) hook or size needed to obtain gauge

Tapestry needle
Fabric for lining (optional)
Sewing machine (optional)
Sewing needle and thread (optional)

 

Finished Size
9 1/2″ x 10″/24 cm x 25 cm

Gauge
1 square = 2 1/4″/57 cm

Directions
FRONT
Granny squares: (Make 15 with Color A, and 10 with Color B)
Ch 4; join with a sl st to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 3, (counts as a dc here and throughout), 2 dc in ring, [ch 3, 3 dc in ring] 3
times, ch 3; join with sl st in 3rd ch of beginning ch-3.
Round 2: Ch 1, sc in same ch as joining, sc in each dc, 3 sc in each ch-3 sp, and 3 sc in
each corner ch-3 sp around; join with a sl st in first sc. Fasten off. –24 sts

BACK
With Color A, ch 34.
Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook and in every ch to end. Turn. –31 sts
Row 2: Ch 3, dc in next st and to end. Turn.
Repeat Row 2, eleven times more.
Next Row: Ch 1, sc in next st and in every st to end.

HANDLES (Make 2)
With Color A, ch 38.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in every ch to end. Turn. –37 sts
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in next st and in every st to end. Tie off.
Rows 3-4: Join Color B; repeat Row 2. Tie off.
Finishing
Using yarn, tapestry needle and the photo as a guide seam granny squares together to
create bag front.

Front edging:
With RS facing, join Color A at top, right corner of bag front.
Row 1: Ch 3, dc evenly across top edge (you’ll have to use your own judgement for how many stitches you work, based on how your edges look after seaming). Flip piece over.
You’ll now switch to working in a round.
Row/Round 2: Ch 1, sc in every dc across top edge, *3sc in corner of piece, sc evenly down side (again, you’ll have to fudge the number here — just make sure you work evenly); repeat from * twice more, 3sc in last corner. Fasten off.

Bunny face:
Using Color C and a tapestry needle, embroider eyes and a nose onto the bunny’s face.
Seam together bag, and sew on handles.
Weave in ends.

Lining: (optional)
Cut 2 pieces of fabric, measuring 1/4″/1 cm more around than your bag.
With RS facing and using a 1/4″/1 cm seam allowance, machine sew the sides and
bottom of fabric together. Without turning RS out, place lining in bag. Fold top of lining
over 1/4″/1 cm; hand sew to inside top edge of bag.

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